Danish Carved Coffee Table with Gouged Top Oak by Frits Henningsen, 1940s

Extraordinary coffee table (or other low table) attributed to Danish cabinetmaker Frits Henningsen. Masterfully executed in finely carved solid oak in the Louis XV taste with unusual organic and modern details, including gouged top surface and sinewy zoomorphic legs. Attributed to Frits Henningsen (1889-1965), Denmark 1940s. Danish cabinetmaker Frits Henningsen never compromised on quality. His furniture is known for its impeccable craftsmanship, and unlike many designers of his day, Henningsen — a dogged perfectionist — rarely permitted any of his pieces to be built outside of his own workshop. Each of his elegant low-profile tables, chairs and sofas feature the clean lines and graceful curves typically associated with vintage mid-century modern and Scandinavian modern furniture. Bucking the angular and geometric furniture trends of the time, Henningsen embraced fluid and organic forms. Much of his inspiration came from the Rococo, French Empire and British 17th-century styles he encountered on his travels.