The “Bench for Two” is a historic and iconic piece by Danish designer Nanna Ditzel. This innovative two-seater bench and table was the “grand old lady of modern design”, Nanna Ditzel and Fredericia Furniture’s first joint project in 1989. In 1990, it won the Gold Medal in the International Furniture Design Competition held in Japan.

As Fredericia’s catalogue states, with its seatback of millimeter-thin, silk screen printed, aeroplane veneer, the bench is a work of art in any room. The frame was made with maple veneer and the bench and table have a lacquered finish. The sculptural back and tabletop feature a unique geometric pattern, which is made of an ultra-thin and strong material. The 1.5 mm thin aeroplane plywood is light and flexible, making it a perfect and also awarded material choice. The two back legs of the bench are slightly tilted, while the front ones form a unit with the accompanying table’s legs.

Nanna Ditzel’s experimental nature and Fredericia’s high-quality manufacturing is very visible in this piece, a unification of the sculptural with the functional.

SOLD

Condition:

Some veneer repairs. Minor veneer damages. The veneer of the table has a slightly different hue and a few superficial scratches.

Dimensions:

Bench:

59.64 in W x 29.92 in D x 38.18 in H; seat height 15.74 in

151.5 cm W x 76 cm D x 97 cm H; seat height 40 cm

Table: 

35.43 in W x 25.19 in D x 15.74 in H

90 cm W x 64 cm D x 40 cm H

Literature:

The A-Z of Modern Design, Bernd Polster et al., Merrel, 2009, p. 182.

A Dictionary of Modern Design Second Edition, Woodham, Jonathan M., Oxford University Press, 2016.

Design Directory Scandinavia, Bernd Polster, Universe, 1999, p. 187.

The Design Encyclopedia, Mel Byars, Wiley, 1992, p. 152.

About the designer:

Nanna Ditzel (1923 – 2005) was a modern Danish designer, who created an impressive body of work during her long career, leading 20th century Danish design. Her name equalled to a prestigious brand characterized by quality, distinctive sleek design and skill.

Born in Copenhagen on the 6th of October in 1923, Nanna Ditzel studied under the influential furniture designer Kaare Klint. in 1985, she started her own design studio in Copenhagen. She began to work on her own, developing her now trademark split-level floor seating and low cushions. In the field of furniture design, Nanna Ditzel quickly attracted critical attention. In Copenhagen, she began working for Fredericia, a leading Danish manufacturer with a reputation for high quality furniture.

She received several awards during her long and distinguished career, including the Lunning Prize in 1956, silver medals at the Milan Triennali of 1951, 1954 and 1957, followed by a golden one in 1960. Her work has been displayed at art centers around the world, including New York, London, Madrid and Milan. In 1996 she was elected honourable Royal Designer in London and awarded a lifelong Artist's Grant by the Danish Ministry of Culture two years later. A film was made about her life and work in 1991.

Nanna Ditzel is recognised worldwide for her stylish designs, for which functionality was always a driving force. During her career that spanned 60 years, her furniture, textiles and jewellery were to be found in all major European cities as well as in North America.She remains as one of Denmark's most acclaimed designers. ~H.