Aksel Bender Madsen On Sale
Vintage 1950s Dutch Scandinavian Modern Living Room Sets
Upholstery, Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s Dutch Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Faux Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Dutch Sofas
Fabric, Oak, Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
People Also Browsed
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
Marble
2010s American Flush Mount
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Aluminum
2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary British Organic Modern Wall Lights and Sco...
Plaster
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Fiberglass, Walnut
2010s American Modern Side Tables
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Organic Modern Chandeliers and Pen...
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Textile, Wood
Recent Sales
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Beech, Wool
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Oak, Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Faux Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Teak
Aksel Bender Madsen On Sale For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Aksel Bender Madsen On Sale?
Aksel Bender Madsen for sale on 1stDibs
Aksel Bender Madsen created a number of classic mid century designs in the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, often working jointly with his business partner and friend Ejner Larsen (1917–87). Bender Madsen trained as a cabinetmaker before spending four years studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1940. It was there that he met his lifelong friend Larsen, with whom he would work throughout his career. They designed over 300 pieces of furniture together until Larsen’s death in 1987, often working with cabinetmaker Willy Beck, who produced their designs over a 25-year period. Larsen and Bender Madsen participated annually in the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild competitions from 1947, and their work was exhibited at the Triennale di Milano and in the Design in Scandinavia exhibition, which traveled across the US. from 1954 to 1957. Larsen and Bender Madsen’s most famous design, namely the Metropolitan Chair, was developed in 1949 and produced from 1950; its name came from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it was shown and acquired for the Arts of Denmark exhibition in 1960–61. Before he began working with Larsen, Bender Madsen worked for Danish icons Kaare Klint and Arne Jacobsen from 1940 to 1943. While designing furniture, he also worked simultaneously as an architect for the Danish Consumers Cooperative Society (1943–50) and as a teacher and principal at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (1950–54). Bender Madsen was committed to building the Danish design identity and exporting Scandinavian style. He introduced a clear Danish aesthetic to the Dutch brand Bovenkamp in the 1950s and 1960s, who also worked with Arne Vodder. Bender Madsen designs for Bovenkamp feature many models of easy chairs and armchairs, including the low-backed Edith and the high-backed Karen (circa 1950). Together Bender Madsen and Larsen received many awards, including winning the prestigious Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Annual Prize in 1956 and 1961. Their furniture is housed in museums around the world, including the aforementioned Met Museum and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark.
Finding the Right Seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.