Designed by Alvar Aalto in 1936, the Tea trolley is one of his most recognisable and iconic designs. It was inspired by British tea culture, which Aino and Alvar Aalto had become acquainted with through their many travels, as well as by the Japanese woodwork and architecture they admired.

With a frame composed of two birch lamella loops, Tea Trolley 901 features two shelves and a solid birch handle. Twin oversized wheels in combination with the lightweight quality of birch means the trolley can be easily manoeuvred and parked at will. The 901 design features a lacquered birch frame and top edges and wheels with black rubber treads that won't mark floors, with shelves finished in either laminate or linoleum.

After delving into Artek's archives, Dutch designer and colour specialist Hella Jongerius has created a new colour combination for Artek. Her subtle interventions resulted in a 'dark' version of the trolley - a black lacquered birch frame with a peat linoleum top shelf and a charcoal linoleum bottom shelf. While the upper tray of the Trolley fully catches the light, the lower level always remains in shadow. This effect was accentuated by using different colours for the respective levels.

Besides being an impressive and classic way to serve tea, the Tea Trolley 901 can also be used as a portable home bar or a place to display your favourite objects.