NANNA DITZEL (Copenhagen, 1923 - 2005) by Søren Willadsen, Vejen, Denmark.
Desk, design 1958.
Rosewood veneer. Front with three drawers with integrated handles, tapered legs.
Slight marks from use and age.
Measurements: 72 x 145 x 75 cm.
Nanna Ditzel was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1923. She trained as a cabinetmaker before studying at the School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. She was always inspired by the challenges of new materials and techniques, and in the 1950s experimented with two-tier seating. Nanna was a pioneer in the fields of fibreglass, wicker and foam rubber, and in various disciplines such as cabinet making, jewellery, tableware and textiles. Nanna Ditzel designed the world's most famous furniture textile "Hallingdal" for Kvadrat. From 1968 to 1986, Nanna lived in London, where she established the international furniture house, Interspace, in Hampstead. In 1989 she became closely connected with Fredericia, starting with "Bench For Two". The collaboration between Fredericia and Ditzel developed into a mutual partnership and the successful launch of the Trinity chair in 1993 marked a turning point in Fredericia's history, establishing Nanna Ditzel as Fredericia's second in-house designer after Børge Mogensen. Nanna passed away in 2005, but her uncompromising approach remains a strong influence on Fredericia's culture and product development. Nanna Ditzel was one of Denmark's most renowned designers, and throughout her life she received numerous awards, including; in 1990, the Gold Medal at the International Furniture Design Competition, Japan, for "Bench for Two", the 1995 ID Award for "Trinity", which is Denmark's highest design honour. She was elected Royal Designer Honoree of the Royal Society of Arts in London in 1996 and received the Lifetime Artist Award from the Danish Ministry of Culture in 1998.