Kai Kristiansen, Paper Knife sofa for Magnus Olesen

KAI KRISTIANSEN (Denmark, 1929).
Three-seater Sofa, model 121, Paper Knife.
Teak wood frame, with loose cushions new upholstered in fabric.
Sofa with minimum marks and signs of use.
Produced by Magnus Olesen, Dyrup.
Measurements: 73 x 164 x 76 cm. Seat height 41 cm.

The Paperknife (Paperknife or Paper-knife) designed by Kai Kristiansen is an iconic classic of Danish mid-century furniture design. Although the question originally referred to a paper knife, the name is world famous for its application to a chair model that has become a collector's item.

Kai Kristiansen is one of the most prominent designers of the mid-20th century Scandinavian scene, and his creations are highly representative of Danish furniture of the period. He created all kinds of furniture objects, including desks, tables, sideboards, chairs, bar furniture and TV stands, using mainly teak, rosewood and rosewood. One of his best-known and most widespread designs is the "Fm reolsystem", a shelving system that was conceived to offer maximum flexibility, since it allows endless possibilities for combining wall shelves and cabinets to fit seamlessly into any wall in any home. Kai Kristiansen was trained in Copenhagen, and worked for furniture designer Kaare Klint until 1950, before setting up on his own. He would later collaborate with the most prominent creators of contemporary Scandinavian design, such as Kjaersgaard and Fritz Hansen.