Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen 3-Seat Sofa for Fritz Hansen, Denmark 1940s
About the Item
- Creator:Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen (Designer),Fritz Hansen (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 33.47 in (85 cm)Width: 70.87 in (180 cm)Depth: 31.5 in (80 cm)Seat Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1940s
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. The sofa is upholstered in a premium mustard colored velour fabric. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.
- Seller Location:Utrecht, NL
- Reference Number:
Fritz Hansen
When the Copenhagen-based furniture maker Fritz Hansen opened for business more than 140 years ago, the company — which today styles itself The Republic of Fritz Hansen — adhered to the traditional, time-honored Danish values of craftsmanship in woodworking and joinery. Yet thanks to the postwar innovations of Arne Jacobsen and others, Fritz Hansen would become the country’s leader in Scandinavian modern design using new, forward-looking materials and methods.
Fritz Hansen started his company in 1872, specializing in the manufacture of small furniture parts. In 1915, the firm became the first in Denmark to make chairs using steam-bent wood (a technique most familiar from birch used in the ubiquitous café chairs by Austrian maker Thonet). At the time, Fritz Hansen was best known for seating that featured curved legs and curlicue splats and referenced 18th-century Chippendale designs.
In the next few decades, the company promoted simple, plain chairs with slatted backs and cane or rush seats designed by such proto-modernist masters as Kaare Klint and Søren Hansen. Still, the most aesthetically striking piece Fritz Hansen produced in the first half of the 20th century was arguably the China chair of 1944 by Hans Wegner — and that piece, with its yoke-shaped bentwood back- and armrest, was based on seating manufactured in China during the Ming dynasty. (Wegner was moved by portraits he’d seen of Danish merchants in the Chinese chairs.)
Everything changed in 1952 with Arne Jacobsen’s Ant chair. The collaboration between the architect and Fritz Hansen officially originated in 1934 — that year, Jacobsen created his inaugural piece for the manufacturer, the solid beechwood Bellevue chair for a restaurant commission. The Ant chair, however, was the breakthrough.
With assistance from his then-apprentice Verner Panton, Jacobsen designed the Ant chair for the cafeteria of a Danish healthcare company called Novo Nordisk. The chair was composed of a seat and backrest formed from a single piece of molded plywood attached, in its original iteration, to three tubular metal legs. Its silhouette suggests the shape of the insect’s body, and the lightweight, stackable chair and its biomorphic form became an international hit.
Jacobsen followed with more plywood successes, such as the Grand Prix chair of 1957. The following year he designed the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen and its furnishings, including the Egg chair and the Swan chair. Those two upholstered pieces, with their lush, organic frames made of fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane, have become the two chairs most emblematic of mid-20th-century cool. Moreover, the Egg and Swan led Fritz Hansen to fully embrace new man-made materials, like foam, plastic and steel wire used to realize the avant-garde creations of later generations of designers with whom the firm collaborated, such as Piet Hein, Jørn Utzon (the architect of the Sydney Opera House) and Verner Panton. If the Fritz Hansen of 1872 would not now recognize his company, today’s connoisseurs certainly do.
Find a collection of vintage Fritz Hansen tables, lounge chairs, sofas and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Utrecht, Netherlands
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen Armchair "Model 1748" for Fritz HansenBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Peter HvidtLocated in Utrecht, NLPeter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen’s design language operates as a set of relations linking the everyday world - composed of objects, spaces, people - to the cultural ideologies t...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Two-Seater Sofa by a Danish Cabinetmaker, Denmark 1940sLocated in Utrecht, NLThis beautiful Danish two-seater sofa recalls the peak of Danish Mid-Century Modern design. Thanks to its curved shape, this three-seater is exceptionally cosy and elegant. Curved so...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsBouclé, Wood
- Danish Cabinetmaker Three-Seater Banana Sofa, Denmark 1940sLocated in Utrecht, NLThis beautiful Danish three-seater sofa recalls the Art Deco style of the 1930s with the recognizable touch of Danish Modernism. Thanks to its elegantly curved shape, this type of so...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Danish Cabinetmaker Three-Seater “Banana” Sofa, Denmark, 1940sLocated in Utrecht, NLThis beautiful Danish three-seater sofa recalls the Art Deco style of the 1930s with the recognisable touch of Danish Modernism. Thanks to its elegantly curved shape, this type of so...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Art Deco Sofas
MaterialsBouclé, Wood
- Danish Cabinetmaker Two-Seater Sofa with Striped Upholstery, Denmark 1940sLocated in Utrecht, NLThis beautiful Danish two-seater sofa is an early example of what became known as Danish Mid-Century Modern design. With a classic mid-century look, this model is the perfect piece t...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Danish Modern Three-Seater Sofa with Twisted Cord Trimming, Denmark, 1940sLocated in Utrecht, NL“Danish Modern” is a recognized term around the world standing for the characteristic style of Danish design created during the 20th century. As this elegant three-seater sofa shows, the style is characterized by clarity in design and extremely high quality in craftsmanship and choice of materials. Thanks to its subtle but pronounced curves, this sofa is inherently elegant while also keeping the warmth and cosiness that is often associated with mid-century Danish design. The standout visual element is the scalloped back that echoes the legacy of Art Deco that had a lasting influence on the Nordic countries as well. Many of the well-known Danish architects felt the urge to try their hands at “Nordic Art...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- 3-Seat Sofa for Fritz Hansen by Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Denmark 1940sBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Bridgeport, CTOrla Mølgaard-Nielsen's significant work has been mainly carried out together with his partner, Peter Hvidt, but the designer’s earlier models - like this sofa - are widely renowned ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsWool, Beech
- 1940s Danish Birds of Paradise Chair by Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for Fritz HansenBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Josef Frank, Peter Hvidt, Fritz HansenLocated in Shepperton, SurreyA 1940s Danish lounge chair by Orla Molgaard-Nielsen for Fritz Hansen. This elegant vintage lounge chair has been newly reupholstered in stunning Arbre Chinois fabric by Schumacher....Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Fabric
- Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen "Ax" Lounge Chair for Fritz HansenBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Peter Hvidt, Fritz HansenLocated in Los Angeles, CAA striking chair designed by architects Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen in collaboration with the famous artisan company Fritz Hansen in Denmark circa 1960s. Our chair uses quali...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Foam, Laminate, Wood
- Fritz Hansen, 3-Seater Sofa, Green Velvet, Danish Mid Century Modern, 1940sBy Fritz HansenLocated in Odense, DKThis beautiful three seater sofa in the original green velvet embodies the Danish Mid Century Modern design from the 1940s. Its lush green velvet upholstery exudes luxury and comfort...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Art Deco Sofas
MaterialsVelvet, Oak
- Danish Curved Couch Sofa Fritz Hansen Style, 1940s for ReupholsteryBy Fritz HansenLocated in Aarhus C, DKCurved couch or sofa in Fritz Hansen style from the 1940´s. The feets are made of dark stained beech wood and the sofa is upholstered with floral fabric in blue and white colors. M...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Art Deco Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard Nielsen for Fritz Hansen "Ax" Cowhide Lounge ChairBy Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Peter Hvidt, Fritz HansenLocated in Philadelphia, PADesigned by two of the most iconic and critically acclaimed Danish designers, the Ax chair was brought to life by Peter Hvidt in partnership with Orla Molgaard Nielsen for production...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsCowhide, Beech, Teak