“118” Sofa by Grete Jalk for France & Daverkosen, 1950s

Teak sofa with removable cushions, recently reupholstered in a light-coloured cotton-blend fabric. Frame with distinctive exposed metal back supports. Designed by Grete Jalk for France & Daverkosen, 1950s, model “118”. Designed by Grete Jalk for France & Daverkosen in the 1950s, model “118” reflects the lightness and precision of construction that distinguish the Danish designer’s work. The teak frame remains largely exposed, defining the sofa through slender uprights and carefully shaped armrests while highlighting the continuity of the grain and the quality of the woodwork. The removable cushions, recently reupholstered in a light-coloured cotton-blend fabric, introduce softer volumes without concealing the frame, while the slender metal supports at the back become an integral part of the design. The interplay between wood, metal and upholstery thus expresses a modern approach to seating in which each material retains its own identity. Produced by France & Daverkosen, a key company in the international rise of Danish Modern, the “118” belongs to a period in which Jalk developed some of her most interesting explorations of structural lightness and the relationship between different materials. Good condition. It may show signs of age. Please pay attention to the photographs. AF851