Introducing The English Chair & The Spherical Bed by Kaare Klint’s masterpieces from the 1930s
Kaare Klint (1888-1954) is considered to be the founder of the Danish Modern movement. He was known for his unique understanding of design and proportions, making the materials themselves appear as the main decorative elements. Now, Carl Hansen & Son is relaunching The English Chair from 1931 and The Spherical Bed from 1938 by Kaare Klint, both of which are sought-after design icons at auctions across the globe.
The English Chair and Spherical Bed are crafted according to the finest cabinetmaking techniques by the skilled master cabinetmakers and apprentices at THE LAB, Carl Hansen & Son’s in-house apprentice workshop at the company’s furniture factory on Funen in Denmark. Here, the apprentices learn about original woodworking techniques and are taught to perform traditional cabinetmaking tasks such as selecting wood from the sawmill, measuring the wood up with hand-held templates, cutting the wood on a traditional band saw, working with a spokeshave, moulding items, upholstery and much more. As a result, the English Chair and Spherical Bed are some of the most time-consuming and complex designs in Carl Hansen & Son’s collection.
Knud Erik Hansen, CEO and third generation owner of Carl Hansen & Son, says: “Kaare Klint was an innovative architect whom we are fortunate to have in our collection. His works are incredibly complex, which means that most of them do not lend themselves to serial production. However, we have a real desire to continue Klint’s legacy, and therefore, The English Chair and The Spherical Bed are obvious pieces for our apprenticeship workshop THE LAB. Here, the apprentices get the opportunity to explore one of Danish design’s biggest profiles, and to be trained in traditional cabinetmaking while keeping Klint’s legacy alive.”
The English Chair
Kaare Klint presented The English Chair at the Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition in Copenhagen in 1931. He was inspired by old English chairs from the 18th century – it was typical for him to revisit existing designs in order to optimise them. In The English Chair, Klint has masterfully used wood as a decorative element by incorporating it as a contrasting material, both on the chair legs and in the form of advanced intarsia on the armrests, backrest and under the seat. The back, sides and seat are made of French canework, and it takes a skilful weaver almost a week to complete just one chair. Although the design of The English Chair is refined and pared back on first glance, the complexity of the craftsmanship is incredibly high. The loose cushions are upholstered according to customer wishes.
The Spherical Bed
Kaare Klint’s Spherical Bed was presented in 1938 at the Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition under the title “A Lady’s Boudoir”. The name refers to the geometry behind the design of the bed: the sphere.
Klint designed The Spherical Bed as a single bed with a diameter of 2.3 metres. The space between the headboard, footboard and sides follows the shape of a fictitious sphere, mirroring its rounded edge. The Spherical Bed has since been hailed a mathematical stroke of genius, as all the dimensions are unbelievably precise, despite Klint not having access to 3D programs or other digital aids in the 1930s to realise this complex design.
For the first time, The Spherical Bed is now being presented as a double bed, where the high head and footboards create a well-defined space in the room. As a special detail, all the wood for the frame comes from the same tree trunk to create a uniform look, highlighting the beautiful grain on all the exposed surfaces. The bed’s complex design and superior craftsmanship are time-consuming; it, therefore, takes a full month just to make one bed.
More design by Kaare Klint:
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