Sweden
1940s
Pine, brass hardware
47 1/2” wide x 24 1/2” deep x 32 1/2” high (seat height 15 1/4”)

A ‘Svensk Fur’ bench by Göran Malmvall made of beautifully figured Swedish pine and a gently curved back.

Malmvall was the youngest son of Karl Andersson. He studied under Carl Malmsten for a short time, but was largely self-taught. He was known for the subtlety of his designs and the boldness of his innovations.

His highly collectible Svensk Fur series has a Minimalist rusticity akin to Axel Einar Hjorth’s contemporaneous Sportstugemöbler furniture. Both designers were inspired by traditional Swedish carpentry, transforming the utilitarian provincial furniture into more refined profiles that appealed to a higher-end clientele.