Jens Quistgaard: The Sculpting Designer

‘Jens Quistgaard is a designer’s book, tightly focused on materials and construction details. This is apparent from the moment you pick it up.’ – The New Yorker

The first authoritative monograph on the life and work of the celebrated Danish-American designer Jens Quistgaard – an unsung hero of Danish Modern and Mid-century Modern design

Jens Quistgaard (1919–2008), considered one of the founders of Scandinavian Modern style, spent 30 years as chief designer at the American company Dansk Designs, resulting in more than 4,000 products. His design philosophy – that utilitarian, everyday items should function harmoniously – influenced his approach to everything from spoons and pans to crockery and pepper mills, and is as relevant today as it was half a century ago.

Quistgaard’s work is represented at major museums in Europe and the USA, including Design Museum Denmark, MoMA, New York, and the British Museum, London, with many of his designs still in production to this day. With never-before-seen sketches, archival photography, case studies, ephemera, and an illustrated inventory of his designs, this book delves deep into Quistgaard’s life and work to reveal his critical contribution to design history.