Hi all (reposted as my first attempt got banned)
I recently acquired a two person sofa of unknown origin. Is anyone able to help me identify the likely designer and/or manufacturer, or able to tell me who I might ask? I'm new to this so any help is very welcome! What I have worked out so far is below:
- I've attached a few photos
- Depending where you measure, the sofa is about 178cm wide
- There were two coins in the sofa dated 1950 and from the Bundesrepublik Deutschland (West Germany before reunification)
- The sofa looks very similar to the four links below
- https://hgallery.com/sofas-and-benches/velour-two-seater-sofa-with-solid-wood-legs-europe-ca-1950s-20221385?rq=Velour%20Two-Seater%20Sofa%20with%20Solid%20Wood%20Legs%2C%20Europe%20ca%201950s
- https://www.vntg.com/63644/vintage-sofa-1950s/
- https://www.vntg.com/171743/1940-swedish-living-room-set-by-berga-mobler-in-boucle/
- https://www.pamono.eu/sofa-in-boucle-fabric-attributed-to-flemming-lassen-1940s
- There are remnants of the original covering which is a black boucle fabric which looks very much like the last of the four links above. But even that link describes the sofa as "attributed to" Flemming Lassen, so not particularly helpful
- I haven't found any identifying labels in the item. The only markings so far seen are what looks like "720" and "RI" written on the webbing and on the cardboard/millboard
Here are links to the photos. I hope this doesn't get me banned again!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/118ey-Oaj-ifM0aaDp_If_8Bq2BG7haZe/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BrRqIm8fJmFkNeMBhwLtuDdTOsJByTXG/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1McPIVfw53T39CsSC_xAwZDgBbYXnmTAa/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tg9MyTtHL7v8y-CNSO4qOf96Yymrrkj1/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XzsE7jH_wfvk2gSqpTH_2g7LhKLxQ0Bk/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mv19BaS1VT9kaDgjXcZEwrkfnNRypBCg/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o58TQkPtSnflSRi1OVfQBLrDYZ1HL-xg/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oNJ0C3AOpFPJn_d7LN83cue6oRocTFJH/view?usp=sharing
That's about as much as I know at the moment. I'd welcome any suggestions on how to work out origins.
Thanks in advance
J
@taketwo2025 Your first attempt wasn't banned, thanks for the ID question.
"People buy a chair, and they don't really care who designed it." (Arne Jacobsen)
Welcome to DA Forum!
The examples you've provided links for are remarkably similar indeed. And your photos reveal high-quality construction consistent with better makers at the time. (sometimes the old ways are still the best!) And, sometimes, close enough is close enough. Without a definitive attribution, however, I prefer "style of" over "attributed to". "Attributed by whom, exactly?" is the question that pops into my head whenever I read or hear the latter.
Nice neat workspace, btw. Not at all like mine lately.
Hi, I took another look at the sofa. It doesn't look Danish. That doesn't mean it isn't Danish—but it doesn't look Danish. You found four dealers who sold it, at least two of whom are based in Germany. You also found German money in your sofa. I know that West Germany was a major export market for Scandinavian furniture in the 1950s and '60s—but by no means the biggest.
If at least three out of five models were sold in or located in Germany, I think it's quite likely that it's actually a German production. It doesn’t have to be, but I think it's probable. Sweden is also a possibility, but in that case I’d expect to see it more on the Swedish market.
I consider Flemming Lassen as the designer to be out of the question. Lassen's furniture was made in tiny quantities by Copenhagen’s top cabinetmakers. As far as I know, he never designed for an industrial manufacturer. When his pieces come up on the market, it’s in Denmark—and at outrageous prices—not in Germany or the UK.
"Attributed to" usually just means: I have no idea, but I’ve seen something kind of similar by...
"People buy a chair, and they don't really care who designed it." (Arne Jacobsen)
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