1960s Finnish Black Leather Ateljee Sofa by Yrjö Kukkapuro
A three-seat Ateljee sofa designed by Finnish interior architect Yrjö Kukkapuro for Haimi, likely dating from the 1960s. The sofa has a long, low profile, with three separate seat and back cushions, slender supports and leather-covered arms which curl over the veneered side panels. The timber appears to be oak veneer, although no manufacturer’s label or stamp has been found. The leather remains soft and has developed natural creasing, wrinkles and surface variation through age and use. Small areas of cracking have been repaired by a leather specialist. There are no rips or tears. Replacement rubber webbing has been fitted beneath the seat cushions, while the original cushion fillings have been retained. The modular frame stands firmly and securely in use. Width 227cm × Depth 86cm × Height 73cm Width 7′5″ × Depth 2′10″ × Height 2′5″ Seat Width 190cm × Seat Depth 52cm × Seat Height 42cm Seat Width 6′3″ × Seat Depth 1′8″ × Seat Height 1′5″ Introduced in 1964, the Ateljee series was conceived around a lightweight modular frame, with detachable cushions, timber side panels and individually supported seating sections. This example retains its original soft black leather and six original loose cushions, filled with finely divided foam.