Kai Kristiansen Entre 1B Two Drawer Nightstand / Entry Chest
View Similar Items
Kai Kristiansen Entre 1B Two Drawer Nightstand / Entry Chest
About the Item
- Creator:Kai Kristiansen (Designer),GETAMA (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 19.68 in (49.99 cm)Width: 24 in (60.96 cm)Depth: 14.15 in (35.95 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:Walnut,Lacquered
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Contemporary
- Production Type:New & Custom(Current Production)
- Estimated Production Time:6-7 weeks
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Berkeley, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1353223205332
Kai Kristiansen
With a passion for math and engineering, Kai Kristiansen has created high-quality wood furniture for decades. Beginning in the 1950s, his chairs, modular shelving and other furnishings were made in the style that would become internationally renowned as Danish modern and boasted clean lines, perfected functionality and exacting craftsmanship.
Born in Denmark, Kristiansen trained in cabinetmaking before studying with Kaare Klint, often cited as the “father of modern Danish design,” at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. At just 26 years old, Kristiansen opened his own studio.
Kristiansen had his mid-century breakthrough in 1956 with the Chair #42, which he made with Schou Andersen. Unlike most other chairs at the time, Chair #42’s armrests, with their wealth of radical angles, were connected to the back rather than the front legs. This unconventional flourish makes the backrest appear as though it is floating in midair above the seat. Kristiansen’s next innovation was a modular wall system in 1957 — three years ahead of Dieter Rams’s more famous 606 Universal Shelving System. Called the Reolsystem Wall Unit, produced by SB Feldballes Møbelfabrik, it’s also known as the FM Wall Unit as FM/Fornem Møbelkunst began producing it in the 1960s. Kristiansen would go on to work with other leading Danish furniture manufacturers such as Magnus Olesen, Fritz Hansen and Vildbjerg Møbelfabrik, designing everything from chairs and desks to sideboards and cabinets, frequently in rosewood and teak. (The latter was a sought-after wood by Scandinavian modern designers.)
While many of Kristiansen’s timeless designs remain in production, such as his Paper Knife sofa, which was reintroduced by Miyazaki Chair Factory in 2008, and his 1950s Entré collection, which was relaunched with Great Dane Furniture in 2016, others are prized as vintage mid-century pieces. Today, Kristiansen is still at work on new furniture with an expert eye to thoughtfully functional designs that are made to last.
Find a collection of vintage Kai Kristiansen furniture on 1stDibs.
GETAMA
The story of how GETAMA got its name is perhaps as unique as the range of subdued but sophisticated Scandinavian modern furniture for which the manufacturer is known (thanks to a partnership with Hans Wegner).
In the late 1890s in the Danish town of Gedsted, a young cabinetmaker by the name of Carl Pedersen opted to use seaweed — rather than the traditional heather or straw — as mattress stuffing. Pedersen named his new factory Gedsted Tang-og Madrasfabrik (the “Gedsted Seaweed and Mattress Factory”), which he abbreviated to GETAMA. Seaweed’s fire-retardant properties make it an excellent and safe upholstery material for mattresses, chairs and sofas. Pedersen leveraged this quality as a selling point — the abundance of seaweed on the shores of Denmark and its weightlessness added to its appeal as an economical but durable upholstery filling for all kinds of furnishings. The crowning quality was its softness.
GETAMA’s seaweed mattresses proved so popular for their comfort and durability that Pedersen had to expand into a larger factory within the first year. He felt almost obligated to launch a line of bedroom furniture to accompany his much-loved mattresses.
The working relationship established in 1959 between Hans Wegner and GETAMA afforded the company the opportunity to break into the international market. Wegner — a legendary Danish carpenter and furniture designer revered by mid-century modern collectors everywhere — became one of the brand’s principal designers and often spent a great deal of time at the factory — refining and adjusting each new piece until he felt satisfied that it was ready for production. For decades, Wegner’s impressive contributions to GETAMA’s daybeds, lounge chairs, sofas and dining room tables became the backbone of the company’s sales.
Over the years, other designers entered into working agreements with GETAMA, including Nissen & Gehl, OM Design, 2R Design, Blum and Balle, and Jørgen Gammelgaard. Copenhagen native Nanna Ditzel, a Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alum who trained under Kaare Klint, designed GETAMA’s Mondial coffee table. Alongside her husband, Jørgen Ditzel, she also created the sensuously curvy and wildly popular Ring chair.
Today, the sleek modern furniture that GETAMA manufactures is still inclusive of their lauded mattresses.
On 1stDibs, find vintage GETAMA seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture.
- Kai Kristiansen Teak Secretary DeskBy Torring Mobelfabrik, Kai KristiansenLocated in Berkeley, CAOrigin: Denmark Designer: Kai Kristiansen Manufacturer: Torring Møbelfabrik Era: 1960s Materials: Teak Measurements: 35.5? wide x 17.25? deep x 44? tall Condition: In excelle...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
MaterialsTeak
- Danish Modern Three Legged Entry Chest in Teak + OakLocated in Berkeley, CAOrigin: Denmark Designer: Unknown Manufacturer: Unknown Era: 1960s Materials: Teak Measurements: 39.75? wide x 15.75? deep x 27.5? tall Condition: In excellent original condi...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsTeak
- Danish Modern Five Drawer Teak Gentlemans ChestLocated in Berkeley, CAOrigin: Denmark Designer: Unknown Manufacturer: Unknown Era: 1960s Materials: Teak Measurements: 39.5" wide x 18.5" deep x 31" tall Condition: In excellent original condition...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsTeak
- Johannes Sorth Three Drawer Rosewood Gentleman's ChestBy Nexø Møbelfabrik 1Located in Berkeley, CAOrigin: Denmark Designer: Johannes Sorth Manufacturer: Nexø Era: 1960s Materials: Rosewood Measurements: 39.5" wide x 17.5" deep x 26.25" tall Condition: In excellent original condi...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Kai Kristiansen Modular Wall Unit in RosewoodBy Kai Kristiansen, FM MøblerLocated in Berkeley, CAOrigin: Denmark Designer: Kai Kristiansen Manufacturer: FM Era: 1960s Materials: Rosewood Measurements: 33.5" wide x 16" deep x 20" tall (Largest Case) 33" wide x 92" tall (Wall Pa...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
MaterialsRosewood
- G Plan Quadrille Three Drawer Gents Chest in TeakBy V.B. Wilkins, G Plan FurnitureLocated in Berkeley, CAOrigin: England Designer: Victor B. Wilkins Manufacturer: G Plan Era: 1966 Materials: Teak, Afromosia, Rosewood Measurements: 32″ wide x 19″ deep x 28.5″ tall Condition: In excellent...Category
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood, Teak
- Vintage Danish Mid Century Modern Rosewood Entry Chest by Kai KristiansenBy Kai KristiansenLocated in San Marcos, CAHere is a beautiful Scandinavian modern chest of drawers in rosewood designed by Kai Kristiansen and manufactured by Feldballes Mobelfabrik in Denmark in the 1960's. This lovely piec...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Kai Kristiansen Tallboy Chest, OakBy Kai KristiansenLocated in London, GBKai Kristiansen Model 385 Chest of Drawers, circa 1960. Oak tallboy chest, produced by Aksel Kjersgaard in Odder, Denmark. Solid oak frame with veneer...Category
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Dr...
MaterialsOak
- Kai Kristiansen Narrow Danish Teak ChestBy Kai KristiansenLocated in Oakland, CA1960s Kai Kristiansen teak dresser with mitered edges, recessed round pulls, and raised on tapered legs. The cabinet has been fully restored with a hand-rubbed natural oil finish. It...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsTeak
- Kai Kristiansen Diminutive Rosewood Chest of DrawersBy Kai KristiansenLocated in West Palm Beach, FLKai Kristiansen diminutive rosewood chest of drawers. Four drawers with circular cut out pulls. Some faint wear to top (please refer to photos). Would work well in a variety of i...Category
Vintage 1960s European Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Kai Kristiansen Model 385 Tallboy Chest, RosewoodBy Kai KristiansenLocated in London, GBKai Kristiansen Model 385 Chest of Drawers, circa 1960 Rosewood tallboy chest, produced by Aksel Kjersgaard in Odder, Denmark. Solid rosewood frame...Category
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Dr...
MaterialsOak
- Superb Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Chest of DrawersBy FM Møbler, Kai KristiansenLocated in BROOKLYN, NYBeautiful and seemly never used chest of drawers by the famous designer Kai Kristiansen, Denmark. Model # 701 Featuring four very clean drawers frame...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood