On the use of OAK in modern Danish furniture  

I think there are a number of factors in play here.

There is still strong demand for "certified" plantation-grown teak for applications where durability exposed to natural elements is required (outdoor furniture, marine products, etc.) and ever increasing prices reflect such. Cost to the manufacturer is certainly an issue. How much can you reasonably expect to sell a dining chair for without negatively affecting your market and/or profit?

Consumers have become much more aware of damage to the environment caused by overharvesting tropical hardwood species and the exploitation of local cultures involved. In some circles, buying these products is considered irresponsible and out of fashion.

Strangely enough, oiled white oak will eventually darken to a color quite similar to teak.

And patinated white oak is seriously gorgeous.

Early Wegner designs for Johannes Hansen and Carl Hansen used European white oak more than other woods. PP Mobler is the cabinetmaking heir to the Wegner/JH lines.

Ergo, it is not accurate to say that PP Mobler became famous using teak.

But Earnest is right. The only company I can think of that still uses teakwood in reproductions is onecollection.

I just checked the Moller website (jlm.dk), and most of their mid century chair designs are still available in teak, amongst other woods.

So, I cannot agree that Earnest is right.

Thank you all for your comments.

It's true that Moller still offers most of the chairs in teak, sorry for that. I think the only chairs offered in oak are the 56 and 75 model.

All the best

Ernest.

Cdsilva: allright. But you cannot deny the point Earnest made here. Let

Just scratching the surface of teak furniture market reports available on the web suggests that cost and availability of quality lumber is a major factor. It seems that growing demand from China has contributed to consistent annual wholesale price increases.

Money, it seems, does indeed grow on trees.

HB, I was not trying to be cute or snarky but was responding to Earnest's original email query about Moller and PP Mobler specifically. At the same time, I was also making a point that Danish Modern did not arise around the use of teak. Oak and birch were commonly used by the cabinetmakers in the 20's and 30's, with mahogany as the premium exotic upgrade option.

It wasn't until Denmark entered into a trade agreement with Thailand for importing teak at favorable pricing and Charles France developed a process for cutting teak efficiently that use of teak in Danish Modern took off in the 1950's. After a few decades, teak became perceived as less exotic and more a common material due to its widespread use, and it died down in the 70's. Indeed there are a lot of boring cheap designs from the 70's and 80's made with teak, including more expensive solid plank tables instead of veneer.

Throughout the years, birch was replaced with beech as the low-end option, and oak has remained as a solid middle option.

In addition to cost, nowadays new teak has an association for being unsustainable and bad for the rain forests (whether that is currently true or not probably depends on where it is being sourced). From an architectural perspective, we now specify Ipe (Brazilian Walnut) for many decking and finish items that was previously done in teak. Ipe trees are grown and harvested in a very responsible manner these days. However, I don't think it is used widely in the furniture market yet.

To summarize, the specific use of teak in Danish Modern was a timely concurrence of events during the middle of the 20th century. The modern design mindset is not to stick with historical precedent blindly, but to adapt as required to the current needs of society. The changing of woods due to 1) sustainable concerns, 2) cost, 3) design trends, and 4) market availability, are all natural parts of the evolution of Danish Modern design.

While this has been posted before on DA, this video on production of oak Round chairs might just increase your appreciation for its use in Danish Modern.

https://vimeo.com/21091939

Thanks a lot, man. That

I know it's a slight aside but I do find it odd that none of the listed contemporary companies offer an exotic and high end timber option for these things. I guess if you wanted something built in for example: Macassar Ebony or Purple Heart, you'd have to arrange a bespoke production.

Wegner and Mogensen

I am glad this discussion is bringing up some very interesting concepts.

cdsilva: thank you for the video too; I watched it yesterday evening with my wife. Good to know how the new pieces are made; it would be great to have another video showing how everything was done back then...

Cheers

Ernest