Jens Risom Furniture
Danish, American, 1916-2016
The Danish-born Jens Risom brought the Scandinavian modern design sensibility to a wide audience in the United States. As the first designer for Knoll Inc., Risom introduced American buyers to the region’s enduring design values of simplicity, grace and craftsmanship.
Risom trained in furniture making at the Copenhagen School of Industrial Arts and Design under Ole Wanscher, alongside classmates Hans Wegner and Børge Mogensen. In 1939, a year after graduating from business school, Risom decided to move to the U.S.
While working for an interior designer in New York in 1941, he met Hans Knoll, and the businessman and the designer hit it off. They brought out their first line the next year, despite wartime materials restrictions. The signature piece — now a design icon — was a lounge chair with a striking, undulant birch frame and a seat made of webbed sub-military grade parachute straps. Risom was drafted into the army, and served as a translator under General George Patton. When he returned from the war, Risom clashed over furniture design ideals with his business partner’s new bride, Florence Knoll, the pioneering mid-century modernist who was schooled in the Bauhaus method, which favored furniture with strict, geometric metal frames. Risom then started his own company, Jens Risom Design.
In the course of his long career, Risom developed a stylistic vocabulary that was a reflection of the life of the man himself: his furniture has Danish warmth coupled with an American air of crisp efficiency. Vintage Risom chairs are almost instantly recognizable — the arms and seat backs are set at a distinctive angle that seems to invite people to sit back and relax, yet they know they can hop up in an instant, ready to go.
As you will see on these pages, Jens Risom is one of the great men of American modern design who made furniture that is unique and timeless.
Find a collection of vintage Jens Risom furniture on 1stDibs that includes lounge chairs, desks, coffee tables and more.
Color: Gray
Creator: Jens Risom
Pair of Jens Risom Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Danish Jens Risom attributed Mid-Century Modern armchairs with new wool felt upholstery, circa 1960s . Button tufted. Tapered legs with minor loses and fading to wood. Good original ...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Wool
Jens Risom Danish Mid-Century Light Gray Upholstered Walnut Floating Bench
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Danish Mid-Century floating bench with a walnut stretcher base supporting a rectangular seat cushion upholstered in light gray woven fabric with button tufted detail. (JENS RISOM).
Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut, Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
One Vintage Jens Risom for Knoll Lounge Chairs
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Pasadena, TX
One mid-century modern armless lounge chair designed by Jens Risom for Knoll originally in 1946. This early design has a hard maple frame with new linen upholstery.
Category
1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Maple
Pair Jens Risom Playboy chairs
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
A pair Jens Risom walnut armchairs model C140 Playboy chairs. Iconic Mad Men era chairs. All original in very good condition. This is a great set of ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Walnut
Related Items
Jens Risom Pair of 'Vostra' Lounge Chairs with Ottoman
By Jens Risom, Walter Knoll
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jens Risom for Walter Knoll, pair of 'Vostra' chairs with ottoman, beech, pink canvas, brass, United States, design 1941, production 1950s
Elegant lounge chairs with ottoman with be...
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Alex Outdoor Ottoman Stainless Steel Powder Coated Upholstered Sunbrella
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Inspired by the simplicity of midcentury design, the Alex Ottoman is created using a stainless steel powder coated frame and specialized outdoor foam. The design is minimal and light...
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Set of 8 Fully Restored Jens Risom Mid-Century Modern Playboy Dining Chairs
By Jens Risom
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Large set of eight Jens Risom Playboy dining chairs professionally reupholstered in super soft and curly camel fabric. An exemplar of Mid-Century Modern design, Danish American Jens ...
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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H 31.5 in W 21.6 in D 19 in
Pair of Bouclé Slipper Chairs Designed by Jens Risom for H.G. Knoll Associates
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Jens Risom for H.G. Knoll Associates armless slipper chairs composed of upholstered seats supported by walnut bases (first appearing in the 1942 Knoll catalog).
There is a slight d...
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1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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H 31 in W 23 in D 30 in
Jens Risom Lounge Chair for Knoll International
By Jens Risom
Located in Munich, DE
Jens Risom lounge chair for Knoll International. Webbing redone. model no. 652.
LOCATED IN HAMBURG
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20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Jens Risom Armchair for Knoll
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This armchair is an early example of Jens Risom's design for Knoll and is a simple yet innovative design. The chair is two separate pieces: a singular seat / back component is simply...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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"Il Pezzo 1 Bench" upholstered pouf in fine leather with a gold plated base
By Il Pezzo Mancante
Located in Firenze, IT
An alternation of rounded shapes and geometrical lines, reassuming discipline and freedom, a composite, multiethnic plan where every element and material harmoniously contributes to ...
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2010s Italian Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Gold Plate, Brass
H 16.15 in W 76.78 in D 23.63 in
Pair of Square Mid Century Upholstered Ottomans/ Footstools W/ Wooden Cube Feet
Located in New York City, NY
A pair of vintage square yellow upholstered ottomans with cubist wood feet.
The poufs are covered in the original bright yellow velvet fabric that adds a pop of color to the space....
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Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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H 16 in W 16 in D 16 in
Pair of Mid Century X Stretcher Ottomans or Footstools
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Simple and elegant pair of Mid Century ottomans a xwith travel related print in the fabric. X Stretcher in dark walnut. Nice and tight, fabric is good. In excellent vintage condition...
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1980s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Late 20th Century William and Mary Style Upholstered Footstool Ottoman
Located in Germantown, MD
A beautiful late 20th century walnut and Upholstered William and Mary style footstool or ottoman in very good vintage condition. Measures 19" in width, 19" in depth and 10" tall.
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Late 20th Century American William and Mary Jens Risom Furniture
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Mid-Century Vintage Jens Risom Knoll Webbed Armchair
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Baltimore, MD
A stunning iconic cotton strap, webbed, lounge, armchair, 652W design (1943) early edition, designed by Jens Risom for Knoll International. Features a solid maple frame with original woven cotton straps. It is one of the most comfortable pieces you will sit in, the exquisite curved back provides lumbar support making this chair as comfortable as it is beautiful. The removable webbed, basket seat, shell is supported and rests on the arm frame base. Very Rare Vintage Modern Classic design. An iconic piece of furniture, this example has remained in a single collection since it was acquired by the prior owner from Knoll International and the original early label remains affixed beneath. (Knoll Associates Inc. 601 Madison Ave New York 22). This label has the earliest Knoll Associates showroom address, which opened in 1946.
Measurements: 24.5 ” tall x 24? wide x 30? deep x seat height 18? (arm height 21") (seat to the lowest point 11")
Jens Risom
Danish-American architect-designer Jens Risom was born in Copenhagen in 1916, the son of a nationally renowned architect of the Nordic Classicism style. Between 1935 and 1938, he trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts under Ole Wanscher and Kaare Klint, alongside classmates Hans Wegner and Børge Mogensen. For a short time following his studies, he took on furniture and interior designer projects for the Copenhagen-based architectural firm Ernst Kuhn. He then moved briefly to Stockholm, where he worked for Nordiska Kompaniet and met Alvar Aalto and Bruno Mathsson. Around 1939, he immigrated to New York with ambitions to introduce the Scandinavian modernist approach to the US furniture market.
Risom’s arrival in the US coincided with the years of materials shortages brought on by the war. As a result, Risom was unable to secure a position in a furniture company, and, instead, found work designing textiles for decorator Dan Cooper. Eager to do more, he soon convinced Cooper to expand into the furniture market, and together they found projects with young, progressive architects like Ed Stone and George Nelson. In 1939-40, Ed Stone was invited to create Collier Magazine’s House of Ideas pavilion at Rockefeller Center as part of the New York World’s Fair, and Risom designed all of the furniture.
Around 1941, Risom met Hans Knoll, a German-born entrepreneur in the furniture industry who had a showroom on Madison Avenue dedicated to rather lackluster furnishings. Sharing a dream to do something more vanguard, they joined forces and set off on a four-month tour of the US in search of design inspiration. By 1942, Knoll launched Hans Knoll Furniture Company with Risom on board as his head designer.
Risom’s early designs for Knoll made use of military surplus...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Maple
Jens Risom, Vostra Easy Lounge Chair for Walter Knoll
By Jens Risom, Knoll, Walter Knoll
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed for Knoll circa 1950, this Vintage Jens Risom Vostra Chair is modern and elegant with its curved lines. This chair is in the mid-century mod...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Cotton, Maple
Previously Available Items
Framed Modern Painting by T. Williams
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sleek vintage modern painting in a sculpted wooden frame featuring a variety of bright colors used to paint an outside scenery, by T. Williams...
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1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Canvas
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of large scale lounge chairs with walnut bases. Designed by Jens Risom. Fully restored and upholstered in Holly Hunt Cobblestone fabric.
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1960s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Walnut Bench by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A walnut bench with curved, upholstered seat. Designed by Jens Risom.
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1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Large Walnut Bench by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A large curved top bench with walnut base. Designed by Jens Risom.
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1960s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Jens Risom Lounge Chairs
By Jens Risom
Located in Costa Mesa, CA
Pair of walnut framed lounge chairs by Jens Risom for Jens Risom Designs. This pair has been professionally restored.
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20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Fabric
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of lounge chairs on walnut bases. Designed by Jens Risom and fully restored in Maharam wool.
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1960s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Jens Risom for Knoll Settee
By Jens Risom
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Nice scaled loveseat or settee designed by Jens Risom for Knoll in the early 1950s. This example has been reupholstered in a brown nubby fabric.
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Scandinavian Modern Sofa by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Pound Ridge, NY
Original Jens Risom, Mid-Century sofa, newly upholstered in designer deep gray linen fabric.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Set of Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Dining Chairs
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stylish set of six vintage dining chairs feature uniquely shaped hardwood fraes with tufted vinyl upholstery. With sturdy construction and ideal seating proportions this iconic ...
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1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Jens Risom Sofa
By Jens Risom
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Risom for Jens Risom Inc, USA, circa 1960. A nice original sofa with a soft green and cream diagonal pattern fabric. Walnut framework with exposed rail to the rear.
Classic American...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
Jens Risom U-150 Sofa
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Scarce, highly sought after U-150 sofa designed by Jens Risom. This stylish robust sofa is newly upholstered in a beautiful Colline Kvadrat Maharam fabric. The moire texture of the f...
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Elegant Pair of Walnut Jens Risom Lounge Chairs in Grey Leather
By Jens Risom
Located in Houston, TX
Elegant pair of walnut playboy lounge chairs by Jens Risom. Chairs are freshly upholstered in a sumptuous grey Spinneybeck leather. Armchairs have...
Category
1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Leather
Jens Risom furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Jens Risom furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Jens Risom furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 323 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 5 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Jens Risom were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Fredericia, Florence Knoll, and Craft Associates. Prices for Jens Risom furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $350 and can go as high as $35,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,213.
Creators Similar to Jens Risom
Questions About Jens Risom Furniture
- Who is Jens Risom?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Jens Risom was a Danish designer. Many people credit him with bringing the modern style of Scandinavian design to the U.S. He is well-known for his chairs, which feature angled seat backs often upholstered with webbing. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Jens Risom furniture.
- Was Jens Risom Danish?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, Jens Risom was Danish. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 8, 1916, and attended Copenhagen School of Industrial Arts and Design. Following his graduation, Risom moved to the U.S., where he lived for the rest of his life. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Jens Risom furniture.
- Who sells Jens Risom rockers?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Normally, vintage furniture dealers or auction and online platforms specializing in authentic vintage furniture sell Jens Risom rockers. From time to time, rocking chairs produced by the Danish designer may appear at thrift shops and secondhand stores or be available directly from individuals who own them. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Jens Risom chairs.