With sofa 968, designed in the late 1930s, Josef Frank broke with the traditions of the time by creating a gentle curve in the back and a more substantial inward bend in the front of the sofa. This piece of furniture was nicknamed the “banana sofa” due to its gently curved form.
Designer
Josef Frank
Josef Frank grew up in Vienna and studied architecture at Technische Hochschule (the Vienna University of Technology) in 1903 – 1908. In the 1920s he designed housing estates and large residential blocks built around common courtyards in a Vienna with severe housing shortages. In 1925, he founded the Haus & Garten interior firm together with architect colleague Oskar Wlach. Svenskt Tenn hired Josef Frank in 1934 and just a few years later he and Estrid Ericson made their international breakthrough. Although he was already 50 when he left the burgeoning Nazism in Vienna for Sweden, Frank is considered one of Sweden’s most important designers. Read more
Design
With sofa 968, designed in the late 1930s, Josef Frank broke with the traditions of the time by creating a gentle curve in the back and a more substantial inward bend in the front of the sofa. This piece of furniture was nicknamed the “banana sofa” due to its gently curved form.
Designer
Josef Frank
Josef Frank grew up in Vienna and studied architecture at Technische Hochschule (the Vienna University of Technology) in 1903 – 1908. In the 1920s he designed housing estates and large residential blocks built around common courtyards in a Vienna with severe housing shortages. In 1925, he founded the Haus & Garten interior firm together with architect colleague Oskar Wlach. Svenskt Tenn hired Josef Frank in 1934 and just a few years later he and Estrid Ericson made their international breakthrough. Although he was already 50 when he left the burgeoning Nazism in Vienna for Sweden, Frank is considered one of Sweden’s most important designers. Read more
Care instructions
All types of feather cushions need to be puffed up to maintain their resilience. Shake and puff up the cushions regularly and knead them to loosen up any feather bunches.
The legs are screwed on and may need to be tightened from time to time. For additional protection we recommend ordering extra covers for the armrests.
Sustainability and manufacturing
Material
Svenskt Tenn’s furniture is manufactured using traditional methods. Our upholstered furniture is manufactured by one of the oldest furniture manufacturers in the country. The cushions are stuffed with down and synthetic down. The down is cleaned with an environmentally friendly detergent and is then sterilised and dried at 120 degrees Celsius to ensure that any bacteria or other impurities have been completely removed. The factory is OEKO- TEX 100 Standard, Class 1 certified, which is the highest possible standard. It is also quality certified in accordance with ISO 9001.
Producing Svenskt Tenn’s upholstered furniture is a time-consuming process that requires great craftsmanship. A team of exceptional furniture makers, seamstresses and upholsterers lies behind the production, led by the fourth generation of the Sjögren family.
O.H. Sjögren’s furniture factory in Tranås has been producing upholstered furniture for Svenskt Tenn since 1982. The factory was founded back in 1902 by Oskar Herbert Sjögren, who early on specialised in the production of sofas and armchairs. Over time production has changed and developed, but the original idea of producing the highest conceivable quality remains the same today, more than 100 years later.
Nowadays, the company is run by brothers Håkan och Jakob Sjögren, whose goal is to preserve solid quality and craftsmanship, in the same way as their grandfather did at the beginning of the 1900s. Many skilled craftsmen are needed for the work to succeed, and they are all responsible for various stages in the process.
When the production begins, it is the furniture maker who is responsible for the first stage, namely the furniture’s timber frame. This can comprise up to 50 different wooden parts and each part is sawed and put together by hand. The frame is based on solid Swedish pine, and as with nearly all of the components, is purchased from local suppliers.
The framework of the furniture begins with the fitting of springs and nozag feathers. The seat has an innerspring resting on nozag feathers, and the back normally contains just nozag feathers, which are specially adapted to each model. When that part is completed, the soft upholstery sections are applied. Each model has up to 20 specially designed components, which differ in thickness and hardness. The components are built up in different layers for maximum comfort, taking into account where in the furniture they are placed. The furniture details are designed by hand, which gives the piece its final form.
The fabric that will be used to cover the upholstered furniture is rolled out on a cutting board and cut according to templates. A patterned fabric requires more material since both buttons and the joining edges must match as much as possible. The cut-out parts are then sewn together to fit the furniture. The varying characteristics of fabrics require different seam allowances and sewing techniques. Finally, the furniture is upholstered with the selected fabric.
Sustainability in focus
Read more about Svenskt Tenn's Sustainability Philosophy below.
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Inspiration
Inspiration
Josef Frank Sofa 968
Josef Frank designed Sofa 968, also called the "Banana sofa", for Svenskt Tenn in the late 1930s.
