Mobilia no. 135
October 1966
Svend Erik Møller, Gunnar Bratvold, Lena Larsson [Editors]
Svend Erik Møller, Gunnar Bratvold, Lena Larsson [Editors]: Mobilia no. 135. Snekkersten, Denmark: Mobilia, October 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 worn with a beverage ring to front panel, but a very good 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]. “
- Gunnar Bratvold is Dead
- Half A Century Of Sitting Stedelijk Museum Exhibition: 38 pages written and designed by Grete Jalk, fully illustrated in black and white, with a full-page offset litho exhibition poster reroduction designed by Wim Crouwel.
- Greetings To Louisiana
- Form And Color, Copenhagen: Annette Winding. 20 pages fully illustrated in color and black and white.
- Gunnar Silverbergs Malmø Shop: 21 pages fully illustrated in black and white.
- 40 Years Of Cabinet-Makers’ Furniture: Svend Erik Møller. 15 pages fully illustrated in black and white.
Includes work by Gerrit Rietveld, Max Bill, Jean Prouve, Marcel Breuer, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, Mies Van Der Rohe, Robert Mallet-Stevens, Renéherbst, Rudolf Steiger, J. Druiker, R. J. Perreau, Mogens Koch, Kaare Klint, Alvar Salto, Erich Dieckmann, Boda Rasch, Hans Coray, Sori Yanagi, Anttinurmesniemi, Friso Kramer, Werner Blaser, Otto Seng, Marco Zanuso, Gio Ponti, Martin Visser, Yrjö Kukkapuro, Jens Nielsen, Niels Jørgen Haugesen, Grete Jalk, Ross Littell, J. E. Elles, Alberto Ferrari, Stig Lønngren, Kristian Vedel, Hans Bølling, Max Brüel, Roberto Niederer, Armi Ratia, Poul Henningsen, Hans J. Wegner, Poul Kjærholm, Mogens Koch, Børge Mogensen, Yngve Ekström, Arne Norell, Arne Jacobsen, Alvar Aalto, Ejner Larsen, Bender Madsen, Peder Moos, Peter Karpf, Ole Wanscher, Tove & Edv. Kindt-Larsen, Henning Jensen, Hanne & Torben Valeur, Rigmor Andersen, Annelise Bjørner, Poul Bachmann, Leif Arling, Rud Thygesen, Ditte & Adrian Heath, Vilhelm Wohlert, and others.
Includes advertising work by H. G. Møbler, Selectform A/S, Asko International, Den Blaa Fabrik, Interna, Bogesunds Väveri, J. O. Carlsson, Preben Schou Danish Furniture, Dolan, Domus Danica, Gabriel Frederica Danmark, Bruksboo A/S, Chr. Jensen, Halling-Koch Design Center, N. O. Møller, 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 Scasndinavian 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.”