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.
Arne Vodder 2-Seater Sofa, Model Fd 161, Reupholstered in Bouclé, 1950s
By Arne Vodder, France & Daverkosen
Located in Odense, DK
A fine example of a Danish modern 2-seater sofa in solid beech, reupholstered cushions in white bouclé. Designed by Arne Vodder for France & Daverkosen in 1950s, Denmark. A classic...
Bouclé, Beech
Original 1950s Danish 3-Seat Sofa or Daybed
Located in Markington, GB
1950s Danish 3-seat sofa or daybed Lovely 1950s part wood framed sofa in very good condition, it has blanket storage underneath and folds down into a very useful daybed Measure...
Fabric, Teak
1960s Arne Vodder 3-Seat Sofa for France & Søn, Denmark
By Arne Vodder, France & Søn
Located in Praha, CZ
- Newly re-upholstered original springs pillows - The wooden parts have been refurbished.
Fabric, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Red Mohair Sofa and Daybed, 1950s Asymmetric Design
Located in San Francisco, CA
Dramatic mid-century red mohair sofa that converts to a daybed in a great size. Asymmetric with dog-bone shape, a popular style in the 1950s.
Mohair, Wood
$3,200
H 32.75 in W 55.5 in D 29 in
Danish Mid Century Modern Sofa by Arne Vodder for France and Daverkosen FD - 161
By Arne Vodder, France & Daverkosen
Located in New York, NY
Sophisticated, stylish and rare Mid Century Danish Modern sofa by Arne Vodder for France and Daverkersen, model FD - 161 made in Denmark circa 1950's. This example is in very good, ...
Upholstery, Teak
Vintage Nelson Daybed in Black Mohair, c. 1950s
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Chicago, IL
Sophisticated yet effortless, this vintage MCM sofa bed is the iconic Nelson Daybed, originally designed by George Nelson in 1949 for the Herman Miller Collection. One of the most in...
Steel
"Sleep-o-Matic" Sofa by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy, 1950s
By Marco Zanuso, Arflex
Located in Milan, IT
"Sleep-o-Matic" sofa by Marco Zanuso for Arflex. Evergreen shape and comfortable masterpiece of Italian 1950s design.
Metal
$2,880 / set
H 34 in W 22 in D 20 in
Set of 3 Arne Vodder Model FD-184 Chairs for France & Daverkosen Vintage Danish
By Arne Vodder, France & Daverkosen
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A set of 3 Arne Vodder for France & Daverkosen Model FD-184 chairs. The FD-184 chair by Arne Vodder is a fantastic Danish design, (and a personal favorite of this writer), featuring ...
Teak
Arne Vodder Sofa in Patinated Cognac Leather
By Arne Vodder
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Arne Vodder for Ivan Schlechter, sofa, patinated leather, teak, Denmark, design 1953, manufactured late 1950s-1960s. Elegant two-seat settee in admirable cognac leather and teak by ...
Leather, Teak
$72,105Sale Price|24% Off
H 29 in W 84.25 in D 38 in
Important Adjustable 'Roll Back Day Bed' Sofa by Kagan-Dreyfuss, 1950s, Signed
By Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc., Vladimir Kagan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a very important piece of design history, and to understand why - it is all in the details, so to anyone interested in modern art and interior design, please keep reading. Vladimir Kagan’s 'Roll Back Day Bed' (model #6718) was originally conceived as a one-off design for a client in the 1950s. Valdimir Kagan selected Rosewood and Lucite, materials he had just started experimenting with at that time, blended it into a futuristic frame with a brass-capped cylindrical adjustable back cushion that can transform the sofa into a daybed and even into a double sided gallery seating system. All on top of Lucite legs giving the appearance the sofa is floating above ground. By all accounts - Vladimir Kagan advertisements, catalogues, the design community and even the team at Vladimir Kagan Designs had it documented that the design (model 6718 Roll Back Day Bed) was first put into production in 1967, however this one - this exact sofa in the photos and listed for sale, IS THE ONE that he created in the 1950s for a special one-off client. And it was later, in 1967 that he decided to bring the design into production, all based on this concept model which we have listed for sale. This is all documented with the Vladimir Kagan archives under registry 25073. They were thrilled to have found this surviving example and have added it into their archives, knowledge-base and timelines. They wrote: "We conducted a detailed review of the Kagan Archive, and we were puzzled to find that Vladimir consistently dated the release of the Roll Back Day Bed to 1967. Also based on Vladimir’s accounts, Hugo Dreyfuss retired in 1960, ending their partnership. This would mean that your example pre-dates the “earliest production date” we have on record for the Roll Back Day Bed or Roll Back Sofa...
Brass
$13,365 / set
H 40.95 in W 59.06 in D 32.29 in
A Pair of 1950s Italian 1950s sofas reupholstered in linen
By Federico Munari
Located in Oxford, GB
A Wonderful pair of shapely 1950s Italian sofas. Purchased in Italy and reupholstered in the UK in a natural haze nut coloured lined produces by William Yeoward. Incredibly comfortab...
Fabric, Wood
$11,094 / item
H 28.94 in W 73.63 in D 43.51 in
Modern Conchula Corner Sofa, White Boucle, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
By Rute Martins, Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Modern Conchula Corner Sofa, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Conchula corner sofa is a room-defining fur...
Wool, Bouclé, Cotton, Oak
$5,209Sale Price|20% Off
H 31.5 in W 82.68 in D 31.5 in
Danish Mid Century model 3330 Arne Vodder 3 seater leather sofa for Fritz Hansen
By Fritz Hansen, Arne Vodder
Located in Highclere, Newbury
Vintage Danish mid century 1960’s model 3330 Arne Vodder 3 seater sofa for Fritz Hansen in recently reupholstered dark chocolate coloured leather. Arne Vodder was one of the grea...
Leather
Arne Vodder & Anton Borg Teak Bed
By Vamo Møbelfabrik, Anton Borg, Arne Vodder
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
Beautiful teak single bed. The bed was designed by the design duo Arne Vodder & Anton Borg in the 1960s. The design duo Borg & Vodder had the bed manu...
Teak
Chaise Lounge in Leather Designed by Arne Vodder, Denmark, 1950's Bovirke
By Arne Vodder, Bovirke
Located in Stockholm, SE
Chaise lounge with beech frame. Webbing in seat and back of natural patinated leather.