Combination Desk, Bookcase and Bar by Kai Kristiansen, 1956
View Similar Items
Combination Desk, Bookcase and Bar by Kai Kristiansen, 1956
About the Item
- Creator:Kai Kristiansen (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 53.75 in (136.53 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Teak,Lacquered
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1956
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:North Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU81201687212
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.
- Desk by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes MøbelfabrikBy Kai KristiansenLocated in Dallas, TXA large teak desk model no 70 designed by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbelfabrik.Category
Vintage 1960s Desks
MaterialsTeak
- Midcentury Desk by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballe Møbelfabrik, 1950sBy Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai KristiansenLocated in Lisboa, LisboaKai Kristiansen design this large desk in 1950s for Feldballe Mobelfabrik. Iconic Model 70. The desk have six drawers on the front and two doors on the backside. This executive desk ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsRosewood
$9,114 Sale Price20% Off - Mid-Century Danish Teak Desk by Kai Kristiansen, 1950sBy Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai KristiansenLocated in Oud Beijerland, NLBeautiful mid century Danish desk with a lovely shaped top. Designed by Kai Kristiansen and fabricated by Feldballes Møbelfabrik in the 50's. A cute circular storage...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsTeak
- Mid-century Teak Writing Desk Designed by Kai KristiansenBy Kai KristiansenLocated in Oakland, CAMid-century teak desk designed by Kai Kristiansen, circa 1959, in Denmark. The desk is crafted of teak, with a curved top surface, a series of three drawers with carved pulls, a righ...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks
MaterialsTeak
- 20th Century Executive Desk by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes MøbelfabrikBy Kai KristiansenLocated in Brugge, BE'Model 70' 1950s Denmark Teak 72cm high, 172cm wide, 85cm deep Kai Kristiansen embodies the essence of Danish Modern design, with his creations serving as quintessential example...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsTeak
- Kai Kristiansen Model EP 401 Rosewood Executive Desk for FeldballesBy Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai KristiansenLocated in Norwalk, CTSleek, elegant, and powerful, the EP 401 desk by Kai Kristiansen is a timeless piece of Danish Mid-Century design. The design features a simple silhouette, with solid secondary woods...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsAluminum
