Sculptural Silver-Plated Spiral Candle Holders by Bertil Vallien for Dansk
About the Item
- Creator:Dansk (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 7 in (17.78 cm)Diameter: 6 in (15.24 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 8
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Metal,Plated
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Bedford Hills, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU970745206352
Dansk
Ironically, Dansk Designs, the tableware company practically synonymous with Danish design (“Dansk,” in fact, translates to “Danish”), was the brainchild of an American couple, Ted and Martha Nierenberg.
The Nierenbergs, who founded the business in 1954, initially worked out of the garage of their Great Neck, Long Island, home and marketed their serveware, tables, decorative objects and other products largely in the United States. But they had a secret weapon: Jens Quistgaard.
After demonstrating artistic talent at a young age, the Copenhagen native was gifted a forge and anvil so that he could work in his mother’s kitchen. Quistgaard built toys, jewelry and hunting knives under his father’s tutelage. Later, he spent years learning from local artisans how to produce wood, metal, ceramic and glass models. Quistgaard’s career path solidified during his apprenticeship as a silversmith with legendary Danish silver firm Georg Jensen.
The Nierenbergs discovered the sculptor and designer on their honeymoon, which they’d spent traveling through Europe searching for top-quality goods that might form the basis of a business.
After they hired Quistgaard and launched Dansk, their products swiftly came to epitomize the best of accessible Scandinavian design for mid-century American consumers, who fell for the firm’s staved-teak salad bowls, colorful casseroles and stainless-steel flatware, all of which managed to look handmade despite being mass-produced.
The long-distance relationship flourished for 30 years, during which millions of Quistgaard pieces were manufactured in the company's factories.
The designs for Quistgaard’s Købenstyle line and other collections during the mid-1950s were revolutionary, with bowls built like barrels and charming, lightweight monochrome tableware in enameled steel. Quistgaard’s work married function with striking, sophisticated form. He utilized exceptional materials in the creation of his coveted cookware, barware and serving pieces, opting for warm teak and exotic woods and reintroducing steel as a go-to option for kitchen wares.
Quistgaard’s postwar-era Scandinavian modernist work is still exceedingly popular in living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens in the United States, Europe and Japan, particularly in the homes of mid-century design enthusiasts.
Find vintage Dansk Designs furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
Silver
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
Pewter
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
Chrome
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
Brass, Nickel
20th Century French Scandinavian Modern Candelabras
Silver Plate
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Candlesticks
Metal
Vintage 1950s Danish Art Deco Candlesticks
Metal, Pewter
20th Century Mid-Century Modern More Candle Holders
Aluminum
20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
Silver Plate
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern More Candle Holders
Zinc
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Chrome
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vases
Crystal
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sculptures
Brass
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vases
Ceramic
