Gunni Omann Model 18

Find many varieties of an authentic gunni omann model 18 available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, hardwood and teak, every gunni omann model 18 was constructed with great care. Your living room may not be complete without a gunni omann model 18 — find older editions for sale from the 20th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. A gunni omann model 18, designed in the Mid-Century Modern or Scandinavian Modern style, is generally a popular piece of furniture.

A gunni omann model 18 can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $5,230, while the lowest priced sells for $3,233 and the highest can go for as much as $7,874.

Gunni Omann built a reputation for having created a range of alluring credenzas, desks and other furnishings during the postwar years, and his fans reportedly included the likes of legendary designer and woodworker Hans Wegner. Serving as the main designer in his father’s company, Omann Jun Møbelfabrik A/S, Gunni is known to enthusiasts of Scandinavian modernism for iconic works such as the Model 75 executive desk in 1958 and the gorgeous Model 18 sideboard in 1960.

Founded in 1933 by Andreas Omann in Ølholm, Denmark, the family-run business produced and exported teak, oak and rosewood furniture worldwide between the 1950s and the 1970s. Next door to Omann Jun Møbelfabrik A/S, Andreas’s father owned and operated Ølholm Møbelfabrik, which was later run by Andreas’s brother Sigfred Omann and collaborated with forward-thinking modernist designers such as Arne Vodder. 

Gunni Omann took over Omann Jun Møbelfabrik A/S in 1979 with his younger brother Bjarne, and by then, Ølholm Møbelfabrik and Omann Jun Møbelfabrik were part of one company. Omann continued to design until 1989 when health complications forced the sale of his shares in the brand. 

The company remains in the family and as of 2005, Ulrich Omann has taken leadership and directed their focus toward office furniture. (That said, Omann Jun Møbelfabrik began reproducing many of Gunni’s vintage designs in 2016 for a new market, including the popular Model 18 case piece.)

Outside of the family business, Gunni Omann worked with Axel Christiansen Odder/ACO Møbler. Still, regardless of who Omann designed for, each piece of furniture places the natural beauty of the wood grains at the forefront of its design. 

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Gunni Omann tables, seating and storage cabinets.

Of all the antique and vintage case pieces and storage cabinets that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items. 

In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior. 

Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time. 

Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of storage case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room. 

In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.

A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard made of colored glass and metals, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.