Folding Chair in Ash, Cotton Canvas, Natural Ash & Leather by Mogens Koch 1960s

Model · Folding Chair
Designer · Mogens Koch
Manufacturer · Rud. Rasmussen
Origin · Denmark
Period · 1960s
Style · Scandinavian Modern / Danish Modern
Materials · Ash, cotton canvas, leather
Colour · Natural wood, off-white, cognac

Object

Mogens Koch's Folding Chair is an object built around a remarkably simple idea: that furniture can be temporary in position without being temporary in quality.

Designed in 1932, the chair grew from Koch's fascination with historical campaign and folding furniture. Rather than disguising its collapsible construction, he made the mechanism the architecture of the chair. Slender wooden members cross and pivot around one another, while suspended canvas forms the seat and backrest.

There is almost nothing superfluous. The pale ash structure provides rhythm and precision, raw off-white canvas introduces softness, and cognac leather armrests bring a small but deliberate moment of warmth. Every material has a structural purpose, yet together they create something far more refined than ordinary portable furniture.

Folded, the chair becomes an unusually compact object. Opened, it has the presence and proportions of a permanent armchair. That duality is what makes Koch's design so intelligent, and why more than ninety years after its conception it still feels remarkably relevant.

Designer

Mogens Koch (1898–1992) was a Danish architect and furniture designer whose work was defined by rational construction, proportion and an extraordinary respect for traditional craftsmanship.

Trained as an architect, Koch approached furniture almost as a small building. Components were expected to explain themselves, materials were chosen according to their properties, and functionality was never treated as something separate from beauty.

The Folding Chair, designed in 1932, became one of the clearest expressions of this philosophy. Inspired by historic campaign furniture, Koch transformed a centuries-old typology into an exceptionally disciplined piece of Danish modern design.

Manufacturer

Rud. Rasmussen was one of Denmark's most important cabinetmaking workshops and a central name in the history of Danish furniture craftsmanship.

Founded in Copenhagen in 1869, the workshop became known for executing furniture by some of Denmark's most significant architects and designers. Its production of Mogens Koch's furniture combined traditional cabinetmaking with the extraordinary precision demanded by his rational, architectural designs.

Original Rud. Rasmussen examples represent the meeting point between Koch's rigorous ideas and the Danish cabinetmaking tradition from which they emerged.

Condition

The original wooden structure and its natural finish have been carefully preserved.

The canvas seating and backrest have been refreshed, restoring their clean appearance and structural tension while remaining faithful to the original construction. The cognac leather armrests provide a warm natural counterpoint to the pale ash and off-white canvas.

Overall, the chair is presented in excellent, nearly new vintage condition.

Dimensions

Width · 56 cm / 22 in
Depth · 58 cm / 22.8 in
Height · 88 cm / 34.6 in
Seat height · 42 cm / 16.5 in

Included

The Folding 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 Folding 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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