Pair of Kurt Østervig 57A Lounge Chairs, Denmark 1958. Produced by Rolschau Møbler, Vejen.

This pair of rotund easy chairs have a simplistic design that features a striking combination of a soft and rounded basin with slender runner legs.

The seat shell forms the sloping armrests as well as the backrest, embracing the sitter comfortably.
The patinated oak, sled base consists of slim lines that give the chair an uplifting and spacious appearance. The chair and loose cushions have been reupholstered in a premium light alpaca and wool blend fabric. The combination of the light upholstery with the darker base creates a nice contrast and gives the shell a somewhat floating appearance.

Kurt Østervig worked for E. Knudsen before deciding to open his own studio. Østervig continued to do freelance work and stuck to using three materials: oak, teak and rosewood.

Exhibition:

Presented at 'Købestævnet', Fredericia 1958.

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Items have been reupholstered in a premium alpaca and wool blend fabric.

Dimensions:

32.3 in. W x 29.15 in. D x 27.16 in. H ; Seat height 14.8 in.

82 cm W x 74 cm D x 69 cm H ; Seat height 37.5 cm

Literature:

Exhibition catalogue “God Form”. Det 48. Danske Købestævne 1958, Fredericia, p. 34.

About the designer:

Kurt Ejvind Ostervig was born in 1912 in Odense, Denmark. He was originally trained and worked as a shipbuilding engineer. However, by the 1930s Ostervig shifted to furniture design because of his passion of woodworking.

His career as a furniture designer began at E. Knudsen’s architectural design studio in Odense. In 1947, Ostervig opened his first own studio as a freelance furniture designer, with a focus on modern design. In the following decades Ostervig worked with many of the leading Scandinavian furniture producers of the period.

He was exceptionally versatile, designing furniture for hotels, cinemas, and won numerous design competitions during his career. He won at the Milan Triennale in 1953 and in 1960. In the 1960s, one of Ostervig’s designs was selected for an exhibition at the MoMA in New York.

Ostervig had a flair for the dramatic, infusing his furnishings with unique elements that stood out. From elegant, organic to coarse and purely functional furniture, his versatility earned him recognition. ~H.