Poul Kjærholm PK 33 Stool for E. Kold Christensen, Original Condition, 1959
About the Item
- Creator:Poul Kjærholm (Designer),E. Kold Christensen (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Diameter: 21 in (53.34 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading. stains to leather, button missing.
- Seller Location:Houston, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU85063224312
Poul Kjærholm
A trained cabinetmaker, Poul Kjærholm’s use of industrial methods and materials in the 1960s brought a fresh, graceful, sleek new style to Danish modern design.
At what is now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, Kjærholm studied under Hans Wegner and Jørn Utzon — an industrial designer and the architect of the celebrated Sydney Opera House. The latter greatly influenced Kjærholm’s furniture production techniques — although he employed natural materials such as cane and leather, to a far greater extent than his peers Kjærholm embraced the use of steel (rather than wood) framing for his chairs, daybeds and tables.
Kjærholm’s signal design was the PK22 chair of 1956, a low-slung leather lounger on a steel base. The ideas introduced in the PK22 — Kjærholm’s designs were named using a numeric system devised with his manufacturer, E. Kold Christensen — were refined throughout his career, as the offerings below show: the PK11 chair of 1957, with back and armrests formed by a semicircle of ash; the capacious, richly patinated leather seat of a vintage 1961 PK9 chair; the elegant rattan swoop of the PK 24 chaise longue (1965). The chaise longue's leather headrest, held in place by a steel counterweight, best shows Kjærholm's particular gift for combining technological advancements with a respect for traditional detailing.
While respectful of the past, Poul Kjærholm's sensibility is one of optimism and expectation. His was design for those who lived with verve and élan, and confidently anticipated the future.
Find a collection of vintage Poul Kjærholm furniture on 1stDibs.
E. Kold Christensen
Founded in Hellerup, Denmark, by entrepreneur Ejvind Kold Christensen, furniture manufacturer E. Kold Christensen was instrumental in advancing the career of Poul Kjærholm, a revered Danish cabinetmaker who brought a graceful and sleek new style to Scandinavian design.
Christensen and Kjærholm formed not only a close friendship but also a fruitful business partnership that endured for decades. The company produced most of Kjærholm’s acclaimed armchairs, stools and lounge chairs — which were often framed in brushed steel and upholstered in leather — until Kjærholm’s death in 1980.
Christensen began his career as a sales manager for the furniture manufacturer Carl Hansen & Søn. In the late 1940s, Christensen introduced the young Hans Wegner to Carl’s son, Holger Hansen — who was by then running his family’s legendary company — after recognizing the potential of this new designer. Wegner, Hansen and Christensen solidified their partnership by forming SALESCO — a marketing company with the sole purpose of promoting Wegner’s now universally celebrated body of work.
In the mid-1950s, Christensen partnered with promising designer Kjærholm — their pairing was the result of Wegner recommending that Christensen help develop Kjærholm (Wegner had been a teacher of Kjærholm’s at what is now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts). Christensen established his eponymous company with the singular goal of manufacturing his friend’s works.
E. Kold Christensen’s founder offered Kjærholm the room he needed to explore the structural potential of steel in furniture-making — he created forward-looking seating, tables and other pieces that reflected the influence of modernist designers such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich rather than the output of his Scandinavian peers, who worked primarily with wood. (Kjærholm would later experiment with wood during the 1970s.)
The refined PK22 chair, a lounger made of steel with a seat of leather or canvas has over time been compared to Mies and Reich’s Barcelona chair and is a fine example of Kjærholm’s mid-century innovations for E. Kold Christensen. It was an instant commercial success — launching both the designer's and manufacturer's careers. Later, Kjærholm’s iconic PK24 chair merged stainless steel, leather and a sinuous seat of woven wicker, while his PK61 coffee table offered a fanciful, off-center support structure for its glass top. By 1960, Kjærholm had twice been awarded the Grand Prize at the Milan Triennale.
In the 1980s, E. Kold Christensen sold the production rights to a range of Kjærholm’s work to Fritz Hansen, where the designer had incidentally worked for a short time in the early 1950s (the company now has rights to the complete collection) . Many of Kjærholm’s works are part of collections at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, while museums in Norway, Denmark, Germany and Sweden also have his works — each produced by E. Kold Christensen — in their permanent collections.
On 1stDibs, find vintage E. Kold Christensen chairs, tables, lighting and more.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Houston, TX
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
- Poul Kjaerholm for E. Kold Christensen PK 24 Chaise, circa 1960sBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Houston, TXPoul Kjaerholm for E. Kold Christensen chaise Model PK 24 Made in Denmark, circa 1960s Handwoven cane, stainless steel, counterweight custom leather head rest.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chaise Longues
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Poul Kjaerholm PK 54 Dining Table E. Kold ChristensenBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Houston, TXPoul Kjaerholm PK 54 dining table with extension leaves E. Kold Christensen Denmark, 1960s flint-rolled marble, chrome-plated steel Measures: 5...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsMarble, Steel
- Florence Knoll stool / bench in leather for Knoll AssociatesBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Houston, TXFlorence Knoll stool Knoll Associates USA 1984 leather, steel 17 h × 18 w × 18 d inches Vintage piece.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Edward Wormley Toadstool for DunbarBy Dunbar Furniture, Edward WormleyLocated in Houston, TXEdward Wormley Toadstool ottoman Dunbar. Stained oak, enameled steel, wool. USA 38 D x 15 H inches. Edward Wormley for Dunbar toadstool ottoman upholstered in wool.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWool, Wood
- Large Richard Meier Dining Set for KnollBy Richard Meier, KnollLocated in Houston, TXRichard Meier Dining Set Dining table, armchairs, 10 chairs Knoll USA, 1982 Maple Measures: 27.5 H × 96 W × 60 W in table Measures: 26.5 H × 20.5 W × 20 D in. Large dining set...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets
MaterialsMaple
- Richard Meier Armchairs Set of 10 for KnollBy Richard Meier, KnollLocated in Houston, TXRichard Meier Armchairs, 10 chairs Knoll USA, 1982 Maple Measures: 26.5 H × 20.5 W × 20 D in. Large set. In original condition.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMaple
- Poul Kjærholm PK33 Stool for E. Kold Christensen 1950sBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Skokie, ILPoul Kjaerholm model "PK 33" black leather stool produced by E. Kold Christensen, Denmark, 1950s. Black leather seat pad and matte-chromed steel base with grey lacquered circular pl...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- 1950s PK33 Stool by Poul Kjaerholm for E. Kold ChristensenBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Sagaponack, NYAn early 'PK-33' stool, with a round black leather cushion on three satin-chromed flat bar legs. Maker's mark on underside.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsChrome
- Poul Kjaerholm "PK33" Stools Produced by E Kold Christensen Denmark, 1960sBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Stockholm, SEVery rare and great pair of "PK33" stools in brown original leather designed by Poul Kjærholm produced by E. Kold Christensen in Denmark 1960s. In great condition with patina from ag...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjaerholm PK91 Folding Stool by E. Kold ChristensenBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Highland, INKjaerholm's 1961 masterpiece, the PK91 stool made by E. Kold Christensen is the perfect distillation of his aesthetic. A minimalist form combining matte ch...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Matching Set of Three Poul Kjærholm PK33 Stools by E. Kold ChristensenBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Dronten, NLRare all original early production Poul Kjaerholm E. Kold Christensen set of 3 PK33 stools. Black leather seat pad and matte-chromed steel base with grey lacquered circular plywood s...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjærholm Stool Pk-33 by E. Kold Christensen, DenmarkBy Poul KjærholmLocated in Riverdale, NYRare stool model PK-33 designed by Poul Kjærholm. Produced by E. Kold Christensen in Denmark with painted grey wood base and circular brushed satin steel frame and cognac leather cus...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel