Peter Hvidt Sofas
One half of the influential Danish furniture duo Hvidt and Mølgaard, architect and designer Peter Hvidt created shapely works in teak and rosewood that could be mass-produced and transported at a scale rarely seen before his time. Alongside his business partner, Aalborg-born designer Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, the pair crafted furniture which stands today as a masterclass in the combination of elegance and practicality that is typical of Scandinavian modernism.
Hvidt was born in Copenhagen in 1916. He studied architecture and cabinetry, and graduated from the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen. Hvidt established his own design firm in 1940 and taught for three years at his former school, during which he designed the teak Portex chair — Denmark’s first stacking chair (this design has alternatively been attributed to Hvidt’s partnership with Mølgaard-Nielsen over the years).
The exceptional collaboration between Hvidt and Mølgaard-Nielsen took shape in 1944. A student of pioneering Danish modernist designer and architect Kaare Klint and fellow graduate of the School of Arts and Crafts, Mølgaard brought his technical prowess and eye for practical design to the partnership. Together, for more than three decades, Hvidt and Mølgaard would produce over 250 furniture designs, a legacy that included the iconic AX chair.
A masterpiece of technical expertise and innovative woodworking, the sculptural AX armchair was designed in collaboration with manufacturer Fritz Hansen during the late 1940s. It features double-curved laminated wood in the seat and back, and is an early example of knock-down furniture. This meant that it could be easily dismantled and assembled at its destination, which rendered the chair economical for transport on cargo ships and therefore could reach a worldwide audience. The AX went into production in 1950 and eventually gave way to a series that featured tables and other seating.
Hvidt’s proclivity for forward-looking design was typical of the venturesome furniture makers of the mid-century modern era. This extended to textures and materials, too — he believed that a tasteful combination of materials could add character and visual intrigue. With Mølgaard-Nielsen, Hvidt designed streamlined coffee tables, rosewood chairs upholstered with sumptuous black leather and teak side tables with cane shelves (teak was a sought-after material for designers at the time).
The duo’s work with celebrated manufacturers Fritz Hansen, France & Søn and Søborg Møbelfabrik has been a part of exhibitions at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen’s Design Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Peter Hvidt seating, tables and case pieces.
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Chrome
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Cane, Wood, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Wool, Rattan, Teak
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Chrome
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Chrome
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Metal
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Wood, Fabric, Upholstery, Teak
1950s Danish Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Leather, Wood
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Teak, Chenille
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Bouclé, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Cane, Teak
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Metal, Chrome
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Scandinavian Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Brass
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Cane, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Steel
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Bouclé, Wood
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Leather, Wood
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Hardwood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Leather, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Teak, Paper
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Cane, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Metal
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Bouclé, Teak
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Wood, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Wool, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak
1950s Danish Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Leather, Wool, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Birch, Linen
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Bouclé, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Bouclé, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak, Cane
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Fabric, Cane, Foam, Wood, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Chrome
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Peter Hvidt Sofas
Upholstery, Teak