From chieftain to James Bond

The architect Finn Juhl designed some of his most distinctive furniture for The Copenhagen Cabinet-Maker Guild's exhibition in 1949, e.g. the beautiful ”Egyptian Chair”. Juhl was inspired by the old Egyptian chairs he had seen for the first time in the collections at the Louvre. We present a very beautiful set of ten of these ”Egyptian Chairs” in teak with patinated black leather along with Finn Juhl's exceedingly elegant ”Judas Table” in its most luxurious version with inlaid silver plaquettes – all of which is made at Niels Vodder.

Finn Juhl's sculptural ”Chieftain Chair” was also made for The Cabinet-Makers' Exhibition in 1949. The design of the chair is inspired by the weapons and everyday articles of primitive peoples. According to an anecdote, a reporter present at the opening of the exhibition asked Juhl if the chair was to be called the "King Chair", since King Frederik IX had tested it. This was too pretentious, however, and Juhl replied: ”You'd better just call it a chieftain's chair”. We present a beautiful specimen in teak with patinated leather from the original manufacturer Niels Vodder who only produced this model in a very limited number.

Ten years later, in 1959, the young Danish architect Bodil Kjær found herself in Boston designing a series of office furniture for the manufacturer E. Pedersen. The aim was to design furniture that matched modern art and architecture and could help make office landscapes freer and lighter. This office series comprises an elegant worktable that plays on the contrast between steel and dark wood – in time, this would become one of the world's most renowned writing desks and design icons. Internationally, the table became truly famous when it appeared in the James Bond movies From Russia with Love in 1963 and later You Only Live Twice. We present this table in a slightly enlarged version, only made to order, with two matching drawer modules in beautiful palisander. One fancy desk for true connoisseurs!

As a special design-historical feature, the auction includes the dining and living room behind Ole Wanscher's debut at The Copenhagen Cabinet-Maker Guild's exhibition in 1931. The choice of materials is exquisite, since the entire set is made from Cuban mahogany with ebony marquetry. It was acquired directly at the exhibition by the father of the present owner in 1931.

In the section of the ever popular modern Danish furniture, we also find a number of Kastholm & Fabricius pieces that really give meaning to the expression Danish furniture art. By way of example, there are two specimens of the aesthetically pleasing ”Sculptural Chair” from 1979 and a ”Scimitar” chair named after and inspired by the Turkish sword.

The auction offers ample opportunity to find an altogether classic design icon – it includes, for instance, two specimens of Arne Jacobsen's ”The Egg” in black leather.

In addition, the auction includes a number of older Poul Henningsen lamps and a pair of French Jieldé factory lamps that are not only as if lifted straight from a magazine on interior decorating, but also extremely functional with their moveable parts.

The category of modern applied art offers e.g. a beautiful colossal vase by Per Weiss, two smaller collections of stoneware by Berndt Friberg from Gustavsberg with the beautiful and velvety hare's fur glaze and a rare Art Nouveau jar by Thorvald Bindesbøll made at Eifrig's workshop in Valby in 1892.

Auction: Tuesday 27 January from 11 am