Danish extendable coffee table FD 15/54, designed by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, France & Daverkosen, Denmark, 1950s

Description

Danish extendable coffee table model FD 15/54, designed by the esteemed duo Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for the renowned furniture manufacturer France & Daverkosen (later France & Søn) in 1956. This exceptional piece is the epitome of mid-century Scandinavian modernism, combining timeless elegance with remarkable functionality. Made entirely of solid teak with a warm patina, the table showcases exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail, including subtle brass hardware and hinges. The main advantage of the FD 15/54 is its extendable design. Thanks to its sturdy brass hinges, the two side leaves can be easily raised or lowered, allowing the length of the table to be adjusted smoothly. With the leaves folded, the table functions as a compact coffee table; when extended, its length increases from 129 cm to an impressive 183 cm, providing additional usable surface area. This versatility makes it not only a beautiful but also an exceptionally practical furnishing element, perfectly suited to dynamic living spaces.

The history of France & Daverkosen is not fully documented. Most sources agree that this Danish furniture manufacturer was founded in 1948 by British businessman Charles W. France and Danish cabinetmaker Eric Daverkosen. By 1952, they had built a large furniture factory in Hillerød, near Copenhagen, and quickly became one of the most successful Danish furniture companies. In 1957, when France’s son Julian joined the company, its name was changed to France & Søn. Between 1964 and 1967, Danish designer Poul Cadovius bought the brand and renamed it CADO. Cadovius continued producing France & Søn designs and collaborated with an impressive list of iconic designers, including Verner Panton.

Hvidt & Mølgaard were a pair of outstanding Danish architects and designers. They were known for lightweight, simple and clean-lined designs executed with precision. In 1944, the duo founded Hvidt & Mølgaard Studio, which they ran together until 1975. During this time, they designed for some of Denmark’s most distinguished brands, including Fritz Hansen, France & Søn and Søborg Møbelfabrik. In 1950, they designed the AX chair, which established their careers as industrial designers and became an icon of mid-century Danish design. It was the first Danish chair made from bent laminated wood. The AX chair was eventually joined by the AX table, which was exhibited in 1951 as part of the Good Design exhibition sponsored by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Over the course of their careers, they designed more than 256 pieces of furniture together. They jointly received an iF Product Design Award for the Safari lamp for Nordisk Solar Compagni. Their work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne and the Danish Museum of Art & Design in Copenhagen.

Our table has been restored and is in very good vintage condition. It has a natural patina and normal signs of age. Some of the screws have been replaced with new ones.

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