Folke Ohlsson

In 1950, Ohlsson travelled to the American West Coast on behalf of Ljungs Industrier and found both a market and a mission. He established DUX Inc. in San Francisco, later relocating the American operation to Burlingame, California, in 1956. His work over the following decade positioned DUX as a premium name in the United States at a time when Scandinavian furniture was just beginning to find a mass audience on the other side of the Atlantic. He remained in California, eventually settling in Atherton, and died there in 2002.

Ohlsson's most structurally significant contribution was the patented knock-down, or KD, construction method, a system allowing chairs and sofas to be assembled from flat-packed components, dramatically reducing shipping and warehousing costs. The principle influenced more than a hundred subsequent manufacturers, and its legacy is visible in the flat-pack industry that Ikea would later industrialise at global scale. His design vocabulary balanced traditional cabinetmaking warmth with clean modernist lines: early pieces used blond beech, while critical feedback led him toward the darker walnut and teak that became his characteristic palette. Chairs from this period carry an ease of proportion that has made them persistently sought after by collectors.

Among his most enduring designs are the "USA 75" lounge chair, a gracefully double-curved form produced in teak and walnut that exemplifies his approach to comfortable, considered seating, as well as the Scandia, Ingrid, and Scissor chairs. His work earned more than thirty awards at the Milan Triennale and the Good Design exhibitions at New York's Museum of Modern Art. In 1964 King Gustav VI Adolf awarded him the Royal Order of Vasa in recognition of his role in bringing Swedish design to American homes.

On the Swedish auction market Ohlsson's pieces appear regularly, with the "USA 75" pair leading results at 27,000 SEK and 25,000 SEK at recent sales. Single "USA 75" chairs have reached over 20,000 SEK. With 81 items documented across houses including Bukowskis, SAV, and Crafoord Malmö, his market is well-established and broadly liquid. Strong pairs in original upholstery consistently draw the highest bids, while individual chairs in good structural condition represent a more accessible entry point for buyers new to his work.