Børge Mogensen chairs

This is a rare pair of side chairs designed by Børge Mogensen and produced by Svensk Fur in Sweden during the 1950s. Each chair features a structural frame in solid pine combined with natural saddle leather used for the seat and backrest, embodying the rustic clarity and functionalist ethos typical of Mogensen’s early works. The chairs exhibit a Scandinavian take on traditional craftsmanship, where material integrity and structural honesty are emphasized over ornamentation.

The frame is built from cylindrical and rounded solid pine elements, with visible dowel joints and a lightly tapered profile to the legs. The leather seat and backrest are suspended using adjustable saddle straps and buckles, a technique often employed by Mogensen to allow for natural give and personal comfort. The patinated leather has aged to a warm cognac tone, and the buckled fastenings reinforce both function and character in the design. The proportions are compact and upright, suitable for dining or occasional use, with the distinctive laced edges of the backrests adding both tactile interest and ergonomic support.

Børge Mogensen, one of Denmark’s most influential 20th-century furniture designers, trained under Kaare Klint and developed a language of accessible, durable design rooted in traditional forms and modern production. While he is often associated with his work for FDB and Fredericia in Denmark, Mogensen also worked with Swedish producers such as Svensk Fur, creating furniture adapted to pine—a widely available and culturally significant wood in the Swedish context.

Svensk Fur was a manufacturer specializing in solid pine furniture during the mid-20th century, working with designers who shared an affinity for simple, honest material expression. Their collaboration with Mogensen during the 1950s resulted in a number of pieces that blended rustic and modern Scandinavian idioms, reflecting the post-war ideal of functional domestic furniture accessible to the broader public.

These chairs are in good vintage condition, with signs of use including light wear to the leather, minor surface marks to the wood, and a warm, even patina. The leather remains structurally sound and securely fastened to the frame.

Dimensions per chair: width 50.5 cm (19.88 inches), depth 45 cm (17.72 inches), height 77.5 cm (30.51 inches), seat height 43 cm (16.93 inches).