Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn

Recognized as an important Danish modernist designer—working at a time when women were a rarity in the design world—Grete Juel Jalk was born in Copenhagen in 1920. She trained in cabinetmaking at Copenhagen's Design School for Women between 1940 and 1942; she went on to complete her education at the Danish Royal Academy under highly influential designer Kaare Klint. In 1946, she won first prize at the annual Cabinetmaker's Guild Competition; five years later, she received wide acclaim for her designs exhibited at the 1951 Milan Triennale.

Around 1953, Jalk opened her own studio and began to develop furniture designs for some of the best known Danish manufacturers, like Poul Jeppesen, Fritz Hansen, Glostrup, and France & Søn. Inspired by the Eameses' and Aaltos' organic, molded furniture, Jalk continuously experimented with new materials and production techniques.

Her iconic GJ Chair—also known as the Shell Chair—for Poul Jeppesen (1963) is a staggering example of postwar design innovation. This teak-veneered, molded plywood piece features a distinct origami-like shape achieved through an intricate bending and laminating process; the complexity of the fabrication in those early years limited its manufacture to only a few hundred. Nevertheless, it was snapped up by New York's Museum of Modern Art the year of its release. In 2009, the GJ Chair went back into production with Danish manufacturer Lange, and, unsurprisingly, the original midcentury editions remain highly sought after on the secondary market.

Jalk is known for her thoughtful designs that are well adapted to users' needs and that embrace societal and technological progress. Through her long career, she gained a reputation in both Denmark and abroad for designs that are economical—both in terms of material and cost—and ideal for the evolving, modern home. In 1947, she created a “self-supporting women’s den” for single, working women, which included an all-in-one sofa bed, storage space, and desk. Her Watch and Listen Unit (1963) was intended to store and display—as opposed to hide—television sets, record players, and stereo systems. Her storage units, coffee tables, and cabinets are typically designed to serve many purposes, just like the multifunctional living rooms in which they were intended. Her minimalist sofas and lounge chairs feature clear yet comfortable forms—perfect for cost-effective mass production.

Beyond her design work, Jalk edited the design magazine Mobilia (1956-62 and 1968-74), as well as the encyclopaedic, four-volume book, Forty Years of Danish Furniture Design (1987). In 1974, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned Grete Jalk to curate a traveling exhibition on Danish design. Her foldable exhibition space was a huge success in 25 regions. She contributed immeasurably to the international reputation of Danish design, and her work can be found in private and public collections around the world.

Jalk passed away in 2006.

France & Søn—and its predecessor, France & Daverkosen—are among the most sought after names on the vintage market today. Numerous pieces that are still in circulation retain their original identifying labels and were designed by major midcentury Danish designers, like Hvidt & Mølgaard, Grete Jalk, Finn Juhl, Arne Vodder, and Ole Wanscher. It's surprising, then, that so little information about the company's history and evolution has survived.

Most sources agree that the popular Danish manufacturing firm was founded in Denmark around 1948 by British businessman Charles W. France and Danish cabinetmaker Eric Daverkosen. Mattresses may have been the company's first focus, but by 1952 France & Daverkosen had built a large furniture factory in Hillerød, just outside of Copenhagen, and was fast becoming one of most successful Danish furniture companies dedicated to mass production rather than traditional artisanal methods. Seating that features loose cushions and light, teak frames became France & Daverkosen's signature.

In 1957, when France’s son Julian France joined the company, the name was changed to France & Søn. Many models produced by France & Daverkosen had been named FD followed by the model number, and France & Søn continued to produce those designs under their original names while introducing new collections every year. As to what happened to Daverkosen or the reason he left the partnership, no information seems to be available.

Sometime between 1964 and 1967, Danish designer-manufacturer Poul Cadovius purchased France & Søn and renamed it CADO. Cadovius continued to produce France & Søn designs and to collaborate with an impressive roster of iconic designers, including Verner Panton, until he closed shop some time in the mid- to late-1970s. Notable designs produced over two decades by France & Søn and its related companies include the FD145 chair, Minerva sofa, and the Model 523—or Pinwheel—side table by Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard-Nielsen (all 1950s); the FD109, FD110 (both 1950s) and Senator chairs by Ole Wanscher (1951); the 209 Diplomat (early 1960s) and Bwana (1964) chairs by Finn Juhl; and the FD164 armchair and ottoman by Arne Vodder (1960s).

Arguably, France & Søn's success in the arena of mass production contributed to its lackluster coverage by design historians; the sheer quantity of its production may have interfered with creating an aura of "specialness." Yet, one surviving story claims that France & Søn was the first—under the direction of Finn Juhl—to figure out how to work with teak at an industrial scale, an impressive feat in the modernist era. Juhl's Model 133 Spadestolen Chair (1953) was the first result. Furthermore, France & Son ensured its products could be easily dismantled, making them cheaper to export. In the late 1950s to early 60s, the company supplied furniture to offices of the International Monetary Fund and created large export markets in Germany and the United States. And the fact that so many France & Søn pieces can be found today in very good condition attests to the company's achievements in quality.