Mid-Century Swedish Beech Bentwood Pernilla Lounge Chair by Bruno Mathsson for Firma Karl Mathsson, 1940s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

This startlingly organic Easy chair model Pernilla, was designed by Bruno Mathsson and produced by Karl Mathsson AB in Värnamo, Sweden. The seating surface consists of woven webbing slung between a frame of steam-bent beech. The frame is stamped with the maker’s mark “Bruno Mathsson Design, Made in Sweden”, plus two period labels, one dating the chair to 1944. This is in original condition.

In 1944 Mathsson created the first of what would later be called the Pernilla line of chairs. It was similar to the 1941 Miranda Chair, but here Mathsson discarded the waterfall-style front, instead having the chair terminate in the manner of a ramp. He also moved the sitter's centre of gravity lower to the ground, as seen with this particular chair.

Creator	Bruno Mathsson
Manufacturer	Firma Karl Mathsson
Design Period	1920 to 1949
Year	1944
Production Period	1940 to 1949
Country of Manufacture	Sweden
Identifying Marks	This piece has an attribution mark
Style	Mid-Century, Scandinavian Modern, Design Classics
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use, Patina consistent with age and use
Product Code	UV-730095
Materials	Afromosia, Fabric
Color	Tan, wheat
Width	64 cm 64 cm
Depth	90 cm 90 cm
Height	91 cm 91 cm
Seat Height	37 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	United Kingdom
Returns	Returns accepted within 14 days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Bruno Mathsson

Bruno Mathsson was born in 1907 in Värnamo, Sweden. His father, Karl, was a fourth-generation master cabinetmaker, so Bruno was exposed early on to the possibilities of new wood technologies. A self-taught designer and architect, Mathsson was inspired by the functionalist movement, and, expanding on his family trade, spent much of the 1920s and 1930s studying the functional possibilities of wood.

Mathsson’s furniture designs experimented with curves and height, and were driven by ergonomics and function. He exhibited a collection of bentwood furniture at the 1937 World Exposition in Paris, launching his international reputation; his Eva Chair (then called Work Chair) was purchased for the public spaces of the soon-to-be-opened Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1939, he exhibited at the New York World’s Fair, cementing his popularity in the U.S. In the 1950s, his attentions turned to architecture, and he often incorporated large glass pieces into his residential projects. In the 1960s, Mathsson again focused on furniture, and began working with tubular steel. Notably, he collaborated with Danish mathematician Piet Hein to create the Super Ellipse Table, which rested on span legs that made the tabletop appear to hover in space.