Poul Kjærholm PK33 Stool for E. Kold Christensen 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Poul Kjærholm (Designer),E. Kold Christensen (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Diameter: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)Seat Height: 13.75 in (34.93 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Some wear to rubber ring supports. Minor surface wear to base. Leather is in very good vintage condition.
- Seller Location:Skokie, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU8194234526032
Poul Kjærholm
A trained cabinetmaker, Poul Kjærholm’s use of industrial methods and materials in the 1960s brought a fresh, graceful, sleek new style to Danish modern design.
At what is now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, Kjærholm studied under Hans Wegner and Jørn Utzon — an industrial designer and the architect of the celebrated Sydney Opera House. The latter greatly influenced Kjærholm’s furniture production techniques — although he employed natural materials such as cane and leather, to a far greater extent than his peers Kjærholm embraced the use of steel (rather than wood) framing for his chairs, daybeds and tables.
Kjærholm’s signal design was the PK22 chair of 1956, a low-slung leather lounger on a steel base. The ideas introduced in the PK22 — Kjærholm’s designs were named using a numeric system devised with his manufacturer, E. Kold Christensen — were refined throughout his career, as the offerings below show: the PK11 chair of 1957, with back and armrests formed by a semicircle of ash; the capacious, richly patinated leather seat of a vintage 1961 PK9 chair; the elegant rattan swoop of the PK 24 chaise longue (1965). The chaise longue's leather headrest, held in place by a steel counterweight, best shows Kjærholm's particular gift for combining technological advancements with a respect for traditional detailing.
While respectful of the past, Poul Kjærholm's sensibility is one of optimism and expectation. His was design for those who lived with verve and élan, and confidently anticipated the future.
Find a collection of vintage Poul Kjærholm furniture on 1stDibs.
E. Kold Christensen
Founded in Hellerup, Denmark, by entrepreneur Ejvind Kold Christensen, furniture manufacturer E. Kold Christensen was instrumental in advancing the career of Poul Kjærholm, a revered Danish cabinetmaker who brought a graceful and sleek new style to Scandinavian design.
Christensen and Kjærholm formed not only a close friendship but also a fruitful business partnership that endured for decades. The company produced most of Kjærholm’s acclaimed armchairs, stools and lounge chairs — which were often framed in brushed steel and upholstered in leather — until Kjærholm’s death in 1980.
Christensen began his career as a sales manager for the furniture manufacturer Carl Hansen & Søn. In the late 1940s, Christensen introduced the young Hans Wegner to Carl’s son, Holger Hansen — who was by then running his family’s legendary company — after recognizing the potential of this new designer. Wegner, Hansen and Christensen solidified their partnership by forming SALESCO — a marketing company with the sole purpose of promoting Wegner’s now universally celebrated body of work.
In the mid-1950s, Christensen partnered with promising designer Kjærholm — their pairing was the result of Wegner recommending that Christensen help develop Kjærholm (Wegner had been a teacher of Kjærholm’s at what is now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts). Christensen established his eponymous company with the singular goal of manufacturing his friend’s works.
E. Kold Christensen’s founder offered Kjærholm the room he needed to explore the structural potential of steel in furniture-making — he created forward-looking seating, tables and other pieces that reflected the influence of modernist designers such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich rather than the output of his Scandinavian peers, who worked primarily with wood. (Kjærholm would later experiment with wood during the 1970s.)
The refined PK22 chair, a lounger made of steel with a seat of leather or canvas has over time been compared to Mies and Reich’s Barcelona chair and is a fine example of Kjærholm’s mid-century innovations for E. Kold Christensen. It was an instant commercial success — launching both the designer's and manufacturer's careers. Later, Kjærholm’s iconic PK24 chair merged stainless steel, leather and a sinuous seat of woven wicker, while his PK61 coffee table offered a fanciful, off-center support structure for its glass top. By 1960, Kjærholm had twice been awarded the Grand Prize at the Milan Triennale.
In the 1980s, E. Kold Christensen sold the production rights to a range of Kjærholm’s work to Fritz Hansen, where the designer had incidentally worked for a short time in the early 1950s (the company now has rights to the complete collection) . Many of Kjærholm’s works are part of collections at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, while museums in Norway, Denmark, Germany and Sweden also have his works — each produced by E. Kold Christensen — in their permanent collections.
On 1stDibs, find vintage E. Kold Christensen chairs, tables, lighting and more.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Skokie, IL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Poul Kjaerholm "Pk 11" Armchair for E. Kold 1957By E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Skokie, ILPoul Kjaerholm "PK 11" Armchair Produced by E. Kold Christensen, Denmark circa 1957 Additional Information: Materials: Taminated ash wood, matte chrome-plated steel, leather, plasti...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Model "Pk 20" Lounge Chair by Poul Kjaerholm for Fritz Hansen, Denmark, 1989By Poul Kjærholm, Fritz HansenLocated in Skokie, ILPoul Kjaerholm model "PK 20" lounge chair for Fritz Hansen, Denmark, 1989 Additional Information: Materials: Leather, matte chrome-plated steel Dimensions: 36" H × 34" W × 26" D...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- "Visingso" Pine Stool by Carl Malmsten for Karl Andersson's, Sweden, 1960sBy Carl MalmstenLocated in Skokie, IL"Visingso" Pine Stool by Carl Malmsten for Karl Andersson's. Simple but elegant handmade craftsmanship with signature leg construction.Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsPine
- Jörgen Gammelgaard folding leather stool for Design Forum, Denmark, 1970sBy Jørgen GammelgaardLocated in Skokie, ILJörgen Gammelgaard folding stool for Design Forum, Denmark, 1970s. Additional Information: Materials: Chrome-plated steel, leather Dimensions: 19 1/2" H × 20" W × 18" D Condition: ...Category
20th Century Danish Stools
MaterialsSteel
- "Mezzadro" Stool in Yellow by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, 1957 / c. 1970By Zanotta, Achille & Pier Giacomo CastiglioniLocated in Skokie, ILAchille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni "Mezzadro" yellow stool for Zanotta Italy, 1957 / c. 1970 Additional Information: Materials: Enameled steel, chrome-plated steel, beech Dimensio...Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Fulvio Bianconi model 1329 “Pezzato” vase for Venini, Italy, 1950sBy Fulvio Bianconi, VeniniLocated in Skokie, ILFulvio Bianconi model 1329 “Pezzato” vase for Venini, Italy, 1950s Additional Information: Materials: Polychrome patchwork glass Dimensions: 9 1/4" H x 6 1/2" Dia. Condition: Excell...Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vases
MaterialsGlass
- 1950s PK33 Stool by Poul Kjaerholm for E. Kold ChristensenBy E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Sagaponack, NYAn early 'PK-33' stool, with a round black leather cushion on three satin-chromed flat bar legs. Maker's mark on underside.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsChrome
- Poul Kjaerholm "PK33" Stools Produced by E. Kold Christensen Denmark, 1960sBy E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Stockholm, SERare and early pair of "PK33" stools in steel and original brown leather by Poul Kjærholm produced by E. Kold Christensen in Denmark 1960s. In good original condition and stamped. ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Matching Set of Three Poul Kjærholm PK33 Stools by E. Kold ChristensenBy E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Dronten, NLRare all original early production Poul Kjaerholm E. Kold Christensen set of 3 PK33 stools. Black leather seat pad and matte-chromed steel base with grey lacquered circular plywood s...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- Poul Kjaerholm PK33 stoolBy Fritz Hansen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Brooklyn, NYIconic PK-33 Ottoman in camel leather, designed by Poul Kjærholm, produced by Fritz Hansen. Stainless steel frame is a nod to Kjærholm's affinity for industrial materials, employed a...Category
Early 2000s Danish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Poul Kjærholm PK 33 Stool for E. Kold Christensen, Original Condition, 1959By E. Kold Christensen, Poul KjærholmLocated in Houston, TXPoul Kjærholm, original condition. PK 33 stool. E. Kold Christensen, Denmark, 1959. Matte, chrome-plate spring steel with patinated, laminated wood...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
MaterialsSteel
- PK33 Stool by Poul KjærholmBy Poul KjærholmLocated in Los Angeles, CAPK33 stool by Poul Kjærholm for E. Kold Christensen, Denmark, 1959. Matte chrome-plated steel and leather. Impressed manufacturer's mark to frame under cush...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsStainless Steel