Mid 20th Century Artek Alvar Aalto Model 60 in Oak and Birch 3-Legged Stool

Design Plus Gallery presents a Mid 20th Century Stool Model 60 in Oak and Birch by Artek. Designed by Alvar Aalto, whom developed the “bent-knee” technique for making furniture. It involves a solid piece of birch soaked and softened in water and then sawed open in the direction of the wood grain. Afterward, thin slats of wood are glued into the grooves, and the wood is heated so that it becomes malleable. The bent-knee process, which has changed little since its inception, yielded the “L-leg” that Aalto initially had in mind for his Stool 60. Three L-legs were mounted to the underside of the flat, circular plywood seat of the Stool 60 in the Turku factory, but Aalto’s innovation had applications for tables and a lot more. The furniture maker called the L-leg “the little sister of the architectural column. Good vintage condition is shown in this stool, rich patina consistent with age and use.