Incollect Magazine - Issue 3

2022 Incollect Magazine 105 Kai Kristiansen Kai Kristiansen is another Danish designer with a background in cabinetmaking who studied with Kaare Klint at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Some of his designs have been in production for more than six decades with Danish manufacturers Fritz Hansen, Magnus Olesen, and others, and include his Model 31 and Model 42 dining chairs made originally of teak and rosewood with leather seats for Schou Andersen and that are instantly distinguished by their gentle gratefulness as much as the simplicity of design — qualities which carry over into all of his designs for chairs, desks, cabinets, shelving and more. He preferred to work in teak as well as rosewood, much like his contemporaries, with an attention to craftsmanship in the form of invisible joins and a fluidity of lines. This made his designs challenging to produce as well as expensive and therefore some of his most creative designs went out of production. His Model 42 dining chair from 1956 with an ergonomic curved backrest and short, angular arm rests remains a classic of 20th century design, as does his No 121 “Paper Knife” lounge chair in teak, designed for Magnus Olesen, with its long, gentle sloping armrests and slightly arched backrest for comfort. Jens Risom Jens Risom has a special, unusual place in the history of Scandinavian design. He achieved success early in his career and is one of the few serious designers to have been profiled both in the pages of the New York Times as well as in Playboy! He almost single-handedly introduced Scandinavian design to the United States after emigrating to New York in 1939, then in 1942 in collaboration with Hans Knoll, he designed his first furniture collection and launched the Knoll furniture company. Risom went on to found his own company in 1946 and over the next half century contributed a catalog of outstandingly innovative and memorable designs to 20th-century furniture. His designs remain true to tradition — functional, understated forms expertly crafted expertly, but Rison paid more attention to comfort and casual ease in design as well as manufacturing. It was his signature use of strapping that sets him apart from his peers. He first experimented with nylon straps during World War II when materials were scarce, to create his famous Knoll Model 666 Side chair. The straps were interwoven to form a tight cross hatching design which was structurally sound, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. He integrated the strap concept into many other designs including lounges, chaises, chairs, stools. His other popular designs include several desks and a magazine table from 1949. Model 42 Z-Chair by Kai Kristiansen for Schou Andersen Mobelfabrik, Denmark, 1957. Light and elegant, Hans Wegner pronounced this chair as being “beautiful from all angles.” Designed for comfort with a tilting, floating backrest and tapered armrests, long enough to provide support, but short enough to allow easy access around a dining table. From Modern Hill Furniture on Incollect. Kai Kristiansen was a master of understated, graceful design, and his dining chairs are some of the most elegant in the Scandinavian modern genre. Dining chair Model 31 designed in 1956 was produced by Schou Andersen Mobelfabrik, Denmark. This example in teak with original period fabric. Photo courtesy Studio Schalling. A modern angular profile and wedge-shaped top distinguish Jens Risom’s Model T.539 Magazine Table. The ledge at rear serves as a magazine rack, positioned to accommodate taller publications (remember Life and Look magazines?). Designed for Knoll in 1949. From Open AIr Modern on Incollect. Jens Risom’s Model 666 Side Chair designed for Knoll in 1941. Birch with cotton webbing from surplus WWII parachute straps. From Moderne Gallery on Incollect.