Yngve Ekström dining chairs

This is a rare and complete set of 14 dining chairs, model Thema, designed by Yngve Ekström and produced by Swedese in Sweden in 1953. These chairs are an early and distinctive example of Ekström’s work, illustrating his approach to material contrast, structural economy, and modernist refinement. The chairs combine sculptural form with precise craftsmanship and embody many of the key values of Scandinavian design from the postwar period.

Each chair is constructed with a black lacquered wood frame and seat and backrest components crafted from solid pine. The pine has a warm, honey-toned finish that highlights the wood’s natural grain and provides a tactile and visual counterpoint to the sleek black legs and supports. The backrest is gently arched and shaped to provide ergonomic support, with a subtle curvature that mirrors the rounded triangular seat.

The frame design emphasizes verticality through slender, tapered legs and narrow back uprights. These elements lend the chairs a sense of elevation and lightness despite their solid wooden construction. Exposed joinery and carefully resolved connections between frame and seat demonstrate Swedese’s meticulous production standards.

Yngve Ekström (1913–1988) was one of Sweden’s most important furniture designers and co-founder of Swedese in 1945. He is perhaps best known for his iconic Lamino chair, but earlier designs such as Thema exhibit his characteristic blend of elegance, honesty in materials, and clarity of form. Swedese, under Ekström’s artistic direction, became a leading voice in Swedish modernism, known for their innovative use of wood and sensitivity to proportion.

The chairs are in good vintage condition with visible signs of use, including surface wear, small marks, and patina consistent with age and function. The finish on both the pine and lacquered wood shows age-related character without structural compromise.