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.
2021 Jens Risom for Knoll Counter Height Stool in Clear Maple with Black Webbing
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a single 2021 production Risom counter height stool designed by Jens Risom and produced by Knoll. This example was acquired directly from a Knoll employee, who pur...
Birch, Maple
Miniature Ancient Cypriot Geometric Jug with Red and Black Slip
Located in London, GB
A striking bichrome ware juglet with a geometric design and concentric circles in black and red slip, iconic of the early Bronze Age pottery production on the Mediterranean island of...
Pottery
$995
H 5.75 in W 9.5 in D 4.5 in
Art Deco Birdeye Maple Petite Radio by Emerson - Cabinet by Ingraham C1930
By Ingraham, Emerson Radio Corporation
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and rare, timeless and very cool in original as found condition this Emerson radio is a petite model and the likes of which i have not seen before. Back of cabinet is missi...
Plastic, Bakelite, Birdseye Maple
$850
H 1.58 in W 2.64 in D 2.56 in
Ancient Cypriot Black-Polished Ware Miniature Bowl with Geometric Decoration
Located in London, GB
A charming, miniature blackware bowl with incised decoration, iconic of early Bronze Age pottery production on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The simple banding and geometric de...
Pottery
$1,300
H 3.78 in W 2.29 in D 1.86 in
Ancient Cypriot Red Perfume Flask with Painted Black Fish Decoration
Located in London, GB
A charming terracotta flask with a vibrant orange-red burnished surface and black-painted geometric decoration, characteristic of pottery production in Cyprus during the Cypro-Archai...
Pottery
Ancient Cypriot Red on Black Juglet with Painted Decoration
Located in London, GB
A charming terracotta jug with a striking umber surface and orange painted serpentine decoration, characteristic of so-called Red on Black ceramic production on the Mediterranean isl...
Pottery
$1,398
H 3.15 in W 5.12 in D 5.12 in
Antique Chinese Multi-Lobed Opium Box in Silver, Decorated with Reliefs with Ide
Located in Leuven , BE
Beautiful opium box decorated with reliefs with ideograms (one of the two refers to wealth), a chrysanthemum (symbol of longevity) and foliage. This silver m...
Silver
$576
H 48.04 in W 19.69 in D 50.01 in
Antique Pram With Wicker Basket & Original Black Canopy From 1900s
Located in Lejre, DK
Antique pram from around 1900 with wicker basket and original canopy. The pram stands on a beautifully curved metal frame with large spoked wheels and wh...
Metal
Side/Flower Table In Pine With Turned Legs From 1880s
Located in Lejre, DK
Antique pine side/flower table from the 1880s. Two-tier with turned legs. — Period: 1880s — Material: Pine — Details: Turned legs & two-tier construction — Dimensions: H: 75 c...
Pine
Leather Neckwear with Malachite Knife in Custom Pouch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Neckwear piece that is carefully made with a custom leather necklace, also with a custom leather pouch that slips into the necklace , and inside that is a malachite handle knife. ...
Malachite
$2,000
H 3.67 in W 3.94 in D 2.37 in
Ancient Cypriot Bichrome Barrel Juglet with Black Geometric Decoration
Located in London, GB
A charming, handmade bichrome barrel juglet painted with bands of concentric circles painted in black-slip – a pottery type iconic of early Iron Age artistic production on the Medite...
Pottery
$27,000
H 5.52 in W 5.91 in D 2.76 in
Ancient Roman Bronze Ship Fitting with a Winged Phallus in high relief
Located in London, GB
A well-preserved and well-provenanced Roman bronze ship fitting – or protome – depicting an apotropaic winged phallus, with extensive marine encrustations attesting to millennia unde...
Bronze
$536
H 7.09 in W 20.08 in D 7.88 in
Vintage Carved Suriname Stool Tribal Interior Design Home Decoration
Located in London, GB
A fine vintage carved Suriname stool with geometric carved decoration, Tribal South Latin American Antiques Suriname South America Measures: 18 cm hei...
Wood