The story behind the Dansk trivet is definitely a trend one: Gunnar Cyrén, an award-winning Swedish designer liable for a number of the world’s most coveted flatware, would’ve by no means labored with Dansk if he hadn’t walked right into a Parisian lodge carrying his worst corduroy swimsuit.
Days previous to arriving on the lodge, a while in the course of the summer season of 1969, Gunnar was within the midst of a household trip in Sweden’s Skåne county when the cellphone rang. On the opposite line was Dansk founder Ted Nierenberg—once more.
For years, Ted had courted Gunnar, writing letters and making calls begging him to entertain the thought of working collectively. Gunnar, a lauded glassblower, silversmith, and rising star in Scandinavian design, at all times declined.
However on that day, Gunnar ran out of excuses—prompting him to journey to Paris to fulfill the American businessman. And as quickly as he arrived, he knew he’d made a horrible mistake.
The lodge the place they have been assembly turned out to be one among Europe’s fanciest—the kind of place the place his swimsuit would make him stand out—and never in a great way. When Ted arrived dressed to match the situation, Gunnar grew to become sure: This was by no means meant to be.
After a fast introduction, the 2 males agreed to rapidly verify into their rooms after which meet again downstairs. Flustered, Gunnar tidied his outfit to the most effective of his skills then headed to the foyer. Minutes later, Ted reappeared in an outfit looser and extra informal than Gunnar’s corduroy disaster.
Ted’s fast change floored Gunnar and, per his autobiography, is what in the end satisfied him to work for Dansk, which he did for the subsequent six years, creating over 300 unique designs from 1970 to 1976. Whereas a lot of Gunnar’s Dansk tableware stays celebrated immediately, none encapsulates his playful fashion greater than the fish trivet.
Photograph by Gunnar Cyren
Initially created from plastic, the fish trivet weaves kind, perform, and the Swede’s fervent curiosity with animal magnificence right into a sensible serving software. It’s the kind of factor that makes cooking simpler and your eating desk extra enjoyable.
It’s not simply us—the trivet additionally occurred to be one among Gunnar’s favourite designs. Just lately, in a dialog with the late designer’s three sons, they knowledgeable us that of all his accolades, one among Gunnar’s proudest accomplishments was his first silver exhibition, which he held in 1977. It was his first time making a sequence of labor funded totally by himself and void of any exterior inventive affect. In his autobiography, Gunnar labeled the present a chance “to work via one’s emotions.” And his sons confirmed that it’s no mistake that one of many exhibition’s items is a silver bowl topped with—what else?—a lid equivalent to the fish trivet’s design.
Photograph by Gunnar Cyren
Whereas that fish bowl will endlessly stay an elusive collector’s merchandise, its supply materials is now rather more accessible. At present, we’re completely satisfied to announce the relaunch of the Gunnar Cyren fish trivet—promising the identical timeless (but playful) design however in an improved, extra sturdy forged iron materials. Whether or not resting in your kitchen counter or held on the wall utilizing its ever handy loop, the trivet embodies the sort of retro fashion that’s nonetheless cool in any case these years—very similar to a corduroy swimsuit.
What classic Dansk design ought to we relaunch subsequent? Tell us within the feedback beneath!
