Arne Jacobsen

ARNE JACOBSEN (Copenhagen, 1902–1971).
A one-of-a-kind desk for one of the “Atrium Houses” at Ved Bellevue Bugt, Klampenborg, 1961.
Wood and wenge veneer with matte chrome-plated steel.
Made by Jørgen Wolffs Møbelsnedkeri, Copenhagen.
With a paper label from the cabinetmaker on the back of the drawer, “JØRGEN WOLFFS MØBELSNEDKERI,” dated “NOV. 1961.”
Provenance: previously in its original location in one of the “Atrium Houses” at Ved Bellevue Bugt, Klampenborg.
In good condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with its age. Original condition, non restoration.
Measurements: 72.5 x 136.5 x 61.5 cm.

Commissioned specifically from Arne Jacobsen for the office of one of the “Atrium Houses” at Ved Bellevue Bugt and completed in November 1961, this desk is a unique and thoroughly documented piece, closely linked to one of the most significant residential complexes of the architect’s mature period. Christie’s specifically presented it as a one-of-a-kind design commissioned by the first resident of one of these homes and crafted by master cabinetmaker Jørgen Wolff.

The piece embodies extreme formal economy. A lightweight, orthogonal structure of matte chrome-plated steel supports the wide wenge tabletop, while the single drawer, suspended beneath the left side, provides storage without disrupting the clean lines of the design. The contrast between the linear precision of the metal and the pronounced grain of the wood lends warmth to a composition of great geometric rigor. The design of the drawer and its integration beneath the tabletop further reinforce the piece’s character as a piece of furniture created specifically for a particular interior, in contrast to the mass-produced designs for which Jacobsen is best known.

The five “Atrium Houses” at Ved Bellevue Bugt were built in 1960 in Klampenborg and developed the courtyard-house typology that Jacobsen had previously explored for the 1957 Interbau exhibition in Berlin. They form part of the extensive architectural complex created by the designer in the Bellevue area and were designated as protected sites in 1986. The desk’s origin within one of these homes allows us to view it as an extension of the architectural project: an object conceived specifically to meet the needs and proportions of a particular domestic space. This integration of architecture, furniture, and interior design is precisely one of the fundamental principles of Jacobsen’s practice.

Arne Jacobsen was one of the leading figures in 20th-century Danish architecture and design. An architect, furniture designer, and industrial designer, he developed comprehensive projects such as the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, which opened in 1960, and St. Catherine’s College in Oxford, where architecture and interior design were conceived as a unified whole. Among his most famous designs are the Ant, Series 7, Egg, and Swan chairs. His work is preserved, among other institutions, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Designmuseum Danmark.