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Kai Kristiansen Set of 2 Easy Chairs 'Paperknife' or ‘Model 121’, Denmark, 1955

About the Item

Set of 2 easy chairs, designed by Kai Kristiansen and produced by Magnus Olesen in Denmark starting from 1955. These ‘model 121’s’ are also called the ‘Paper knife’ chairs because of their razor sharp lines, here executed in solid rosewood with brass details. The wood has been revarnished in our own workshop. This rather rare set comes with new pillows upholstered in a rusty orange-brown quality fabric. In very good condition. H: 72 cm W: 63 cm D: 75 cm Seat height: 37 cm

Creator:
Magnus Olesen (Manufacturer),Kai Kristiansen (Designer)
Design:
Paper Knife ChairPaper Knife Series
Dimensions:
Height: 28.35 in (72 cm)Width: 24.81 in (63 cm)Depth: 29.53 in (75 cm)Seat Height: 14.57 in (37 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Fabric,Rosewood
Place of Origin:
Denmark
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1955
Condition:
Reupholstered. Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. The wood has been revarnished in our own workshop. The new pillows have been upholstered in a rusty orange-brown quality fabric by a professional atelier.
Seller Location:
Antwerpen, BE
Reference Number:
Seller: 30031stDibs: LU7893238708372
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Shop All Kai Kristiansen

Kai Kristiansen

With a passion for math and engineering, Kai Kristiansen has created high-quality wood furniture for decades. Beginning in the 1950s, his chairs, modular shelving and other furnishings were made in the style that would become internationally renowned as Danish modern and boasted clean lines, perfected functionality and exacting craftsmanship.

Born in Denmark, Kristiansen trained in cabinetmaking before studying with Kaare Klint, often cited as the “father of modern Danish design,” at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. At just 26 years old, Kristiansen opened his own studio.

Kristiansen had his mid-century breakthrough in 1956 with the Chair #42, which he made with Schou Andersen. Unlike most other chairs at the time, Chair #42’s armrests, with their wealth of radical angles, were connected to the back rather than the front legs. This unconventional flourish makes the backrest appear as though it is floating in midair above the seat. Kristiansen’s next innovation was a modular wall system in 1957 — three years ahead of Dieter Rams’s more famous 606 Universal Shelving System. Called the Reolsystem Wall Unit, produced by SB Feldballes Møbelfabrik, it’s also known as the FM Wall Unit as FM/Fornem Møbelkunst began producing it in the 1960s. Kristiansen would go on to work with other leading Danish furniture manufacturers such as Magnus Olesen, Fritz Hansen and Vildbjerg Møbelfabrik, designing everything from chairs and desks to sideboards and cabinets, frequently in rosewood and teak. (The latter was a sought-after wood by Scandinavian modern designers.)

While many of Kristiansen’s timeless designs remain in production, such as his Paper Knife sofa, which was reintroduced by Miyazaki Chair Factory in 2008, and his 1950s Entré collection, which was relaunched with Great Dane Furniture in 2016, others are prized as vintage mid-century pieces. Today, Kristiansen is still at work on new furniture with an expert eye to thoughtfully functional designs that are made to last.

Find a collection of vintage Kai Kristiansen furniture on 1stDibs.