Lot Essay
Presented at the Købestævnet exhibition in Fredericia in 1953, the Sleigh Chair stands among Børge Mogensen’s most experimental and elusive designs. Produced in an edition believed to comprise no more than five examples, the model reflects a moment when Mogensen — celebrated for his rigorous functionalism and masterful command of craftsmanship — briefly explored more sculptural and expressive forms.
The chair’s distinctive sleigh-like runners demonstrate Mogensen’s ongoing fascination with traditional furniture typologies reinterpreted through the lens of modern Danish design. While most of his postwar work focused on honest materials and democratic usability, the Sleigh Chair represents a rare departure: a bold, limited creation that merges structural clarity with an unusually playful silhouette.
Because of its extremely limited production and its departure from Mogensen’s more widely known series furniture, surviving examples are highly prized today. The Sleigh Chair occupies a singular place within Mogensen’s oeuvre — a testament to his curiosity, his range, and his ability to reimagine tradition with both restraint and imagination.
The chair’s distinctive sleigh-like runners demonstrate Mogensen’s ongoing fascination with traditional furniture typologies reinterpreted through the lens of modern Danish design. While most of his postwar work focused on honest materials and democratic usability, the Sleigh Chair represents a rare departure: a bold, limited creation that merges structural clarity with an unusually playful silhouette.
Because of its extremely limited production and its departure from Mogensen’s more widely known series furniture, surviving examples are highly prized today. The Sleigh Chair occupies a singular place within Mogensen’s oeuvre — a testament to his curiosity, his range, and his ability to reimagine tradition with both restraint and imagination.