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Price category: 15,000 - 20,000 usd / eur

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This free-standing sofa, better known as “Model V11” is considered among the masterpiece designs of Illum Wikkelsø. The Danish designer created the “V11” series in 1965 whilst working with master cabinetmaker Holger Christiansen in Aarhus.

Wikkelsø’s three-seater sofa combines a rectangular shape and long lines with rounded out edges. The low back and deep seat give the sofa a modern and elegant look. The Brazilian rosewood legs are cone-shaped, a stand-out design element of the sofa. Three loose seat cushions contrast well with the tight edges of the frame, while also guaranteeing sitting comfort. Along with the cushions, the sides, back- and armrests are upholstered in a brown-green leather with beautiful patina.

The sofa was manufactured by Danish manufacturer Holger Christiansen Møbelfabrik in Aarhus in the 1960s. The leather is in a desirable vintage condition. This model has a good sense of balance and a classic look, which makes it a timeless design.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. The legs show minor wear. The leather has some marks and scratches and a beautiful patina. 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:

91.33 in W x 32.87 in D x 27.55 in H; Seat height 17.32 in

232 cm W x 83.5 cm D x 70 cm H; Seat height 44 cm

Literature:

300 Danske Designmøbler By Per H. Hansen and Klaus Petersen. 2015. Unpaginated.

About the designer:

Kristian Illum Wikkelsø (1919-1999), by his full name, is best known for his seating designs. Like most Danish designers at the time, Wikkelsø trained as a carpenter until 1938 and then followed in the footsteps of many of his later colleagues and continued his studies at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts, graduating on 1941.

In 1944, Wikkelsø moved to Århus to work as an interior designer He was then employed at the carpentry master and architect Jacob Kjær's drawing room and then at Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen’s architectural firm, where he worked until 1954. The same year, Illum Wikkelsø began designing his own furniture and a few years later, he established his own workshop. A number of Danish manufacturers produced Wikkelsø’s designs, such as C.F. Christensen, Holger Christiansen and Søren Willadsen.

Like many of his Danish contemporaries, including Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, and Hans Wegner, Wikkelsø’s designs emphasize formal simplicity and biomorphic silhouettes. Wikkelsø’s background in cabinetry engendered in him a profound understanding of materials and an excellent attention to detail. Working with teak and rosewood, he captured delicately sculptural forms. Wikkelsø believed that furniture should be built to last while cradling the body and pleasing the eye.

Though little biographical information survives, the quality of Illum Wikkelsø’s designs affirms his status as an active proponent of Scandinavian modernism in the post-war era. ~H.