Bold Jens Risom Walnut Coffee Table by Jens Risom Design
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Jens Risom is considered one of the great modernist designers of the mid 20th Century. He trained under the highly influential Danish architect and father of Danish modernism Kaare Klint and also was a class mate of Hans Wegner. Shortly before the German invasion of Denmark in 1940, Risom emigrated to the United States. On arrival, he was surprised by the lack of modern furniture available in the American market.
The work he designed for his eponymous company 'Risom Furniture' is highly collectable and rare to find in New Zealand. Risom's work is known for its clean lines and simple shaker style aesthetic. This architectural coffee table from the 1950s is grand enough to capture your attention and warm enough to add a Scandinavian element to an interior.
Each piece is checked and carefully hand restored at our Kingsland studio workshop. Our focus is preserving the character and patina of the design while ensuring it displays beautifully in a contemporary interior.
Each piece is checked and carefully restored at our Kingsland studio workshop. Our focus is preserving the character and patina of the design while ensuring it displays beautifully in a contemporary interior.
- Joints checked and reglued
- Timber cleaned and stains removed
- Veneer repairs if needed
- Surfaces polished / refinished
The items showcased in our gallery are constantly changing – not all items are on display at once.
Please enquire if there is a specific piece you would like to view and we’ll make sure it’s in the gallery.
All pieces are available for collection in person from our Ponsonby gallery. We are also happy to provide a quote for delivery throughout New Zealand.
Please enquire for delivery options.
Bold Jens Risom Walnut Coffee Table by Jens Risom Design
Note: We showcase a curated edit from the Mr. Bigglesworthy catalogue. Please contact us to view specific items.
Jens Risom studied as a furniture maker at the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, alongside other talented Danish designers such as Hans Wegner. Here he developed a love for furniture that expressed the human need for 'beauty, warmth and simplicity'. In 1939 Risom moved to the United States to further his studies and he never turned back. After a slow start, Risom met Hans Knoll and together they released a range of furniture, recognised for the use of excess parachute straps from the First World War.
Risom and Knoll enjoyed a successful partnership until Risom was enlisted to fight in World War 2. During the war, he used his design sensibility to create maps and was also called upon as a German translator. Upon returning to post war America, Risom and Knoll went their separate ways. Risom continued to make Scandinavian modernist furniture and founded his own company, Jens Risom Design Inc. His designs were so popular that he set up manufacturers around America and the world.
Perhaps an unofficial show of Risom's popularity was when he was chosen by Playboy magazine to feature in their central segment on furniture designers. He was one of six designers chosen for this privilege. Risom had become one of America's most loved designers.
