HALLWAY CHAIR 51, ALVAR AALTO, HKT KORHONEN, FINLAND c.1932

A rare pre-commercial-production Hallway chair designed for the Paimio Sanitorium by Alvar (1898 – 1976) and Aino Aalto (1894 – 1949). The low stretcher between the front and rear legs suggests that these chairs have come directly from the Sanitorium, completed in 1932, made by the Korhonen factory before Artek’s conception. When the chairs when into production for the market a couple of alterations were made, including the shifting of said stretcher for more efficient stacking, compromising the airy effect that the floating seat created.

On receiving the chairs this one had been scraped of most of its top layers of paint – revealing several colours underneath. A restorer has taken it down to the base coat, and what would have been the original colour. We can assist with either further restoration,  giving the colour back to the wood, or sealing the current.