Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard Armchair, circa 1950s
View Similar Items
Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard Armchair, circa 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Hvidt & Mølgaard (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 37 in (93.98 cm)Width: 25.25 in (64.14 cm)Depth: 37.5 in (95.25 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Stamford, CT
- Reference Number:Seller: HH FINE ART LLC1stDibs: LU862310356321
Hvidt & Mølgaard
Warm, exceptionally versatile and crafted with a range of appealing materials, vintage Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen furniture showcases the Danish duo’s penchant for innovation and durable design. For decades, the pair created sleek coffee tables, seductive lounge chairs and other pieces that are characterized by the practicality and elegance commonly attributed to Scandinavian modernism.
Both Hvidt and Mølgaard-Nielsen attended what is now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, with Mølgaard-Nielsen having completed his studies under the Danish furniture design pioneer and architect Kaare Klint. Trained as an architect and cabinetmaker, Hvidt established his own firm in 1940 and taught at his alma mater for a few years. After they won a design competition held in Stockholm, Hvidt partnered with Mølgaard-Nielsen in 1944 to establish their firm in Copenhagen.
The collaboration between Hvidt and Mølgaard-Nielsen yielded more than 250 designs and lasted over 30 years. Aside from having created a wardrobe for the Queen of Denmark as well as numerous architectural structures, the pair’s flagship achievements include 1944’s teak Portex chair, which is Denmark’s first-ever stacking chair (and is occasionally attributed to Hvidt alone), and the AX chair.
A masterpiece of technical expertise and innovative woodworking, the sculptural AX armchair shares commonalities with the work of legendary Finnish designer Alvar Aalto — whose output included similarly curvaceous seating such as the Paimio armchair, often designed in partnership with his wife, Aino. It features double-curved laminated wood in the seat and back — which could be mass-produced — and is an early example of knock-down furniture. This meant that it could be easily dismantled and assembled at its destination, which rendered the chair economical for transport on cargo ships and therefore could reach a worldwide audience.
While vintage Hvidt & Mølgaard furniture isn’t as popular as the work of Finn Juhl, a like-minded Danish modernist who helped popularize Scandinavian design in America as well as the use of teak in furniture, the innovative AX chair is similarly as expressive and inviting as Juhl’s seating. The AX was designed in collaboration with manufacturer Fritz Hansen during the late 1940s and went into production in 1950. It gave way to a series that includes tables and other types of seating.
Hvidt and Mølgaard-Nielsen collaborated regularly with Fritz Hansen, France & Søn and Søborg Møbelfabrik. Their work can be found in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen’s Design Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.
Find vintage Hvidt & Mølgaard dining tables, coffee tables, modular sofas, storage cabinets and more on 1stDibs.
- Portex Armchair by Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard-NielsenBy Hvidt & Mølgaard, ThonetLocated in Vienna, ATEarly Scandinavian Modern beech armchair with plywood seat and back. Usually produced by Fritz Hansen, this one manufactured by Thonet who produced them as well for some yearsCategory
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBeech, Plywood
- Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard-Nielsen Teak ArmchairBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, John Stuart Inc., Peter HvidtLocated in Garnerville, NYPeter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen teak scoop armchair. Manufactured in Denmark by France and Daverkosen. Freshly upholstered fabric a...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsTeak, Upholstery
$2,275 Sale Price35% Off - Armchair Attributed to Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-NielsenBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Peter HvidtLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länVery rare armchair attributed to Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen. Probably produced by Gustav Bertelsen in Denmark.Category
Vintage 1940s European Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Mahogany
- Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard Cane Back ArmchairBy Hvidt & MølgaardLocated in Brooklyn, NYDanish modern armchair by Peter Hvdit & Orla Molgaard features a walnut frame with scoop arms, cane back and light green tweed upholstered seat.Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Cane, Walnut
- Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen Ax Lounge Chair for Fritz HansenBy Hvidt & Mølgaard, Fritz HansenLocated in Munich, BavariaPeter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen AX easy lounge armchair for Fritz Hansen. Oak wood lacquered. Arms made of beech wood. Danish classic armchair with high comfort.Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Oak
- Pair of "Ax-chair" by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen, Denmark, 1950sBy Peter Hvidt, Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Stockholm, SEVery good condition. Produced by Fritz Hansen, 1950s. An example of this chair can be found at the Museum of Design in Copenhagen, Denmark.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMahogany, Teak