Alvar Aalto Tea Trolley 901, Artek

The Finnish architect, urban planner and designer Alvar Aalto designed the 901 serving trolley for the manufacturing company Artek, which Aalto founded in 1935 together with his wife Aino, the art patron Maire Gullichsen and the art historian Nils-Gustav Hahl. Unlike other designers of his time, Aalto eschewed the use of metal and instead used birch wood, which was widely available and inexpensive in Finland. The tea trolley was inspired by British tea culture, which Aino and Alvar Aalto had become acquainted with though their many travels, as well as by the Japanese woodwork and architecture they admired. With a frame composed of two birch lamella loops, Tea Trolley 901 features two shelves and a solid birch handle. Twin wheels, in combination with the lightweight quality of birch, mean the trolley can be easily maneuvered and parked at will. Over the years, numerous variations of the Tea Trolley have been produced. We assume that this trolley is in vintage condition exhibiting signs of age and wear as it was painted many decades ago. Visible cracks in the paint. Restoration might be needed.