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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.

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Creator: Jens Risom
Dealer: Sputnik Modern
Jens Risom Armless Sofa
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
An early Jens Risom armless sofa with maple frame. Older restoration in Knoll boucle.
Category

1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

Materials

Maple

Lounge Chair by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A lounge chair with sculpted walnut base designed by Jens Risom. Fully restored and upholstered in Holly Hunt / Teddy / Winter White.
Category

1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

Materials

Walnut

Jens Risom Large Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare lounge chair designed by Jens Risom for Risom Designs, Inc. Beautifully restored with refinished walnut base and upholstered in Holly Hunt fabric.
Category

1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

Materials

Walnut

Lounge Chair by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A large scale lounge chair on walnut base. Designed by Jens Risom. Fully restored and reupholstered.
Category

1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

Materials

Walnut

Daybed by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A Jens Risom daybed with walnut frame and steel glides. Fully restored.
Category

1960s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

Materials

Walnut

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Previously Available Items
Large Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A large scale chair and ottoman designed by Jens Risom for Ralph Pucci. Fully restored and reupholstered in Holly Hunt / Lush / Daybreak fabric.
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Pair of Jens Risom Lounge Chairs
By Jens Risom
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Pair of Jens Risom Lounge Chairs
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Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
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Located in Dallas, TX
A walnut T621 floating curved bench designed by Jens Risom.
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1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

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Jens Risom Walnut Bench
Jens Risom Walnut Bench
H 17 in W 48 in D 19.5 in
Jens Risom Large Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare lounge chair designed by Jens Risom for Risom Designs, Inc. Beautifully restored with refinished walnut base and upholstered in Holly Hunt / Vladimir: Silver Fog.
Category

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Jens Risom Large Lounge Chair
Jens Risom Large Lounge Chair
H 41.5 in W 36 in D 36 in
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By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
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Materials

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Pair of Jens Risom Benches
Pair of Jens Risom Benches
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Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
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By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
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Walnut Bench by Jens Risom
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H 16 in W 50 in L 16 in
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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

Large Walnut Bench by Jens Risom
Large Walnut Bench by Jens Risom
H 16 in W 72 in D 19 in
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
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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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Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
H 30.75 in W 32.5 in D 33 in
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of lounge chairs with walnut bases. Designed by Jens Risom.
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1960s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture

Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
H 31 in W 32.25 in D 34.75 in

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.
Questions About Jens Risom Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 2, 2023

    There isn’t much of a difference between Nordic and Scandinavian design in that when it comes to furniture and decor, the descriptors “Nordic” and “Scandinavian” are often used interchangeably. The term Scandinavia is primarily used to refer to Denmark, Norway and Sweden. (It is sometimes inclusive of Iceland and Finland, too.) The Nordic region of the world also includes the likes of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden as well as Iceland, Finland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland. 


    Scandinavian modernism is a warm and organic iteration of modernist design that chiefly originated in Denmark, Sweden and Finland during the 1930s. It was introduced to the United States during the mid-20th century and had a profound influence on American mid-century modern design


    Scandinavian modernists are known for their emphasis on craftsmanship and use of natural materials such as ash, pine and beech. Scandi interiors are minimalist, bright and airy, and feature neutral palettes and classic shapes. 


    Characteristics of the work of such Scandinavian modernists such as Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl and Greta Magnusson Grossman include bold, clean lines and simple, sturdy symmetries. Finland produced a truly ingenious Scandinavian modern furniture designer in the architect Alvar Aalto, a master at melding function and artistic form in works like the Paimio chair, created in collaboration with his first wife, Aino. Yet Finnish glassware was pre-eminent, crafted in expressive, sculptural designs by Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva.


    For design enthusiasts all over the world, the promotion of functionality and simplicity associated with Scandinavian modernism and Nordic design continues to prove irresistible.

  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Jens 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Yes, 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Normally, 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.

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