Rosewood Bookcase by Johan Hagen for I. Christiansen, Denmark, 1950s

Danish rosewood bookcase designed by Johan Hagen and manufactured by I. Christiansen in the 1950s. The open bookcase features five shelves, each 31 cm deep, and rests on a projecting base with four legs connected by stretchers. Illums Bolighus retailer's label on the back. Designed by Johan Hagen in the 1950s and manufactured in Denmark by I. Christiansen, the bookcase is made of rosewood and distinguished by its open, well-proportioned structure. The upper section is divided by five shelves, each 31 cm deep, where the grain of the wood remains clearly visible and continues across the back panel. It is on the back panel that the rosewood takes on a particularly expressive quality: the grain, with its variations in tone and irregular patterns, forms broad vertical fields that visually extend across the sequence of shelves, transforming the surface of the wood into a natural, almost painterly decorative element. Towards the base, the depth increases: the lower shelf extends beyond the side supports, creating a broader surface and introducing a variation into the otherwise regular profile of the bookcase. The base is raised on four legs connected by slender stretchers, while rounded corners and subtly bevelled edges soften the geometry of the structure. The original Illums Bolighus label, from the historic Copenhagen furniture store, is still present on the back. Good condition. It may show signs of age. Please pay attention to the photographs. AG447.