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Design Icon | String Shelving

String is a Swedish company and sole producer of the original String Shelving; a timeless design by Nils Strinning. Created in 1949 this humble shelving system has become one of the twentieth century’s foremost design icons.
1917
8 December. nisse strinning born in kramfors in västernorrland.
1922
27th January. kajsa strinning born in svanholm in västerbotten.
1949
Among the 194 entries submitted from around the world, string is crowned winner of bonnier’s bookshelf competition. in the same year string is founded.
1950
String shelves are ordered for the offices in the newly built un building in nyc.
1953
String plex is launched.
1953
String releases the standalone string shelf. nils never likes it.
1954
String is awarded the gold medal at the triennale in milan.
1955
String exhibits at h55 in helsingborg – the start of “swedish design”.
1956
Deutsche string gmbh is founded.
1950’s
In colombia, string is paid for shelf deliveries in emeralds.
1957
The floor panel is launched.
1961
String takes a number of plagiarists to court. the supreme court rules in string’s favor and the shelf is patented.
1963
String continent is launched.
1970
A new storage concept tingoteket is launched but it never becomes a hit.
1979
The string shelf is incorporated into the swedish national museum’s design collection.
1993
The bookshelf kam by Nils Strinning is awarded “excellent swedish design” by svensk form (swedish society of crafts and design).
1999
Nils Strinning is awarded the “classic prize” and string’s computer shelf gets the “excellent swedish design” award. Both prizes are awarded by svensk form.
2005
An all-white string shelf is exhibited at h05 – 50 years after h55. walnut, oak and solid black are launched the same year.
2005
String pocket is unveiled at form/design center in malmö.
2009
The string shelf is classified as a work of applied art under copyright law.
2009
Artek celebrates 75 years – string is commissioned to produce a commemorative pocket in “artek-gray”.
2009
String turns 60 and celebrates by letting mats theselius style a limited edition string pocket. the result is 600 numbered string pocket shelves in gold / rosewood.
2010
Rebecka tarschys’ book on string’s history “string pocket” is published.
2013
The collaboration with björn dahlström and anna von schewen results in a folding table.
2014
String continues to work with anna & björn and the office range string works is presented for the first time.
2015
Mats theselius designs a stainless steel string pocket for the 10th anniversary.
2016
Winner the german design award 2016 – string® works office furniture collection.
2018
Metal shelf is launched along with accessories like hooks and rods for more flexible functionality.
2018
Swedish postal service issues a stamp with a string shelf

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