Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen.

ARNE JACOBSEN (Denmark, 1902–1971) for Fritz Hansen
Series 7 Chair. 1970s Series
Teak wood and steel.
Features a four-spoke base with casters
In good condition.
Measurements: 82 x 47 x 50 cm.

Designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955, the Series 7 chair is one of the great icons of postwar Scandinavian design. Manufactured by the Danish firm Fritz Hansen, it was unveiled at the H55 exhibition in Helsinki and conceived as an evolution of the Ant chair (1952), with the aim of creating a more spacious and versatile shell capable of accommodating armrests.Its distinctive silhouette, with organic lines and a streamlined profile, is achieved through a pressure-molded plywood shell, whose formal lightness is a hallmark of the material’s strength. This technical innovation made it possible to develop a functional, stackable chair suitable for both domestic and institutional spaces. Jacobsen later incorporated the Series 7 into architectural projects such as the Rødovre City Hall, which opened in 1956, integrating furniture and architecture into a unified conception of space. The swivel version, marketed as model 3117, expands the functionality of the original design.
An architect and designer, Arne Jacobsen studied for four years at the Copenhagen School of Construction before enrolling in the Faculty of Architecture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Among his most notable architectural works are St. Catherine’s College in Oxford, the SAS Hotel in Copenhagen, the headquarters of the National Bank of Denmark in the same city, and the Royal Danish Embassy in London. As a designer, he created furniture that has become iconic, including the “Ant” chair (1951) and the “Swan” and “Egg” chairs designed for the SAS Hotel. He is also known for his 1955 Model 3107 chair, also called the “Chair No. 7,” of which more than five million were sold; it appears alongside Christine Keeler in Lewis Morley’s iconic photograph. Another of his contributions to popular culture in the media is his designer cutlery set, featuring spoons for both hands, which was chosen for the film “2001: A Space Odyssey” because of its futuristic look. The key to the success of Jacobsen’s work lies in its elegant and minimalist design, and today his pieces can be found in collections such as those at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the MoMA in New York, among many others.