Ristomatti Ratia for Palaset Palanox Storage Boxes by Treston Oy, Set of 4, 1972

A 1972 four-piece set of Palanox modular storage boxes or cubes by Ristomatti Ratia for Palaset and manufactured by Treston Oy.

Set comprised of one brown cube with four square white drawers, two brown cubes with two wide white drawers and one wide yellow drawer each, and one brown cube with two cubbies. Finish is a matte lacquer over a very sturdy and deceptively heavy injection molded plastic.

Pressure-mounted clip-on drawer pulls are thin polished metal with a chrome-like finish. Includes five of its original plastic connectors that snap into holes on the top, bottom, and sides of each cube to secure them to one another. A few of the drawers have holes in their interiors that appear to be the same size as those on the sides, but we don’t know for what purpose.

Retains Palaset labels on undersides of drawers.

The Palanox modular storage system was designed by Ristomatti Ratia—son of Marimekko founder Armi Ratia—for Palaset in collaboration with Turku, Finland-based plastics company Treston Oy, and only produced with these specifications for a few years in the early 1970s.

Dimensions listed are as configured in the primary photo, and don’t include pulls which protrude .38 inches.

Height: 54.25 in 

Width: 13.5 in 

Depth: 13.5 in 

Interior of square drawer is W 6 in. x D 12.5 in. Interior of wide drawer is W 12.5 in. x D 12.5 in.

• Condition:
  Good. Wear consistent with age and use. In very good vintage condition. Very slight variations in color/tone of finishes between various elements. Some wear to finish where drawers rub against sides. Some light wear and scuffs on exteriors of cubes. A few pulls positioned a bit off-center.