A saddlery
Palmgrens was founded in 1896 by saddler Johannes Palmgren at Sibyllegatan in Stockholm, an address that became the core for both family and the business. Early in his career, Johannes Palmgren built a good reputation for his atelier and its craftsmanship, and in 1903 he received the title of Royal Warrant Holder and Saddler.
The shop and atelier were then located at Sibyllegatan 17, barely a block from our current address. The same counters that display our products today, once stood in the store up the street, together with the grey wooden horse, that still welcomes our customers.
In the early 20th century, customers were welcomed by an assortment of riding and equestrian equipment. The beautiful saddles, bridles, and harnesses were sewn in the company's own workshops behind the shop.
Johannes quickly realized the versatility of the material, and as the sound of horse hooves slowly began to be accompanied by humming engines, the company developed its collection according to new ways of living and traveling.
The Palmgrens' atelier presented everything from suitcases and hatboxes to jewellery boxes and golf bags. Larger projects, such as interiors for private homes as well as public spaces like cinemas and airplanes, were carried out and decorated with works and furniture crafted by the atelier.
Johannes' curiosity and exploration of the multifaceted material resulted in collaborations with craftsmen from other disciplines, such as glassblowers and silversmiths. These meetings of knowledge and materials resulted in glass bottles with leather cases, travel cases, and jewellery cases in leather, lined with hairbrushes with silver handles.
Förvaring för allt, i alla dess former. Herrarnas manschettknappar hittade sitt hem i knappasken, en modell vi arbetat med sedan 1920.
In 1950, one of the men from the atelier returned home from a trip to the Mediterranean. Inspired by the woven baskets the women carried to the market, he wanted to interpret this way of carrying with his own material, and the result was the rattan bag.
75 years later, the bag is almost unchanged and has held generations of memories of schoolyards, grandmothers, and women's daily lives.