PK61 Coffee Table in Brushed Steel & Glass by Poul Kjærholm for Fritz Hansen, 1960s

Model · PK61
Designer · Poul Kjærholm
Manufacturer · Fritz Hansen
Origin · Denmark
Period · 1960s
Style · Scandinavian Modern / Danish Modern
Materials · Brushed steel, glass
Colour · Brushed steel, clear

Object

PK61 is almost an exercise in removing everything a table does not need. Four pieces of steel meet to form a precise square beneath a sheet of glass, leaving structure, surface and the space between them completely exposed. There is nowhere for a detail to hide.

Kjærholm designed PK61 in 1956, treating the coffee table less like furniture and more like a small piece of architecture. The transparent top allows the steel beneath it to remain visible, while the low proportions bring the entire composition close to the floor. Glass almost disappears. Steel becomes the drawing. What remains is an object of remarkable stillness, quiet enough to live with almost anything around it.

Designer

Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980) trained as a cabinetmaker before studying at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen. Yet while many of his contemporaries built the identity of Danish modernism around wood, Kjærholm became fascinated by steel.

He treated it not as a cold industrial shortcut, but as a material worthy of the same attention traditionally given to timber. Steel, leather, wicker, canvas, glass and stone became parts of a remarkably restrained vocabulary. PK61 is one of the purest expressions of that thinking, reducing the table until material, proportion and construction become almost indistinguishable from the design itself.

Manufacturer

Fritz Hansen began in Copenhagen in 1872 and grew from a cabinetmaking workshop into one of the defining manufacturers of Danish modern furniture. Its history became intertwined with some of the most important designers of the 20th century, translating experimental ideas into objects that travelled far beyond Denmark.

In the 1980s, Fritz Hansen took over the production of Poul Kjærholm's collection, preserving the precision and material sensitivity on which his furniture depends. PK61 remains one of the clearest expressions of that legacy, an object whose apparent simplicity depends on extraordinary control of proportion, material and detail.

Condition

The original removable glass top is beautifully preserved in great vintage condition, showing only light traces of age and previous use. The steel frame has been carefully cleaned while retaining its natural patina and subtle marks developed over time. As with any authentic vintage piece, these traces form part of the table's history and individual character.

Dimensions

Width · 80 cm / 31.5 in
Depth · 80 cm / 31.5 in
Height · 32 cm / 12.6 in

Included

The coffee table 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 coffee table can be ready to ship within 10-15 workdays.

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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