Coffee table with painted decoration, mahogany, designed by Ole Wanscher, PJ Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1960s

Description

Coffee table with painted decoration, mahogany, designed by Ole Wanscher, PJ Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1960s

The basis of this coffee table is a design by Ole Wanscher for the Danish manufacturer PJ Møbler. It was made in the 1960s. It was crafted from high-quality dark mahogany with an interesting grain pattern. The tabletop is decorated all around with hand-painted, artistic decoration in keeping with the principles of modernist design. The painted decoration is subtle, while the centre of the tabletop is filled with the rich grain of the mahogany. The slender legs are a darker shade of brown than the tabletop.

Ole Wanscher was born in Copenhagen in 1903. He was a Danish architect and designer, as well as a key figure in the Danish mid-century modernist movement. In the postwar era, the simple and refined aesthetic he achieved by reinventing classical forms helped define Scandinavian design, and many of his works became mainstays of Scandinavian homes. Wanscher studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts under the renowned architect and designer Kaare Klint. After completing his studies, Wanscher worked with Klint from 1924 to 1927, and after Klint’s death, Wanscher was appointed to his professorship at the academy—a position he held until his retirement in 1973. Like Klint, Wanscher disagreed with the modernist approach of completely rejecting the past and preferred to explore a classical yet minimal aesthetic based on the close study of the human body. Wanscher was also strongly influenced by Greek, Chinese and Egyptian motifs, which he encountered during his many travels, as well as movements such as the Vienna Secession, Biedermeier and Shaker.

Poul Jeppesens Møbelfabrik is a Danish furniture manufacturer whose designs combine traditional craftsmanship with modern design. A clean, simple aesthetic characterised by considered forms, exceptional comfort and attention to detail is the company’s hallmark. PJ Møbelfabrik collaborated with many renowned designers. Ole Wanscher, Grete Jalk, Hans Olsen and Morten Gøttler are just some of them.

THE TABLE HAS UNDERGONE PARTIAL RESTORATION WHILE RETAINING ITS NATURAL PATINA. THIS IS A PIECE FINISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UPCYCLED VINTAGE. ITS FORM IS ORIGINAL AND DATES FROM THE 20TH CENTURY, WHILE THE FINAL FINISH HAS BEEN ALTERED THROUGH ARTISTIC INTERVENTIONS OR BY COMBINING PARTS FROM VARIOUS ORIGINAL OBJECTS. ALL TREATMENTS WERE CARRIED OUT USING TRADITIONAL METHODS, ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE AESTHETICS OF THE PERIOD FROM WHICH THE PIECE ORIGINATES, AND SUPPORT THE ZERO WASTE. PHILOSOPHY.

The coffee table is in very good vintage condition. It has minor age-related signs of wear.