Butterfly Stool by Sori Yanagi for Tendo Mokko, 1980s

A vintage Japanese mid-century modern Butterfly Stool in rosewood-veneered moulded plywood, designed by Sori Yanagi and made by Tendo Mokko in Japan. One of the most recognisable pieces of post-war Japanese design, this sculptural stool combines two sweeping plywood shells with a simple metal stretcher, creating the distinctive butterfly-shaped silhouette for which the model is known. Designer: Sori Yanagi. Maker: Tendo Mokko. Model: Butterfly Stool, S-0521. Origin: Japan. Period: 1980s–1990s  Style: Japanese modern / mid-century modern / organic modern. Materials: Rosewood-veneered moulded plywood, brass metal stretcher and fittings  Dimensions: 43 W × 31 D × 38 H cm (16.9 W × 12.2 D × 15 H in) Seat height: 35 cm (13.8 in) Marked: Yes, original Tendo label to the interior. The beauty of the Butterfly Stool lies in its economy of form. Two mirrored sheets of moulded plywood rise from the floor and gently flare outward to form the seat, creating a remarkably light and fluid profile. The dark rosewood veneer emphasises the continuous curves and layered plywood edges, while the central stretcher gives the construction a quiet architectural tension. Viewed from different angles, the silhouette shifts between butterfly wings, folded paper and traditional Japanese forms. Yanagi developed the Butterfly Stool in 1954, with Tendo Mokko ultimately bringing the complex moulded-plywood form into production and presenting it in 1956. The design became an important expression of post-war Japanese modernism, combining industrial production with the refinement of Japanese craft, and examples entered major museum collections. Condition. Good vintage condition with signs of age and use consistent with its period. Visible wear includes light surface scratches and marks, rubbing around the lower edges, and several small areas of veneer loss/chipping along the curved seat edges, as shown in the photos. The brass metal stretcher and fittings show natural age-related patina.