Dining Chairs by Kurt Østervig attributed to Bramin, 1950s, Set of 10

Danish furniture designer Kurt Østervig (1912-1986) began his career as a naval architect in Odense, Denmark’s third city. Changing career paths in favour of design, Østervig worked for manufacturer E. Knudsen before opening his own studio in 1947. He continued to work as a freelance designer for the rest of his career, collaborating with an array of Danish furniture brands in the mid-century era, including Bernh. Pedersen & Son, Bramin, Jason, Rolschau, Sibast, and Vamo, to name but a few.

Among Østervig’s most important designs are the Model 12 Easy Chair for Schillers Polstermøblerfabrik (1961; re-launched in 2014) and the Butterfly Dining Chair(1950s) for Brande. Østervig’s material of choice was oak, although his designs were also produced in rosewood and teak. Some sources reference Østervig’s participation in the Triennale di Milano in the 1950s and a Museum of Modern Art exhibition in the 1960s—although it is unclear which designs were shown at these venues.

Østervig was a well respected artist, known for his detailed, naturalistic drawings. His interiors projects included private homes, ships, nursing homes, hotels, and cinemas.

Today, Østervig’s designs continue to be produced by five manufacturers, but his mid-century productions remain in high demand, fetching high prices at auctions and vintage galleries around the world.

Originally known as N.A. Jørgensen, Danish furniture manufacturer Bramin was founded in Bramming, a region on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula. Throughout the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, the company produced seating, tables, and casegoods in a style representative of the Danish mid-century modern era.

From Bramin’s catalogues and advertisements, we can ascertain that N.A. Jørgensen launched the Bramin brand around 1957 or 1958. In the early 1960s, Bramin's ad campaigns promised "Deres garanti for kvalitet form og function" or “Quality, form, and function: guaranteed,” using strong, modern imagery. From then on, the more traditionally-oriented N.A. Jørgensens Møbelfabrik took a back seat. It was not until the mid-1960s, however, that the striking Bramin logo was created, with the rounded, lowercase central “a” standing out from the remaining block letters.

In its heydey, Bramin collaborated with many well respected Danish designers, such as Johannes Andersen, Hans Olsen, Kurt Østervig, and Frank Reenskaug. However, Bramin’s most successful relationship was undoubtedly with H.W Klein, a Norwegian-born designer who moved to Denmark in 1960 to work for the company. Klein's most notable design is the Ønskestolen (mid-1960s), a padded leather lounge chair on a five-star swivel base, but he was also known for wide range of living room suites, dining suites, and storage options. Other memorable Bramin pieces include the classic Rocking Chair No. 182 by Reenskaug (circa 1958) and the idiosyncratically asymmetrical Chair No. 168 by Olsen (circa 1956).

For decades, the region of Bramming was a major hub for the Danish furniture industry, boasting 20 factories at its peak. Particularly hard hit by the global recession in the early-1980s, many Bramming-based businesses closed, Bramin included. After the closure, Klein moved to San Francisco. Though much of Bramin's history has been lost over time, the company's prolific furniture output has found a vibrant place in today's vintage market.