Vintage Scandinavian armchair by Ingmar Relling Westnofa 1965s

This Siesta leather armchair was designed by Ingmar Relling in 1965 and manufactured by the Norwegian factory Westnofa. The chair has a strongly curved glued wooden frame. The original fabric is placed in the frame of the chair and fixed with leather elements. The cushion is made of leather. The Siesta chair was first awarded the Design Award in 1965 and has since been frequently purchased and exhibited by many important museums around the world. Ingmar Relling (1920-2002) was a Norwegian designer who created a series of functional furniture during his long career. He began his career at the design studio Rastad & Relling in 1947, before establishing his own studio in Sykkylven in 1950. Today, he is considered one of the greatest contributors to the golden age of Scandinavian design. Simplicity, minimalism, elegance and uncompromising quality are the key concepts in all of Relling's designs. In 1965, Ingmar Relling designed his greatest masterpiece: the Siesta chair. That same year, he won first prize in the Furniture Industry Council competition. Even the White House had chairs designed by Ingmar Relling. Today, the Siesta chair is an internationally recognised classic and an icon of Norwegian design. Westnofa is a manufacturer whose name is derived from the combination of WEST NOrway FActories. It was established in the late 1950s through the cooperation of the country's leading furniture manufacturers. The aim was to join forces to market and export locally produced furniture abroad. In the 1960s and 1970s, a series of elegant furniture pieces were produced from highly curved glued wood. The designs were innovative, contemporary and characterised by a light form rarely achieved by traditional furniture makers. The success was immediate and put Norway on the international map of contemporary furniture. This chair is in original vintage condition with traces of age and natural patina. The seat is 42 cm high.