Karin Mobring armchairs

These armchairs, model Amiral, were conceived in the 1960s by Karin Mobring and produced for IKEA in Sweden during a period when the company collaborated with external manufacturers to realize higher-quality pieces. Their cantilevered frames are fashioned from chromed tubular steel drawn into continuous, flowing lines. From the floor, the steel rises to form the front legs, then sweeps back and upward to define the seat support and armrest structure, before returning down to create the rear legs. This seamless geometry not only provides visual lightness but also ensures stability and resilience under regular use.

The seat and backrest of each chair are formed from thick saddle-tanned leather in a warm cognac brown. The hides are cut to size, folded around the steel frame, and secured with stitched loops that wrap snugly over the tubes. This method of attachment creates a softly suspended seating surface that yields slightly under weight yet retains firm support. Matching leather strips are tightly coiled around the armrest sections of the frame, offering a comfortable grip and reinforcing the connection between upholstery and structure.

Over the decades, the leather has developed an even patina and acquired natural wear marks and subtle surface stains. These characteristics speak to both the material’s durability and the chairs’ authentic vintage provenance. The chrome finish, while largely intact, displays minor oxidation spots and light surface abrasions consistent with gentle, long-term use. Together, these signs of age enhance the chairs’ character without compromising their functional integrity.

Karin Mobring (1939–2005) was among the few female designers collaborating with IKEA in its early years. Trained in textile and furniture design, she championed the democratic design ethos that would become synonymous with IKEA: simple forms, honest materials, and accessible construction. With the Amiral chairs, Mobring translated rustic Scandinavian warmth into a modernist vocabulary by pairing natural leather with industrial steel, anticipating later trends in mixed-material seating.

IKEA’s production of the Amiral model occurred before the company’s shift to fully in-house, mass-production techniques. These four chairs thus represent a unique chapter in IKEA history, when external workshops brought artisanal methods and precision craftsmanship into the manufacture of what would become a global furnishing brand.

Each chair measures 55 cm in width, 55 cm in depth, and 75 cm in height, with a seat height of 44 cm (approximately 21.7 by 21.7 by 29.5 inches, with a 17.3-inch seat height). Their compact proportions and cantilevered design make them well suited to both residential and hospitality interiors, where the interplay of leather warmth and polished steel adds sculptural interest.