Fritz Hansen PK31/3 Leather Sofa
ABOUT
The PK31/3 sofa series is a prime example of Poul Kjærholm’s ability to work with exquisite materials and minimalism. In the search for the ideal form, Kjærholm created the PK31 – a fusion of elegance, luxury and comfort. The PK31 series features a matte chromed spring steel frame.
The PK31 leather armchair is also available.
- CREATOR Designer: Poul Kjaerhold for Fritz Hansen, Denmark.
- DATE OF MANUFACTURE Sofa: c.2017.
- MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Leather, Chrome.
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CONDITION Very Good. Minor wear consistent with use and wear. Minor wear on the seam and small mark on the back.
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DIMENSIONS Height 29.9 inch, Width 78 inch, Depth 29.9 inch, Seat height 15 inch, Armrest height 18.9 inch
HISTORY
A trained cabinetmaker, Poul Kjærholm’s use of industrial methods and materials in the 1960s brought a fresh, graceful, sleek new style to Danish modern design.
At Copenhagen’s School of Arts and Crafts, Kjærholm studied under Hans Wegner and Jørn Utzon — an industrial designer and the architect of the celebrated Sydney Opera House. The latter greatly influenced Kjærholm’s furniture production techniques — although he employed natural materials such as cane and leather, to a far greater extent than his peers Kjærholm embraced the use of steel (rather than wood) framing for his chairs and tables.
Kjærholm’s signal design was the PK 22 Chair of 1956, a low-slung leather lounger on a steel base. The ideas introduced in the PK 22 — Kjærholm’s designs were named using a numeric system devised with his manufacturer, E. Kold Christensen — were refined throughout his career: the PK 11 Chair of 1957, with back and armrests formed by a semicircle of ash; the capacious, richly patinated leather seat of a vintage 1961 PK 9 chair; the elegant rattan swoop of the PK 24 Chaise Lounge (1965). The chaise longue's leather headrest, held in place by a steel counterweight, best shows Kjærholm's particular gift for combining technological advancements with a respect for traditional detailing. While respectful of the past, Poul Kjærholm's sensibility is one of optimism and expectation. His was design for those who lived with verve and élan, and confidently anticipated the future.
