1000 Thanks!
Thomas,
I (we) can't thank you and your father enough for that fantastic imagery; the factory photos are priceless, and add greatly to the story.
Speaking of which, I think you have the makings for a book, a period-piece of one firm's contribution to Danish Modern Design in real-time, with incredible documentation.
I'll wait patiently to know the year of manufacture (+or-) of my Model 142-65 Sideboard/Buffet, but to see them under construction and catalogued is just beyond wonderful!
My very best,
Tom Gibson
Price lists
...are now scanned and few more photos are added. Please notice that the old 'catalogue pictures' are hand painted!. They are from approx. 1951-1953.
We have one hundred negatives, which I can't scan, so they have been sent 'off-shore' to be scanned. They will arrive some time before the end of this year (week 52). We also have family photo albums that we will go through - to see if there are any photos from the factory.
Due to low demand in US, Germany, Japan, the dollar exchange rate, etc. etc. the business closed down in 1988/1989. The buildings were sold to one of the men who worked in the factory and the business still runs today (under the name 'PH's Snedkeri'). My father has rented some space in the factory and his main business is restoring furniture. Sometimes he's even restoring old BPS furniture. If you walk through the factory it looks almost the same as it looked 30 years ago. All the machines are there etc.
My grandfather is on the picture with the thunderbird, and to two guys on the production photos is my dad Niels (with the checked shirt) and my uncle Palle. My grandfather, the boss - 'smoked cigars in the office', my father was in charge of the production and Palle was in charge of sales/marketing. Palle was/is married with a canadian and today they live in Bullington/Canada (they moved from Denmark around 1987). Palle is still in the furniture business, selling furniture.
to be continued.....
Dear Thomas
These are very generous efforts and the story is fascinating. I am sure that for those who have furniture made by your family, it has increased the emotional value by more than you suspect. My colleague discovered in the process that her family's Danish furniture was made by BPS and got all excited about it...she just gave it away to her brother.
I read the Danish newspaper in one of your pictures and learned about some of the problems of the fluctuating American dollar at the time and the subsequent lay-offs and your uncle starting the trade office.
It is a side step, I know, but in view of the upcoming Copenhagen conference I think that telling these kind of stories is actually a contribution to energy and material conservation. For those who know the story of their furniture it surely is a way of making it more valuable and people that know the story will certainly be less inclined to throw it away. As has been said many times, it is not the level of our material wealth that endangers the planet but the fact that we throw it away too fast....so, thanks again!
Hi Thomas,
I am neither Danish, nor did I previously had any contact with BPS M. But by pure coincidence my "boss" at Volvo was a Dane by the name of Kay Nielsen. From Sweden I moved to Holland and the director of the company that invited me there was Danish. The company eventually ended up Dutch hand but I had left by the time. When I was still running the design department it became part of the Danish A.P. Moller group. I moved to Canada and there again the president of the company was Danish, so...I do not even remember when I learned to read Danish but I learned english from the last Dane in that serie and apparently I even have a Danish accent in English. The rest of the story you can read in the Designaddict index...
There migth still be a connection I am not aware of. Before I joined the Montreal based Company Danesco (Danes company) they imported Danish furniture, fabrics and lighting (Louis Poulsen,etc. BPS M could have been one of those furniture manufacturers. Your father would probably know.
http://www.designaddict.com/design_index/index.cfm/fuseaction/designer_s...
Thomas you are a star. It's...
Thomas you are a star. It's great to have back ground information to the furniture I own from your families company. One of the photos shows the sideboard I have being made!
Talking about the sideboard, unfortunately the veneer on the top needs replacing. Would you father know what rosewwod veneer was used so I can match it? I also wanted to know how the finish was applied and what finish it is? To me it look's like it could have been a spray finish?
Fine piece found on lauritz
Fine piece found on lauritz
http://www.lauritz.com/Item/Item.aspx?LanguageId=1&ItemId=1757567
China cabinet on RADAR
just added Rosewood china cabinet to RADAR http://www.designaddict.com/design_radar/index.cfm/fuseaction/design_rad...
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