Sven Ivar Dysthe armchairs

This is a rare pair of armchairs, model 1001, designed by Sven Ivar Dysthe and produced by Dokka Møbler in Norway in 1959. The model exemplifies Dysthe’s commitment to merging rationalist design with Scandinavian craftsmanship and materials. These armchairs are constructed with a frame of satin-finished stainless steel, forming a geometric and visually light structural base. The arms and horizontal stretchers are executed in highly figured rosewood with a warm, deep brown tone and expressive grain patterns.

The seating units feature original black leather upholstery on both the seat and backrest, which are smooth, contoured, and free from decorative tufting. The lack of ribbed stitching, compared to earlier variants of the same model, gives these chairs a sleeker, more minimal appearance. The leather is in good vintage condition with minor surface creasing and patina consistent with age and use. The backrest is subtly inclined, and the overall seat profile is slightly reclined, offering a balance of comfort and support.

These chairs carry the original metal manufacturer’s badge from Dokka Møbler, affixed beneath the seat, verifying provenance and production. Dokka was one of Norway’s key modern furniture producers during the mid-20th century, particularly noted for working with steel and exotic hardwoods. The combination of rosewood, leather, and metal situates these chairs within the Scandinavian modern movement, yet they display a degree of formal restraint and precision more closely associated with international modernism.

Sven Ivar Dysthe was one of the leading Norwegian designers of the post-war period. Trained in both engineering and design, his work reflects a distinctly architectural approach to form. The 1001 model was one of his earliest and most enduring commercial successes and remains one of the clearest examples of his hybrid design language that fuses Nordic materiality with clean, technical construction.

The dimensions of each chair are 64.5 cm in width, 58 cm in depth, and 81 cm in height, with a seat height of 44 cm. In imperial units, these measure approximately 25.4 inches wide, 22.8 inches deep, and 31.9 inches high, with a seat height of 17.3 inches.