Mid-Century Danish Leather and Steel Pk9 Chairs by Poul Kjaerholm for E. Kold Christensen, 1960s, Set of 4

A set of 4 Danish Mid-Century vintage leather and steel PK9 chairs designed by Poul Kjaerholm for E. Kold Christensen with additional bespoke optional seat height extensions.
These are a beautifully crafted set of chairs with a simple but striking form that have often been cited as Kjaerholm’s finest work; and for good reason… as the story goes Kjaerholm was inspired by a sand imprint of his wife’s behind from a day at the beach. Later, during the design process, Hanne Kjærholm sat in boxes of clay to find the most optimal and comfortable solution; so now you know.
These also have the additional benefit of expertly crafted seat height extensions that can be used or not, depending on the height of your preferred table. Note that the extensions do not affect the chairs at all and can simply replace the original bolts and spacers, which are naturally, also supplied with the chairs.
Why? Because you may not be aware that many of Kjaerholm’s early designs in chairs and tables were shorter than you would expect by modern standards. The chairs obviously do match his tables in being around 4 - 7cm shorter in seat and table height, but they do not match many other designs; and the relationship between seat and table height is absolutely fundamental in comfort for when dining. Too high and you feel like a giant at a child’s table; but too short and you feel like a child at an adults table! So you see the importance. Can you imagine paying all that money for a set of chairs like this and not realising the seat height is 3 - 5cm shorter than you were expecting?
It’s an odd state of affairs you would think, but Kjaerholm was obsessed with what he called the ‘furniture horizon’ in a room. So much so that he designed all his furniture around the idea of lowering the horizon to create a greater impression of space. That’s also why he used steel in many of his designs as it reflected light, so helped to make the structure of his furniture more transparent.
from his classic PK22s to his PK54 dining table, everything is low slung, and laid back; and to be honest a seat height of 41cm on the PK9s is actually not that bad at all – but that’s only of you are of average height or below; basketball players and high jumpers would feel like exiles at Kindergarten…
In any event they are stunning chairs and you’ve got the option of height extensions if you ever need them; which you would be hard pushed to find anywhere else, especially as well made as these are. The chairs are also presented in good vintage condition with signs of use exactly as you would expect commensurate with their 60 years of service.
Dimensions:
H75 X W66 X D60cm
Seat Height: 41cm (or 46cm with extensions)