Description
Finnish ‘Pedro’ armchair, designed by Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs. Produced by Puunveisto Oy – Träsnideri AB (Hiort Tuote Puunveisto) in Finland, 1950s. Original coral red fabric upholstery. Manufacturer’s mark beneath the seat.
Dimensions:
Height: 80 cm / 31.5 in
Width: 72 cm / 28.35 in
Depth: 70 cm / 32.68 in
Seat height: 42 cm / 16.54 in
Designed by Finnish architect and designer Carl-Gustaf Vilhelm “Nalle” Hiort af Ornäs (1911–1996), the ‘Pedro’ armchair reflects the sculptural character of Nordic furniture from the 1950s. Its design presents as a single, continuous form that integrates the seat, backrest, and armrests. The piece remains in its original coral red fabric upholstery, including a removable seat cushion.
In 1945, Hiort af Ornäs founded Puunveisto Oy—Träsnideri AB, a Finnish company specializing in advanced plywood construction—a technique central to his design approach. This chair features a hand signature beneath the seat, along with the manufacturer’s mark reading ‘Hiort H Tuote Valmistaja Puunveisto.’ Early pieces produced shortly after the company’s founding were often unmarked or carried generic manufacturer stamps, which was not uncommon among smaller Finnish manufacturers in the 1940s. Over time, as Hiort’s name became more closely associated with the company’s products, various pieces began to feature the firm’s updated mark—as seen in this particular piece.
The craftsmanship and quality of Hiort af Ornäs’s work are perfectly evident in the ‘Pedro’ armchair and a matching sofa design from the same period. Over time, his designs have gained increasing international recognition. Hiort af Ornäs earned a reputation as a master of form—with a design philosophy centered on achieving visual balance from every angle. The ‘Pedro’ armchair reflects this approach, demonstrating his commitment to sculptural integrity in functional design. In his later years, he relocated to Spain, where he continued working as an architect—and is known to have contributed several buildings to the Los Pacos district of Fuengirola, a neighborhood with a notable Finnish community.