Description

This PAIR of DQF (Danish Quality Furniture) SOLD to LAUREN through iNVISeDGE in 2019 for $2250 THE PAIR. These chairs sold under consignment directly from our client in MOOROOKA, Brisbane. We organised the full sale on behalf of our client.

Our client, Brent, has been collecting and restoring quality vintage furniture with the Danish aesthetic for 20 years- read more about Brent in our last paragraph.

Background Info and Provenance  Written in 2019

A beautiful PAIR of “Norway” chairs HANDCRAFTED by DQF (Danish Quality Furniture) in Brisbane back in the early 1960’s. This pair is up there with the best furniture ever made in Australia. In my opinion, they EXCEED the quality of Parker Furniture. Crafted from solid blackbean timber, this timber is recognised for its beautiful figuring and grain but the beauty of this timber is a small part of the appeal- it’s also incredibly strong and resilient. This makes it harder for craftsmen to shape but allows fine and slender frames to be crafted that structurally fare even better than timbers more commonly used in Australian mid-century furniture at the time.

I like how DQF did their own thing … yes, the famous Danish artisan, Finn Juhl, has been heavily referenced in DQF’s work but DQF didn’t set out to copy what Finn Juhl did. I’ve not come across a pair quite like these. They have a unique edge compared to other brands such as Parker and FLER. And after 18 years in this business this is the first PAIR of DQF chairs I’ve had- they’re really hard to find! These chairs have an architectural design aesthetic because of the angular geometry, contrasted by the curved edges and refined corners which was made famous by Danish furniture.

Danish Quality Furniture were renowned for producing the finest quality modern-style furniture made in Queensland. Not much of it has found its way outside Queensland and most is tightly held onto by its owners (who are often collectors). You’d be hard-pressed to find anything better in Australia (even in the Danish stores in Melbourne). I personally much prefer having Australian vintage furniture in my home- I am proud of what Australians achieved at the time. We are not the “country-bumpkins” often typecast by the rest of the world and work like this proves it. Australian furniture from all eras (but particularly from the 1940’s to early 70’s) is just as good as what was happening anywhere else in the world (just on a smaller scale because of our comparatively small population).

I want to add one more thing (skip this paragraph if you’re getting bored, but I think it’s one of the most important paragraphs of the description). DQF is the achievement of Erik and Inga Petersen, the parents of a Danish family who left Europe after WWII. In 1958 the family bought a property in Bulimba, Brisbane and installed machinery underneath their home. This is yet another business that started in someone’s garage. Word quickly got out that this business was creating the most beautiful Danish-style furniture Brisbane had ever seen and the family soon had to build a shed in their backyard to accommodate their fledgling business. Orders flooded in and the family built their first factory in Murrarie (in 1963). To me DQF furniture is more than just a piece of furniture- it’s a symbol that something can be created from supposedly nothing if we keep centred. This furniture was created by an immigrant family battling to carve out an existence in a foreign country but there is no feeling of desperation in their work- their craft portrays the sheer opposite- a feeling of centredness and one-pointed focus.

Right! … I must talk about the chairs on offer here! (But the QDF story does need to be told. Thank you to Brisbane Modern Magazine who went to the effort of telling it- most of the facts in this description are from the Brisbane Modern Magazine). This PAIR of QDF chairs are nearing 60 years old- I see no reason why they won’t continue to be passed onto future generations. The styling is beautiful but timeless- they’re slender yet durable … but make no mistake- they’re also comfortable chairs to sit in (comfort has been just as carefully considered).

They tick every box but most importantly the investment appeal box. To an Australian, these chairs have all the investment appeal of a pair of Finn Juhl chairs coming out of Denmark but Finn Juhl chairs average about AU$8000 the pair (see the screenshots provided). These are of the same vintage, constructed with the same level of love and attention but we’re listing them at MUCH less. I believe, these chairs will retain their value (at the very least) while you get to enjoy them in your home. Buying vintage furniture is not only the smartest financial furniture investment you can make but the very best investment for the future of our planet- valuing what we already have is our very best way to reduce landfill.

This stylish pair of chairs is proudly presented in iNVISeDGE on behalf of our Brisbane client who leads a busy corporate life on the computer and phone and loves nothing more than getting into his workshop on the weekends and giving classic vintage pieces a new lease of life. Our client, Brent, has been collecting and restoring fine vintage furniture for 20 years and has worked with some of the most beautiful furniture pieces to ever come out of this country. Over the last 20 years he has honed his skills as a restorer- I doubt you’ll ever find vintage furniture more meticulously finished. The frames have been completely pulled apart to sand off all the old finish and then are given up to 7 coats of Danish oil. Danish oil is applied in thin coats and between each coat the surface is smoothed with fine steel wool before the next coat is applied. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a pair of chairs that have been given more love and attention. After every surface has been re-finished Brent re-glues the frame back together so his pieces are just as strong as when they left the workshop back in the 1960’s. Brent also has a talent for choosing fabrics for his restored pieces. Exotic fabrics are chosen that are refined and restrained (fitting in with the essence of each piece he’s working with). Brent doesn’t skimp on fabrics- the fabrics he uses can retail for up to $300 a metre. (Brent has used the perfect fabric for these. This pair of chairs is upholstered in Warwick Globe in Shadow colour. All Warwick Fabrics carry a guarantee for quality. Warwick Fabric is an AUSTRALIAN family-based business that has been servicing the Australian furniture industry since the 1970’s. Warwick Fabrics have an enviable reputation based on offering quality products to the discerning buyer).

I am looking forward to presenting iNVISeDGE customers with more of Brent’s work in coming months- keep following our NEWLY LISTED Category so you don’t miss any of his work. I’m sure our customers will value what he does just as much as I do.

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