Incollect Magazine - Issue 3

2022 Incollect Magazine 103 Arne Jacobsen Arne Jacobsen was an architect and also a designer and designed a wide range of interior furniture with an eye keenly attuned towards efficiency and practicality in all areas of a design — his designs are creative but simple, the choice of shapes, forms and even construction materials oriented commercially to enable mass production. His use of industrial materials and new technology made his designs both original and affordable and led to great popularity worldwide. Seating is where Jacobsen really excelled — he created some of the most iconic chairs of Scandinavian design including the “Egg Chair,” the “Swan Chair”, and the “Ant Chair” which was inspired by the work of Charles Eames after Jacobsen bought one of his plywood chairs and placed it in his studio to study. Jacobsen’s chairs were all designed for Fritz Hansen, who also produced the “Sevener” or Model 3117 series of chairs in various materials — a versatile, brilliantly simple swiveling chair on wheels with a winged back splat and similar seating base designed in 1955. “Sevener” is one of the best selling chairs of all time and still in mass production under a license along with many of Jacobsen’s other signature chair designs. Børge MØgensen Børge Mogensen designs may not be immediately identifiable to the general public but nonetheless have filtered into the pantheon of 20th century design as part of the overall international appreciation of Danish mid- century furniture, with its emphasis on comfort as well as functional, simple forms. He completed training as a carpenter and as an architect and his furniture is on the whole geometric and somewhat more casual in contrast to the structured if organic shapes and forms found in the work of his colleagues Hans Wegener and Arne Jacobsen. His “Spanish’ armchair, designed in 1958 for Fredericia Stolefabrik & Dahlman is his most recognizable design and is a much prized item among collectors, especially early, individually numbered models between 1959 and 1962 that are made of solid oak and with hand stitched adjustable leather straps for the back and seat. The design was inspired by traditional seating construction used in Spain —Møgensen saw similar chair designs on a trip through Spain. Other important chair designs include the low- riding “Hunting Chair” with an exposed wooden frame made of oak, leather and brass from 1950 and a prototype for mass-manufactured folding, casual sports or beach chairs. The Model 2254 or “Sled” adjustable lounge chairs have inspired generations of deck chairs. Børge Mogensen’s Spanish Chair was designed following his inspirational 1958 trip to Spain, where he saw rustic seating using tanned saddle leather. The eminently practical designer created a chair with buckles to tighten the leather which stretched over time and extra wide armrests for a drink or book. Spanish Chair Model 2226, 1958 for Fredericia Stolefabrik, Denmark. From Denmark 50 on Incollect. The iconic, unmistakably futuristic Egg chair was created by Arne Jacobsen for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, the first skyscraper in Denmark. Designed to look like a cracked egg, it is curvaceous, organic form promises comfort, and it delivers. Produced by Fritz Hansen since its introduction in 1958. From Studio Schalling on Incollect. Arne Jacobsen’s Swan chair for Fritz Hansen, 1958. Designed for the lobby and lounge areas of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, for which he also served as architect. Jacobsen felt that the spinning function of the chair would allow guests to observe the comings and goings in these public areas, and add to the liveliness of the atmosphere. Unusual for the time, the chair has no straight lines, only curves. Photo courtesy Against. The Hunting Chair was inspired by examples of medieval Andalusian furniture Børge Mogensen saw while traveling in southern Spain. Model 2229 was designed for Fredericia Stolefabrik in 1950. From Wright Now on Incollect.