Agnete and Svend Laursen. Courtesy of the Laursen family.
Any design lover can appreciate the thrill of viewing exceedingly rare works in person that had only been seen in books, or, conversely, share in the satisfaction of seeing iconic designs in period images, arranged in settings as their makers originally envisioned them. Such is the case with the present group of important and early furniture by the esteemed Danish designers Finn Juhl and Flemming Lassen, which have remained in the same family since the original owner began to acquire them nearly a century ago. These designs, some of which had been known only from historical exhibition photographs and drawings, bore witness to the fascinating lives of Agnete and Svend Laursen and represent the precocious and innovative talents of Juhl and Lassen.
Swedish ballet dancer Countess Elsa-Marianne von Rosen with Peter Laursen in The Tired Man armchair. Courtesy of the Laursen family.
The protagonist of the story, Agnete Fridericia Laursen Kalckar, was born in Copenhagen in 1913, the daughter of a professional violinist and a high-ranking scientist at the University of Copenhagen. In 1938, following university studies in economics, Agnete married Svend Laursen, a promising fellow student. That same year, according to a handwritten inventory from later in her life, she noted that she acquired a “large easy chair” and a “small easy chair,” which likely refers to the Lassen Tired Man armchair and the Juhl armchair on offer in this sale. The furniture must have remained in Denmark temporarily, though, because in 1939 the young couple moved to the United States to pursue academic opportunities, traveling around the country before settling in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, in Denmark, the Nazis occupied the country and eventually ordered the internment of the Jewish population. Agnete’s family, and approximately 7,000 other Jewish citizens and German refugees, were able to escape on fishing boats to neutral Sweden.
Flemming Lassen, Early "Den trætte mand" (The Tired Man) armchair, circa 1935. Design New York.
In 1950, Agnete and Svend settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a fascinating new chapter of Agnete's life began there when she met and began working for the architect Ben Thompson at Design Research, a highly influential lifestyle store in Harvard Square. With her connections in Denmark, and in particular her close friendship with Finn Juhl, she worked to source Danish design and crafts for the store, though they never carried Finn Juhl’s designs, possibly due to his commitments to Georg Jensen in New York.
Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild, Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen, September 29–October 15, 1944, stand 23.
When Agnete acquired her first pieces in 1938, she and Finn Juhl were both in their mid-20s, and at the very beginning of their fascinating, influential careers. The sculptural qualities of the upholstered Tired Man armchair and the Juhl armchair were highly imaginative and innovative at the time of their creation, while Juhl’s boldly painted furniture set Danish design on a new course. That Agnete, just one year Juhl’s junior, acquired these works, treasured them throughout her life, and went on to champion Scandinavian design in the United States through her work at Design Research, is a testament to her discerning eye, talent, and foresight.
Finn Juhl, Rare wall-mounted cabinet, circa 1944. Design New York.
Agnete Laursen with the wall-mounted cabinet. Courtesy of the Laursen family.
Finn Juhl, Unique bar cabinet, circa 1944. Design New York.
This furniture remained with Agnete until her passing in 2007 and then descended in the family of the present owners. The group was recently brought to light through the research of design specialist Morten Sandorff, and Phillips is honored to celebrate this story on behalf of the family.
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