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Price category: 9,000 - 12,500 usd / eur

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The Colonial chair is one of Danish designer, Ole Wanscher’s key designs, drawing influence from British and French colonial furniture from the 18th & 19th centuries. Wanscher disagreed with the modernist full-sail rejection of the past and preferred to explore classic yet minimal aesthetics.

As a minimalist, Wanscher had a preference for the slim and refined, but was also influenced by many different styles of design as his present work shows. Wanscher created this model as the perfect balance between paying tribute to classic conservative trends and standing the test of time, which is why this model remains his most famous design to this day. This elegantly constructed chair combines comfort with style. Made of Brazilian rosewood, the frame features a woven cane seat that wraps around the inside of the seat. Despite its slender dimensions, this Colonial chair is very stable, with its strength lying in the carefully designed bracing. The design’s sophisticated, slightly curved armrests rise to a point before taking a turn downward – a trademark Wanscher feature. The front and back legs are made of roundwood timber, taking advantage of the tree's constructive possibilities, with the back legs curving gently outward for added stability and a more refined result.

The original design from 1949, like this one, featured black leather seat and back cushions to add an elegant and timeless touch. Unlike the reissued Colonials, the originals bear the maker’s mark, with this chair being no exception. The tag is affixed with metal plaques that reads “Danish Furniture makers Control” and “Made in Denmark PJ Design Ole Wanscher”.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The chair has been reupholstered recently in premium leather. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.

Dimensions:

25.39 in W x 27.36 in D x 33.26 in H; Seat height 18.7 in

64.5 cm W X 69.5 D X 84.5 cm H; Seat height 47.5 cm

Literature:

Noritsugu Oda, 'Danish Chairs', Korinsha Press, Kyoto 1996, p 67.

Andrew Hollingsworth, ‘Danish Modern’, Gibbs Smith, 2009, p. 92.

Chairs: 20-Century Classics, Fox Chapel Publishing, Sep 1, 2012, unpaginated

About the Designer:

Ole Wanscher (1903-1985) was an architect and professor, and is known today as one of the leading figures in the Scandinavian Design movement and many of his pieces became staples in Scandinavian homes.

Wanscher studied at the Danish School of Art and Design, and was highly influenced by his professor, Kaare Klint. After graduation, Wanscher worked with Klint between 1924 and 1927, then set up his first own office, specialising in furniture design. By the end of the 1940s, Wanscher made a name for himself for his quality designs. As the Danish newspaper Politiken put it: “'Owning a Wanscher-chair is an adventure every day, and will be so even several hundred years from now, for this is how long it lasts”.

Like Klint, Wanscher disagreed with the modernist full-sail rejection of the past and preferred to explore classic yet minimal aesthetics informed by precise study of the human body. Wanscher was also heavily influenced by Greek, Chinese, and Egyptian designs—which he encountered during his many travels abroad—as well as proto-modernist movements, like the Viennese Secession, Biedermeier, and Shaker styles.

In the 1950s, Wanscher left his private firm to begin an association with P. Jeppesens Mobelfabrik A/S that would last for the rest of his professional life. Ole Wanscher's work has remained sought after by furniture collectors. His designs are described as "delicate", "elegant", and "orderly". Today, Wanscher’s pieces are considered to be modern classics and are still adored for their detail and the designer’s deep respect for materials. ~H.