NK furniture workshops and the craftsmanship

Nordiska Kompaniet, ‘NK’. In Sweden the name is synonymous with exclusivity. Even though, since the 1990s, the longstanding department store has in reality been no more than a galleria for various shops and brands, the name and logo remain associated with luxury and elegance.
One explanation for this is because of the company’s heritage and reputation, its roots and traditions.
Nordiska Kompaniet was founded in 1902 by the merger of two of Stockholm’s finest retail businesses, K M Lundberg and Leja.
Furniture and interiors were always an important part of the business strategy. A furniture design company was attached to the business from the beginning, and in 1904 workshops were founded in Nyköping.
Many of the town’s inhabitants were employed at the workshops, but skilled craftspeople from other places also found their way to the factory. Among the professions represented were carpenters, metalworkers, sculptors, polishers and gilders.
The department store hired a number of prominent interior architects and designers to create the furniture, and the production was distinguished by its high quality and solid workmanship.
The operations in Nyköping spanned almost seven decades and there is no doubt that NK has played an important role in Swedish 20th century design history.