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Kai Kristiansen Bookcases

Danish, b. 1929

With a passion for math and engineering, Kai Kristiansen has created high-quality wood furniture for decades. Beginning in the 1950s, his coffee tables, chairs, modular shelving and other furnishings were made in the style that would become internationally renowned as Danish modern and boasted clean lines, perfected functionality and exacting craftsmanship.

Born in Denmark, Kristiansen trained in cabinetmaking before studying with Kaare Klint, often cited as the “father of modern Danish design,” at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. At just 26 years old, Kristiansen opened his own studio.

Kristiansen had his mid-century breakthrough in 1956 with the Chair #42, which he made with Schou Andersen. Unlike most other chairs at the time, Chair #42’s armrests, with their wealth of radical angles, were connected to the back rather than the front legs. This unconventional flourish makes the backrest appear as though it is floating in midair above the seat.

Kristiansen’s next innovation was a modular wall system in 1957 — three years ahead of Dieter Rams’s more famous 606 Universal Shelving System. Called the Reolsystem Wall Unit, produced by SB Feldballes Møbelfabrik, it’s also known as the FM Wall Unit as FM/Fornem Møbelkunst began producing it in the 1960s.

Kristiansen would go on to work with other leading Danish furniture manufacturers such as Magnus Olesen, Fritz Hansen and Vildbjerg Møbelfabrik, designing everything from chairs and desks to sideboards and cabinets, frequently in rosewood and teak. (The latter was a sought-after wood by Scandinavian modern designers.)

While many of Kristiansen’s timeless designs remain in production, such as his Paper Knife sofa, which was reintroduced by Miyazaki Chair Factory in 2008, and his 1950s Entré collection, which was relaunched with Great Dane Furniture in 2016, others are prized as vintage mid-century pieces.

Today, Kristiansen is still at work on new furniture with an expert eye to thoughtfully functional designs that are made to last.

Find a collection of vintage Kai Kristiansen furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Kai Kristiansen
Vintage Danish Modular Teak Wall Unit by Kai Kristiansen for FM, 1960s.
By Kai Kristiansen, Feldballes Møbelfabrik
Located in Asaa, DK
Vintage Danish modular teak wall unit by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1960s Vintage modular 2 bay shelving system model FM Reolsystem. This set consist of: ...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Modular Dark wooden Wall System from Kai Kristiansen - FM Møbler
By Kai Kristiansen
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Modular Dark wooden Wall System from Kai Kristiansen - FM Møbler Dark wood wall system, designed by the renowned Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler. This versatile piece of furniture is ...
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1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Shelves & Wall Units by Kai Kristiansen for FM Mobler, 1960s
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The modular shelving and bookcase system designed by Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler is one of the iconic examples of Danish modernist design of the 1950s and 1960s. Designed for maxim...
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1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Bookcases

Materials

Teak

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Kai Kristiansen bookcases for sale on 1stDibs.

Kai Kristiansen bookcases 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 Kai Kristiansen bookcases, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original bookcases by Kai Kristiansen were created in the mid-century modern style in scandinavia during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider bookcases by Finn Juhl, Hans J. Wegner, and Poul Cadovius. Prices for Kai Kristiansen bookcases can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,068 and can go as high as $10,389, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,800.

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