Safari Chair in Off-White Canvas & Ash Wood by Kaare Klint for Rud. Rasmussen, 1960s

Model · Safari Chair
Designer · Kaare Klint
Manufacturer · Rud. Rasmussen
Origin · Denmark
Design · 1933
Production · 1960s
Style · Scandinavian Modern / Danish Modern
Materials · Solid ash, cotton canvas
Colour · Light natural wood, off-white

Object

The Safari Chair is one of Kaare Klint's defining designs and one of the earliest objects to establish the principles that would later become synonymous with Danish modern furniture.

Designed in 1933, the chair was inspired by British campaign furniture, particularly the lightweight, collapsible seating developed to be transported and assembled wherever it was needed. Klint took this fundamentally practical object and refined it through proportion, material and Danish cabinetmaking.

The construction is remarkably direct. A solid ash structure forms the chair's skeleton, while off-white canvas is stretched between its elements to create the support and seating surfaces. Connections remain visible and the materials are allowed to behave naturally. Nothing attempts to disguise how the chair is assembled or how it supports the body.

Its knock-down construction is central to the design. Rather than depending on rigid conventional joinery, the Safari Chair is held together through the relationship between its wooden components and tensioned surfaces. The result is a chair that feels simultaneously primitive and sophisticated, almost closer to a piece of equipment than traditional upholstered furniture.

In this example, pale ash and off-white canvas create an especially quiet expression of the design. The restrained palette places the emphasis on Klint's proportions and exposed construction, allowing the chair to sit naturally within both historical and contemporary interiors.

Designer

Kaare Klint (1888–1954) was a Danish architect and furniture designer widely regarded as one of the founders of modern Danish furniture design.

Rather than rejecting historical furniture, Klint studied it carefully. He examined proportions, construction methods and the dimensions of the human body, refining established furniture types according to modern requirements rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake.

In 1924, Klint helped establish the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Through his teaching, he influenced an entire generation of Danish designers and helped establish the analytical, material-conscious approach that would later define Danish Modern.

The Safari Chair demonstrates this philosophy particularly clearly. Its origins lie in historical campaign furniture, yet Klint reduced and refined the type until every component served a precise structural or ergonomic purpose.

Designed in 1933, it remains one of the clearest expressions of his belief that good furniture could evolve from careful observation rather than stylistic invention.

Manufacturer

Rud. Rasmussen was one of Denmark's most respected cabinetmaking workshops and played an important role in the development of Danish furniture during the 20th century.

Founded in Copenhagen in 1869, the workshop became known for exceptional craftsmanship and for producing furniture by some of Denmark's most important architects and designers.

Its relationship with Kaare Klint was particularly significant. Rud. Rasmussen translated Klint's precise drawings and material principles into furniture whose construction quality matched the intellectual rigour of the designs themselves.

The Safari Chair became one of the most recognisable results of this collaboration, combining Klint's analytical approach with the cabinetmaker's deep understanding of traditional woodworking.

Condition

The chair retains its original solid ash structure, which remains exceptionally well preserved.

The off-white canvas support and seating have been refreshed, giving the chair a clean appearance while remaining faithful to the material character of the original design.

The wooden frame retains its light natural tone and presents beautifully, with the construction remaining structurally sound and carefully preserved.

Overall, the Safari Chair is presented in excellent, nearly new restored vintage condition while retaining its original wooden frame.

Dimensions

Width · 58 cm / 22.8 in
Depth · 58 cm / 22.8 in
Height · 82 cm / 32.3 in
Seat height · 35 cm / 13.8 in

Included

The Safari Chair is accompanied by a Back to the Furniture Certificate of Originality, a Back to the Furniture flyer, a Thank You card and a small gift.

Availability

The Safari Chair is ready to ship within 15 business days.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available. Every piece is carefully prepared and packed for international transport. Shipping costs are calculated according to destination at checkout, with tracking provided after dispatch.

Enquiries

For questions about the piece, its condition, shipping, delivery or any other details, please get in touch. Additional information is always available before purchase.

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