Poul Kjaerholm PK31 Sofa in Cognac Leather
View Similar Items
Poul Kjaerholm PK31 Sofa in Cognac Leather
About the Item
- Creator:E. Kold Christensen (Manufacturer),Poul Kjærholm (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 28.75 in (73 cm)Width: 77.96 in (198 cm)Depth: 29.53 in (75 cm)Seat Height: 15.36 in (39 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1958
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. The sofa still contains the original leather and original stuffing.
- Seller Location:Waalwijk, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: 450103921stDibs: LU933117335422
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.
Established in 2006, Morentz has a team of approximately 55 restorers, upholsterers, interior advisers and art historians, making it a gallery, workshop and upholstery studio, all in one. Every day, a carefully selected array of 20th-century furniture arrives from all over the world at the firm’s warehouse, where the team thoroughly examines each piece to determine what, if any, work needs to be done. Whether that means new upholstery or a complete restoration, Morentz's aim is always to honor the designer’s intention while fulfilling the wishes of the client. The team is up to any challenge, from restoring a single piece to its original glory to furnishing a large-scale hotel project.
- Poul Kjaerholm 'PK31' Sofa in Black LeatherBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Waalwijk, NLPoul Kjaerholm for E. Kold Christensen, three-seat sofa model PK 31, leather and metal, Denmark, 1958. Beautiful PK31 sofa in patinated black leather by P...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- Poul Kjærholm Pair of 'PK31-1' Lounge Chairs in Original Black LeatherBy E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Waalwijk, NLPoul Kjærholm for E. Kold Christensen, pair of 'PK 31-1' lounge chairs, leather, chrome-plated steel, Denmark, 1958. The design features Poul Kjaerholm’s ability to work with exquisite materials and minimalism. The shapes are modest, yet elegant. The chairs still contain the original leather and original stuffing. The seats rest on chrome-plated steel frames, as Kjaerholm extensively used steel frames in his designs rather than the traditional wood. Poul Kjærholm (1929-1980) was a Danish designer and cabinetmaker. He had a particular interest in different construction materials; especially steel which he considered a natural material with the same artistic fineness as other natural materials. Poul Kjaerholm was employed at Fritz Hansen for about a year, where he designed a number of noteworthy chair prototypes. In 1955 Poul Kjærholm initiated his collaboration with manufacturer Ejvind Kold Christensen, which lasted until Poul Kjærholm's death in 1980. In 1982, Fritz Hansen took over the production and sales of "The Kjærholm Collection", developed from 1951 to 1967, designs, which are logical to the minute detail with an aura of exclusivity. In 2007 Fritz Hansen added two new pieces to the Kjærholm Collection. Pieces that were never in production before, the PK8...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- Poul Kjærholm for E. Kold Christensen Pair of 'PK20' Lounge Chairs in LeatherBy Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold ChristensenLocated in Waalwijk, NLPoul Kjærholm for E. Kold Christensen, pair of lounge chairs model 'PK20', leather, chrome-plated steel, Denmark, 1968 A highly modern design that embraces clear lines and curvaceous shapes. A cantilever chair is all about ease and comfort as it provides the characteristic bending function, and together with the high backrest and head cushion, a pleasant seating experience is guaranteed. Kjærholm used chrome-plated steel for the base and black leather for the seating, materials that fit within the modernistic aesthetics of this chair. Poul Kjærholm (1929-1980) was a Danish designer and cabinetmaker. He had a particular interest in different construction materials; especially steel which he considered a natural material with the same artistic fineness as other natural materials. Poul Kjaerholm was employed at Fritz Hansen for about a year, where he designed a number of noteworthy chair prototypes. In 1955 Poul Kjærholm initiated his collaboration with manufacturer Ejvind Kold Christensen, which lasted until Poul Kjærholm's death in 1980. In 1982, Fritz Hansen took over the production and sales of "The Kjærholm Collection", developed from 1951 to 1967, designs, which are logical to the minute detail with an aura of exclusivity. In 2007 Fritz Hansen added two new pieces to the Kjærholm Collection. Pieces that were never in production before, the PK8...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
- Danish Two Seat Sofa in Cognac LeatherLocated in Waalwijk, NLSofa, leather, mahogany, Denmark, 1960s Wonderful Danish two seat sofa. The brown leather shows a light patina and is in good condition, showin...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Arne Vodder Sofa in Patinated Cognac LeatherBy Ivan Schlechter, Arne VodderLocated in Waalwijk, NLArne Vodder for Ivan Schlechter, sofa, patinated leather, teak, Denmark, design 1953, manufactured late 1950s-1960s. Elegant two-seat settee in admirable cognac leather and teak b...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Grand Geometric Sectional Sofa in Cognac LeatherLocated in Waalwijk, NLModular sofa, leather, wood, Europe, 1970s. This well-designed sofa is executed in brown leather with patina that gives the sofa a lively and robust look. This sofa is characterized...Category
Vintage 1970s European Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsLeather
- Poul Kjaerholm PK31-2 SofaBy Poul KjærholmLocated in San Francisco, CAThis iconic Danish sofa has been fully reupholstered to the highest standard, with leather from Denmark’s finest leather tannery in a shade of lava grey. The stainless steel frame an...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Sofas
MaterialsStainless Steel
$17,400 - Poul Kjærholm 'PK31' 2-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Leather (Cat. 5)By Fritz Hansen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Glendale, CAPoul Kjærholm 'PK31' 2-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Leather (Cat. 5) Established in 1872, Fritz Hansen has become synonymous with legendary Danish design. Combining timeless craf...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjærholm 'PK31' 2-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Aura LeatherBy Fritz Hansen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Glendale, CAPoul Kjærholm 'PK31' 2-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Aura Leather Established in 1872, Fritz Hansen has become synonymous with legendary Danish design. Combining timeless craftsma...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjærholm 'PK31' 3-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Aura LeatherBy Fritz Hansen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Glendale, CAPoul Kjærholm 'PK31' 3-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Aura Leather Established in 1872, Fritz Hansen has become synonymous with legendary Danish design. Combining timeless craftsma...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjærholm 'PK31' 3-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Leather (Cat. 5)By Fritz Hansen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Glendale, CAPoul Kjærholm 'PK31' 3-Seater Sofa for Fritz Hansen in Leather (Cat. 5) Established in 1872, Fritz Hansen has become synonymous with legendary Danish design. Combining timeless craf...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjaerholm PK-31/3 Sofa Kold ChristensenBy E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in BAARLO, LIThis three-seater sofa is a rare, timeless, and original old 1960s version of the PK-31, a famous and iconic design by Poul Kjaerholm for Kold Christensen. The previous owner had the...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal, Steel
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Morentz Writes the Next Chapter for Furniture with a Storied Past
Dutch dealer Matthijs Hoveijn specializes in the best of mid-century modern design, selling it to discerning clients around the world.