Arne Vodder Canapes

Danish, 1926-2009

Along with Vernor Panton, cabinetmaker and architect Arne Vodder was a leading light of what might be called the “second generation” of forward-thinking 20th-century Danish furniture designers — those who, following in the footsteps of Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl and others, first applied the skills, traditions and philosophical tenets of Scandinavian craftsmanship to a modern furniture idiom.

Vodder was a graduate student in architecture trained by Juhl, a pioneer of furniture design credited with igniting the Scandinavian modernist movement that swept like wildfire across the United States in the postwar era. Vodder made his mark in the 1960s, when modern design had gained wide acceptance, particularly in the business world. Accordingly, many of Vodder's chairs, created for manufacturers such as France & Søn, Fritz Hansen and Sibast, are quiet in form — projecting an air of sturdiness and strength, rather than avant-garde styling.

Vodder’s aesthetic flair is very pronounced in his vintage cabinets and storage pieces — sideboards, bookcases, credenzas and buffets. In such pieces, the designer liked to play with asymmetry.

Vodder’s bookcases often have a seemingly random array of variously sized shelves and nooks. A typical Vodder sideboard of the mid-century period — his classic Model 29 case piece is known to collectors — might have four sections, each different in purpose and look: an open stack of vertical shelves, and other cupboards covered with sliding panels in contrasting colored laminates and wood veneers.

As you will see from the works on 1stDibs, Vodder had a sense of what kind of design was appropriate for which space: sobriety in the boardroom; playfulness at home.

Find vintage Arne Vodder furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Creator: Arne Vodder

Mid-Century Modern 2-Seater Brown Leather Sofa3330 by A. Vodder for Fritz Hansen

By Fritz Hansen, Arne Vodder

Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie

This two-seater sofa model 3330 was designed by Arne Vodder for the Danish manufacturer Fritz Hansen during the 1960s. A museum piece, rarely available for sale, especially in the two-seater version. This sofa is upholstered in high-quality amber brown natural leather. Spacious and comfortable pillows are loosely placed. The wide armrests resemble the shape of a wing. The legs are made of black lacquered steel. Perfect proportions, Scandinavian craftsmanship with a clearly marked line of furniture due this project timelessness. The traditions and philosophical assumptions of Danish craftsmanship have been translated into a modern furniture idiom. Vodder was born in Denmark in 1926. Trained as a carpenter and architect, he studied with Finn Juhl at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. After school, he worked as a designer in Hindsgaul, focusing primarily on office decor. In 1950, Vodder founded his own architectural and design studio with architect Anton Borg. Over the years, the studio moved to several locations in Copenhagen before finally settling in the suburb of Holte, north of the city. Vodder and Borg worked together until the 1970s. Vodder is best known for its furniture designs that were usually simple pieces consisting of natural materials such as rosewood and teak. His designs were often inspired by natural forms. Vodder collaborated with respected brands, designing furniture for manufacturers such as Fritz Hansen, France & Søn, Nielaus, Sibast, Kircodan. In the 1950s and 1970s, Vodder furniture designs were used by President Jimmy Carter at the White House and President Anwar Sadat in Cairo, and were incorporated into the United Nations Office in Geneva and graced many hotels, banks, and embassies around the world. His works have been widely presented both individually and in collective exhibitions with artists such as Verner Panton and Nanna Ditzel. Fritz Hansen, also known as the Republic of Fritz Hansen, is a Danish furniture design company whose history begins in 1872 in Nakskov. From the very beginning, Fritz Hansen and his son Christian placed emphasis on the high quality of their furniture, which is their hallmark until the present day. The long list of orders in the first fifty years of the company's operation confirms this. At the beginning of the 20th century, Christian Hansen began experimenting with the steam-bending of beech wood, and in 1915 he created the first laminated chairs, which became the company's specialty. Arne Jacobsen completely dominated the 1950s in the company. He started working together in 1934, but his breakthrough came when he created the Ant laminated chair in 1952. The next projects: Series 7 (1955), Swan (1958) and Egg (1958), which were designed for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, became milestones in the history of Fritz Hansen and are still produced today. This sofa is in original vintage condition. It has a natural patina and traces of age, leather scrapes, pigment changes, traces of repair on the seat. The seat is 39 cm high. Literature: Catalog of Fritz Hansen, April 1968, page 72. Mobilia Magazine...

Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arne Vodder Canapes

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Three-Seat Leather Sofa in the Manner of Pierre Chapo

By Ole Wanscher, Pierre Chapo, De Sede

Located in Kaštel Sućurac, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija

A composition of quiet assurance, this mid-century three-seat sofa reveals a language of sculptural restraint and elemental materiality. Realized in the latter decades of the twentie...

Category

1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arne Vodder Canapes

Materials

Leather, Teak

Mid-Century Three-Seat Leather Sofa in the Manner of Pierre Chapo

$7,810

H 33.86 in W 78.75 in D 29.53 in