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: ModHaus
Pair of Jens Risom C-220 Lounge Chairs Circa 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Pair of model C-220 slipper lounge chairs by Jens Risom, Circa 1950s.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
Signed Jens Risom Model T539 Magazine Table in Walnut circa 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Jens Risom Model T539 magazine table in oiled walnut, circa 1950s. Retains original label.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Related Items
Jens Risom Pair of 'Vostra' Lounge Chairs with Ottoman
By Walter Knoll, Jens Risom
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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One Vintage Jens Risom for Knoll Lounge Chairs
By Jens Risom, Knoll
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.
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1950s Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Dining Table in Round Walnut Model 42 by Jens Risom for Knoll
By Jens Risom
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Beautiful 42" Round walnut dining table by Jens Risom for Knoll Model 642TR. Jens Risom’s furniture, the first collection designed for and manufactured by Knoll, helped establish the company as an early source of modern design in America. The simple wood dining table...
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Jens Risom Rectangular Side Table with Walnut Base and White Laminate Top
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Located in Chicago, IL
This rectangular side table by Jens Risom has a walnut base and a white laminate surface. The legs are cleverly inset, giving the top a floating quality and an overall jauntiness to ...
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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H 15.75 in W 32 in D 23.88 in
Classic Slipper Chairs by Jens Risom in Bouclé, C. 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Westport, CT
An impeccably restored pair of mid-century modern chairs, a timeless testament to design excellence. Originally conceived by the iconic Jens Risom in the 1950s, these chairs have bee...
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Jens Risom Walnut Lounge Chairs in Ivory Shearling, circa 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Iconic Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom lounge chairs expertly reupholstered in soft ivory shearling with professionally refinished walnut frames. An exem...
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Pair of Jens Risom Slipper Chairs, 1950's
By Jens Risom
Located in Round Rock, TX
Offered is a wonderful pair of slipper chairs designed by Jens Risom.
Featuring sleek, solid walnut frames that appear to cradle the newly upholstered seats. We would call the fabr...
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Pair of Vintage Midcentury Restored Jens Risom Lounge Chairs
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Located in Pasadena, TX
Jens Risom`s career has spanned nearly sixty years. He began his study of design in the Copenhagen workshop of Kaare Klint in 1935 and joined Ernst Kuhn`s architectural office in 1938, where he designed furniture and interiors. In 1939, Risom emigrated to the U.S. and in 1941 designed the first chair manufactured by Knoll. Risom described the chair as "very basic, very simple, inexpensive, easy to make." The chair was constructed with a birch wood frame and, because of wartime materials constraints, cheap but strong army surplus...
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Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Cowhide, Walnut
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
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
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Pair of 1950s Upholstered Lounge Chairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of 1950s lounge or slipper chairs in the manner of Gilbert Rohde. Off-white upholstery with black lacquered wood legs. Dunbar style.
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1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Square Table by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Square table designed by Jens Risom for Jens Risom Design Inc. This example shows cosmetic wear to the finish, as shown. No structural damage, chips, cracks etc.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom Furniture
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Pair of Vintage Walnut Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom Design
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Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stunning pair of Mid-Century Modern arm chairs by Jens Risom Design feature extremely thick padded seating, a floating style backrest, and sculpted arm rests. A sturdy walnut fr...
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Previously Available Items
Jens Risom Midcentury Credenza, circa 1960s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
An executive credenza in highly figured walnut -- resembling rosewood -- by Jens Risom, ca. 1960s. Features shallow drawers on the left, storage on the right, and two sunken file drawers at top center. Note, the pentaflex file holders...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Jens Risom Mid-Century Executive Desk, Circa 1960s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
An executive desk in highly figured walnut -- resembling rosewood-- with two shallow flanking drawers, and two draw-out writing returns by Jens Risom, ca. 1960s. Desk top height slightly tapers from back to front (like a subtle drafting desk), measures 29.75" high at back legs, 27.75" high at front legs, writing surface height at front is 27.25".
A matching credenza...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Signed Jens Risom Model T539 Magazine Table in Walnut circa 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Jens Risom Model T539 magazine table in oiled walnut, circa 1950s. Retains original label.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Signed Jens Risom T710 Side Table in Walnut and Steel circa 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
A Model T710 side table in walnut and steel by Jens Risom, circa 1950s. Retains its original label.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Steel
Early Jens Risom Lounge Chair for Knoll, Ca. 1950s
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Lounge chair by Jens Risom designed for Knoll in the early 1940s, bearing an early Knoll Associates label. This upholstered version is circa 1950s.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
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Jens Risom Executive Work Station Desk with Optional Return, circa 1960s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Large Mid-Century Modern executive desk in walnut by Jens Risom, circa 1960s, bank of drawers on the left include a pencil organizer and a deep drawer for hanging files. Desk include...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
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Jens Risom Walnut Coffee Table with Magazine Holder, circa 1950s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Coffee table in solid walnut by Jens Risom, model T390, with built-in magazine holder, circa 1950s.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Jens Risom Desk in Walnut with Optional Work Station Return, circa 1960s
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Mid-Century Modern work station desk in walnut by Jens Risom, circa 1960s, with optional (removable) return that mounts to left of seat. Bank of draw...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Set of Six Jens Risom Dining Chairs
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Set of six Model C276 dining chairs in walnut by Jens Risom.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
Jens Risom Lounge Chair with Original Webbing for Knoll, circa 1950s
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Lounge chair Model 652 with original webbing by Jens Risom, early design for Knoll, circa 1950s.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Wood
Pair of Mid-Century Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Classic pair of Mid-Century lounge chairs in walnut and original upholstery by Jens Risom. This model was originally designed in 1949 for the Caribe-Hilton Hotel in San Juan Puerto R...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Armchairs by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Peabody, MA
Pair of armchairs in solid walnut, circa 1960s. This model identified by the Danish Museum of Art and Design as a Jens Risom design. Given their size, they can be used as small-scale...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jens Risom Furniture
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
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.