Description
Rare cantilever ‘Tank’ lounge chair (model ’37/400′), designed by Alvar Aalto in 1936. Produced by Artek in Finland, 1940s. Armrests in black-lacquered bent birch plywood, original red velvet upholstery.
Dimensions:
Height: 74 cm / 29.13 in
Width: 75 cm / 29.53 in
Depth: 83 cm / 32.68 in
Seat height: 40 cm / 15.75 in
Designed in 1936 for the Milan Triennale, the ‘Tank’ armchair—officially known as Armchair 400—is one of Alvar Aalto’s (1898–1976) most iconic works and today remains an exceptional and rare collector’s item. At the time, the Finnish designer had recently relocated his architectural practice, which he ran with his wife, Aino, from Turku to Helsinki. The chair marked a bold departure from Aalto’s earlier furniture: wide, low-slung, and powerfully built, its generous proportions and solid bentwood frame earned it the nickname “Tank.” A striking synthesis of modernist ideals and organic form, the piece remains a celebrated example of Aalto’s pioneering approach to furniture design.
Today, the ‘Tank’ armchair is held in the permanent collections of several major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, which holds a 1936 example—acquired through the Estée and Joseph Lauder Design Fund—as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. In Finland, the Alvar Aalto Museum maintains an extensive archive that includes the ‘Tank’ armchair, underscoring its lasting significance in 20th-century design history.