| Born in Denmark in 1914, Borge Mogensen | | | | designs and for over twenty years he was able |
| became qualified as a cabinetmaker at the age of | | | | to take the ideas previous generations had about |
| 20. He, like many of the other furniture designers | | | | furniture and turn them into reality. He respected |
| from Denmark, studied at the Copenhagen School | | | | the materials he worked with, and functional |
| of Arts and Crafts and then at the Furniture | | | | tradition in creating the furniture made him very |
| School of the Academy of Fine Arts from 1938 | | | | aware of how the items were put together. He |
| to 1942. At the time Kaare Klint was the | | | | used old designs and built his furniture based on |
| professor of the Furniture School whose own | | | | those designs and the training and subsequent |
| influence on Danish furniture is still felt today. | | | | experience he gained over the years to improve |
| Borge Mogensen was viewed by Kaare Klint as an | | | | them and make it brand new once again. |
| extraordinary talent with valued skills. His | | | | Some of those old designs that Borge Mogensen |
| closeness with Kaare Klint led to a cooperation | | | | improved upon came from his instructor's love of |
| between the two men that allowed Borge | | | | Shaker furniture that was designed and developed |
| Mogensen to open up his own design studio in | | | | in the United States. There is speculation among |
| 1950. | | | | the design community today that the many of |
| Within five years of establishing and working his | | | | Borge Mogensen's chairs were based on the |
| own design studio, Borge Mogensen was able to | | | | Shaker design prototypes. For example, Borge |
| design furniture for well known producers. Karl | | | | Mogensen's 'J39' chair had a wooden, four-legged, |
| Andersson & Soner, P. Lauritzen & Son, | | | | single slat back design similar to the 'low ladder |
| and Fredericia Furniture all manufactured designs | | | | back' chairs of the Shakers. His 'trestle table' that |
| that came from the mind of Borge Mogensen. | | | | matched the chairs is considered a 'redefined |
| The Fredericia contract turned out to be the | | | | Shaker classic'. Borge Mogensen worked with the |
| most fruitful partnership of his career and he was | | | | Danish Cooperative Wholesale Society at the |
| allowed to explore every aspect of his own | | | | time, helping them develop attractive yet simple |
| comprehensive design skills. Andreas Graversen | | | | design furniture that was good for everyday use. |
| was the owner of Fredericia at the time and he | | | | What made Borge Mogensen's designs so well |
| was able to keep up with Borge Mogensen's | | | | accepted was his ability to incorporate a variety |
| thoroughness and quality in his designs. | | | | of different design styles into his furniture, |
| Borge Mogensen passed away in 1972 and he is | | | | keeping them free for the modernist influence |
| still considered Denmark's 'Grand Old Man'. His | | | | and attractive to customers from all walks of life. |
| experience as a cabinetmaker helped him in his | | | | |