Bent Salicath [Redaktion, Editor]: Dansk Kunsthåndværk [Danish Crafts]. København: Landsforeningen Dansk Kunsthåndværk [National Association of Danish Crafts], Årgang 1965–66 [Volume 38, No. 1]. Text in Danish. Slim quarto. Stapled letterpressed wrappers. 44 pp. Articles and advertisements. Lower corner bumped, but a very good or better copy.
8.25 x 11.75 Danish Journal for Interior Decoration, Design, Crafts and Industry with 44 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 1965 consisted of A. Hostrup Pedersen, Ole, Hagen, Jørgen Anton, John Becker, Eric Bohr, Poul Hansen, Poul Kjaerholm, Axel Thygesen, and Gertie Wandel.
The National Association of Danish Crafts was heavily vested in promoting Danish design in the Postwar years, so every item featured in Dansk Kunsthåndværk is identified by designer and manufacturer. I suspect this information might be useful to some folks.
Contents
Advertisers include Hans Bunde for Cohr, Karl Gustav Hansen for Hans Hansen Sølv, Kaare Klint for Rud. Rasmussens Snedkerier, Magnus Stephensen for Georg Jensen Sølv, Grethe Meyer for Den Kongelige Porcelainsfabrik, Helga & Bent Exner, Kay Bojesens Modeller, Fredrik Fogh & Edoardo Bregani for A/S Nordisk Solar Compagni, Kaare Klint and Esben Klint for Le Klint, Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Møbler, and Jo. Hammerborg for Fog & Mørup among others.
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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