Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Daverkosen

PETER HVIDT (Denmark, 1916-1986) & ORLA MØLGAARD-NIELSEN (Denmark, 1907-1993) for France & Daverkosen.
Sofa-Divan "model FD-417".
Teak wood frame and velvet upholstery.
With manufacturer's label.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 190 x 76 x 84 cm: 45 cm (seat height).
Sofa bed designed by Danish architects Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for the furniture company France & Søn, produced in the 1950s. This mid-century design is a Scandinavian classic known for its solid teak wood frame and clean, sleek lines. The model is also known by its reference number, FD-417. The sofa can be easily converted into a divan by removing the back cushions.
Peter Hvidt trained as an architect at the Copenhagen Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture in 1940. Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen was a cabinetmaker and also trained as an architect at the School of Architecture of the Academy of Fine Arts in 1940.
Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen were pioneers of mid-century Danish design and in 1944 founded the Copenhagen-based firm Hvidt & Mølgaard, which they ran together until 1975, when they both retired. Together they designed more than 256 pieces of furniture over the course of their career.
The duo established a simple and precise aesthetic by designing countless pieces of furniture over the years, many of which became icons of the time. Today, their work is on display at MoMA, the National Gallery of Melbourne and the Copenhagen Design Museum.