Mobilia no. 131/132
June/July 1966
Svend Erik Møller, Gunnar Bratvold, Lena Larsson [Editors]
Svend Erik Møller, Gunnar Bratvold, Lena Larsson [Editors]: Mobilia no. 131/132. Snekkersten, Denmark: Mobilia, June/July 1966. Original edition. Text in Danish, English, German and French. Perfect bound and side stapled wrappers. Unpaginated. Multiple paper stocks. Fully illustrated articles in black and white and some color. Period furniture advertisements. Wrappers light worn but a very good or better copy.
10.25 x 10.18 magazine with articles and period furniture advertisements. The editors described their magazine thus: “Mobilia is an international subscription periodical for furniture, art, handicraft, etc. Mobilia is published in two issues, one of them in Danish and English, and the other one in Swedish and German, the text having been translated as a whole. Mobilia is issued to all members of Møbelfabrikantforeningen i Danmark [The Association of Danish Furniture manufacturers], of Møbelhandlernes Centralforening i Danmark [The Association of Furniture Dealers in Denmark], and of Indendørs Arkitekt Foreningen [The Association of Interior Architects]; in Sweden a collective subscription has been taken by Sveriges Möbelindustriförbund [The Association of Swedish Furniture Manufacturers]. “
“The George Jensen tradition goes on. Talented young artists follow in the footsteps of the old masters, and although they often speak quite another language, the tone fundamentally is the same. For the clusters of grapes and the beaten surfaces were never essential of the George Jensen tradition. The George Jensen silver is not based on any one style, but on the demand for a high standard of craftsmanship and art and a proper respect for the contribution of the artist. The business also today is based on the continuity of those kinds of work where the handiwork is held to be an essential. George Jensen and Johan Rohde both died in 1935, but some of their assistants are still living and continue to play an important role in the business, even if they have retired and no longer take part in the daily activities.”
This double issue celebrates 100 years of Georg Jensen 1866–1966:
- About 1900: Svend Erik Møller
- Georg Jensen Silver: Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.
- Harald Nielsen
- Gundorph Albertus, Arno Malinowski, Jørgen Jensen
- Sigvard Bernadotte
- Henning Koppel
- Søren Georg Jensen
- Magnus Stephensen
- Nanna Ditzel
- Ib Bluitgen, Tias Eckhoff, Bent Gabrielsen Petersen, Erik Herløw, Tuk Fischer, Jørgen Dahlerup, Gert Holbek, Ibe Dahlquist
Includes work by Antoni Gaudi, Charles Rennie Macintosh, William Morris, Aubrey Beardsley, Carl Woepping, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Frans Hoosemans, René Lalique, Henry Van Der Velde, Henri Do Toulouse-Lautrec, Hector Guimard, Josef Hoffman, Emile Gallé, Eugéne Gaillard, Martin Nyrop, Georg Jensen, Joachim Petersen, J. F. Willumsen, Thorvald Bindesbøll, Hans J. Holm, Knud V. Engelhardt, Johan Rohde, Harald Nielsen, Gundorph Albertus, Arno Malinowski, Jørgen Jensen, Sigvard Bernadotte, Henning Koppel, Søren Georg Jensen, Magnus Stephensen, Nanna Ditzel, Ib Bluitgen, Tias Eckhoff, Bent Gabrielsen Petersen, Erik Herløw, Tuk Fischer, Jørgen Dahlerup, Gert Holbek, Ibe Dahlquist, Rigmor Andersen, Annelise Bjørner, Tove & Edv. Kindt-Larsen, and others.
Includes advertising work by Aase Kristensen, L. F. Foght, Hans J. Wegner, Fritzhansen-Møbler, Preben Dal, H. Følsgaard Elektro, Per Lütken, Kastrup-Holmegaard, A/P Stolen Getama A/S, Ib Kofod-Larsen, Brande Møbelfabrik, Hans Hansen Silver, Gertrud Vasegaard, The Royap Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory Ltd., Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen, Asp-Holmblad, N. O. Møller, J. L. Møller-Højbjerg, Nanna Ditzel, Halling-Koch Design Center, Ole Wanscher, Domus Danica, Dansk Designs, Finn Juhl, France & Søn, Cotil, and more.
In 1954 the four Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland arranged what proved to be the most important marketing effort ever for Scandinavian design—the monumental exhibition Design in Scandinavia. From 1954 to 1957 Design in Scandinavia toured the United States and Canada. The exhibition was presented in 27 cities, and it was a huge success, initiated by The Danish Society of Arts and Crafts and its sister organizations in the other participating countries.
Based on the success the four countries established what they called the Scandinavian Design Cavalcade, which had a lot of US press coverage as well. In that connection the July 1959 issue of House Beautiful was centered around The Scandinavian Look in U.S. Homes, and it was Denmark and Danish Design in particular that the magazine focussed on. Besides the editorial pages, the numerous ads illustrates that Danish modern furniture was increasingly gaining a stronghold among certain groups of American consumers.
Importers and retail chains like John Stuart Inc., George Tanier, Raymor and Dunbar etc. now sold Danish modern furniture in the US, and by now it was not only hand crafted furniture from the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibitions but also pieces from industrial furniture producers like Fritz Hansen, Søborg Møbelfabrik, Fredericia Furniture and many others. From the end of the 1950s Danish Department stores and other retailers produced comprehensive brochures and booklets in English with prices in US Dollars presenting Danish Design to American and other tourists.
Without exception, these stores all presented the narrative of Danish modern. “Denmark is known all over the world for its exquisite home furnishing, which are characterized by their outstanding design and superb craftsmanship” the department store Magasin claimed in its brochure “Danish Design.”