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Vilhelm Lauritzen: Rare sculptural armchair of Cuban mahogany. Upholstered with striped wool. Designed and made in around 1940 at Normina workshop. Estimate: DKK 60–80,000.

Chairs from Vilhelm Lauritzen’s Radio Council Chamber

For more than 70 years, the Radio House (Radiohuset) on Rosenørns Allé in Copenhagen served as the broadcasting centre from which the Danish State Radio (Statsradiofonien) transmitted news of both major and minor events to the Danish people. The architect behind both the building and the interior design was Vilhelm Lauritzen. At the Live Auction on 5 December, you’ll have the opportunity to bid on three of Lauritzen’s exceptionally rare and sculptural chairs that were part of the Radio House’s original modernist furnishings.

Architect Vilhelm Lauritzen’s design idiom, at once modern and refined, is the very essence of Danish Modernism. He is best known for his distinctive architectural works, including the Radio House in Frederiksberg, the former Daells Varehus department store in central Copenhagen, and Folkets Hus in Vesterbro. Lauritzen began designing the Radio House in 1934, but the outbreak of World War II put its construction and inauguration on hold. His attention to detail extended to every aspect of the building – he designed not just the structure, but all of its furnishings as well.

“The chairs, executed in Cuban mahogany, were a bespoke design created specifically for the Radio Council Chamber, with only a select few ever produced. The sculptural chairs encircled a large, round meeting table, above which hung Lauritzen’s impressive ring chandelier. These masterfully designed chairs rarely appear at auction.”

 Andreas Krabbe

Expert in modern decorative art and design at Bruun-Rasmussen

Functionality, aesthetics and harmony

In Lauritzen’s designs, function meets modern aesthetics, with each piece luxuriating in organic forms and materials. The organic character of his furniture designs takes on even greater resonance when viewed within their architectural surroundings. Lauritzen’s exacting vision extended to every detail of his buildings. His meticulous approach produced a consistent and deliberate design idiom across all elements – from furniture and lighting to door handles and balustrades. Often inspired by nature and taking form in exclusive natural materials such as leather and Cuban mahogany, each piece became iconic in its own right.

The chair designed for the Radio House’s Council Chamber stands as a prime example of Lauritzen’s organic aesthetic vision. As the meeting room for the State Radio’s politically appointed governing body, this chamber demanded – and received – the most prestigious and exceptional furnishings. The chairs’ polished Cuban mahogany armrests, with their graceful curves, exemplify a rare sculptural idiom. These limited-edition chairs were handcrafted at the Normina workshop. The monumental task of furnishing the Radio House led Lauritzen to commission multiple workshops, among them Rud Rasmussen, to execute his designs. Though less renowned today, Normina produced work of exceptional quality. Under Lauritzen’s masterful direction, each design element of the Radio House contributes to a natural harmony, where beauty and functionality merge seamlessly.
Vilhelm Lauritzen: Rare sculptural armchair of Cuban mahogany. Upholstered with striped wool. Designed and made in around 1940 at Normina workshop. Estimate: DKK 60–80,000.
Vilhelm Lauritzen: Rare sculptural armchair of Cuban mahogany. Upholstered with striped wool. Designed and made in around 1940 at Normina workshop. Estimate: DKK 60–80,000.

Vilhelm Lauritzen and Bauhaus

Danish designers kept a keen eye on international developments, as the aftermath of World War I sparked a worldwide movement to reshape society and create a better way of living. Lauritzen attended the School of Architecture at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1912 to 1921, when Danish architecture was still characterised by National Romanticism and Neoclassicism. However, in the years leading up to World War II, international modernist influences emerged from the Bauhaus school and Le Corbusier, among other places. Attuned to international currents, Lauritzen incorporated both classical principles and modernist design thinking in his work. With Bauhaus leading the way, a new vision emerged for city planning, homes, and furnishings that reflected the spirit of modern living. In Denmark, the radical ideas of international Modernism were rarely expressed in their purest form. Here it was crucial that the focus on form, function and new materials did not come at the expense of human needs and good craftsmanship. As a result, early Danish interpretations of international Modernism in the 1930s emerged with a distinctly softer aesthetic than their foreign counterparts.

Vilhelm Lauritzen's radio council boardroom in Radiohuset (From a contemporary magazine)
Office in Radiohuset with armchair and table lamp by Vilhelm Lauritzen. (From a contemporary magazine)

Official opening postponed

Although the Radio House was completed in 1941, the official opening was postponed until September 1945 due to the German occupation. The Nazis had their sights set on the modern building as their headquarters from an early stage. Vilhelm Lauritzen personally and deliberately delayed the construction process by, among other things, mounting wall panels during daylight hours, only to dismantle them again under the cover of darkness and then put them back up the next day. This persistent obstruction of the aspirations of the occupying force bears witness to the role of radio as the powerful mass media of the time, which had carried Hitler’s rhetoric across the airwaves for nearly a decade, inciting a nation to war and drawing the world into conflict. When the Radio House was inaugurated in September 1945, just months after Denmark’s liberation, the press dubbed it “A radiant fairy tale of art and ingenuity”.

An echo of Denmark’s history

Today, Danmarks Radio has relocated its television and radio operations to more modern facilities. The Radio House is now a listed building. The concert hall is still in use, and Lauritzen’s furniture and most of the lighting remain. When designs from Lauritzen’s architectural firm come up for auction, they almost always bring with them echoes of Denmark’s 20th century history – and the buildings that helped shape it. Vilhelm Lauritzen’s furniture and lamps are in very high demand. At the upcoming Live Auction, you’ll find more of Vilhelm Lauritzen’s exciting design, including a rare table lamp and a chandelier of patinated brass. Danish design from the period is also represented. Among the rare masterworks on offer are a two-seater sofa by Finn Juhl, a wingback chair by Flemming Lassen and a Septima lamp by Poul Henningsen.

Vilhelm Lauritzen, Frits Schlegel: Rare patinated, nickel-plated metal table lamp with conical shade. Designed in 1928. H. 52. Estimate: DKK 50–75,000.
Vilhelm Lauritzen: Rare chandelier of patinated brass. Five opaline glass shades. Made in the 1940s by Louis Poulsen. H. 70. Diam. 55. Estimate: DKK 30–40,000.
Vilhelm Lauritzen: “Halvvaselampen” (Half-vase lamp). Set of four wall lamps of opal glass and brass. H. 24. W. 22. (4). Made in the 1940s by Louis Poulsen. H. 24. W. 22. (4). Estimate: DKK 20,000.
Vilhelm Lauritzen: “Rådhusarmatur” (City Hall light fixture). A pair of ceiling/wall lights with brass fitting. H. 19. L. 124. Estimate: DKK 20,000–25,000.
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Live Auction

Modern decorative art & design

Thursday 5 December

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Andreas Krabbe Portrait

Andreas Krabbe

Andreas Krabbe

Specialist / Modern Decorative Art & Design / København
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Digital catalogue

Modern decorative art & design

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Items for sale

Vilhelm Lauritzen

Finn Juhl

See all 10 lots by Finn Juhl

Poul Henningsen

See all 18 lots by Poul Henningsen