Richard Nissen

There were many companies producing teak housewares in the latter half of the 20th century, and the biggest by far was Dansk Designs. The originality and quality of the designs produced made them a sensation from their introduction in the 1950s well into the 1980s (and of course again today). The history of the company and the designer, Jens Quistgaard, is well-documented.

Less is written about the other companies that followed that trend. Companies such as Digsmed, Laurids Lonborg, Ernest Sohn and others all made interesting designs in teak over the years, but in my experience the company that really hit the mark on quality rivaling that of Dansk was Richard Nissen of Denmark. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to discover that they were, in manufacturing at least, the same company.

Nissen ice bucket and bowl, at the 2nd Hugh pop-up, 2010.

Den Permanente Catalog 1972 (Selections)

As a follow-up to my post about Den Permanente, here are some pages from the 1972 catalog.

Borge Mogensen sofa, chair, trolley and table, Kvadrat rug, 

Top: H. Vestergaard Jensen sideboard and dining table, Larsen & Madsen chairs.
Bottom: Hans Wegner everything, Nanna Ditzel nursery chair.

Den Permanente

A couple weeks ago I came across some simple teak bar boards. I grabbed them because vintage barware does well in the store, and frankly a nice bar board is a great find under any circumstances, new or vintage. Each had a price sticker from a store unknown to me called “Den Permanente.” I figured they were import items, usually a solid selection, and moved on.

Obviously once I was home I did some digging on Den Permanente. Information online was surprisingly limited, but what I did find left me with one question: Why, after nearly 20 years of researching mid-century design, and after all the Danish Modern furniture and housewares I've bought and sold, did I know nothing about the greatest Danish design store that ever existed?

Den Permanente, 1972 (photo: JC Raulston Arboretum archive)

Exotic Wood

An unexpectedly satisfying week at the thrift stores. Thanks February.

Clockwise from upper left: Part of a set of really hip cocktail glasses from an unknown manufacturer, but basically a stemmed version of the Libbey St. Regis cocktail glass; sitting on a stack of Brazilian rosewood veneer chargers from Japan.

Dansk Kobenstyle pot in white; on top of a Dansk Rare Woods tray, this one in Mutenye wood. It wasn't free, but it wasn't expensive, and only the second time I've discovered Rare Wood in the wild. The other time was a rosewood ice bucket with a poorly repaired split top for $500 at an estate sale, which needless to say neither I nor anyone else bought.

A set of Sasaki Handcrafted rocks glasses, most with labels, surprisingly undamaged and complete at the Salvation Army. Those of you who thrift know what a miracle this is.

Rounding out the exotic woods, two teak bar boards from Den Permanente, the legendary Danish design store in Copenhagen.