Arne Vodder Rosewood Desk. Danish
Arne Vodder Rosewood Desk. Danish
This desk by Arne Vodder was produced in Denmark in the 1950s. This desk is made out of rosewood and is freestanding thanks to the finished backside with an open storage area. The front features two drawer modules with three drawers each, with key.
Design Period 1960 to 1969
Production Period 1960 to 1969
Country of Manufacture Denmark
Identifying Marks This piece has been attributed based on archival documentation, such as vintage catalogs, designer records, or other literature sources
Style Vintage, Mid-Century, Scandinavian Modern
Condition report:
Restored — This vintage/antique item is in very good condition .
Additional dimensions information: 150cm wide, 75cm deep. 72cm high. Knee hole is 58 cm wide.
Weight Range Standard — Between 40kg and 80kg
About the Creator
Arne Vodder
Arne Vodder was born in Denmark in 1926. Trained as a cabinetmaker and architect, he studied under Finn Juhl at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, graduating in 1947. After school, he worked as a designer at Hindsgaul in Copenhagen, focusing primarily on office décor. In 1950, Vodder launched his own architecture and design studio with architect Anton Borg. Over the years, the studio moved to a few locations within Copenhagen before ultimately settling in the suburb of Holte, north of the city. Together, the two designed furniture as well as several low-cost houses. Vodder and Borg collaborated until the 1970s.
Vodder is best known for his furniture designs, which tended to be simple pieces composed of natural materials such as rosewood and teak, often inspired by the natural forms, and occasionally accented with colorful panels. Vodder worked with several respected brands throughout his career, designing cabinetry, tables, seating, and more for furniture makers Fritz Hanson, France & Søn, Nielaus, Sibast, Kircodan (for which he designed garden furniture), as well as the department store Havemanns Magasin A/S (for which he designed the interiors), among others.
While Vodder is less well known today than some of his contemporaries, his work was well received throughout his lifetime. In fact, between the 1950s and ’70s, Vodder’s furniture designs were used by President Jimmy Carter in the White House and President Anwar Sadat in Cairo, and were also included in the United Nations Office in Geneva, as well as in a number of hotels, banks, and embassies worldwide. His work was exhibited widely both individually and in group exhibitions with the likes of Verner Panton and Nanna Ditzel.
Vodder passed away in 2009.