Mid-century Swedish Teak Roll Top Secretary
A mid-century teak veneer secretary by Bröderna Gustafssons of Sweden offered by Snowdrift Antiques.
This teak veneer secretary or roll top desk was made in the 1960s in Sweden.
Right off the top, let’s dispel two misappropriations about this piece that you will find repetitively on the internet
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It was not produced by “Svensk Mobelindustri”. It was produced by Bröderna Gustafssons, and bears a sticker with the SMI logo, which as I understand, stands for Sveriges Möbel Industriförbund, or Swedish Furniture Association. Furthermore, if you look around on the internet you will find this same piece being repetitively attributed to the Danish designer Egon Ostegaard. I have it in written form from Mr Ostergaard’s son, that his late dad (July 2021) told him he did not design this piece and has no idea how his name became so inextricably attributed to it.
So, at least here, if nowhere else on the entire internet, let’s get it right. This piece was made by Bröderna Gustafssons of Sweden and the designer remains unknown to me.
On to this beautiful piece. It is a teak veneer roll top secretary from 1960s Sweden. It bears the tag with the Sveriges Möbel Industriförbund logo and number 154932 as well as the consistent Gustafsson number, 528. It has a cylindrical roll top with angled grain veneer creating a diamond pattern. The top rolls back to reveal 5 cubbyhole slots above 3 drawers and a desktop surface. The desktop pulls out to provide a 17 ½ inch deep by 33 wide workspace. It comes with two original keys. Either key can lock and unlock the roll top as well as the top drawer.
The entire piece measures 35 ½ inches wide by 18 ½ deep with the desktop pushed in by 38 ½ high.
This piece is in excellent vintage condition. The teak has beautiful grain and is lightly stained for excellent, natural color.
This is a beautiful, vintage Swedish roll top secretary from the 1960s.