Vintage Rare Chairs by Yrjö Kukkapuro for Lepo Finn, 1960s

Description

This set of two rare chairs was designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro for the Finnish Lepo Finn manufacturer during the 1960s. The chairs are upholstered in black synthetic leather with quilting. The base is decorated and finished in golden color, rotating metal plate-shaped leg. The style of the chairs refers to the golden era of the Hollywood Regency.

Yrjö Kukkapuro is a Finnish furniture designer. He is the important person of Finnish functionalism. He has mainly been working as a freelance designer since the 1950s, and most of the furniture he designed early in his career is still in production. “Does it make sense to design a chair that is not comfortable to sit on?” – this is one of Kukkapuro’s favorite sayings, which perfectly reflects the designer’s love of ergonomic furniture. His designs aim at a subtle balance between functionality and aesthetics – a perfect example of this is the Karuselli chair by Artek and other iconic designs such as the Saturnus table, the Skaala chair, the Remmi series, and the Ateljee armchair and sofa. In his career, Kukkapuro has received many national and international awards – incl. Lunning Prize in 1966, First Prize at the International Chair Design Competition in Italy in 1972 and the Kaj Franck Design Prize in 1995. His works are permanently present in museums around the world, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, MoMA in New York and Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany.

Lepo Finn was founded in 1953 and the company’s name at the time was Lahden Lepokalusto Oy. During the course of the company’s development, the name has changed several times, but whether it is Lahti Lepokalusto, Lepokalusto, Lepofinn or Lepo Product, all companies have always been called Lepo. Lepo has been cooperating with famous interior designers since 1958. From the beginning of the 1960s, Lepo’s production has increasingly focused on furnishing public spaces. An example is the first series of Moderno Yrjö Kukkapuro chairs, which is still in production.

The chairs are in original vintage condition, have age-related marks, scratches, scrapes. The seat is 40 cm high.