Hans Olsen Fried Egg Chair, Model 188

When seen from above, with its teak legs out of view, the Fried Egg chair reveals the reasoning behind its culinary moniker. The chair, originally called the Model 188, was first presented at the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Furniture Exhibition in Copenhagen in 1956 by architect and designer Hans Olsen (1919–92). Olsen started his career as a cabinetmaker and eventually decided to attend the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under the famed Danish architect and designer Kaare Klint.

Through frequent experimentation with bent laminated wood as well as an application of the principles of ergonomics and anthropometry, Olsen looked to expand on the style with which we associate his better-known Scandinavian contemporaries. Having opened his own studio in 1953, Olsen worked hard to develop the skills of a traditional craftsman and to master materials.

The flat armrest on one side of the Fried Egg chair renders it comfortable for the sitter to swing his or her legs over it while remaining firmly planted in its soft, yolk-shaped upholstered seat cushion. The asymmetrical design gives the chair a unique personality that challenges more traditional examples of Scandinavian modernism yet still maintains the principles of functionality and material simplicity.

Bramin Møbler manufactured covetable Scandinavian modern furniture from the mid-1950s until the early 1980s. 

Originally founded as N.A. Jørgensen Møbelfabrik in Bramming, Denmark, the company rebranded as Bramin Møbler in the late 1950s. During the 1960s, Bramin Møbler’s offerings retained the simplicity and warmth commonly associated with Scandinavian cabinetmaking traditions and the N.A. Jørgensen Møbelfabrik name but its collaborations with forward-thinking designers helped steer it toward adopting the Danish modern style that had captivated new homeowners in the United States during the postwar years. 

Bramin Møbler prioritized quality, form and function — attributes that were promoted by the firm in its print ad campaigns. Its credenzas, dining tables and sideboards were made from strong, rich woods like oak, rosewood and teak (a highly prized material in the mid-century modern era), while its artisans upholstered the company’s durable seating with inviting materials such as wool and leather.

Bramin Møbler collaborated with many legends of Scandinavian and Nordic design, including Johannes Andersen, Hans Olsen, Kurt Østervig and Frank Reenskaug. Its most successful partnership was with Norwegian furniture designer H. W. Klein, who studied under Finn Juhl — a stylistic maverick and master of mid-century Danish design — and moved to Bramming to work for Bramin Møbler. 

Over the course of two decades, Klein created elegant coffee tables and cabinets for Bramin Møbler that featured clean lines and gracefully tapered legs, but he is best known for his lounge chairs — most notably, his leather-padded swivel lounger, with its five-spoked, wheeled base. 

The global recession of the 1980s hit Bramming hard. Many of the region’s numerous furniture manufacturers had to close their doors — Bramin Møbler included. Bramin Møbler creations remain highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts of Scandinavian and mid-century modern furniture.

Find vintage Frank Reenskaug rocking chairs and other Bramin Møbler furniture such as tables, storage pieces and more for sale on 1stDibs.