Debuting in 1943, the Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll. It was the work of Jens Risom (1916–2016), who had only just moved from his native Denmark to the United States in 1939.
Risom was by then a graduate of business school and had studied under Danish architect and designer Kaare Klint at Copenhagen's School of Industrial Arts and Design (Hans Wegner, whose many iconic creations include the Wishbone chair, was among his classmates). In New York City, Risom found work as an interior designer before embarking on a freelance career as a furniture maker and textile designer when he met Hans Knoll, who was mere months into his venture and needed inventory. In the first Knoll catalogue, 15 of the 25 pieces listed were Risom designs, and the Risom lounge chair would follow a year later.
Owing to the rationing of materials during World War II, Risom turned to surplus parachute straps for use in the construction of his chair, binding the woven straps to a curving birchwood frame. The design was immediately popular for office interiors and is recognized as pivotal to the introduction of understated Danish modernism to the States.
Today, Knoll continues to manufacture the simple but strong Risom lounge chair, and it is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Iconic Jens Risom Lounge Chair for Knoll, Model 652-W, Mid-Century Modern
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Classic Jens Risom Model 652-W lounge chair for KnollStudio, originally designed in 1941 and still celebrated as one of the icons of mid-century modern design. This timeless piece fe...
Cotton, Wood
Jens Risom U430 Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom U430 Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair Each chair measures: 26.75 wide x 29 deep x 29.25 high, with a seat height of 16.75 and arm height/chair clearance of 23.75 i...
Upholstery, Walnut
Knoll Risom Lounge Chair and Ottoman Set
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Miami, FL
The Risom Ottoman is inspired by Risom's original collection and designed be a stand-alone stool or to pair with the Risom lounge chair. Described as goo...
Acrylic, Polyester, Teak
$6,375Sale Price / set|25% Off
Pair of Early Woven Leather Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom for Knoll
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
RARE PAIR of Early woven leather lounge chairs by Jens Risom for Knoll. Made in USA, circa 1950's. Stamped. See images. East Coast Delivery for a fee. Please message for pricing.
Leather, Birch
Jens Risom Mid Century Model U430 Walnut Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom Mid Century Model U430 Walnut Lounge Chair This lounge chair measures: 26 wide x 29 deep x 29.75 high, with a seat height of 15 and arm height/chair clearance 23.25 inche...
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Jens Risom U430 Walnut Lounge Chair With Ottoman
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This Mid-Century Modern iconic lounge chair, model U430, and matching ottoman, model 730, were both designed by the internationally popular Danish designer Jens Risom for Jens Risom ...
Chenille, Oak
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair Each lounge chair measures: 26 wide x 24 deep x 35.75 high, with a seat heig...
Upholstery, Walnut
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom midcentury walnut lounge chair. This chair measures: 23.25 wide x 24 deep x 31 high, with a seat height of 17.5 and arm h...
Upholstery, Walnut
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair This lounge chair measures: 23.25 wide x 24 deep x 31.75 high, with a seat h...
Upholstery, Walnut
Jens Risom A Chair Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom A-Chair Mid Century Walnut Lounge Chairs - Pair Each chair measures: 31 wide x 31 deep x 34 high, with a seat height of 17 and arm height/chair clearance of 21 inches Ex...
Upholstery, Walnut
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Slipper Lounge Chairs - Pair
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Slipper Lounge Chairs - Pair This lounge chair measures: 29 wide x 30 deep x 33.5 high, with a seat height of 17 inches Great Vintage Condition - Mino...
Upholstery, Walnut
Pair of Jens Risom 666 Side Chairs for Knoll
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare Jens Risom chairs made in the 1940s, model “666” of the 600 series from 1941.
Birch
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.
Fabric, Maple
$5,440Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.5 in W 27 in D 26 in
Pair of Vintage Midcentury Restored Jens Risom Lounge Chairs
By Jens Risom
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...
Cowhide, Walnut
$5,450 / set
H 29.93 in W 20.08 in D 27.56 in
Jens Risom Pair of 'Vostra' Lounge Chairs with Ottoman in Canvas Webbing
By Jens Risom, Walter Knoll
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jens Risom for Walter Knoll, pair of 'Vostra' chairs with ottoman, beech, canvas, brass, United States, design 1941, production 1950s An elegant lounge chair with ottoman featuring ...
Brass
Montecito Lounge Chair with Ottoman Michael Taylor Style
By Michael Taylor
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Michael Taylor Montecito style bronzed lounge chair with matching ottoman. Circa 1985. Gorgeous matching bronzed loveseat and ottoman. Constru...
Aluminum
$2,400 / set
H 30 in W 24 in D 24 in
Solid Walnut and Leather Lounge Chairs by Gunlocke, Jens Risom Style
By Jens Risom, Gunlocke
Located in Buffalo, NY
Matched Pair Classic Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs in solid walnut and leather manufactcured by W.H.Gunlock Company. designed in the manner of Jens Risom. Beautiful color..superio...
Leather, Walnut
Rare Jens Risom Walnut & Light Fabric Floating Lounge Chair, 1953
By Jens Risom
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed by Jens Risom, this lounge chair was made exclusively for the model year 1953. It features a frame of solid carved walnut and is upholstered in a light floral fabric. Then d...
Upholstery, Walnut
Early Jens Risom for Knoll Strap Stool
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in St. Louis, MO
Early Jens Risom for Knoll strap stool for Knoll, missing label, but date stamped May 15, 1952. Original finish shows age, original strap webbing wor...
Maple
Midcentury Jens Risom Style Swivel Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in Pasadena, TX
Mid century Jens Risom Style swivel lounge chair Petite for small spaces yet roomy in the seat this lounge chair has Classic tufting and buttoned ...
Walnut
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...
Hide, Walnut
$2,760Sale Price|20% Off
H 39 in W 27.5 in D 29 in
Handsome Jens Risom Walnut Lounge Chair Mid-Century Modern
By Jens Risom
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Designed by Danish-born Jens Risom, this vintage chair is beautiful perfection. The comfortably contoured faux leather seat floats in an exquisite, oiled walnut frame. The original ...
Faux Leather, Walnut
Pair of Vintage Walnut Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom Design
By Jens Risom
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...
Upholstery, Walnut
Jens Risom Mid-Century Walnut Floating Bench
By Jens Risom
Located in San Francisco, CA
signed 1960s bench with floating rectangular upholstered seat resting on a walnut base with square-form tapering legs connected by two stretchers; makers label to inner stretcher; Je...
Walnut
Leather Webbed Armchair Model 652W by Jens Risom for Knoll
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Early Lounge Chair Model 652W design, 1950s designed by Jens Risom for Knoll International. Features a solid maple frame with original woven Leather straps. This label has one of the...
Leather, Maple
Sold
H 31 in W 23 in D 25.5 in
Vintage Mid Century Wood & Cream Upholstered Lounge Chair by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Detroit, MI
This vintage mid century modern lounge chair designed by Jens Risom is circa 1960. The classic Danish modern design has clean, minimalist lines and a striking sculptural profile. The lounge chair features a well-built, solid walnut wood frame in a deep, dark, rich tone. The chair has been newly upholstered in a gorgeous curly, soft looped boucle weave, cream-colored fabric that is fluffy and soft to the touch with depth and texture. This handsome vintage lounge chair pairs...
Fabric, Wool, Wood, Walnut
Design Within Reach Jens Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Manufactured in the 2000s. It is like new.
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid Century Risom for Knoll Vostra Slipper Chair c 1940/50's
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Classic Mid Century armless slipper chair, known as the Vostra chair, designed by Jens Risom for Knoll circa 1940/50's. This example is structurally soun...
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 30 in W 21 in D 26 in
Rare Vintage Upholstered Jens Risom Vostra Easy Chair for Knoll Associates, NYC
By Jens Risom
Located in Morristown, NJ
A 1940s Jens Risom for Knoll Associates Inc. Vostra Easy chair upholstered in a cream, golden and blue damask fabric. Unconventional and memorable, it was the epitome of a new depart...
Steel
Sold
H 30.32 in W 19.69 in D 22.4 in
1950s Rare Set Vostra Chairs Numbered & Original Fabric by Jens Risom for Knoll.
By Walter Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Eindhoven, Noord Brabant
These rare “Vostra” easy chairs were designed by Jens Risom in 1941. These chairs are numbered in the frame. This is chair number 1247 and number 1248. The chairs are in good condtion. The original fabric is still on the chairs. The Vostra chair...
Fabric, Elm
Pair Of Jens Risom Model U430 Walnut Armchairs
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Model U430 armchairs by Jens Risom feature sculptural, solid walnut frames with newly upholstered seats and backs in blue tweed wool blend. These classic mid-century modern c...
Fabric, Walnut
1960s Armchair by Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in London, Lambeth
Rare armchair simple stylist design by Jens Risom in original condition little of wear on one of the arms Please see pictures attached Cc 1960s Danish Jens Risom was wide...
Teak
Sold
H 30 in W 23.75 in D 28 in
Mid-Century Modern Strap Leather Webbed Lounge Chair by Jens Risom for Knoll
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Buffalo, NY
Mid-Century Modern strap leather webbed lounge chair by Jens Risom for Knoll. Early, Knoll bow-tie label. Wonderful Original, color and finish perfect patina, Worn in all the righ...
Leather, Maple
Jens Risom Strapped Leather Lounge Chair
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lounge chair by Jens Risom for Knoll, circa 1940s. This 1943 design was Risom's first design for Knoll, where he had been brought on as design director. This piece features a birch f...
Steel
Sold
H 30.32 in W 20.08 in D 27.96 in
Jens Risom Pair of "No. 654" Chairs, Knoll Internationnal, USA, 1940s
By Jens Risom
Located in Forest, BE
Pair of lounge chairs designed by Jens Risom in 1941. Jens Risom’s designs were the first pieces conceived for and manufactured by Knoll in the USA. Due to wartime material restrictions, the lounge chair was originally constructed of simple maple frames and discarded parachute webbing. Described as good, honest furniture design, the collection helped establish Knoll as an early source of modern design in...
Leather
