Sheling System by Strinning, Kajsa & Nils Nisse for String, 1960s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

String® was designed in 1949. For over 60 years it has evolved through its groundbreaking concept to become one of the most popular bookcases and bookcases in the classic Scandinavian style.
Each piece in the system can be used in an almost infinite number of combinations.

The shelf designed by Nisse Strinning is a light and timeless piece of furniture.
The shelf is placed on an iron, openwork frame painted black.
The whole is maintained in its original condition.
The set has the original manufacturer's label.

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Creator	Kajsa & Nils "Nisse" Strinning
Design Period	1960 to 1969
Year
Production Period	Unknown
Identifying Marks	This piece has been attributed based on archival documentation, such as vintage catalogs, designer records, or other literature sources
Style	Vintage, Mid-Century, Design Classics
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use
Product Code	UMB-1778482
Materials	Steel, Wood
Color	Black, tan
Width	39 cm 39 cm
Depth	20 cm 20 cm
Height	52 cm 52 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Poland
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Details

Delivery will be completed by a parcel service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
You will receive a tracking number to monitor the status of your shipment.
Delivery will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine the packaging upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damaged packaging, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note, take pictures, and—if the item inside shows damages—contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations regarding damaged packaging represents your acceptance of the completed order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Kajsa & Nils "Nisse" Strinning

Swedish architect-designer Nils "Nisse" Strinning (1917-2006) is best known for his minimalist and cost-effective String Bookshelf System and his versatile designs in plastic.

Born in Kramfors in 1917, Strinning studied architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH) from 1940 until 1947. As a student, he—along with the Swedish engineer Arne Lydmar—conceived a way of coating steel wire with plastic. Using this method, Strinning designed the Elfa Dish Rack (1946), which found worldwide success decades later. Today, the dish rack is produced by the Swedish storage company of the same name.

In 1949, Strinning and his wife Kajsa, also sometimes written as Katja (b.1922 in Svanholm) designed a bookshelf for a contest initiated by Bonnier, Sweden’s largest publishing house. The super-simple design consisted of two plastic-coated metal wire “ladders” and three shelves. Among the 194 designs submitted from around the world, the String Bookshelf was chosen as the winner. An immediate success—as contemporary today as it was almost 70 years ago—String is an affordable, lightweight, easy-to-transport, and flexible system that expands to accommodate growing book collections. One of Scandinavia's most iconic designs, it has received more than 15 prestigious national and international awards, including the Gold Medal at Milan’s Triennale in 1954, and was acquisitioned into the Swedish National Museum's design collection in 1979.

In 1952, Strinning founded both String Design AB and Swedish Design AB. The following year, String Plex was launched, along with a standalone shelving system, which Strinning is rumored to never have liked. In 1955, the String Shelf was exhibited at the H55 Helsingborg Exhibition. Easily reproduced, it was subjected to flagrant copywriting. In 1961, Sweden’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of Strinning, and the shelf was patented.

Over the course of his career, Strinning and his wife designed a variety of plastic objects, such as the Vispi Bowl (1951), as well as other free-standing and wall-mounted shelves in various sizes, including the Kam Bookshelf (1968), which received the Excellent Swedish Design Award from Svensk Form in 1993.

Strinning passed away in 2006. His firm String Design AB has since moved headquarters to Malmö and continues to launch new products, including the String Office Range (2015), which received the German Design Award in 2016.

Images courtesy of String