MESTERVÆRKER: 100 ÅRS DANSK MØBELSNEDKERI
[DANISH ART OF CABINETMAKING]
Bodil Busk Laursen, Søren Matz, and Christian Holmsted Olesen [katalogredaktion], Bodil Busk Laursen [forord]
Bodil Busk Laursen, Søren Matz, and Christian Holmsted Olesen [katalogredaktion], Bodil Busk Laursen [forord], and Bernt, Bent Illum, Hanne Kjærholm, Erik Krogh, Bodil Busk Laursen, Søren Matz, Christian Holmsted Olesen, Mike Rømer, Kjeld Vindum [tekster]: MESTERVÆRKER: 100 ÅRS DANSK MØBELSNEDKERI [DANISH ART OF CABINETMAKING]. Copenhagen: Det Danske Kunstindustrimuseum, 2000. First edition. Text in Danish with a 48-page staple-bound English summary booklet tipped in. Octavo. Screen printed thick corrugated card boards. 120 pp. + 48 pp. supplement. Fully illustrated in color and black and white. Trivial shelf wear. Interior unmarked and very clean. Out-of-print. A nearly fine copy. Uncommon.
7 x 10.5 book with a corrugated cardboard wrappers and 120 well-illustrated pages and a 48-page staple-bound English summary booklet. The summary lists the items in the exhibition with the name of the item, Cabinetmaker, Designer, materials, measurements and owner. It also includes a summary essay by Christian Holmsted Olesen.
Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name: Kronborg, Helsingør [13. Oktober til 3. December 2000]. Absolutely beautiful design and production.
Includes work by Finn Juhl, Johan Rohde, Terkel Hjejle, Ole Wanscher, Kaj Gottlob, Kaare Klint, Fritz Henningsen, Peder Moos, Jacob Kjær, Hans J. Wegner, Niels Vodder, Eva and Nils Koppel, Gunnar Sorgenfri, Ejner Larsen and Bender Madsen, Tove and Edvard Klint, Niels Jørgen Christens, Rigmore Andersen and Annelise Bjørner and Hans Sandgren Jacobsen among others.
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, 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.”