Grete Jalk

GRETE JALK (Denmark, 1920-2006) for France & Son.
Three-seater sofa. 1960.
Teak wood and greenish blue fabric upholstery.
Restored, in very good condition.
With metal plate with reference number and manufacturer's name.
Measurements: 76 x 192 x 74 cm; 42 cm (seat height).

Three-seater sofa, designed by Grete Jalk in the early sixties. The teak wood structure has a handcrafted finish and a light aesthetic characteristic of Danish design, with tapered legs and oval profile armrests that print subtle curves in an armature of rectilinear crossbeams. Loose cushions upholstered in blue-green fabric make up seats and backrests.

Jalk, considered one of the most influential designers of Danish modernism, studied cabinetmaking at the Copenhagen School of Design for Women between 1940 and 1942, and completed her training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts with the influential designer Kaare Klint. In 1946 she won first prize in the Cabinetmakers' Guild annual competition, and five years later her designs were much admired at the 1951 Milan Triennale.
Jalk is known for its thoughtful designs, carefully tailored to the needs of future homeowners, and for embracing technological and social progress, which were realized by leading manufacturers such as Henning Jensen, Poul Jeppesen and Fritz Hansen. By the 1960s, Jalk had developed its own distinctive style, which led to the establishment of a new style with a modern character that reflected the needs of the time.

France & Søn - and its predecessor, France & Daverkosen, are among the most coveted names in today's vintage market. Many of the pieces still in circulation retain their original labels. Their productions were designed by the most important Danish designers of the mid-century, such as Hvidt & Mølgaard, Grete Jalk, Finn Juhl, Arne Vodder and Ole Wanscher.