Bent Salicath, Arne Karlsen [Redaktion, Editors]: Dansk Kunsthåndværk [Danish Crafts]. København: Landsforeningen Dansk Kunsthåndværk [National Association of Danish Crafts], Årgang 1961 [Volume 34, Nos. 2-3]. Text in Danish. Slim quarto. Stapled letterpressed wrappers. 68 pp. Articles and advertisements. A fine copy.
8.25 x 11.75 Danish Journal for Interior Decoration, Design, Crafts and Industry with 68 pages of text and advertisments published by the National Association of Danish Crafts, Copenhagen. The Executive Committee of the National Association of Danish Crafts in 1961 consisted of A. Hostrup Pedersen, Axel Brüel, Helga Foght, Ole, Hagen, Søren Hansen, Finn Juhl, Eigill Michelsen, Jørgen Michelsen, and Poul Stern. Issue designers were Axel Brüel, Finn Juhl, and Johan Pedersen.
Issue contents include:
In 1954 the four Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland arranged what proved to be the most important marketing effort ever for Scandinavian design—the monumental exhibition Design in Scandinavia. From 1954 to 1957 Design in Scandinavia toured the United States and Canada. The exhibition was presented in 27 cities, and it was a huge success, initiated by The Danish Society of Arts and Crafts and its sister organizations in the other participating countries.
Based on the success the four countries established what they called the Scandinavian Design Cavalcade, which had a lot of US press coverage as well. In that connection the July 1959 issue of House Beautiful was centered around The Scandinavian Look in U.S. Homes, and it was Denmark and Danish Design in particular that the magazine focussed on. Besides the editorial pages, the numerous ads illustrates that Danish modern furniture was increasingly gaining a stronghold among certain groups of American consumers.
Importers and retail chains like John Stuart Inc., George Tanier, Raynor and Dunbar etc. now sold Danish modern furniture in the US, and by now it was not only hand crafted furniture from the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibitions but also pieces from industrial furniture producers like Fritz Hansen, Søborg Møbelfabrik, Fredericia Furniture and many others. From the end of the 1950s Danish Department stores and other retailers produced comprehensive brochures and booklets in English with prices in US Dollars presenting Danish Design to American and other tourists.
Without exception, these stores all presented the narrative of Danish modern. “Denmark is known all over the world for its exquisite home furnishing, which are characterized by their outstanding design and superb craftsmanship” the department store Magasin claimed in its brochure “Danish Design.”
Dansk Kunsthåndværk [Danish Crafts] was the house organ for the National Association of Danish Crafts in Copenhagen published beginning in 1927. According to their website, the aim of The Danish Arts and Crafts Association is to work for the development of Danish arts and crafts; to care for members interest in all matter concerning trade, continued development and education; to propagate for knowledge of and use of artist and crafts-people and their works in all parts of the society; and to strengthen and coordinate the area of arts and crafts with special reference to create knowledge and recognition for arts and crafts as a cultural factor.
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