Fritz Hansen Danish Furniture Manufacturing Company

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Egg Lounge chair designed by Arne Jacobsen, 1958
Egg Lounge chair was designed by Arne Jacobsen, in 1958

Fritz Hansen, a cabinetmaker who started producing and supplying furniture parts before going into bentwood furniture production, founded this major Danish furniture manufacturing company in Copenhagen. In the 1930s, the company began to produce tubular steel designs by Dutch designer Mart Stam and others, in addition to wooden furniture. 

Post-WWII

China chair by Hans J. Wegner
China chair by Hans J. Wegner

However, following WWII, the company embarked on a series of significant partnerships with architects and designers, which transformed its production and reputation. Arne Jacobsen, whose famous Ant (1951–2), Egg (1958), and Swan (1958) chairs have proven to be long-lasting commercial hits, was one of the most well-known of these. Other designer manufacturer collaborations include Hans Wegner’s Chinese armchair (1945), Poul Kjaerholm’s PK 22 chair (1956), Mathsson and Piet Hein’s Superellipsis table (1964), and Verner Panton’s System Chair 123 (1974), as well as designs by foreigners like Vico Magistretti. Despite being taken over in 1979 after a turbulent financial time, the business has maintained its reputation for high-quality furniture and developed its international markets.

Sources

Woodham, J. M. (2006). A dictionary of modern design. Oxford University Press.

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