A powerhouse duo in Danish furniture design throughout the mid-20th century, Henry Hans Schubell and Arnold Madsen collaborated as Madsen & Schubell with Dutch company Bovenkamp and Vik & Blindheim on a range of furnishings and created memorable lounge chairs, armchairs and other seating throughout the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s — such as the wingback Pragh chair and the iconic Clam chair — that represent the finest of Scandinavian modern design.
In 1944, a skilled upholster by the name of Arnold Madsen requested assistance from a cabinetmaker to make a prototype lounge chair based on a plaster model he’d made. Accepting the challenge, Schubell impressed Madsen to the point that he suggested they enter into a partnership. The Clam chair was their first collaboration as Madsen & Schubell.
According to Aaron FitzGerald, of Dagmar gallery, Madsen’s Clam chair is “one of the most sought-after and simultaneously misattributed and copied chair designs of the twentieth century.” In the past, it was ascribed to the Norwegian retailer Martin Olsen and then the Danish architect Philip Arctander. It was only through some dogged research by a team of international design historians and collectors that it was finally correctly associated with Madsen.
In the backyard of a modest home in Copenhagen, Schubell built wooden frames which Madsen then upholstered. They sold their finished products to dealers under their joint name, earning enough money to move production to a factory outside the city. Some models, such as the Clam, were under license by Norwegian company Vik & Blindheim while others were manufactured by Bovenkamp in the Netherlands. The pair’s partnership ended in 1963 in order for the designers to establish separate companies. Madsen opened a new upholstery firm with his son, Ib Madsen, under the name Madsen og Schubell, and Schubell continued to build frames for Madsen as Schubell & Son. (At some point, Ib also traded under the name Ib Madsen and Acton Schubell.)
Vintage Madsen & Schubell chairs offer sturdy build quality and the kind of superior upholstery that is typical among mid-century Scandinavian furniture. Working with a range of woods including teak, rosewood and birch, Madsen & Schubell accented natural wood grains with soft lambswool and sheepskin for a variety of comfortable seating.
Find vintage Arnold Madsen Clam chairs, lounge chairs and other seating on 1stDibs.
$4,980 / set
Pair of Arnold Madsen Sheepskin Clam Stools
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Arnold Madsen - Pair of Clam Stools The Clam Stool is the perfect companion piece for Arnold Madsen's iconic Clam Chair. This new design has been has been developed in close collabo...
Sheepskin, Fabric, Bouclé, Oak, Walnut
Arnold Madsen Ottoman Stool Leather and Teak, circa 1960
By Madsen & Schubell, Arnold Madsen
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Rare Mid-Century 1960's Ottoman Stool designed by Arnold Madsen & Schubell in Denmark. The stool certainly would compliment Kofod Larsen Designs. The stylish design makes this pi...
Leather, Teak
Pair of Arnold Madsen Sheepskin & Walnut Clam Stools
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Arnold Madsen - Pair of Sheepskin & Walnut Clam Stools The Clam Stool is the perfect companion piece for Arnold Madsen's iconic Clam Chair. This new design has been has been develop...
Sheepskin, Fabric, Bouclé, Oak, Walnut
Re-Edition Sheepskin Clam Chairs by Arnold Madsen
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Official Re-Edition of the iconic Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen. Dagmar in collaboration with the estate of Arnold Madsen is proud to re-lau...
Sheepskin, Wool, Bouclé, Beech, Oak, Walnut
Danish Modern Teak Stool / Ottoman
Located in Denton, TX
Solid thick teak wood with dovetailed corners can be also used for a side table.
Teak
Re-Edition Sheepskin Clam Chairs by Arnold Madsen
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Official Re-Edition of the iconic Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen. Dagmar in collaboration with the estate of Arnold Madsen is proud to re-lau...
Sheepskin, Wool, Bouclé, Beech, Oak, Walnut
Pair of Silk Parsons Ottomans or Stools
By Milo Baughman
Located in Redding, CT
Pair of Silk Parson Ottomans or stools. Gingham silk upholstery covers the pair. very good condition. In the Billy Baldwin style with button top. This ...
Fabric, Silk, Upholstery, Wood
Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen, 1944
By Arnold Madsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
The Clam easy chair, designed by Arnold Madsen and produced by Madsen & Schubell in Denmark in 1944, represents a rare and exemplary piece of Scandinavian mid-century design. The...
Fabric, Lacquer, Wood
Re-Edition Sheepskin Clam Chairs by Arnold Madsen
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Official Re-Edition of the iconic Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen. Dagmar in collaboration with the estate of Arnold Madsen is proud to re-launch the Clam Chair ...
Sheepskin, Wool, Bouclé, Beech, Oak, Walnut
Arnold Madsen Sheepskin Clam Chair & Stool
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Official Re-Edition of the iconic Clam Chair & Stool by Arnold Madsen. The Clam Chair was designed in 1944 in Copenhagen by Danish upholsterer Arnold Madsen. In 1945 Arnold founded ...
Sheepskin, Fabric, Bouclé, Oak, Walnut
Re-Edition Sheepskin Clam Chairs by Arnold Madsen
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Official Re-Edition of the iconic Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen. Dagmar in collaboration with the estate of Arnold Madsen is proud to re-launch the Clam Chair - one of the most cheris...
Sheepskin, Wool, Bouclé, Beech, Oak, Walnut
Re-Edition Sheepskin Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen
By Arnold Madsen
Located in London, England
Official Re-Edition of the iconic Clam Chair by Arnold Madsen. Dagmar in collaboration with the estate of Arnold Madsen is proud to re-lau...
Sheepskin, Wool, Bouclé, Beech, Oak, Walnut
$57,240 / set
H 32.29 in W 26.38 in D 33.27 in
“Clam" Chairs in Sheepskin by Arnold Madsen for Madsen & Schubell, Denmark 1944
By Arnold Madsen
Located in Utrecht, NL
These “Clam” chairs have a beloved design, thanks to which it is considered by many as one of the most attractive chairs of Nordic Design. At the same time, these chairs are arguably also the most mysterious piece on the Danish furniture market. The model has a rather perplexing history, and has been attributed to several designers before, the latest being the Danish architect Phillip Arctander. However, recent research revealed that the “Clam” is the model that in fact started the story of Madsen & Schubell. Arnold Madsen designed this model in 1944 in his small basement workshop in Gothersgade, Copenhagen. This set has a characteristic organic shape with soft curves, perched on club-shaped beech legs. The name comes from the shape of the seat and back that together form the silhouette of an open clam. The round armrests compliment the overall round feel of the chairs. The seat is slightly raised towards the front, while the back is tilted to provide great sitting comfort. The seat and back are covered in light sheepskin, adding to the soft and cosy feel of this “Clam”. Interestingly, Hans Schubell invented the special connecting piece of this chair, formed from only one piece of wood. The rest of the seat and backrest were glued to this single piece. In 1944, the chair was already exhibited in conjunction with the presentation of the newly opened furniture store NY FORM A/S in Copenhagen, which sold the leading design of the day. In 1945, the Clam went into serial production as the first model of the new furniture company Madsen & Schubell and many well-known stores soon included Madsen & Schubell in their product range. Illums Bolighus was one of them, as were the Messen department store and the Copenhagen furniture store Nordisk Staal-og-Møbel Central. In 1953, Madsen & Schubell sold the licence of the chair to the Norwegian company Vik and Blindheim. Condition: In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The chairs have been recently reupholstered in light sheepskin. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information. Dimensions: 26.38 in W x 33.27 in D x 32.28 in H; Seat height 14.96 in; Arm height 22.64 in 67 cm W x 84.5 cm D x 82 cm H; Seat height 38 cm; Arm height 57.5 cm About the designer: Henry Hans Schubell...
Sheepskin, Wood
Madsen & Schubell, Stool, Wood, Fabric, Denmark, 1950s
By Madsen & Schubell
Located in High Point, NC
A wood and floral-printed fabric stool produced by Madsen & Schubell, Denmark, c. 1950s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 16.75"H x 22.75"W x 14.4"D All items ship from High Point, Nor...
Fabric, Wood
Arnold Madsen, Stool, Wood, Shearling, Sweden, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A wood and shearling stool, produced by Arnold Madsen, Sweden, 1950s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 14.0"H x 19.0"W x 16.75"D Seat Height (inches): 14...
Wood