Arne Jacobsen children chairs

This is a set of six children’s T-chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen and produced by Fritz Hansen in Denmark in 1971. These chairs exemplify mid-century Scandinavian functionalism, specifically tailored to educational or institutional settings, where durability, stackability, and ergonomic form were prioritized without compromising on visual clarity or design refinement. The chairs feature a sculpted plywood shell, pressed into a continuous curve for the seat and backrest, forming a distinct T-shaped silhouette when viewed from the front or rear. The design is instantly recognizable within Jacobsen’s larger body of work, closely related to his Series 7 and Ant chairs, but adapted here in scale and construction for child use.

Each chair is mounted on a minimalist black tubular steel frame with four straight legs, slightly splayed for stability. The shells retain their original lacquer in alternating hues of muted teal blue and mustard yellow, adding both color variation and visual rhythm when grouped together. The lacquer shows signs of wear consistent with age and use, particularly in the seating areas, revealing the birch plywood edge and contributing to a patinated aesthetic that enhances their vintage character. Underneath each chair, the molded seat base is clearly stamped with the Fritz Hansen logo, the production year “1971” and the Danish Furnituremakers Control mark—indicating quality assurance and authentic Danish craftsmanship. The chairs are constructed to be stackable, allowing for efficient storage and transport, a feature that reflects the practical design priorities of their original context.

Each chair measures 34 cm wide by 31 cm deep by 62.5 cm high (13.4 x 12.2 x 24.6 inches), with a seat height of 33 cm (13 inches). The condition across the set is structurally sound, with typical surface wear and some minor lacquer imperfections, but no warping, cracks, or frame instability.

Arne Jacobsen (1902–1971) was a pivotal figure in Danish modern design and architecture, known for his holistic design ethos and contributions to modernist furniture. His collaborations with Fritz Hansen produced several enduring chair designs that became international icons. The T-chair, while less commonly seen than the Series 7 or Ant, shares the same formal language and engineering sensibility.