Among the great mid-20th century Danish furniture designers, Børge Mogensen distinguished himself with his faith to traditional values of craftsmanship and honesty of materials.
While peers such as Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl and Arne Jacobsen designed some of the most striking and now iconic furnishings of the era, Mogensen focused on making chairs, sofas and other pieces that were simple, durable and comfortable — and in the long run perhaps more useful and better loved.
Mogensen studied under and later worked for Kaare Klint, a master cabinetmaker whose chief tenets were quality of construction and simplicity of line. Klint was a classicist, who believed that furniture forms should evolve from those of historical models. So, too, in his way was Mogensen, as two of his best-known earlier pieces attest.
His 1945 Spokeback sofa, with hinged arms that can be lowered to facilitate lounging, is a reinterpretation of the venerable Knole settee. With the oval silhouette of its plywood backrest and waterdrop-shaped cutouts, Mogensen’s Shell chair, designed in 1949, can be seen as a novel take on early 19th-century Empire side chairs.
Yet Mogensen shared the aesthetical sensibilities of his most forward-looking colleagues. His cabinets deploy the same spare geometries and lushly figured woods as those of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and his disciple Florence Knoll, the chief difference being that Mies and Knoll used chrome steel for the frames and legs of their pieces. The brawny oak frames and slung leather seats and backrests of Mogensen’s Hunting chair (1950) and Spanish chair (1958) display the same hefty construction and appreciation of natural materials seen in the work of Charlotte Perriand and Sergio Rodrigues.
Mogensen designed for function more than sculptural effect. While his chairs may not be the first pieces in a décor to draw the eye, they are often the first to draw in those looking for a comfortable seat.
Find vintage Børge Mogensen dining tables, bookcases and other Scandinavian modern furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Børge Mogensen Bücherregal Teak Regal Søborg Møbelfabrik 1960
By Søborg Møbelfabrik, Børge Mogensen
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Bücherregal vom dänischen Qualitätshersteller Soborg Mobelfabrik aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Borge Mogensen, einem der b...
Teak
Midcentury Schrank Søborg Møbelfabrik Børge Mogensen Teak Regal
By Søborg Møbelfabrik, Børge Mogensen
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Teak Regal von Søborg Møbelfabrik aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Korpus, der über insgesamt vier Einlegeböden verfügt, wurde entworfen von Bør...
Metal
Sideboard Søborg Møbelfabrik Børge Mogensen Palisander Anrichte
By Søborg Møbelfabrik, Børge Mogensen
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Sideboard vom dänischen Qualitätshersteller Soborg Mobelfabrik aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Borge Mogensen, einem der bek...
Rosewood
Midcentury Schrank Søborg Møbelfabrik Børge Mogensen Teak 1960
By Søborg Møbelfabrik, Børge Mogensen
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen Teak Schrank von Søborg Møbelfabrik aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Korpus, der über insgesamt vier Einlegeböden und zwei Türen verfügt, wurd...
Metal
Original Enetri Bücherregal Vintage IKEA Niels Gammelgaard
By Niels Gammelgaard, IKEA
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Vintage Regal von IKEA aus den 1980er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Niels Gammelgaard und wurde unter dem Namen Enetri bekannt. Das Möbel...
Steel
Sideboard Søborg Møbelfabrik Børge Mogensen Teak Anrichte
By Søborg Møbelfabrik, Børge Mogensen
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Sideboard vom dänischen Qualitätshersteller Soborg Mobelfabrik aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Borge Mogensen, einem der bek...
Teak
Bookcase model "154" by Børge Mogensen for FDB, 1960s
By FDB Møbler, Børge Mogensen
Located in Brescia, IT
Børge Mogensen "154" model for FDB, 1960s production. Oak bookcase with adjustable shelves and sculptural legs. Brand present. Bookcase model "154" designed by Børge Mogensen and pr...
Oak
Borge Mogensen Large Bookcase
By Børge Mogensen
Located in London, GB
A bastion of the Danish Modern design movement, to us, Børge Mogensen embodies integrity. His functional and diplomatic approach to furniture design paved the way for Danish design c...
Oak, Teak
Børge Mogensen Bookcase
Located in London, GB
This oak bookcase by Børge Mogensen is a masterclass in the Danish Functionalist tradition, showcasing the designer's commitment to "human-centered" furniture that prioritises utilit...
Oak
Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler
By Børge Mogensen, FDB Møbler
Located in PARIS, FR
Signed teak bookcase designed by Børge Mogensen in the 1950s and produced by FDB Møbler in Denmark in the 1950-60's. It is an incredibly perfect condition. The position of the shelve...
Teak
Ejvind Johansson bookcase in rosewood Ivan Gern Denmark 1960
By Ejvind A. Johansson, Ivan Gern Møbelfabrik
Located in Etten-Leur, NL
Ejvind Johansson bookcase for Ivan Gern, Denmark, 1960. A beautifully crafted Danish modern bookcase in richly figured rosewood with elegant proportions and refined detailing. The b...
Santos Rosewood
Danish Mid-Century Bookcase by Grete Jalk for P. Jeppesen, Denmark 1950s
By Poul Jeppesen, Grete Jalk
Located in Utrecht, NL
This lovely bookcase designed by Grete Jalk for P. Jeppesen reflects the Danish designer’s aesthetic—clean and highly functional, yet creative. Danish mid-century pieces were often ...
Wood
