Mobilia no. 41
November–December 1958
Grete Jalk, Svend Erik Møller, Jesper Høm [Editors]
Gunnar Bratvold [Publisher], Grete Jalk, Svend Erik Møller, Jesper Høm [Editors]: Mobilia no. 41. Snekkersten, Denmark: Mobilia, Volume XXIV, November–December 1958. Original edition. Text in Danish and English. Perfect bound and side stapled wrappers. 68 [lviii] pp. Multiple paper stocks. Multiple fold outs. Fully illustrated articles in black and white and 8 pages of color photography and period furniture advertisements. Wrappers light worn but a very good or better copy.
10.25 x 10.18 magazine with 68 pages of articles and 58 pages of 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 include:
- The Cabinet-Makers Guild Copenhagen
- Ole Schwalbe: Four beautiful full-page color plates.
- The Swedish Furniture Fair
- Inspirations In New York And Glostrup
Features work by Erik Wørts, Hans J. Wegner, Erhard Rasmussen, Knud Rasmussen, L. Pontoppidan, Ejner Larsen & Bender Madsen, Arne Poulsen, A. J. Iversen, Vilhelm Wohlert, Arne Poulsen, H. Vestergaard Jensen, Peder Pedersen, Jacob Kjær, Ole Wanscher, Erik Rasmussen, Henning Bergmann Andreasen, Kai Ingemann Hansen, J. Kielland-Brandt, Johan Hagen, Povl Christiansen, Johan Hagen, Hans Olsen, Tove & Edv. Kindt-Larsen, V. Birksholm, John Andersson, Anders Svendsen, J. Matz & J. Sylvester, Lis Ahlmann, Børge Mogensen, Peter Hjorth, Arne Karlsen, Ib Kofod-Larsen, Erik Ole Jørgensen, Ole Gjerløv-Knudsen, Aage Herman Olsen, Bernt Petersen, Steffen Syrach Larsen, Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen, Erhard Rasmussen, and more.
Includes advertising work by Finn Juhl, France & Søn, L. F. Foght, Erik Ole Jørgensen, Ab J. O. Carlsson, Karl-Erik Ekselius, Axel Thygesen, Interna, A. Bender Madsen & Ejner Larsen, Næstbed Møbelfabrik, Søren Georg Jensen Silver, Rastad & Relling, Bahus, Hans Olsen, Viskadalens Möbelindustri, Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansens, Verner Panton, Tapio Wirkkala, G. Thams, A/S Vejen Polstermøbelfabrik, Ilmari Tapiovaara, Edsby Verken, Nisse Strinning, String Møbler, String Trading A/S, Erik Wørts, Ib Kofod-Larsen, Swedecraft, Frank Reenskaug, A/S N. A. Jørgensens Møbelfabrik, Nils Jonsson, Hugo Troeds, August Millech, Arne Jacobsen, Arthur Carlsson, A B Skaraborgs Möbelindustri, Sigurd Hansens Møbelfabrik, M. H. Krause, Gabriel, Svenska Skandex, Jason Ringsted, Grethe Meyer, Børge Mogensen, Bolingens Byggeskabe, Fredericia Stole- & Polstermøbelfabrik, S. B. Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen, Nanna & Jørgen Ditzel, A/S Kolds Savværk, Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn, Getama, Nordisk Industri & Handels Kompagni, A B Emmaboda Møbelfabrik, N. O. Møller, J. L. Møller, Den Blaa Fabrik, Anton Borg & Arne Vodder, Slagelse Møbelværk, Aarhus Polstrer Møbelfabrik, Carlo Jensen, Jørgen Bo & Vilhelm Wohlert, P. Jeppersen, 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, 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.”