The "new" France & Son

Five years ago, a company was started with the mission "to set the trend in replica and original designs, providing the opportunity for everyone to create homes and spaces with an edge and at a budget that everyone could afford."

I admit that at first I was a little put off that they chose to appropriate the name "France & Son" from that of the well-known 20th century Danish manufacturing company which ultimately put into production the designs of a number mid-century icons, such as Arne Vodder, Grete Jalk, Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard-Nielsen, Finn Juhl, and Ole Wanscher. I could find no mention of the original company on their website, nor a disclaimer saying they have no connection to that historic company.

To be fair, they are under no legal or ethical obligation to do so, since the original company has not existed for decades. However, my concern was, and still is, that some people who are familiar with the name of the Danish company but do not know its history might be misled by the new company's name.

That said, after receiving numerous promotional emails from the company, I decided to make a purchase and take a look at the quality of the products they sell. I ordered their $39.99 walnut version of the Eames Hang-It-All, which is sold by Herman Miller for $299.

The Herman Miller version measures 14.7H x 19.7L x 6.5D, while the France & Son version measures 15.5H x 19.75L x 7D. I was quite pleased with the sturdiness and workmanship of the France & Son version, considering the difference in price, and I can justify spending $40 for a coat rack far more easily than I can justify spending $300.

Once a real purist about mid-century design, my attitude began to shift after doing some research for this blog. If you'd like to know why, see the links below.

France & Son version of Eames Hang-It-All

Close-up of France & Son version of Eames Hang-It-All

NOTE: A recurring theme on this blog has to do with legal and ethical issues surrounding knock-offs, reproductions and reissues. Whenever I broach this subject, I always reference a series of three "Is It Real?" posts I did in 2011 for any new readers who would like to examine the topic in more detail. First post : According to a Collector; second post: According to a Manufacturer; third post: According to an Heir

In the store: Finn Juhl wall unit

Finn Juhl designed this Cresco wall unit for France & Son, and it is magnificent. You can let your imagination run wild and arrange it in any configuration you like, because every piece of this beauty is completely modular. It is made of teak that's in excellent original condition, and it's truly one of the most beautiful and practical wall units we've ever had in the store. Drawers, doors, shelves...who could ask for more?

Cresco wall unit by Finn Juhl for France & Son

Close-up of pulls

Close-up of shelves

Alternate view

Arne Vodder

Arne Vodder (1926-2009) was a Danish architect and furniture designer. He was trained by Finn Juhl, who later became a friend and a business partner.

In 1951 Vodder opened a studio with Anton Borg. They designed 1100 low-cost homes, which were a great success. He started designing furniture for Fritz Hansen, France & Son and Sibast. His work with those companies brought him worldwide recognition and success.

His designs were generally made of rosewood or teak and sometimes included colorful panels. Today he is most appreciated for his rosewood sideboards, which usually command high prices. They are characterized by drawer fronts designed so pulls are not necessary.

From bemodern.com and bobedre.dk

Tall rosewood sideboard
lookmodern.com

Rosewood sideboard
1stdibs.com

Conference chairs
1stdibs.com

Lounge chair
1stdibs.com

Credenza with colored accents
kamada-japan.com

Teak armchairs
scandinavianmod.com