Kai Kristiansen Secretaires
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
Model 63 Drop Front Teak Secretary Desk by Kai Kristiansen
By Tørring Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen, HNJ Møbler
Located in Berkeley, CA
Origin: Denmark
Designer: Kai Kristiansen
Manufacturer: HNJ Møbel / Tørring Møbelfabrik
Era: 1960s
Materials: Teak
Measurements: 35" wide x 17" deep x 42.5" tall
Condition: I...
Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kai Kristiansen Secretaires
Materials
Teak
Vintage wall unit / shelving unit by Kai Kristiansen made in the 50s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Breda, NB
Vintage wall unit / shelving unit by Kai Kristiansen made in the 50s.
Dimensions:
Width: 266.2 cm
Height: 161.5 cm
Depth desk shelf: 41.5 cm
Width desk shelf: 89.5 cm
Depth shelves:...
Category
1950s Vintage Kai Kristiansen Secretaires
Materials
Metal
Kai Kristiansen for Torring / HJN Mobler Model 63 Danish Modern Teak Secretary
By Kai Kristiansen, Torring Mobelfabrik
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Beautiful sculptural Danish modern secretary.
Design by Kai Kristiansen for Torring / HJN Mobler.
Model 63 in teakwood.
A beautiful minimalistic sculptural secretary in excellent design and craftmanship. It was build without using keys.
The desk surface drops down to expose three small drawers and paper dividers.
Pullout desk...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Secretaires
Materials
Teak
Mod. 63 Sekretär Schreibtisch Teak Kai Kristiansen HNJ Møbel / Tørring Møbelfabr
By Torring Mobelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Aachen, DE
Klassischer dänischer Sekretär Kai Kristiansen für Torring / HJN Mobler in hervorragendem Zustand. Eventuelle Beieinträchtigungen der Oberfläche werden von uns vor Auslieferung fachg...
Category
1950s Danish Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Secretaires
Materials
Teak
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Kai Kristiansen secretaires for sale on 1stDibs.
Kai Kristiansen secretaires 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 secretaires, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original secretaires by Kai Kristiansen were created in the mid-century modern style in scandinavia during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider secretaires by Børge Mogensen, and Arne Wahl Iversen. Prices for Kai Kristiansen secretaires can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,226 and can go as high as $5,548, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,080.
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