Bernt Petersen Desks
Architect and designer Bernt Petersen created a range of minimalist Scandinavian modern furniture that is today prized by collectors. His vintage desks, chairs, tables and other pieces for manufacturers such as Wørts Møbelsnedkeri and Søborg Møbelfabrik were made largely in light woods such as ash and beech, and his work is recognizable by its fluid architectural qualities and impeccably clean lines.
Just as other Danish modernists such as Hans Wegner, Børge Mogensen and Finn Juhl had, Petersen prioritized function over form and believed in the honesty of the materials with which he worked. He strived to create durable pieces for the home and adhere to the principles of traditional craftsmanship.
Petersen’s work was free of opulent ornamentation and surface embellishments — he created inviting high-backed mahogany dining chairs that were upholstered in leather and understated credenzas in rosewood. His linoleum-topped desks in solid pine stood on slender legs and featured exposed finger joints, which drew attention to his prioritization of age-old woodworking techniques. Vintage editions of his revered Rag chair for Schiang Denmark, framed in pine, offer mid-century elegance and ergonomic comfort for the guests in your living room.
Petersen set on his path of furniture making early, training as a cabinetmaker. He went on to attend the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design, and graduated in 1960. Petersen subsequently worked for a time with Mobilia and for the aforementioned Wegner — a prolific designer of iconic seating and enthusiast of the finest methods in joinery — before opening his own workshop in 1963. Petersen saw a fair amount of success in producing his own furniture, particularly as the popularity of Scandinavian modern furniture had grown around the world and especially in the United States.
Petersen taught at the Denmark Design School from 1973 to 1978, and then went on to lecture at the Royal Danish Academy's Furniture School from 1978 to 1985. He won awards from the Danish Furniture Manufacturers’ Association, the Danish Society of Arts and Crafts, and other organizations.
Find vintage Bernt Petersen tables, seating and storage pieces on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bernt Petersen Desks
Oak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bernt Petersen Desks
Walnut
Early 19th Century American Sheraton Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Cherry
Mid-19th Century English William IV Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Mahogany
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bernt Petersen Desks
Maple
Late 18th Century English Queen Anne Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Mahogany
19th Century Rustic Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Wood
1930s American Chippendale Vintage Bernt Petersen Desks
Brass, Steel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bernt Petersen Desks
Brass
Mid-18th Century British George II Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Walnut
1820s American Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Mahogany
Late 19th Century English Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Mahogany
Late 19th Century American Regency Antique Bernt Petersen Desks
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bernt Petersen Desks
Pine
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bernt Petersen Desks
Satinwood
1950s Danish Vintage Bernt Petersen Desks
Mahogany, Rosewood
