For anyone who is interested in Johs Aasbjerg and in particular Onno who a while back asked who he is/was.
-His full name was Johannes Aasbjerg Andersen
-He was from Gladsaxe.
edit: this is incorrect: he was from Struer.
-In 1956 he was noted as half-owner of a firm called "Partner-Form" in Gentofte along with a "Bjørn-Knudsen" (first name unknown).
-In 1957 he was noted as sole owner of "Partner-Form."
-In 1962 he was he noted as half owner of the firm, "Excellent Furniture Company" along with Harry Ørtoft Andersen also of Gladsaxe.
-In 1964 Harry Ørtoft Andersen left "Excellent Furniture Company" leaving Johannes Aasbjerg Andersen as the sole owner.
edit: this isn't completely correct either. Harry Ørtoft worked at the company until it wound down in the 1980s.
This information is from a couple of vintage publications:
-Samling af Anmeldelser til Handelsregistrene
-Registreringstidende for Vare og Fællesmærker
Available at https://tidsskrift.dk/, which is "The Royal Library?s portal for the publication of professional, scientific and cultural journals."
There is one other piece of information connecting Johs Aasbjerg and Harry Ørtoft Andersen. The below photo can be found at http://dengangi50erne.blogspot.com/2011/07/sommer-pa-terrassen-anno-1958.html showing the familiar Aasbjerg coffee table/bench and the accompanying text says that it was designed by "Aasbjerg og Ørtoft"'
edit: this is the early Aasbjerg design known as "Langbordet"
I've got more information...
I've got more information direct from the family.
Johannes Aasbjerg Andersen and Harry Ørtoft Andersen were brothers. Johannes was the designer and salesman (and a cabinet maker). Harry was the primary cabinet maker.
From Henning Aasbjerg Andersen, the son of Johannes:
"
My father was born in Struer, a part of DK on the westcoast of Jylland (part of DK). There were 6 children and amongst Harry Ørtoft. Johannes was born in 1921 and passed away in 2006 - 85 years old. In 1941 he got his "Svendebrev" as a cabinetmaker (maskin- og håndsnedker). He was part of the resistent movement during 2. worldwar (I have pictures if you are interested). After the war he worked as an employee where he graduated (Mr. Lundøre) and met my mother in Sønderjylland in connection with a job in that part of DK. In the late 40is they moved to Copenhagen and started a carpentry workshop with his brother Harry (Aasbjerg & Ørtoft). The address was Ole Bruuns Vej, Charlottenlund. In the beginning they made special tasks for the rich people in that area of Copenhagen. In that period I didn't like the kindergarden and I joined my father every day and played with wood and tools in the shop all day :-). Also "Langbordet" was designed by my father in that period with great success and was sold to all the major furniture stores in DK. Business grew and they hired a 3 storage building in Gentofte (CPH) for production and in that period he hired Mr. Svend Rosenbaum for administration and sales. He actually was a brother to Victor Borge, who became very popular in the USA as a comedian 🙂 🙂 Mr. Svend Rosenbaum is without the funniest man I have ever met. Sometimes you had to go for a walk to catch breath after a joke.
In the mid 50is my father and Svend came up with the idea to sell my fathers designs to americans and in Germany, after the 2. war, there were a lot of US personel there on the bases. This became "the American Dream" for our family. My father bought a caravan, filled it with furniture and off they went to officer clubs on airbases all over Germany and made exhibitions. Ramstein, Wiesbaden asf. In 1961 my father opened the first store in Wiesbaden, Bahnhofstrasse 67 and in the beginning only the US pilots could afford this kind of furniture, but the germans took over later on. All my fathers designs (except Langbordet) were only sold by my fathers company (Excellent Furniture) and that is why there is very little records of his work!. In English Aasbjerg is not very good sounding and Svend suggested Excellent Furniture. Also mail ordering became a big business because pilots travels a lot and they have friends all over the world. They shipped loads of containers filled with furniture by train and ship all over the world.
"
Thank You Lief!
Thank you for your Aasbjerg Excellent furniture catalogue postings.
I wish i would have consulted them sooner as i left behind a Aasbjerg solid teak dining table. Luckily i did get this nice side board and eight moller chairs.
The buffet has a china top that rest atop case.
I love this Excellent furniture Co.
Very nice! That is an...
Very nice! That is an Aasbjerg design. It originally had a china cabinet, the "legs" of which extended to the edge of the sideboard which is why there are those pegs. I know this because I have seen photos of another of these. Where in the world are you, out of curiosity?
edit: just read that you have/know about the china cabinet. Apparently I suffer from a lack of reading comprehension today.
I would guess the date on...
I would guess the date on the sideboard and china cabinet is mid-1960s. Certainly not 50s, and probably not extremely early 60s. I know the arrow slot handles weren't put on solid teak pieces in 1960-61, but by 1964 they were. For example, a veneer version of my sideboard appears in the 1960 catalog, but I know the design was being sold in solid teak in 1964. The similar Aaasbjerg sideboard to yours in 1960 had the radius slot handles and the special legs, so I wouldn't be surprised if a few years later it was made with arrow slot handles and dowel legs.
Hello Lief. I was hoping you or someone else could help me out. There is an estate sale in my area right now and there is a coffee table/bench with legs that are wood and metal like the Aasbjerg table, but this has round legs and has a metal lip on the outside of the table. It is attributed to Torgjorn Afdal, but I have never seen him use that style of legs. If it is Afdal they are asking too much, if it is Aasbjerg I would do it. I don't have a picture right now, but I might be able to pull crappy photo off of the Facebook group. Thanks in advance.
I know this is an older thread but it has been very informative for me and wanted to share. I recently purchased a Johannes Aasbejerg Sideboard and China Hutch. The seller had quite a bit of Danish furniture. The reason why I wanted to share this info is the sellers story is exactly what Johannes Aasbjergs son said. When I asked the seller about the items she was selling this is what she told me.... "My husband and I were stationed in Germany in about 1960. He was a pilot. When we there a man came by with a catalog of furniture. We went through it and picked out the items we wanted, we were furnishing most of our home, and a few weeks later they came back and set it all up. Then when we moved back to the states the military packed and moved us back and they have been here in our home in the same place since then." I did not ask when "then" was. In addition to the Aasbjerg pieces I purchased I purchased an Arne Vodder for Sibast Console and an HG Mobler Room divider. She also had a set of Arne Vodder Swivel back dining chairs for 8. Which they purchased all of the items at the same time from the same salesman.
Here are the pieces I bought...
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