Ironically, Dansk Designs, the tableware company practically synonymous with Danish design (“Dansk,” in fact, translates to “Danish”), was the brainchild of an American couple, Ted and Martha Nierenberg.
The Nierenbergs, who founded the business in 1954, initially worked out of the garage of their Great Neck, Long Island, home and marketed their serveware, tables, decorative objects and other products largely in the United States. But they had a secret weapon: Jens Quistgaard.
After demonstrating artistic talent at a young age, the Copenhagen native was gifted a forge and anvil so that he could work in his mother’s kitchen. Quistgaard built toys, jewelry and hunting knives under his father’s tutelage. Later, he spent years learning from local artisans how to produce wood, metal, ceramic and glass models. Quistgaard’s career path solidified during his apprenticeship as a silversmith with legendary Danish silver firm Georg Jensen.
The Nierenbergs discovered the sculptor and designer on their honeymoon, which they’d spent traveling through Europe searching for top-quality goods that might form the basis of a business.
After they hired Quistgaard and launched Dansk, their products swiftly came to epitomize the best of accessible Scandinavian design for mid-century American consumers, who fell for the firm’s staved-teak salad bowls, colorful casseroles and stainless-steel flatware, all of which managed to look handmade despite being mass-produced.
The long-distance relationship flourished for 30 years, during which millions of Quistgaard pieces were manufactured in the company's factories.
The designs for Quistgaard’s Købenstyle line and other collections during the mid-1950s were revolutionary, with bowls built like barrels and charming, lightweight monochrome tableware in enameled steel. Quistgaard’s work married function with striking, sophisticated form. He utilized exceptional materials in the creation of his coveted cookware, barware and serving pieces, opting for warm teak and exotic woods and reintroducing steel as a go-to option for kitchen wares.
Quistgaard’s postwar-era Scandinavian modernist work is still exceedingly popular in living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens in the United States, Europe and Japan, particularly in the homes of mid-century design enthusiasts.
Find vintage Dansk Designs furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Gunnar Cyren White Porcelain Polar Bear Coin Bank for Dansk
By Dansk, Gunnar Cyren
Located in Miami, FL
White porcelain polar bear coin bank designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk.
Porcelain
Dansk Designs Rhinoceros Bank in White Porcelain, Scandinavian Style
By Dansk
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Dansk Rhinoceros white Porcelain ceramic Coin bank. Sleek Dansk white Porcelain Rhinoceros Bank, Scandinavian style, Modernist. Unique addition t...
Porcelain
$360Sale Price|20% Off
H 5.5 in W 12 in D 4 in
Hand Painted Porcelain Polar Bear Sculpture by Bing & Grondahl
By Bing & Grøndahl
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice hand painted porcelain polar bear sculpture by Bing & Grondahl of Denmark, circa 1970s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips or crcks and measures a ...
Porcelain
$1,460 / item
H 4.724 in W 10.236 in D 6.299 in
Lladró Rhinoceros Beetle Porcelain & Brass Insect Figurine Luxury Nature
By Lladro, José Luis Santes
Located in New York City, NY
Meet one of nature's most extraordinary creatures, reimagined in fine porcelain. The Lladró Rhinoceros Beetle figurine is part of the exclusive Awesome Insects Collection...
Metal
Lladró Rhinoceros Beetle Figurine, Matte White
By Lladro
Located in New York City, NY
Rhinoceros beetle in white porcelain, from the awesome insect collection. The insects that made a successful debut decorated in intense colors are no...
Porcelain
MCM Iron Candle Holder in Box by Dansk Designs
By Dansk
Located in San Diego, CA
MCM Iron candle holder in ox by Dansk Designs, circa 1950s. The piece holds twelve narrow candles and is in good vintage condition. it measures 4.25"D x 1.5"H. #3707
Iron
$145 / item
H 1.75 in W 2.5 in D 1 in
Dansk Modernist Bear Animal Figure Paperweight Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren
By Gunnar Cyren
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
DANSK Modernist Bear Animal Figure Paperweight Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren. Vintage Dansk Modernist Bear Animal Figure Paperweight Silver Plated designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk designed in circa 1970s. Wonderful modernist silver plated bear...
Silver Plate
$653
H 7.49 in W 11.82 in D 3.55 in
Royal Dux Polar Bear Figurine, Circa 1920 - Czech Porcelain Elegance
By Royal Dux Bohemia
Located in Bochum, NRW
Rare vintage Royal Dux polar bear figurine, designed circa 1920 in Czechoslovakia. Crafted from fine white porcelain, the sculpture captures a lifelike polar bear mid-stride with el...
Porcelain
$466 / item
H 9.45 in Dm 2.37 in
Candle Sticks in Brass by Jens Harald Quistgaard for Dansk Designs, 1950s
By Dansk, Jens Quistgaard
Located in Hägersten, SE
Candlesticks designed by Jens Harald Quistgaard. produced by Dansk designs in Denmark during the 1950s. Made from solid polished brass. Good vintage condition with light age related ...
Brass
$200
H 1.58 in W 2.37 in D 0.79 in
Dansk International Designs Ltd. Small sculpture of rabbit in plated silver.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Dansk International Designs Ltd. Small sculpture of rabbit in plated silver. Rare sculpture, sold to Japan. 1970s. Marked. In excellent condition. Dimensions: L 6.0 cm x H 4.0 cm.
Silver Plate
Polar Bear Family Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Sculpture Polar Bear Family with all structure in porcelain in blue matte and shiny gold finish.
Porcelain
$145
H 2.25 in W 2.25 in D 1.75 in
1970s Gunnar Cyrén for Dansk Silver Plate Elephant Figurine Paperweight
By Gunnar Cyren
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Dansk Mid-Century Silver Plate Animal Elephant Figurine Paperweight. Vintage Dansk silver plate elephant figurine paper weight. Marked Dansk Designs Japan. Dimensions: 1.75ʺW × 2.25ʺ...
Silver Plate
Arctic Opal Blown Glass Vase by Gunnar Cyrén for Warm Nordic
By Gunnar Cyren
Located in Viby J, DK
Beautiful oval vase in mouth-blown opal opaque glass. The arctic vase was originally designed in the 1960s by the acclaimed Swedish glass artist and silversmith, Gunnar Cyrén and is now being manufactured for the first time by Warm Nordic. The Arctic vase is made in clear mouth-blown glass with fine grooves on the side and bobbles in the bottom, which lend a touch of exclusiveness and extra weight to the vase. Its high quality and timeless elegance make the arctic vase a stylish companion for Classic bouquets, beautiful together with wild field...
Blown Glass
$525 / set
H 3 in W 1 in D 2.13 in
1970s Set of 5 Gunnar Cyren for Dansk Silver Plate Zoo Animals Collection
By Gunnar Cyren, Jens Quistgaard
Located in St. Louis, MO
Classic set of 5 silver plated animals designed by Gunnar Cyren for the Dansk Zoo series of sculptures. Set includes, Elephant, Giraffe, Hippo, Rhino and Polar Bear.
Silver Plate
Sold
H 2.5 in W 1.5 in D 2.5 in
Set of 9 Vintage 1970s Gunnar Cyren for Dansk Zoo Series Silver Plated Animals
By Dansk
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A set of 9 vintage 1970s Gunnar Cyren for Dansk zoo series silver plated animal paperweights. This is a very fun set of decorative paperweights from the 70s. Each paperweight depicts...
Silver Plate
Sold
H 2.5 in W 1.5 in D 2.5 in
Set of 9 Vintage 1970s Gunnar Cyren for Dansk Zoo Series Silver Plated Animals
By Dansk
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A set of 9 vintage 1970s Gunnar Cyren for Dansk zoo series silver plated animal paperweights. This is a very fun set of decorative paperweights from the 70s. Each paperweight depicts...
Silver Plate
Sold
H 2.25 in W 2.25 in D 2.25 in
1970s Rare Elephant Dansk Animal Paperweight Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren
By Gunnar Cyren, Dansk
Located in San Diego, CA
Mid-Century Modern Signed Dansk Silverplated Elephant Figure. Vintage silver-plated paperweight figurine designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk in the 1970s. Signed Dansk Designs Japan G...
Silver Plate
Sold
H 2.25 in W 2.25 in D 2.25 in
1970s Rare Elephant Dansk Animal Paperweight Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren
By Gunnar Cyren, Dansk
Located in San Diego, CA
Mid-Century Modern Signed Dansk Silverplated Elephant Figure. Vintage silver plated paperweight figurine designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk in the 1970s. Signed Dansk Designs Japan G...
Silver Plate
Dansk Pepper Mills by Jens Quistgaard - A Curated Collection of 17
By Jens Quistgaard, Dansk
Located in Dallas, TX
This is a curated collection of Dansk Pepper Mills Designed to be displayed symmetrically to resemble one side of a chess board. All of the grinders ...
Steel
Vintage Teak Dansk Salt and Pepper Mill by Jens H. Quistgaard
By Jens Quistgaard, Dansk
Located in San Jose, CA
Mid-Century Modern sculptural salt and pepper mill in teak designed by Jens Harald Quistgaard for Dansk. This piece features a mushroom shaped top with a removable peg for filling sa...
Teak
Gunnar Cyren White Porcelain Elephant Coin Bank for Dansk
By Gunnar Cyren, Dansk
Located in Miami, FL
White porcelain elephant coin bank designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk.
Porcelain
Vintage Mid Century Teak X Large Ice Bucket by Jens Harald Quistgaard for Dansk
By Jens Quistgaard, Dansk
Located in San Diego, CA
Vintage Danish Mid-Century Modern teak “Congo” ice bucket designed by Jens Harald Quistgaard for Dansk, circa 1950. With orange liner, this piece is t...
Teak
Vintage Teak Dansk Salt and Pepper Mill by Jens H. Quistgaard
By Jens Quistgaard, Dansk
Located in San Jose, CA
Mid-Century Modern sculptural salt and pepper mill in teak designed by Jens Harald Quistgaard for Dansk. This piece features a mushroom shaped top with a removable peg for filling sa...
Teak
Sold
H 2.5 in W 2.75 in D 0.75 in
DANSK Modernist Camel Animal Figure Paperweight Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren
By Dansk, Gunnar Cyren
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Dansk Modernist Camel Animal Figure Paperweight Silver Plated designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk designed in circa 1970s. Wonderful modernist silver plated camel made by Dan...
Silver Plate
Sold
H 4.25 in W 2.25 in D 0.75 in
1970s Rare Giraffe Dansk Animal Paperweight Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren
By Gunnar Cyren, Dansk
Located in San Diego, CA
Mid-Century Modern Signed Dansk Silverplated Giraffe Figure. Vintage silver plated giraffe paperweight figurine designed by Gunnar Cyren for Dansk in the 1970s. Signed Dansk Designs Japan...
Zinc
Sold
H 2.5 in W 2.5 in D 1.75 in
1970s Dansk Modernist Animals Paperweights Silver Plated by Gunnar Cyren
By Gunnar Cyren, Dansk
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Wonderful modernist set of three silver plated set made by Dansk of a cat, bird, and peacock silver animal figurine that can serve as a paperweight or decorative object. These decorative modernist objects animal figurines were created exclusively for Dansk in the early 1970s by world renowned Scandinavian designer Gunnar Cyren. A Swedish glass artist, silversmith, and industrial designer (1931-2013). He worked for Dansk during the 1970s and created a series of these silver-plated animals that became highly collectible because of their attractive minimalist stylized forms. Hallmark - DANSK DESIGNS...
Silver, Silver Plate