Tables | for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen
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.
Manufacturer: France & Søn / France & Daverkosen
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Mid-Century Minerva Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen
Danish Dining Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn, 1960s
Danish Oak Model FD 516 2-Level Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Danish FD503 Coffee Table by Tove Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Mid-Century Rectangular Rosewood Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn
Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Danish Teak Coffee Table by France & Søn for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Teak Dining Table by Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn, 1950s
Minerva Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Daverkosen
Teak Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Mid-Century Model FD 503 Coffee Table by Tove Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Teak Coffee Table by Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, Denmark, 1960s
Rosewood Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Studioline Bar Trolley by Verner Panton for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Minerva Corner Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn, 1950s
Teak Model 640 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1957
Danish Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France and Søn, 1960s
Scandinavian Coffee Table by Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Teak Coffee Table by Finn Juhl for France & Søn, 1950s
Mid-Century Minerva Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard-Nielsen for France & Son / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Corner Table in Teak by Hvidt & Mølgaard for Cado, 1960s
Teak Model FD 516 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Teak Side Table by Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn, 1956
Teak Coffee Table by Finn Juhl for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Dining Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1970s
Model 515 Teak and Wicker Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Large Danish Teak Coffee Table by Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Teak Model FD 516 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Mid-Century Modern Danish Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1970s
Danish Drop Leaf Dining Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Son, 1950s
Mid-Century Teak Dining Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Mid-Century Danish Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn
Mid-Century Teak Model 515 Coffee Table by Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Square Side Table with Rosewood Veneer by Finn Juhl for France & Søn, 1960s
Danish FD 516 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Son, 1960s
Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Danish Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn, 1950s
Danish Minerva Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard-Nielsen for France & Son, 1950s
Mid-Century Model FD 156 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Moduline Coffee Table by Ole Gjerløv-Knudsen & Torben Lind for France & Søn, 1960s
Danish Rosewood Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Vintage Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn
Teak Coffee by Grete Jalk for France & Søn, 1960s
Teak FD 10/50 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn, 1950s
Danish Modern FD 503 Teak Coffee Table by Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Søn
Mid-Century Danish Solid Teak 2-Level Side Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn, 1960s
Nesting Tables in Teak by Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard, 1960s
Danish Dining Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Large Vintage Teak Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Danish Solid Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt, 1950s
Teak Side Tables from France and Søn, 1960s, Set of 2
Rosewood Coffee Table by Finn Juhl for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Teak and Brass Dining Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Teak FD532 Coffee Table from France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Mid-Century Rosewood Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen
Model FD 156 Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Son, 1960s
Vintage Minerva Solid Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard Nielsen for France & Søn
Danish Teak Side Tables from France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s, Set of 2
Danish Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Mid-Century FD519 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen
Danish Minerva Coffee Table from France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Rosewood Coffee Table by Ole Gjerløv-Knudsen & Torben Lind for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Rosewood Dining Table by Ole Gjerløv-Knudsen & Torben Lind for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Mid-Century Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for France and Son
Dining Table by Ole Wanscher for France & Søn, 1960s
Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn, 1957
Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn, 1950s
Mid-Century Danish Solid Teak Round Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Vintage Minerva Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for France & Søn, 1950s
Minerva Teak Side Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn/France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Teak Nesting Tables from France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1970s, Set of 2
Nesting Tables by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
FD 516 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Søn / France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Folding Side Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn, 1950s
Teak Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Son, 1970s
Danish FD540 Teak Dining Table by Finn Juhl for France & Søn, 1950s
Rosewood Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Son, 1960s
Model FD 540 Teak Solid Wood Dining Table by Finn Juhl for France & Søn, 1960s
FD 516 Teak Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for France & Son, 1956
Square Teak Side Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn, 1962
Danish Rosewood Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn, 1960s
Mid-Century Diplomat Series Side Table by Finn Juhl for France & Son
Teak Drop-Leaf Dining Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for France & Søn, 1960s
Mid-Century Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France & Søn
Coffee Table by Grete Jalk for France & Søn
FD156 Coffee Table by Peter Hvidt for France & Søn, 1960s
Danish Teak Coffee Table by Hvidt & Mølgaard for France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Danish Teak Side Table from France & Daverkosen, 1960s
Danish Triangular Folding Table by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for France & Daverkosen, 1950s
Danish FD503 Teak Coffee Table by Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen for France & Son
Mid-Century Modern Teak 20/59 Folding Dining Table by Hvidt and Mølgaard Nielsen
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France & Søn / France & Daverkosen Tables