DANISH FURNITURE DESIGNER · 1914–1972
Børge Mogensen
Børge Mogensen designed furniture for ordinary people: solid, simple and easy to live with. His sofas and easy chairs in leather and fabric are among those we reupholster most often, because they are built to last another generation.
Pupil of Kaare Klint, designer for FDB
Mogensen trained as a cabinetmaker in Aalborg and studied under Kaare Klint at the Royal Academy’s furniture school. In 1942 he became head of FDB Møbler, where he designed affordable, good furniture in solid wood for Danish homes: the J39 People’s Chair, the Spoke-Back Sofa and shelving in pine and beech.
From 1950 he worked independently and designed for Fredericia Stolefabrik, Søborg Møbler and Erhard Rasmussen. His furniture is marked by Klint’s teaching on proportion and by a fondness for oak, beech, saddle leather and wool.
Leather that grows more beautiful
The Spanish Chair from 1958 and the Hunting Chair from 1950 use thick, vegetable-tanned saddle leather that develops a patina over the years. The Coupé sofa 2213 and the easy chair 2207 from 1962 are upholstered with loose cushions in leather or wool and are among the most reupholstered Danish sofas.
When we reupholster a Mogensen sofa, we keep the oak frame and rebuild the cushions. The saddle leather on the Spanish Chair is only replaced when necessary. Most of it can be cared for back to life.