WHEN…
Carl Hansen & Son, started in 1908 as a tiny cabinet store in Odense, Denmark, on the island of Funen, was a major contributor to Danish Modern design’s global success in the 1950s. The company has survived two world wars, demonstrating the strength of its hybrid method, which combines careful handcraftsmanship with logical series manufacturing.
AT THE…
Carl Hansen’s skillful artisans produced works in the more extravagant designs prominent in the early twentieth century under its original originator. However, in the years following WWII, the firm rose to the forefront of modernist design, thanks in large part to a chance meeting between a young architect called Hans J. Wegner and Holger Hansen, the company’s founder’s son.
WHEN…
Holger Hansen died unexpectedly in 1962, leaving the firm with two sons who were too young to take over. Fortunately, his widow, Ella, a milliner by trade, bravely and boldly for a woman of the time, took over the company’s administration and successfully led it for two decades. She succeeded as a salesperson, nurtured her connection with Wegner, who developed the majority of their work, and rescued the company.
TODAY…
Their son, Knud Erik Hansen, is the CEO of the 114-year-old company, which continues to produce on the island of Funen and has a flagship store on Copenhagen’s posh retail boulevard, Bredgade. Many of Hans J. Wegner’s original unique chairs, tables, and credenzas are among its offerings, as are finely produced pieces by other stars of the Danish Modern movement, including Kaare Klint, Ole Wanscher, and Arne Jacobsen.
Since Knud Erik Hansen took over as CEO in 2002, the firm has established new relationships with modern designers and greatly increased its international footprint. Years of international victory for Danish furniture design, synonymous with excellent taste and great quality, never came to an end at Carl Hansen & Son. Through DSHOP, we’re privileged to bring the eternal brilliance of their creations into your hearts and homes.
Recent Comments