Frits Henningsen

b. 1889, d. 1965

World-class Furniture

Frits Henningsen was every inch a cabinetmaker and made his own exclusive classics, such as the elegant high-back wing chair from 1930 and the stylish high-back two-seater sofa from 1938. A characteristic trait of his furniture pieces is the inspiration from earlier style periods such as Empire and Rococo as well as the British furniture style of the 17th century. Frits Henningsen knew how to combine these historical styles with his own unique quirky idiom, which often stood in opposition to the contemporary Danish furniture made by names such as Kaare Klint and Ole Wanscher.

In 1911, Frits Henningsen completed his education as a cabinetmaker and worked in Germany, France and Great Britain for a number of years, before he in 1915 established his own company and opened a store at Nikolai Plads in Copenhagen. He was a member of the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers Guild and participated in the famous Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibitions from 1927-1937.

Today, there is only a limited number of furniture pieces left from this masterful cabinetmaker’s hand. Therefore, his iconic classics are in extremely high demand on the international auction market.