EJNER LARSEN (1917-1987) AND AKSEL BENDER MADSEN (1916-2000)

A RARE AND EARLY 'METROPOLITAN' ARMCHAIR, 1949

Details

EJNER LARSEN (1917-1987) AND AKSEL BENDER MADSEN (1916-2000)
A RARE AND EARLY 'METROPOLITAN' ARMCHAIR, 1949
executed by Ludwig Pontoppidan, bent plywood, teak, Indian rosewood, leather cushion
31 ½ in. (80 cm.) high; 28 in. (71 cm.) wide; 23 in. (58.5 cm.) deep

Provenance

Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Exhibition, 1949;
Acquired at the exhibition by Kai Gottfredsen;
Danish Private Collection, since 1995.

Literature

This piece illustrated:
G. Jalk: 40 years of Danish Furniture Design: The Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibitions, Vol 3, pp. 114-115.

Brought to you by

Jeremy Morrison

jmorrison@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3274

Lot Essay

This example is one of only four original 'Metropolitan' chairs, and one accompanying table, that were produced for the Danish Cabinetmaker’s Exhibition of 1949. Executed by Ludvig Pontoppidan, the design is remarkable for its use of colour, and for the selection of solid and laminated woods to deliver a form of fluid apparent simplicity.
A simplified version of this design was adapted for serial production by Fritz Hansen around 1951, and towards the late 1950s, the design was further adapted by manufacturer Willy Beck.

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