DANSK DESIGN / DANISH DESIGN
Henrik Sten Møller
Copenhagen: Rhodos, 1975. First edition. Parallel text in Danish and English. Quarto. Textured tan cloth titled in black. Black endpapers. Printed craft paper dust jacket. 262 pp. Fully illustrated in color and black and white. Multiple paper stocks. Kraft paper jacket with a couple of small and faint spots, otherwise a fine copy in a fine dust jacket. Rare.
9.25 x 10.25 hardcover book with 262 pages fully illustrated in color and black and white. Photography by Steen Rønne.
Illustrated chapters devoted to:
- Kay Bojesen
- Poul Henningsen
- Arne Jacobsen
- Henning Koppel
- Finn Juhl, Børge Mogensen, Hans J. Wegner
- Designers, Terrorists and Good Taste: Poul Kjaerholm, Verner Panton, Aagaard Andersen, Kristian Vedel, Nanna Ditzel and Jørn Utzon.
- Lars Ulrik Thomsen
- Arje Greigst
- Erik Magnussen
- Kirsten Denholm
- Kim Naver, Bernt, Nils Fagerholt, Jørgen Gammelgaard
- Jean Voigt
- Jens Møller Jensen
- Bo Bonfils
- Pavilloner / Pavilion
- Susanne Ussing, Carsten Hoff
Also includes work by Mogens Koch, Kaare Klint, Axel Salto, Gertrud Vasegaard, Niels Kähler, Magnus Stephensen, and Onkel Kay.
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 1963 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 1963 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, Raynor 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.”