Poul Kjaerholm PK101 candle holder for E. Kold Christensen

As a trained cabinetmaker Poul Kjærholm’s use of industrial methods and materials in the 1960s brought a fresh, graceful, sleek new style to Danish modern design. At what is now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, Kjærholm studied under Hans Wegner and Jørn Utzon. The latter greatly influenced Kjærholm’s furniture production techniques — although he employed natural materials such as cane and leather, to a far greater extent than his peers Kjærholm embraced the use of steel (rather than wood) framing for his chairs, daybeds and tables. Kjærholm’s signal design was the PK22 chair of 1956, a low-slung leather lounger on a steel base. Kjærholm’s designs were named using a numeric system devised with his manufacturer, E. Kold Christensen. Lots of furniture design numbers came from his head and hand.

Also the very unique candleabrum that got the name PK-101. Simple, elegant steel spiral floats from invisible fishing wire. Approximately 200 of the PK-101 were produced between 1959 and 1966 for E Kold Christensen.