Mid Century Danish Modern Arne Hovmand Olsen MK Teak Drop Front Secretary Desk
About the Item
- Creator:Arne Hovmand-Olsen (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 47 in (119.38 cm)Width: 38 in (96.52 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Missing piece of wood to drawer pull (see pic 10).
- Seller Location:Philadelphia, PA
- Reference Number:Seller: 1549754948281stDibs: LU934128551602
Arne Hovmand-Olsen
Throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, Arne Hovmand-Olsen created furnishings that boasted all of the alluring qualities now associated with vintage Scandinavian modern design. The esteemed Danish designer favored high-quality teak, oak and rosewood for his sideboards, chairs and dining tables. Elsewhere, Hovmand-Olsen’s side tables and credenzas feature elegant organic curves and tapered legs, while his graceful armchairs and dining chairs are characterized by slender frames and sculptural seat backs.
From an early age Hovmand-Olsen showed an interest in drawing and an aptitude for design. In 1938, he began his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker under Peder Olsen Sibast, the founder of Sibast furniture company. Owing largely to the creative direction of Peder’s son, designer Helge Sibast, during the mid-century era, the manufacturer is internationally revered today for its wide range of sleek and collectible modern furniture.
In 1941, Hovmand-Olsen enrolled in a technical school to study furniture design, and opened his own workshop shortly after graduating. He created a range of furnishings for such notable manufacturers as Mogens Kold Møbelfabrik, Elven Geertsen and Jutex. He found success in Denmark, but attained even greater notability when he began selling his work in America.
Mid-century-era design from this region of the world — including objects like Arne Jacobsen’s Egg chair, Alvar Aalto’s undulating Savoy vase and Tapio Wirkkala’s leaf-shaped birch-laminate tray — took off in the States after the Second World War, when Scandinavia’s simple, curvilinear wooden furniture, home goods and textiles suddenly seemed the perfect foil for glass-and-steel skyscrapers.
Hovmand-Olsen closed his workshop during the 1970s. Today his work is widely collected by enthusiasts of mid-century Scandinavian modern furniture.
Find vintage Arne Hovmand-Olsen seating, tables, storage pieces and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Philadelphia, PA
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllAntique Early 19th Century Unknown Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century North American Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Paint
Mid-20th Century Unknown Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Cane, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Empire Secretaires
Mahogany
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Teak, Glass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
