Mondo Armchairs in Cognac Leather and Aluminum by Karl Erik Ekselius for JOC Vetlanda, 1970s, Set of 2

Model · Mondo
Designer · Karl Erik Ekselius
Manufacturer · JOC Vetlanda
Origin · Sweden
Period · 1970s
Style · Scandinavian Modern / Mid-Century Modern
Materials · Aluminium, leather, foam
Colour · Cognac, brushed silver

Object

Mondo is built around a beautiful contrast. A precise aluminium structure holds generous cushions of cognac leather, bringing something soft and deeply tactile into an otherwise architectural frame. The metal remains visible, the leather is allowed to age, and neither material tries to become something it is not.

Ekselius understood that modern furniture did not have to feel cold. Mondo has the clarity of Scandinavian modernism, but also the ease of a chair made to be lived in. Low, relaxed and quietly substantial, the pair feels equally at home in the clean architecture of the 1970s and in a room half a century later.

Designer

Karl Erik Ekselius (1929–1990) belonged to a generation of Swedish designers who pushed Scandinavian modernism beyond the familiar language of pale wood and traditional cabinetmaking. Educated at Konstfack in Stockholm, he developed a vocabulary that was more architectural, combining disciplined proportions with rich, tactile materials.

His long collaboration with JOC Vetlanda gave those ideas a physical form. Leather, aluminium and carefully considered upholstery became part of a distinctly modern world, one where comfort and precision could occupy the same object. The Mondo series remains one of the clearest expressions of that thinking.

Manufacturer

JOC Vetlanda emerged from the Swedish furniture-making town of Vetlanda and became closely associated with Karl Erik Ekselius. Their collaboration brought together industrial precision and the craftsmanship for which Scandinavian furniture had become known. During the postwar decades, JOC produced furniture that felt increasingly international while remaining unmistakably Swedish in its attention to material, proportion and longevity.

Condition

The aluminium frames remain original, while the seating has been freshly upholstered in rich cognac leather. Both armchairs are preserved in excellent vintage condition. As with any authentic vintage pieces, subtle traces of age and previous use may be present, adding to their history and individual character.

Dimensions

Width · 68 cm / 26.8 in
Depth · 78 cm / 30.7 in
Height · 73 cm / 28.7 in
Seat height · 42 cm / 16.5 in

Included

The armchairs are accompanied by a Back to the Furniture Certificate of Originality, a Back to the Furniture flyer, a Thank You card and a small gift.

Availability

The armchairs can be ready to ship within 10-15 workdays.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available. Every piece is carefully prepared and packed for international transport. Shipping costs are calculated according to destination at checkout, with tracking provided after dispatch.

Enquiries

For questions about the piece, its condition, shipping, delivery or any other details, please get in touch. Additional information is always available before purchase.

© Back to the Furniture