Arne Vodder Model 51A Teak & Rattan Armchair For P Olsen Sibast Møbelfabrik 1953

Arne Vodder Model 51A Teak & Rattan Armchair For P Olsen Sibast Møbelfabrik 1953

Magnificent mid century Arne Vodder Model 51A Teak & Rattan Armchair for  P Olsen Sibast Møbelfabrik, Denmark circa 1953, the aggressively styled armrests and frame are finished in teak with rattan seat and seat back, the model is an early production with Sibast makers label to the underside, a protégé of the great Finn Juhl, Arne Vodder had a vast career in his own right and remains one of the most sought after names in the world of collecting today.

This "Model 51A" chair is a very rarely seen and quite an early example of Vodder's work for Sibast. These breathtaking chairs were a George Tanier import, a man known for bringing some of the highest quality Danish design into the United States. The defining design element of these chairs are their sculptural arms for which the "A" stands in their name. Traditionally in Mid-Century Denmark the dining table was populated with "side" chairs as opposed to the American tradition of arm chairs at the end of the dining table. With that, we have the armstol version of the Model 51chair; Model 51A.

The chair is nothing short of a collector's dream and it represents countless icons of Mid-Century Danish design, carefully preserved for future enjoyment, reserve now.

About: Arne Vodder was born in Denmark in 1926. Trained as a cabinetmaker and architect, he studied under Finn Juhl at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, graduating in 1947. After school, he worked as a designer at Hindsgaul in Copenhagen, focusing primarily on office décor. In 1950, Vodder launched his own architecture and design studio with architect Anton Borg. Over the years, the studio moved to a few locations within Copenhagen before ultimately settling in the suburb of Holte, north of the city. Together, the two designed furniture as well as several low-cost houses. Vodder and Borg collaborated until the 1970s.

Vodder is best known for his furniture designs, which tended to be simple pieces composed of natural materials such as rosewood and teak, often inspired by the natural forms, and occasionally accented with colorful panels. Vodder worked with several respected brands throughout his career, designing cabinetry, tables, seating, and more for furniture makers Fritz Hanson, France & Son, Nielaus, Sibast, Kircodan (for which he designed garden furniture), as well as the department store Havemanns Magasin A/S (for which he designed the interiors), among others.

While Vodder is less well known today than some of his contemporaries, his work was well received throughout his lifetime. In fact, between the 1950s and ’70s, Vodder’s furniture designs were used by President Jimmy Carter in the White House and President Anwar Sadat in Cairo, and were also included in the United Nations Office in Geneva, as well as in a number of hotels, banks, and embassies worldwide. His work was exhibited widely both individually and in group exhibitions with the likes of Verner Panton and Nanna Ditzel.
Vodder passed away in 2009.