Mobilia no. 129
April 1966
Svend Erik Møller, Gunnar Bratvold, Lena Larsson [Editors]
Svend Erik Møller, Gunnar Bratvold, Lena Larsson [Editors]: Mobilia no. 129. Snekkersten, Denmark: Mobilia, April 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]. “
Contents:
- Swedish Furniture Fair 1966 [Stockholm]: 25 pages fully illustrated in color and black and white.
- Salon Du Meuble 1966 [Paris Furniture Fair]: 12 pages fully illustrated in color and black and white.
- Italian Future [Milan Furniture Fair]: 15 pages fully illustrated in black and white.
- Bernat Klein In Copenhagen: 17 pages fully illustrated in color and black and white.
- Scandinart Of Lausanne: 12 pages fully illustrated in black and white.
- The Lavaux Wine: 10 page photo essay.
Includes work by Åke Fribyter, Tove Kindt-Larsen, Bertil Fridhagen, Yngve Eckström, Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist, Erik Ole Jørgensen, Johs. Andersen, Björn Hultén, Lennart Cottman, Tore Englund, Hans Ehrlin, S. M. Wincrantz, Karl Erik Ekselius, Nils Jonsson, Børge Mogensen, Nils Strinning, Brita Drewsen, Yngvar Sahlström, Alf Svensson, Tito Agnoli, R. Debiéve, Sentou, Jorge Zalszupin, Charles Zublena, René Blanchard, Georges Coslin, Joe Colombo, Gianfranco Frattini, Peduzzi Eleonore, G. P. A. Monti, Carlo Di Carli, Gianni Songia, Arne Jacobsen, Kurt Østervig, Alf Svensson, Rud Thygesen, Kai Kristiansen, Ib Koford-Larsen, and others.
Includes advertising work by L. F. Foght, Slagelse Møbelværk, Domus Danica, Ole Wanscher, Verner Panton, Frem-Røjle, Næstved Møbelfabrik, Ejner Larsen, Bender Madsen, Fiedler Fabrics, Bernat Klein, Ejvind Jensen Møbelfabrik, Kay Kørbing, I. Thorballs Eftf. I/S, Sorø Stolefabrik A-S, Søborg Møbler, Søren Ladefoged & Søn, Ab Hugo Troeds Industrier, Nanna Ditzel, Halling-Koch Design Center, Hans Olsen, Ærø Møbler, Jens H. Quistgaard, Fredrik A. Kayser, Vatne Lenestolfabrikk, Svend Madsen, Hans J. Wegner, Ap Stolen Getama A/S, C/S Møbler, Jason Møbler, Vestergaard Jensen, Steen Østergaard, Siso Export, Henning Korch, John Kandell, Rosengren Hansen, Hugo Frandsen, Adam Hoff, Poul Østergaard, Illum Wikkelsø, Arne Jacobsen, W. Langefeld, Torbjørn Afdal, N. O. Møller, Axel Thygesen, Ole Gjerløv-Knudsen, Ingmar Relling, Gerhard Berg, Sven Dysthe, Den Blaa Fabrik, Gabriel Frederica Danmark, Knud Andersen, Sigurd Hansens, Erik Jørgensen, Juul Kristensen, Georg Petersens, Erik Buck, 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.”