Danish Solid Beech and Gray Velvet Model 84 Dining Chairs by Niels Otto Møller for J.L. Møllers, 1960s, Set of 4

A History of Niels O. Møller

Niels Otto Møller, a Danish designer and cabinetmaker known for his elegant teak and rosewood furniture, was born in 1920. In 1939, at the age of 19, he began his training at the Danish Design School in Århus, Denmark. His pieces are a strong representation of postwar furniture design, and place an emphasis on the materials and craftsmanship. In 1951, he designed the #71 chair which became one of his most popular creations. He went on to design other Dining Chairs tables, coffee tables, sideboards, cabinets and serving carts, the most notable of which are his #78/62 chairs from 1962. Both subtle and elegant, his furniture formed the benchmark for design and quality of production.

The accomplishments of Niels O. Møller

Niels O Møller, and this company have, throughout history, been recognized and awarded for their accomplishments. The pieces made by the Møllers and their company, have always been highly regarded as some of the finest examples of Scandinavian Furniture (http://eu.pamono.com/scandinavian-furniture). For this reason, the company has won numerous awards, including the Danish Furniture Prize, which they won twice. A judge on the panel for the second Danish Furniture Prize that Niels Møller won in 1981 explained the award was bestowed thanks to the company’s ability to “combine the best craft traditions with modern furniture manufacture. The company has always obstinately held firm to its high quality level”.

The furniture company of Niels O. Møller

In 1944 Niels O. Møller founded the furniture company J.L Møller Møbelfabrik. According to his son, Jørgen Henrik, each of Niels O. Møller’s designs would take him approximately five years to complete to ensure perfection. This is the reason that even though the company that has been around for over 60 years, the Møller collection is quite small. In the 1960s, Møller’s sons, Jens Ole and Jørgen Henrik, completed cabinetmaking training and joined the company. A decade later, the company expanded into Japan which remains to this day one of their biggest markets due to the simplicity of the design and the craftsmanship. Although Niels O. Møller died in 1982, the company continues to be in Møller family ownership, and is currently managed by Jørgen Henrik Møller. Niels O. Møller’s grandson, Michael Møller began working in the company in 1997 and represents the next generation of Møllers.