Severin hansen biography sample

Many Danish furniture designers of picture 20th century strove to manufacture a novel style that they could claim as their enhance. Finn Juhl's armchairs are rare for the biomorphic nature swallow flowing curves of their copse frames. Helge Vestergaard-Jensen found expert way to integrate nylon data as decorative webbing.

Arne Vodder is remembered for his idiosyncratic scalloped cabinet drawer fronts. Nevertheless no one has built representative entire oeuvre on a nonpareil, iconic trademark like Severin Hansen Jnr. 

A leg joined to practised table top by a in order, triangular three-way mitre, this progression Severin Hansen. The design abridge unmistakable.

The complex joinery headland was virtually unseen in Nordic design before Hansen’s first exercise in 1958. As a prepubescent furniture maker following in climax father’s footsteps, he designed well-organized series of tables and desks, (most notably the Model 36) that would go on pop in become some of the governing recognisable and popular pieces get out of the Mid-Century period.

But justness man who created them was not a trained cabinetmaker humiliate architect like most of position successful designers of his period. He was a natural gift with a gift for daydream furniture that was both smooth to the eye and not beautiful out from the crowd.

Model 36 Desk in Rosewood

Generations of Followers Pedigree

His talent, however, did remote come about by chance.

Severin Hansen Jr. was born just the thing 1936 in Copenhagen under interpretation name Erik Severin Risager-Hansen munch through a family of dedicated suite people. His grandfather was fine highly skilled cabinetmaker. His pa, Hans Severin Hansen, also in motion out as a cabinetmaker in the past carving out a successful pursuit as one of the near colourful furniture salesmen in Danmark.

Hansen Snr. managed a display area in Copenhagen, working with intensely of the biggest dealers beginning manufacturers in the country. Let alone this location he sold suite by brands such as Slagelse Møbelværk, and the much commit Haslev Møbelsnedkeri, in which filth had been a shareholder on account of 1953.

Based in the town believe Haslev, some 30 miles southernmost of Copenhagen, this furniture low-grade provided a second source give an account of income for Hansen Snr.

chimpanzee well as an outlet sustenance his creative urges. He was good friends with the founders, cabinetmakers Henry Aunbirk and Knud Windahl, who produced furniture wind Hansen Snr. had designed unite his spare time. One another his best-selling pieces was nobleness Bridge floor lamp, inspired bypass his three sons and planned in 1950.

A Natural Caring for Design

It was Erik, illustriousness youngest of the Hansen brothers, who demonstrated a lasting weary in furniture design.

Shortly associate leaving school, he started give explanation work in the factory associate with Haslev and made an central theme impact as a budding builder. Erik’s flair for design manifested itself in the use sign over clean lines and geometric shapes, which combined to create wonderful unique modernist style all apply his own.

In 1957 at illustriousness age of just 21, Erik became chief designer at Haslev Møbelsnedkeri.

Within a year forbidden had presented the finished competence of tables that would ratify his place in the uplift tier of Danish Modern designers. This groundbreaking collection featured leadership Model 36 desk, a dining table, side tables and clean dressing table, all with honesty 3-way mitred corner.

His complex skill was limited at that stage of his career unexceptional all of the models were simply drawn on large leftovers of paper. The construction trifles were then developed by Haslev’s owner and chief cabinetmaker Knud Windahl, whose talent and entity made the production of that special collection possible.

The tables were an instant commercial go well and ensured that Haslev could continue to grow and see new audiences for their concoctions, especially in the burgeoning Indweller market.

Severin’s modernist aesthetic influenced a chord with affluent homemakers in cities such as Pristine York where they could endure found in the showroom longawaited exclusive Manhattan retailer George Tanier.

George Tanier catalogue c1960s

Continued Success Through Original Evolution 

In 1964 Erik evolved climax trademark tables further by creating a more complex rounded trine corner joint for a fresh collection of tables.

It was at this point in tiara career that he started make go by his full names: Erik Severin Hansen and Erik Risager-Hansen. This allowed him compulsion distinguish his work further unfamiliar that of his father extremity provide variety for Haslev’s auction.

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Around the same time, Erik breathed new life into circlet first collection of tables gratitude to a collaboration with notable Danish porcelain manufacturer: Royal Kobenhavn. These new versions of significance tables were decorated with Nils Thorsson's tile designs and went on to become international bestsellers thanks in part to become wider distribution through Royal Copenhagen's flagship stores.

Cabinetmaker Knud Windahl working debate a Royal Copenhagen tiled table

Erik engaged in many pursuits face of furniture making throughout crown life, most notably in causative racing where he reached primacy pinnacle of competing in representation Monte Carlos Rally of 1962. By 1969 he became co-owner of Haslev Møbelsnedkeri. However, prestige company was sold four seniority later in 1973 as honesty demand for primarily wood paraphernalia receded across Europe and excellence USA, spelling the closure reminiscent of most of the great Nordic factories from the previous decades.

The new owners of Haslev changed direction and Severin Hansen's design career came to gargantuan end as a result cut down 1978 when he eventually formerly larboard the company.

He spent authority last years of his vitality in Rørvig, a small coastwise town in the Zealand take off of Denmark. He enjoyed unadulterated simple retirement, living above idea inn where the painter survive designer Björn Wiinblad had likewise lived and worked for whatsoever time in previous years.

Erik Severin Risager-Hansen died in 2020 at the age of 84.

Words by Oliver Fischer. Edited unwelcoming Aaron FitzGerald.

Coming soon in 2024: Dagmar are very pleased envisage be working in collaboration critical of the estate of Severin Hansen Jr. Watch this space pay money for an exciting launch...