Nest of Three Tables by Kai Kritsiansen for Skovmand & Anderson, Denmark (1960s)

A Danish teak nest of three tables designed by Kai Kristiansen for Skovmand & Andersen during the 1960s.

The largest and middle tables feature rectangular tops, while the smallest is square. Each stands on slender, tapering legs connected by distinctive curved wooden stretchers that provide structural support while introducing a sculptural element to the design.

The tables are carefully proportioned to slide beneath one another, creating a compact arrangement when not in use. The contrast between the straight edges of the tabletops and the curved supporting frames is characteristic of Kristiansen’s approach to furniture design.

Designer and Manufacturer

Kai Kristiansen (born 1929) is a Danish furniture designer and an important figure in the development of Danish modern furniture during the postwar period.

He began his career with an apprenticeship in cabinetmaking before enrolling at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 1948, where he studied under Kaare Klint, widely regarded as one of the founding figures of modern Danish furniture design.

Kristiansen established his own design studio in 1955, aged just 26, and went on to develop furniture for numerous Danish manufacturers, including Schou Andersen, Magnus Olesen, Feldballes Møbelfabrik and Fritz Hansen.

His work encompasses dining chairs, lounge seating, desks, tables and modular storage systems. Among his best known designs are the Model 42 dining chair, introduced in 1956, with its distinctive pivoting backrest, and the FM modular shelving system of 1957.

Kristiansen’s furniture is characterised by slender proportions, carefully considered joinery and an emphasis on functionality. Working predominantly in teak, oak and rosewood, he combined traditional Danish cabinetmaking techniques with the requirements of modern furniture production.

This nest of tables was manufactured by Skovmand & Andersen in Denmark during the 1960s and demonstrates his interest in practical, space-saving furniture without compromising the proportions or structural details of the individual pieces.

Condition

Excellent vintage condition.

Dimensions

Largest table:

Width: approximately 58 cm

Depth: approximately 40 cm

Height: approximately 47 cm