Chest of drawers designed by Arne Vodder for Sibast Møbler
Denmark, 1950s
Walnut.The front of this chest of drawers is adorned with sculptural leaf-shaped drawer fronts that are both decorative and ergonomic. The craftsmen at Sibast Møbler would have carefully selected rosewood with consistent and striking grain to enhance visual flow throughout the piece. These large blocks of walnut would be cut into blinks sized for the drawer fronts that were then shaped by hand carving to create the concave shape of the ‘leaves’. Carving by hand using tools like chisels and spokeshaves would have allowed for a higher degree of precision and control.
Once completed, the expertly carved drawers were seamlessly integrated into the design. Tapered legs support the main body of the chest, maintaining a light, airy aesthetic despite its substantial storage capacity. The walnut surfaces have been carefully sanded and finished to enhance the natural beauty of the wood’s grain.
Arne Vodder's early career was profoundly influenced by his time working under the legendary Danish designer Finn Juhl, a pioneer of modernist furniture design. Vodder studied architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where Juhl was one of his mentors. Juhl’s forward-thinking approach to design, which merged functionality with sculptural artistry, left an indelible mark on Vodder's own design philosophy. Juhl was renowned for an organic, humanistic approach to furniture design and the leaf-shaped drawer fronts of this chest demonstrate how Vodder adopted this sensibility to combine visual dynamism with tactile practicality.
H: 72 cm / 2' 4 3/8"
W: 80 cm / 2' 7 1/2"
D: 45 cm / 1' 5 3/4"
Price: 45 000 SEK
Approximate price in your local currency
3 941 EUR
4 073 USD
3 279 GBP
632 498 JPY
