Furniture designer, Kurt Østervig (1912-1986) trained as a shipbuilder and naval architect in Odense, Denmark’s third largest city. He soon switched to furniture design, working in the studio of manufacturer E. Knudsen prior to founding his own studio in 1947.
Kurt Østervig worked as a freelance designer for the remainder of his long career, collaborating with a range of Scandinavian furniture companies during the mid 20th century; these included Bernh, Bramin, Brande Møbelindustri, Jason, Pedersen & Son, Rolschau, Schillers Polstermøbelfabrik, Sibast and Vamo.
Østervig’s designs were primarily manufactured using oak – sometimes with the addition of leather; however, some pieces were produced in rosewood and teak. Among Østervig’s most important and popular designs are the Model 12 Easy Chair & footstool for Schillers (1961; re-launched in 2014) and the Butterfly Dining Chair (1950s) for Brande (a set of six with turquoise upholstered seats are shown in the montage above).
Some of Østervig’s furniture designs continue to be manufactured to this day; visit the Finnish Design Shop.If you prefer vintage examples, try 1stDibs, eBay and Etsy.
Additional image credits:
Artnet