PRESENTS
20th Century Scandinavian Design
Circus, Marylebone High St, London June - September 2017
Dagmar Presents: 20th Century Scandinavian Design is a new exhibition presenting rare and important works from the leading furniture designers of the Scandinavian Modern period (1930-70). Visitors will have the opportunity to view and buy Scandinavian furniture classics from iconic designers of the period, including Hans J. Wegner, Finn Juhl, Ole Wanscher, Niels O. Moller, Ib Kofod-Larsen and many more. This is our first exhibition, and will take place at the gallery space at Circus on Marylebone High Street in central London. Circus is located in an iconic 1960s modernist building designed by the late architect John Harris, providing a unique setting to show our collection over the coming months. 20th century Scandinavian design was renowned for its focus on high-quality craftsmanship and form as well as function. Combining original craft traditions with a sophisticated understanding of modernism, the leading furniture architects of this period cultivated a fusion of clean lines, organic curves and juxtaposed materials. This minimalist style has a timeless quality that is still admired today and has become highly collectable. Recent years have seen an explosion in interest in this design period leading to record prices being regularly achieved for more rare pieces on the international auction circuit. We are pleased to be able to exhibit some of the finest examples of furniture design from this era. Expect to see Hans Wegner’s rare AP-28 ‘Mama Bear’ wing chair, Niels O. Moller’s Model 62 & 64 carver chairs in exquisite rosewood, master cabinet maker Frits Henningsen’s French inspired cane chair and Ib Kofod-Larsen’s rarely seen ‘Samso’ rosewood lounge chair. Over the course of the three month exhibition, a wide variety of designers and styles will be showcased on a rotating basis, so repeat visits are highly recommended. This is an unmissable exhibition of high-end pieces for both design enthusiasts and those looking to acquire and build a personal collection. Dagmar can offer friendly expert advice and a bespoke service to help customers navigate the market and invest wisely. We hope to inform and inspire all of our visitors.
Private viewings are available with Dagmar director Aaron FitzGerald by appointment. For all sales enquiries please contact us using the details below. +44 (0) 7894 008 302 info@dagmar-design.com dagmar-design.com
Ole Wanscher (1903 - 1985) Rocking Chair c1960 Rosewood and wool fabric France & Son Denmark
Ole Wanscher Senator Lounge Chair c1960 Rosewood and wool fabric France & Son Denmark
Hans J. Wegner (1914 - 2007) GE-270 Lounge Chair 1955 Teak wood, brass and wool fabric Getama Denmark
Hans J. Wegner GE-240 Lounge Chair 1955 Oak and wool fabric Getama Denmark
Hans J. Wegner AP-28 Mama Bear Armchair 1954 Oak and wool fabric A.P. Stolen Denmark
Hans J. Wegner CH-35 Chair c1960 Oak and leather Carl Hansen & Son Denmark
Frits Henningsen (1889 - 1965) Cane Armchair c1940 Cuban mahogany, cane and leather Frits Henningsen Denmark
Finn Juhl (1912 - 1989) BO-76 Chair 1953 Teak wood and leather Bovirke Denmark
Niels O. Moller Model 78 Dining Chairs 1962 Rosewood and leather J.L. Mollers Mobelfabrik Denmark
Niels O. Moller Model 64 Chair 1966 Rosewood and woven paper cord J.L. Mollers Mobelfabrik Denmark
Niels O. Moller Model 62 Chair 1962 Rosewood and leather J.L. Mollers Mobelfabrik Denmark
Niels O. Moller Model 62 Chair 1962 Rosewood and woven paper cord J.L. Mollers Mobelfabrik Denmark
Niels O. Moller Model 66 Carver Chair 1974 Rosewood and leather J.L. Mollers Mobelfabrik Denmark
Ib Kofod-Larsen (1921 - 2003) Salen Chair
c1960 Afromosia Teak wood and leather Olof Perssons Fatoljindustri (OPE) Jonkoping, Sweden
Ib Kofod-Larsen Samso Chair c1960 Rosewood and leather Olof Perssons Fatoljindustri (OPE) Jonkoping, Sweden
Yngve Ekstrom (1913 - 1988) Arka Chair 1955 Beech wood Stolfabriks AB Sweden
Hans J. Wegner (1914 - 2007)
Selected Biographies
Danish architect Hans J. Wegner is widely held as the most important and well known of Denmark’s 20th century furniture designers. Wegner was one of the driving forces behind the Danish Modern movement, pioneering the design style known as Organic Functionality, characterised by traditional joinery and a marrying of aesthetics with practicality. Wegner designed more than 500 chairs over his long career, many of which went into mass production and remain under license to this day. In his own words, the ‘Danish style’ could be summed up by a “...continuous process of purification, (and) simplification”. The vast appeal of Wegner’s designs explain why he is regarded, above all, as the person synonymous with Scandinavian 20th century design. Many of his furniture designs remain in production today thanks to Danish producers P.P. Mobler and Carl Hansen, from the seemingly ubiquitous ‘Wishbone’ dining chair to the iconic Model 503 armchair known simply as ‘The Chair’.
Finn Juhl (1912 - 1989) Finn Juhl was an accomplished furniture designer, architect and industrial designer. Juhl is widely held as the most radical of the Danish designers from the modern period and his influence is keenly felt to this day. His collaboration with master cabinet maker Niels Vodder throughout the 1940s and 50s yielded some of the period’s most important works, notably the Chieftain chair and the FJ-45 chair, originals of which command large hammer prices at international auctions. His signature style of biomorphic, exposed wood frames was revolutionary in furniture design and remains hugely influential. Juhl was of the belief that “A chair is not just a product of decorative art in a space, it is a form and a space in itself”. He was also fundamental in bringing Danish design to the US market in the 1950s through his collaboration with Baker furniture and his design of the Trusteeship Council Chamber at the U.N. Headquarters in New York.
Ole Wanscher (1903 - 1985) Ole Wanscher was a professor of architecture and design and published several books on the history of furniture design during his career. This appreciation for the history of his craft are apparent in the broad reference points inherent in his own designs. Whether you consider the iconic Colonial chair, inspired by 19th century British and French colonial styles, or his much sought after folding stool, inspired by an ancient Egyptian artefact. His collaboration with master cabinet maker A.J. Iversen throughout the 1940s and 1950s produced some of his most important works. He later worked with manufacturers including Poul Jeppesen and France & Son. Wanscher’s unique combination of traditional and singularly modern styles make him unique within the field of Scandinavian Modern design.
Niels O. Moller (1920 - 1981) Niels Møller has latterly become one of Denmark’s most popular and cherished furniture designers. Having studied at the renowned Århus Design Academy, Møller quickly set up his own manufacturing company J.L. Møllers Møbelfabrik - producing his range of dining chairs, stools, tables and cabinets. The company remains in family hands today, producing some of his most popular designs in small quantities. Møller’s work referenced the biomorphic design aesthetic favoured by his contemporaries, such as Finn Juhl, favouring elegant curves and fine joinery details, and he was notorious for taking several years to perfect each of his creations. In 1962 Møller designed his masterpiece: the award-winning Model 62 armchair. Early rosewood versions of this model are amongst the most collectable and in-demand pieces of the period.
Ib Kofod-Larsen (1921 - 2003)
Kai Kristiansen (1929 - Present) Kai Kristiansen learned his craft whilst studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Once he completed his apprenticeship, he went on to work as a cabinetmaker for the father of Danish Modern design: Kaare Klint. Klint was known for his approach of constant evolution of traditional furniture forms and craft. Kristiansen is certainly a disciple of this approach but throughout his career managed to develop a minimalist style that is completely his own. Kristiansen set up his own design practise in 1955, seeing the need for a more progressive design approach “defined by clean lines and a perfect balance of form and function”. Through his collaborations with Danish manufacturers, including Aksel Kjaersgaard, Magnus Olesen and others, he created a broad and important body of work taking in lounge chairs, dining chairs, benches, cabinets and tables. His hugely popular Paper Knife lounge chair and Model 42 ‘Z’ dining chair remain some of the most well-regarded and in-demand Danish furniture designs of the 20th Century. The abiding, timeless appeal of his designs explain why many of his chairs remain in production around the world today.
Selected Biographies
Ib Kofod-Larsen was unique amongst his contemporaries in that he predominantly worked for producers outside of Denmark during his career. In the 1950s and 60s he had a successful collaboration with Swedish producer Olof Perssons Fatoljindustri (OPE), yielding the Samso, Salen and Kandidaten lounge chairs. Quite recently Kofod-Larsen has achieved great popularity in the secondary market as an international audience begin to appreciate his unique and somewhat eccentric approach to furniture design. The high-point of his career is the Model U-56 ‘Elizabeth’ lounge chair for cabinetmakers Christensen & Larsen, examples of which in rosewood and leather can sell for upwards of £20,000. Later in his career Kofod-Larsen was commissioned by both British and American companies to design collections of cabinets, tables and chairs for the mass market, but his early Scandinavian productions remain the most sought after and important examples of his work.
Dagmar Design Ltd 63 Bayston Road, London, UK, N16 7NB +44 (0) 7894 008 302 info@dagmar-design.com dagmar-design.com Registered UK Company No.: 09998340
Circus 58 Marylebone High St, London, W1U 5HT +44 (0) 20 7292 7888 info@circuslondon.com circuslondon.com Circus is a boutique management consultancy, specialist in brand strategy, purpose and proposition; inspired by the power of imagination and the spirit of collaboration. Circus is located in an iconic 1960s modernist building designed by the late architect John Harris
All content Š Dagmar Design 2017 Photography by Yannick Lallardy Retouching by Hide Shimamura Design & Layout by Andreas Brooks