Danish Wall Unit by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbelfabrik, 1960s
View Similar Items
Danish Wall Unit by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbelfabrik, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Kai Kristiansen (Designer),Feldballes Møbelfabrik (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 82.68 in (210 cm)Width: 105.91 in (269 cm)Length: 82.68 in (210 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:Glass,Palisander
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Santa Gertrudis, ES
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4513114090761
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.
- Pierre Chapo Large Wall Unit Model B17, French Elm, circa 1967By Pierre ChapoLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesOriginal "B17" bookshelf by Pierre Chapo, circa 1967, in French elmwood. One of the most iconic piece of Pierre Chapo (1927-1986). In 1967, Pierre Chapo presented new creations at the Salon des Arts Ménagers, exhibiting the B17 bookshelf for the first time. This bookcase is fixed to the wall freeing up a lot of living space. The bookshelf, whose presence surprises by its discretion and elegance, by the harmony of the lines between the uprights and the shelves (in 50 mm sections) is accentuated by the originality of the support system. Supports, as their name implies, normally prop up the shelves of a piece of furniture or else the jutting parts of buildings. Pierre Chapo decided not to take this universal law into account and modeled a support that fits into the upright, which means the shelf can be solidly fixed under its support. In a balance between gravity and the forces at play, the more weight goes on the shelf, the better its components slot into the upright. The wall unit is in the French Campagne style...Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsElm
- 2-Seat Sofa by Yngve Ekstrom for Swedese, 1960 SwedenBy Yngve Ekström, SwedeseLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesExtremly rare and comfortable 2-seat sofa by Yngve Ekstrom for Swedese, 1960 Sweden. Produced during the late 1960s. Brand's mark underneath the sofa graved in the pine wood. With co...Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Pine
- Danish Folding Dining Table by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Model 3601, 1950sBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesNice small drop-leaf table model 3601 designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, Denmark, 1952. This table has a teak wooden foldable top and chrome-plated tubular metal legs. This ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Drop-leaf and Pembroke Tables
MaterialsMetal
- Tripod Rope Floor Lamp by Audoux Minet, France, 1960sBy Adrien Audoux and Frida MinnetLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesRope floor lamp by Audoux Minnet Hard wire structure, covered with rope France, 1960s.Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsRope
- Exceptional Ceramic Wall Panel by the Cloutier Brothers, circa 1960By Robert and Jean CloutierLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesRare wall panel of the Cloutier Brothers, made of 5 lava plates enamelled with Cloutier red and black, this abstract representation which can make yo...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
MaterialsLava
- Blue Ceramic Vase Pique Fleur Jacques Pouchain / Atelier Dieulefit France, 1960sBy Dieulefit, Jacques PouchainLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesMidcentury blue ceramic vase pique fleur by Jacques Pouchain / Atelier Dieulefit. About the Artist: Jacques Pouchain (1925 - 2015) left Paris and gave up his architectural traini...Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vases
MaterialsCeramic
- Teak Shelf by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbler, 1960sBy Kai Kristiansen, Feldballes MøbelfabrikLocated in PARIS, FRThis shelf was designed by Kai Kristiansen for the Danish publisher Feldalles Møbler in the 1960s. This designer is a major figure in 20th century Scandinavian design. He is known fo...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak
- Vintage Danish Rosewood Wall Unit by Kai Kristiansen for FM, 1960sBy Kai Kristiansen, Feldballes MøbelfabrikLocated in Asaa, DKVintage Danish modular rosewood wall unit by Danish architect Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1960s. Floating modular 1 bay shelving system model FM Reolsystem....Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsRosewood
- Rosewood Wall Unit by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Mobelfabrik, Denmark 1950'sBy Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai KristiansenLocated in Amsterdam, NLLarge rosewood wall unit with rosewood back plates. The cabinet has some traces of use like stains, but no veneer damage. There are 2 holes in the back plates, one for the lamp and...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
MaterialsRosewood
- Set of 3 Teak Shelves by Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbler, 1960sBy Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai KristiansenLocated in PARIS, FRThese shelves were designed by kai kristiansen for the Danish publisher feldalles møbler in the 1960s. This designer is a major figure. Scandinavian design of the 20th century. He is...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak
- 1960s Wall unit, Kai KristiansenBy FM Møbler, Kai KristiansenLocated in Neuss, NWClassic shelving system by Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler from the 1960s. The high-quality containers are veneered in teak. The system consists of one container with doors and four sh...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak
- Vintage Danish Teak Wall Unit by Kai Kristiansen for FM, 1960sBy Kai Kristiansen, Feldballes MøbelfabrikLocated in Asaa, DKVintage Danish modular Teak wall unit by Danish architect Kai Kristiansen for Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1960s Floating modular 4 bay shelving system model FM Reolsystem. This ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
MaterialsTeak