—By Marie-Louise Høstbo, Architect MMA
Børge Mogensen's legacy in Danish furniture design is one of refined elegance, simplicity, and function. Born in Aalborg, in Denmark's northern peninsula, Jutland, Mogensen's early life set the stage for his lifelong devotion to craftsmanship. Trained as a cabinetmaker in his hometown, his journey took him to Copenhagen, where he honed his skills at the School of Arts and Crafts, later graduating from the prestigious Royal Danish Academy, Furniture School, in 1941. His formal education combined with his practical cabinetmaking experience became the cornerstone of his approach to design, where utility, material, and spatial harmony were paramount. Mogensen's collaboration with the Master Cabinetmaker Erhard Rasmussen began as early as 1939 when he made his first appearance at the Cabinetmaker's Guild Association Autumn Exhibition, signaling his entrance into Denmark's elite design circles. However, it was in 1950, after establishing his own office, that Mogensen truly began to create masterpieces that would become enduring icons of Danish design. His work emphasised a profound connection between furniture and its surroundings, viewing each piece as an integral part of the room's atmosphere rather than a standalone object. The 1950 Cabinetmaker's Guild Association Autumn Exhibition in Copenhagen featured one of Mogensen’s most celebrated contributions: an interior designed for a hunting hut, curated by Mogensen for Rasmussen. This exhibit was a showcase of natural beauty and understated luxury, with pine-clad walls, hunting trophies, and fish cages, all set against a backdrop of rustic transparency provided by bamboo curtains. Within this setting, Mogensen introduced a chair that would become one of his defining works: the 'Hunting' chair.
The present early 'Hunting' chair, inside Børge Mogensen's 'Hunting Cabin', Gentofte, Denmark, 1950.
Image: © Svend Wiig HansenThe 'Hunting' chair embodied Mogensen's philosophy of merging traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation. It featured a distinctive V-shaped frame, with its seat and back constructed from natural leather, stretched taut and secured by buckles. The armrests were notably detached from the chair's main structure, creating a visual tension between fragility and strength. Crafted from solid oak, the chair's low-slung profile invited its user to sit close to the floor, establishing a low perspective creating a relaxed connection to the space around them. The strong frame reinforced the chair's link to vernacular furniture, yet its execution was undeniably modern, pushing the boundaries of what an easy chair could be. It was both grounded in tradition and forward-looking in its use of materials and form.
Mogensen's commitment to purpose and functionalism extended beyond the 'Hunting' chair. His own home, which he designed, became a living laboratory for his ideas. Each piece of furniture was placed with intention, demonstrating the coherence between materials, form, and the surrounding environment. The present lot bears an extraordinary provenance, as it was created for and tested within this experimental setting of Mogensen's house before subsequent chairs of this model were produced. His house, with the 'Hunting chair' in situ, was a continuous display case for his evolving vision, with every object serving a purpose and contributing to the overall harmony of the space. In this way, Mogensen's work transcended mere furniture: it became an ongoing exploration of how design can elevate human experience, balancing practicality with beauty.Provenance
Børge Mogensen, Gentofte
Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, 'Nordic Design', 13 June 2013, lot 1310
Acquired from the above by the present ownerLiterature
Arne Karlsen, Møbler Tegnet af Børge Mogensen, Copenhagen, 1968, pp. 42-43
Grete Jalk, ed., Dansk Møbelkunst Gennem 40 Aar, Volume 3: 1947-1956, Copenhagen, 1987, pp. 155-57
Frederik Sieck, Contemporary Danish Furniture Design: A Short Illustrated Review, Copenhagen, 1990, p. 176
Noritsugu Oda, Danish Chairs, San Francisco, 1996, pp. 128-29
Arne Karlsen, Danish Furniture Design in the 20th Century, Volume 2, Copenhagen, 2007, p. 83
Michael Müller, Børge Mogensen, Möbel mit Format, Berlin, 2015, pp. 102-03Catalogue Essay
The present model chair was exhibited at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibition, Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen, 1950, stand 7.
78
Early 'Hunting' chair, from Børge Mogensen's private residence, Gentofte
circa 1950
Oak, leather, brass.
68 x 70.5 x 87.5 cm (26 3/4 x 27 3/4 x 34 1/2 in.)
Executed by master cabinetmaker Erhard Rasmussen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Estimate
£6,000 - 8,000
Sold for £12,700
Antonia King
Head of Sale, Design
+44 20 7901 7944
Antonia.King@phillips.com
Design
London Auction 13 November 2024
