1924–1999 Svenskt Tenn

storefront tea salon part of building complex kvarteret bodarna in stockholm.



svenskt tenns founder estrid ericson , friend , employee, architect josef frank, seated in sofa liljevalch , present trolley, named model 691 , designed frank.



a living room, designed ericson , frank, situated in curator’s building, called annes hus, built , constructed evert milles in stockholm’s millesgården on island of lidingö.



a teapot, designed in 2004 signe persson-melin on occasion of 80th birthday of svenskt tenn , in memory of estrid ericson.



wall lights svenskt tenn in pastry shop valand on surbrunnsgatan 48 in norrmalm.



frank’s villa carlsten @ fyrvägen 26 in falsterbo, skåne.

ericson’s father’s inheritance served seed capital starting company. pewter artist nils fougstedt, produced modern pewter objects , svenskt tenn gained recognition brand of quality, leading gold medal @ 1925 exposition des arts décoratifs et industriels in paris. further successes in usa following, beginning in 1927 exhibition of swedish design @ metropolitan museum of art in new york toured chicago , detroit. result of success, in 1927, store moved smålandsgatan larger premises on strandvägen, still located today.

at time, swedish functionalist architects uno Åhrén , björn trägårdh started design company. in 1932, ericson ordered first furniture designs well-established austrian architect josef frank. 2 years later, hired frank after fled burgeoning nazism in austria sweden @ age of 50 swedish wife anna.

svenskt tenn’s exhibition room @ world exhibitions in paris (“exposition des arts et techniques dans la vie moderne”) in 1937 , new york in 1939 contrary ideal of time bold contrasts in materials, colours , prints. duo of frank , ericson received great deal of attention , associated expression “swedish modern”.

over time, designer duo won many notable clients. in 1932, sigvard oskar bernadotte commissioned svenskt tenn new interior design of residence. similarly, ericson , frank commissioned design house of anne hedmark (annes hus) on site of swedish sculptor carl milles’s studio , home.

during second world war, josef frank forced exile yet again. @ height of war fled manhattan, resulting in number of new textile designs between 1941 , 1946. sweden’s prince eugen among took great delight in them; felt new designs exceeded of legendary print designer , frank role model, william morris.

after frank died in 1967, ericson ran daily operations of business until 1975. @ age of 81, sold company kjell , märta beijer foundation, provides research grants within ecology, medicine , preservation of swedish interior design tradition. ericson, however, remained managing director of company. in 1979, ann wall took on role , transformed svenskt tenn profitable business modernising product range, administration , organization, renewing marketing concept. collaborations selected new designers, art , design schools, established under direction.