Teak Daybed 'Minerva' FD 417 by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Son

The Danish architects Peter Hvidt (1916-1986) and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen (1907-1993) founded the joint studio Hvidt & Mølgaard in 1944, which they ran until 1975. Mølgaard-Nielsen had studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen under Kaare Klint, Hvidt cabinetmaking and architecture at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts. Their best-known design is the AX chair for Fritz Hansen, made of plywood glued in one piece using a technique taken from tennis racket making. For France & Søn they designed the Boomerang armchair, the Minerva sofa range in teak and leather and the chair models FD134 and FD145. For Søborg Møbelfabrik they created the chair series Model 316 in teak with seats of seagrass or woven rope. In total, the duo developed around 250 furniture designs, characterised by clear lines and a consistent focus on industrial production.