Provenance: Given as a graduation gift from present owner's grandfather to his son, architect Christian Teisen, in the early 1960s. Hence by descent in the family.

This desk is a variation of the longer model with six drawers presented at The Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibition in 1953. Literature: Grete Jalk [ed.]: “40 Years of Danish Furniture Design”, vol. 3, similar model referred to and ill. pp. 236–237.

Chair model presented at The Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibition in 1959. Literature: Grete Jalk [ed.]: “40 Years of Danish Furniture Design”, vol. 4, chair referred to and ill. pp. 78–81.

With this outstanding chair and desk, we are possibly close to the best pieces ever coming to the market from the architects Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen's collaboration with cabinetmaker Willy Beck. The Metropolitan chair stands in its own right as one of the icons of Danish Design. This the most elaborate version from 1959 and marks the climax of a theme the two designers started working with from circa 1949. Different variants would appear at different price points from different makers. But the costliest version from Willy Beck with leatherwork by saddle maker Dahlmann would be the best. This is the first example in Wengé wood by Willy Beck we have knowledge of. The desk is a previously unseen variation of model 1803/4 by Willy Beck, here the rounded legs and stretchers have been replaced by sharper profiles creating a slightly more modern look. This makes sense with the Metropolitan chair. These are the same sharp edges we find in the worktable Willy Beck model 2817, which accompanied the Metropolitan chair when it was presented at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1959. Executed in solid Wengé wood this desk also becomes a sign of the booming economy and prosperity of the period.