Two 1950s Danish "118" Lounge Chairs in Teak by Grete Jalk

About the Item

A pair of "model 118" lounge chairs in teak by Danish designer Grete Jalk for France and Daverkosen. These early 1950s chairs have a beautiful streamlined design, with sculpted arms, tapering legs and a modernist sensibility. They have been carefully reconditioned. The teak is rich and warm, with a striking grain. They are structurally perfect. The cream fabric upholstery is clean, with one or two minor signs of vintage. They bear the France and Daverkosen plaque to the base.

Creator:
France & Daverkosen (Manufacturer),Grete Jalk (Designer)
Design:
GJ ChairGJ Series
Dimensions:
Height: 31.5 in (80 cm)Width: 28.75 in (73 cm)Depth: 29.93 in (76 cm)Seat Height: 16.54 in (42 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Teak
Place of Origin:
Denmark
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1960s
Condition:
Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Shepperton, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4497233960652
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Grete Jalk

What would the reputation of mid-century Danish furniture be without legendary female designer Grete Jalk? A pioneer of Scandinavian modernism, Jalk sought to craft furniture that was both cost-efficient and high in quality, each piece made for the evolving interiors and design sensibilities of the day. She continues to be celebrated for her sleek and minimal armchairs, lounge chairs, coffee tables and more.

Jalk was born in 1920 in Copenhagen. She studied at the Drawing and Applied Art School for Women before enrolling at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where famed designer Kaare Klint was among her instructors. Jalk completed her studies in 1946 and began a cabinetmaker apprenticeship. That same year, she won an award at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild competition. Jalk also participated in the 1951 Milan Triennial exhibition, where her designs earned more acclaim and attention.

In 1954, Jalk opened her own design studio and began working with major Danish furniture manufacturers like Fritz Hansen and Glostrup Møbelfabrik. She found inspiration in plywood experiments carried out by Alvar Aalto and Ray and Charles Eames, and she quickly became known for her pared-back, expressive designs, which touted fluid forms and were made of alluring woods such as teak and rosewood.

Jalk’s best-known work is the 1963 GJ chair, a collaboration with cabinetmaker Poul Jeppesen that won first place in the Daily Mail International Furniture Competition. Made of two pieces of molded teak plywood, the sculptural GJ lounge chair is part of the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

While creating her iconic furniture designs, Jalk wore many other hats. She taught at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and served as an editor of the Danish design magazine Mobilia from 1956–62 and 1968–74. In 1974, Jalk curated a traveling design exhibition for the Danish Foreign Ministry and was named a member of the Danish Design Council in 1981. She was also the editor of 40 Years of Danish Furniture Design: The Copenhagen Cabinet-makers' Guild Exhibitions 1927–1966, published in 1987.

Jalk passed away in 2006 at the age of 86. In 2008, Danish furniture manufacturer Lange Production was granted exclusive rights to reproduce the GJ chair, a design as fresh and original today as ever.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Grete Jalk seating, tables and storage pieces.