Illum Wikkelsø Leather Lounge Chair & Ottoman for Søren Willadsen, circa 1955
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Illum Wikkelsø Leather Lounge Chair & Ottoman for Søren Willadsen, circa 1955
About the Item
- Creator:Illum Wikkelsø (Designer),Soren Willadsen Mobelfabrik (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 36.25 in (92.08 cm)Width: 31.13 in (79.08 cm)Depth: 36.63 in (93.05 cm)Seat Height: 14.75 in (37.47 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1955
- Condition:Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. This chair and ottoman retains its original black leather with a nice patina. The teak legs have been professionally restored.
- Seller Location:San Juan Capistrano, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU922032180002
Illum Wikkelsø
The work of furniture designer Illum Wikkelsø wholly embodies the spirit of Scandinavian modernism. With their organic forms and wealth of angles inspired by the Danish countryside, his vintage lounge chairs, sofas and other seating pieces offer ergonomic comfort and lasting visual appeal.
Born Kristian Illum Wikkelsø and raised in a town near Faaborg, Denmark, the designer grew up around carpentry and cabinetmaking. He apprenticed with a cabinetmaker in his teens and enrolled in classes at the Technical Society School in Copenhagen as well as the Danish School of Arts & Crafts. At the latter, Wikkelsø studied under Kaare Klint, an architect and designer widely recognized as the father of modern Danish furniture.
After completing his studies, Wikkelsø went on to work with famed Danish architect and furniture maker Jacob Kjær. After a time with Kjær, he moved on. He went to work for designer and architect Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen at Hvidt & Mølgaard, a firm established by Mølgaard-Nielsen — Wikkelsø’s former instructor at the Technical Society School — and Peter Hvidt that yielded more than 250 designs and lasted over 30 years.
In 1954, Wikkelsø opened his own design studio in Aarhus, Denmark. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he made quite a name for himself, with designs that were new and innovative to the industry at the time. He created furniture for Holger Christiansen and secured commissions from the Danish government. While he’s likely best known today for his inviting teak and leather lounge chairs or slender rosewood dining chairs, some of Wikkelsø’s 1960s-era lounge chairs merged Danish craftsmanship and Pop art with their unconventionally shaped chrome frames and vibrantly colored upholstery.
Wikkelsø passed away in 1999, but collectors around the world continue to prize his outstanding designs.
Find vintage Illum Wikkelsø tables, seating and case pieces on 1stDibs.
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