We Are Testing the PH Value

The ”Light Maker” Poul Henningsen’s first floor lamp from the late 1920s and a unique dining table by architect Poul Kjærholm from the late 1970s are some of the highlights at the design auction in Bredgade.

9 March 2017

Poul Henningsen: "PH-5/3". Rare floor lamp marked ”Pat. Appl.”. Circular base mounted on six orbs in black-painted wood. Red/bronze copper lampshades. Estimate: DKK 250,000-300,000.

Poul Kjærholm: Unique dining table. Square oak top, framed with a cross. Chromed steel frame. Variant of "PK-40" and the PK-conference table. Estimate: DKK 150,000-200,000.

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This year it is 50 years since the Danish social critic, revue writer, architect and “light maker” Poul Henningsen (1894-1967), better known by his initials PH, passed away. He was a beacon within Danish design during the first half of the 1900s, and we celebrate his work at this auction with his first floor lamp, which was purchased in the late 1920s by the current owner’s grandfather. The red copper lampshades provide the finest soft light, and today this particular lamp is considered an icon among international collectors.

Fame and Theories of Light

In 1919, PH set up his own drawing office, and from here he ran a versatile architectural business. In the beginning of the 1920s he began his groundbreaking collaboration with the lighting company Louis Poulsen & Co, which led to the creation of the glare-free PH-lamp. The lamp received the gold medal at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1925 – an event that garnered PH considerable fame, and led to the development of several lamps based on the same lighting principles.

Cultural Criticism: ”They Bind Our Hands and Mouth”

As a social critic PH was almost always in opposition, and with his involvement in the publication of the magazine "Kritisk-Revy" (“Critical Revue”) and as a revue writer PH left a solid mark on the collective Danish consciousness. In 1940, he wrote the song "Man binder os på mund og hånd" (They Bind Our Hands and Mouth) for Kjeld Abell’s revue “Dyveke”. With this song PH delivered a sharp criticism of the German censorship during the occupation. Due to his pronounced opposition, PH was added to the Nazis’ black book, and consequently in 1943 he had to flee to Sweden. The escape was carried out in a small rowing boat across Øresund together with another historic figure within Danish design, the architect Arne Jacobsen.

A Functional Outlook on Life

As many other Danish architects at the time, PH welcomed new ideas from the rest of Europe. He supported the maxims of functionalism such as ”Form follows function” and ”Less is more” that were born following the First World War when the war-experience manifested itself among European architects as a desire to reform society. PH was thus preoccupied with creating objects that matched a modern way of life. ”Kritisk Revy” became an indispensable medium for the discussion of the fast growing International Modernism, but the focus on function was the underlying principle of all of PH’s designs.

As an advocate of functionalism PH was uncompromising. When he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he donated his body to science. Today, his preserved torso is part of the specimen collection at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences in Copenhagen, where medical students are being taught anatomy.

Poul Kjærholm’s Unique Table

Poul Kjærholm (1929-1980) belongs to a younger generation of Danish architects, and he stands apart from what one normally associates with ”Danish Modern”. In contrast to the general focus on wood as a material and organic forms, steel was Kjærholm's preferred material to create his well-known minimalistic and almost floating furniture. He was inspired by International Modernism and the Bauhaus tradition, and with his futuristic designs his work still resonates internationally. His furniture pieces are regular guests at our auctions, and this time we can present a unique dining table made of chrome steel and oak, which is designed as a combination of "PK 40" and "PK conference table" in the late 1970s.

The table has belonged to furniture manufacturer E. Kold Christensen and has until now been in the family's possession. Kold Christensen combined the two types of furniture into this beautiful piece, which is a testament to his fine eye for design as well as the close relationship between the architect and the manufacturer. Kold Christensen lived in "The House on Piniehøj" in Rungsted just steps from Kjærholm's home, and the two were both close friends and collaborators until Kjærholm's death in 1980.

Auction: Thursday, 9 March at 4 pm at Bredgade 33 in Copenhagen

Preview: 23-27 February at the same address

Gallery Talk: Monday, 27 February at 3 pm - "Poul Henningsen: The Early Lamps" by specialist in modern design Ole Ravn

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