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Kaare Klint Furniture

Danish, 1888-1954

Architect, teacher and furniture designer Kaare Klint is among the most important figures in Scandinavian modernism. Widely recognized as the father of modern Danish furniture, Klint sought to pay homage to historical furniture styles and prized functionality as essential to designing for modern living. He established the design school at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and his students became mid-century legends of cabinetry and furniture-making.

Klint prioritized functionalism and drew on an array of influences in his own work. Furniture experts will observe the influence of 18th-century English seating in his Red chair, while Klint’s iconic Safari chair had roots in campaign furniture. The other exemplary chairs, sofas and tables for which he is known bear the mark of Thomas Chippendale and Biedermeier furniture as well as Greek and Roman forms.

Klint's father was Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint, a formidable architect of his day. The younger Klint initially followed in his father’s footsteps, studying under him as well as distinguished architect Carl Petersen. Alongside Danish architect Ivar Bentsen, he headed the renovation of the Designmuseum Denmark in Copenhagen from 1920–26 (Klint also furnished the institution as part of the project). Around the same time, Klint helped found the furniture design school at the Royal Danish Academy. The impact of his role as an instructor there cannot be overstated — he mentored such esteemed cabinetmakers and furniture designers as Børge Mogensen, Hans Wegner and Ole Wanscher.

A prominent advocate of ergonomics, Klint valued comfort and functionality over style. Painstaking research went into each piece of sophisticated yet wholly unadorned furniture he designed, as he endeavored to build structures that took into consideration human proportions and scale. And like the Shakers, Klint believed that quality craftsmanship and good materials were integral to the design of durable furniture that was free of embellishment.

The humble grace of Klint’s style characterizes legendary seating designs that continue to charm today’s legions of mid-century modern enthusiasts. His Safari chair, Faaborg chair, Ravenna armchair and Propeller stool — as well as most of the seating created by Danish modernists generally — have warmed interiors and influenced furniture designers all over the world.

Find vintage Kaare Klint furniture and other Scandinavian modern furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Kaare Klint
Dealer: Sigmar
Kaare Klint Large Striped Sofa
By Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen
Located in London, GB
Oak framed Classic sofa designed by Kaare Klint and made by Mastercabinetmakers Rud Rasmussen. Beautiful crisscross frame-work. Original upholstery which will make a statement in any...
Category

1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Mahogany

Safari Chair Kaare Klint Denmark, 1950s
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
Description: A black leather Safari Chair, designed by Kaare Klint in 1933 and produced by Rud Rasmussen during the 1950s.This leather "Safari" or " Campaign" chair was designed by D...
Category

1950s Danish Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Leather

Marthe Armitage X Sigmar, Kaare Klint 4118 Sofa
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
This reupholstered Kaare Klint 4118 sofa is the centrepiece of our recent collaboration with Marthe Armitage Prints for London Design Festival 2023. ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Mahogany

Kaare Klint Model 5313 Two-Seat Leather Settee by Rud Rasmussen, 1935
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A two-seat model 5313 settee designed by Kaare Klint in 1935 and made by master cabinetmakers Rud Rasmussen in Denmark, between 1935-1945. The economy of line in this design is su...
Category

Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

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Kaare Klint Three-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
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Kaare Klint Three-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
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1940s Kaare Klint Three Seater Sofa, Hardwood Legs & Striped Wool Upholstery
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1940s Kaare Klint Three Seater Sofa, with Mahogany Legs & Striped Wool Upholstery with Leather Trim. Usable condition. Bespoke quote can be...
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Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen, Safari Chair
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Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen, Safari Chair
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Kaare Klint Two-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
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Kaare Klint freestanding two-seat sofas on six-legged, profiled mahogany cross-frame. Sides, seat and back upholstered with black horsehair. Executed by Rud. Rasmussen, Copenhagen.
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Kaare Klint Two-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
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Kaare Klint Red Chair, Rud. Rasmussen, 1930s
By Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Kaare Klint 'Red Chair' in Cuban mahogany, Niger leather and brass nails. Executed by Rud. Rasmussen 1936-1940. Underside with manufacturer's paper label RUD. RASMUSSENS/SNEDKERIER/...
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Kaare Klint Red Chair, Rud. Rasmussen, 1930s
Kaare Klint Red Chair, Rud. Rasmussen, 1930s
H 35.04 in W 22.84 in D 18.51 in
Kaare Klint Pair of Red Chairs for Rud. Rasmussen
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Kaare Klint pair of red chairs in mahogany, black horsehair and brass nails. Version of the chair with upholstered arms. Executed by Rud. Rasmussen,...
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Kaare Klint Red Chair for Rud Rasmussen, Denmark, 1950s
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Kaare Klint & Rud Rasmussen Snedkerier - Scandinavian Modern design The iconic "The Red Chair" by Kaare Klint, model KK 3758A. Designed in 1927, executed in the 1950s by Rud. Rasmus...
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Materials

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KK 47000 - 'Safari Chair' in natural leather by Kaare Klint
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Pair of KK 47000 - 'Safari Chairs' in natural patinated leather with ash wood frame. Designed by Kaare Klint. Made by Rud Rasmussen Snedkerier.
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Sofa in Wool by Kaare Klint For Rud Rasmussen, 1950s
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Located in Lejre, DK
Stylish sofa upholstered in wool designed by MAA Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen cabinetmakers in 1940. Great original condition.
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Kaare Klint Two-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
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Kaare Klint freestanding two-seat sofas. Frame of mahogany. Sides, seat and back upholstered with fabric. Executed by Rud. Rasmussen, Copenhagen.
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Kaare Klint Two-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
Kaare Klint Two-Seat Sofa for Rud. Rasmussen
H 36.23 in W 53.55 in D 29.53 in
Kaare Klint Sofa, three seater, model 6092
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Kaare Klint sofa in green wool with white stripes. Legs of mahogany. Made by Rud Rasmussen, model 6092.
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Kaare Klint Sofa, three seater, model 6092
Kaare Klint Sofa, three seater, model 6092
H 34.65 in W 78.75 in D 30.71 in
Kaare Klint Sofa Model 5011 Original Cognac Leather for Rud Rasmussen Denmark
By Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen
Located in WIJCKEL, NL
Three-seater sofa model 5011 in original leather and eight-legged ash base. Produced by Rud. Rasmussen Cabinetmakers, Denmark. Minor marks on the frame, patina to the leather. Shown at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild exhibition in 1935. Kaare Klint is widely recognized as the father of Danish modern design. It is hard to overstate his influence. He developed an entirely new analytical approach to furniture design that his students at the Danish Academy of Art would emulate for years to come, yet was also inspired by historic designs from various cultures, modernizing and re-interpreting classic pieces for new generations. Literature: Gorm Harkær, Klintiana: “Kaare Klint”, vol.2, pg 94. Kaare Klint (1888-1954) is regarded as the founding father of Danish Modernim. As an architect, furniture designer and leading professor at the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Klint established the principles of modern Danish furniture by combining a profound appreciation of traditional construction techniques with a modernist emphasis on function and a rejection of ornaments. Klint’s design was always based on relentless research; he never compromised. Every piece had to fulfill its purpose, be completely clear in its construction with dimensions and proportions corresponding to the human body and display materials and craftsmanship of the highest quality. Logic, often using a mathematical system of measures, and a constructive way of thinking were the foundation of Klint’s philosophy of furniture design. Like many of his contemporaries, counting Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius, he advocated standardization and functional requirements and dismissed the use of all ornamentation. But Klint realized his vision in wood and leather, using traditional craftsmen and working methods and often finding inspiration in historical models. In this way, he charted the course for an alternative Nordic Functionalism that idealized the workshop and the collaboration between furniture architects and cabinetmakers as opposed to the factory. Kaare Klint’s first major work was a collaboration with his mentor, the architect Carl Petersen. In 1914 they were commissioned to design furniture and fixtures for Faaborg Art Museum. One of the highlights to emerge from this commission was the Faaborg chair, a light and elegant chair with clear references to classical furniture. The construction and proportions of an 18th century English Chippendale...
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1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

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Previously Available Items
Kaare Klint, Model 5763 Armoire Mahogany and Oak Cabinet, 1938
By Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
An armoire in mahogany and oak designed by Kaare Klint and made by master cabinetmaker Rud Rasmussen, Denmark. The tall, floor standing, cabinet, assigned model number 5763, was desi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

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Kaare Klint Cuban Mahogany and Black Leather Model 5313 Chair, Early Production
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A Cuban mahogany model 5313 easy chair designed by Kaare Klint in 1936 and made by Master cabinetmakers Rud. Rasmussen in Denmark, between 1936-1945. The economy of line in this desi...
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Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

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Kaare Klint Model 6687 Lounge Table in Mahogany, Rud. Rasmussen, Danish, 1940s
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A model 6687 lounge table in mahogany designed by Kaare Klint in 1929 and made by cabinetmakers Rud. Rasmussen, Denmark, circa 1940. On first inspection the design of the table seem...
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Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

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Kaare Klint Model 6092 Sofa
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A vintage model 6092 three to four seat sofa designed by Kaare Klint for Rud Rasmussen, 1940. The settee stands on eight tapered solid mahogany legs which give the design gracefulness and lightness despite its size. The sofa is upholstered in its original 'Greek Fabric...
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1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

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Kaare Klint Model 6092 Sofa
Kaare Klint Model 6092 Sofa
H 34.26 in W 78.75 in D 27.56 in
Kaare Klint Three-Seat Sofa
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A vintage three-seat sofa by Kaare Klint, Denmark, 1940s. Reupholstered in a radiant green fabric with cognac leather trim, the sofa stands on eight solid mahogany legs and has six c...
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1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

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Kaare Klint Three-Seat Sofa
Kaare Klint Three-Seat Sofa
H 35.83 in W 75.2 in D 31.5 in
Kaare Klint Two-Seat Model 4118 Settee Made by Rud Rasmussen, circa 1940
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A two-seat 4118 settee designed by Kaare Klint and made by cabinetmakers Rud Rasmussen in Denmark, circa 1940. The exquisitely sharp yet flowing lines of the sofa make the high-le...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Mahogany

Kaare Klint ‘Red’ Chair, Model No. 4751 by Rud, Rasmussen, circa 1930
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A fantastically well aged ‘Red’ chair designed by Kaare Klint for the Danish Museum of Art and Design’s lecture room, Copenhagen, circa 1930. Formally known as the model no. 4751, th...
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Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

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Barcelona Armchair #1
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
Vintage Barcelona Armchair model 3758A designed in 1927 by Kaare Klint and made by Rud Rasmussen in Denmark, circa 1930. The armchair was named aft...
Category

1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Canvas, Mahogany

Barcelona Armchair #1
Barcelona Armchair #1
H 34.65 in W 22.45 in D 21.66 in
Barcelona Armchair #2
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A vintage Barcelona Armchair model 3758A designed in 1927 by Kaare Klint made by Rud Rasmussen in Denmark, circa 1930. The design won a prize at th...
Category

1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Canvas, Mahogany

Barcelona Armchair #2
Barcelona Armchair #2
H 34.65 in W 22.45 in D 21.66 in
Kaare Klint Card Table Model No 5042 and Four Chairs No 7214
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in London, GB
A rare card table and four chairs suite designed by Kaare Klint in 1934 and made by Rud Rasmussen in 1960s. The tabletop consists of two halves, both made of three layers of wood, e...
Category

1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Brass

Kaare Klint 'Bergere' Chairs, Model 4488, Made by Rud Rasmussen
By Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen
Located in London, GB
A pair of 'Bergere' or 'English Chairs' designed by Kaare Klint in 1932 and made by the cabinetmaker Rud Rasmussen, Copenhagen, in the early 1940s. The chairs have solid mahogany ...
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Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

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Upholstery, Cane, Mahogany, Rosewood

Kaare Klint Model 4118 Two-Seat Box Sofa by Rud Rasmussen
By Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen
Located in London, GB
A two-seat 4118 settee designed by Kaare Klint and made by a master cabinetmakers Rud Rasmussen in Denmark, circa 1940. The exquisitely sharp yet flowing lines of the sofa make the h...
Category

Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kaare Klint Furniture

Materials

Leather, Linen, Mahogany

Kaare Klint furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Kaare Klint 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 Kaare Klint furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 198 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 7 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Kaare Klint were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Rud Rasmussen, Peter Hvidt, and Henning Kjærnulf. Prices for Kaare Klint furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $765 and can go as high as $148,124, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,400.
Questions About Kaare Klint Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    In 1933, Kaare Klint created the safari stool for noted furniture retailer Carl Hansen and Son. This chair was inspired by an officer’s chair Klint saw in a travel guide. It was one of the first DIY pieces of furniture that came unassembled but was easily put together without tools. Shop a collection of Carl Hansen furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

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