Norwegian furniture brand Eikund has spent the past ten years on a treasure hunt to recover the works of Norway’s great mid-century designers, because, as the company puts it, some things are worth searching for. This month, the hunt comes to London as Eikund exhibits at Clerkenwell Design Week (19–23 May) as part of the Norwegian International Collection.
The hunt began with a simple question: what happened to Norwegian design? The 1950s and 60s were a golden age for furniture design in Norway, yet while Sweden and Denmark went on to put Scandinavian design on the world map, Norway’s contribution had drifted into vintage shops and the homes of an older generation. That’s when Eikund decided to bring these forgotten gems back to life – and so the treasure hunt began.
Eikund was established in spring 2016, but the founders spent a whole year prior tracking down relatives, searching through old lofts and looking for original drawings, and the authentic stories behind them. They believed Norwegian design icons deserved better. Scandinavian design includes Norwegian design, not just Danish, not just Swedish.
The stakes were clear early on. One of the original Hunter chairs by Torbjørn Afdal was once auctioned for 75,000 NOK (circa £6,000) under the tag ‘Danish design’. Norway’s design heritage, Eikund argues, deserves its place in today’s world with the recognition it has always deserved. So the hunt continues – searching for stories and resurfacing the once dormant voice of Norwegian design masters.
Over the past decade, Eikund has gathered the very best of Norwegian mid-century design under one brand. A collection celebrating iconic works by masters including Fredrik A. Kayser, Torbjørn Afdal, Sigurd Resell, Sven Ivar Dysthe and Torbjørn Bekken. The story is told in a new short film, which follows the years of detective work, the searching, and the moments when preparation met opportunity, including finding the children and grandchildren of the original designers – people who wanted to see their grandfather’s creations out in the world again.
‘What started as curiosity became a mission. You pull on one thread – an old drawing in a loft, a family who remembers – and suddenly there’s a whole chapter of design history waiting to be told. That’s what keeps us searching’, says Morten Hippe, Co-Founder Eikund.
Eikund’s mission is simple: to ensure Norway’s design golden age is never forgotten again. The caretakers of Norwegian Design.
FILM Eikund Treasure Hunt : https://youtu.be/-cOvoh8-_0I?si=exP0YCtAJXWROjKq
Eikund | The Norwegian International Collection | Clerkenwell Design Week 19-23 May
Eikund will come to London this month as part of the Norwegian International Collection at Clerkenwell Design Week presenting pieces including the Fluffy, Veng and Hunter chairs at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield EC1A 9DS.
Tuesday 19 May 10 – 6pm | Wednesday 20 May 10 – 9pm | Thursday 21 May 10 – 5pm
Church of Design (Stand SB23) St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield, London EC1A 9DS