19 - Bruno Mathsson

Bruno Mathsson Adjustable lectern, reading stand Reading stand with slanted tabletop Light wood, tubular metal Firma Karl Mathsson, Värnamo, Sweden Date of creation: 1940/1941 H77 L55.5 P52 cm Signs of wear and small marks on the tabletop This piece bears the label “Bruno Mathsson, Firma Karl Mathsson, Made in Värnamo, Sweden” The son of a cabinetmaker from Värnamo, in Småland, Bruno Mathsson worked his entire life at the family workshop, Firma Karl Mathsson. His research on the ergonomics of the body at rest, conducted as early as the 1930s, led him to design a family of furniture intended for reading and relaxation. This lectern, designed to accompany an armchair, rests on an offset base that provides ample legroom; a screw allows for height adjustment. The original label confirms that it was manufactured in Värnamo, a detail highly sought after by collectors of the designer’s work.