Lawrence Peabody Danish Line Lounge Chair, Model 596 for Selig
This chair and line have been wildly mis represented in the vintage market due to a couple of false advertisements, as well as Selig re-brand once Lawrence Peabody left the company in 1955. Below is one of the main advertisements people lean on for this specific design.
This advertisement is at least from 56' (2 years after the original Danish Line was introduced). The "sweetheart chair" (below left) was designed by Kofod Larsen in 1956 (this was one of his first chair designs for Selig outside of the penguin). There are also written reference material stating Kofod worked with the American design staff to tweak the original line.
**Below this misleading advertisement is all the reference material explaining the entire Danish line designed by Lawrence Peabody. Outside of a single chair "wooden penguin chair" the entire line was designed by Lawrence Peabody for Selig as their head designer.**
Lawrence Peabody Danish Line for Selig
Sunday Press, New York - 27 Jun 1954
Selig's press release for the new Danish Line designed by Lawrence Peabody:
Same article below zoomed in to be able to read the text:
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York - 9 Jul 1954
Another article introducing the new Danish line designed by Lawrence Peabody. This article is also showing is early armless chair.
* *You will also notice the story talks about one chair being designed by Kofod (which would have been the all wood penguin chair). With the exception of the Penguin chair, there are zero references stating other furniture by Kofod was being imported before 1955 for Selig.
Arizona Republic, Pheonix Arizona - 27 Jun 1954
American designs (Lawrence Peabody) produced in Denmark. This is talking about the new Danish Line.
* *You will also notice the story talks about one chair being designed by Kofod (which would have been the all wood penguin chair). With the exception of the Penguin chair, there are zero references stating other furniture by Kofod was being imported before 1955 for Selig.
Lansing State Journal, Michigan - 28 Nov 1954
Another article from 1954 showing the ottoman from the Danish Line, which clearly states it was deigned by Lawrence Peabody.
Arizona Republic, Arizona - 6 Feb 1955
Another article stating the Danish Line was designed in America (Peabody).
The Gazette and Daily York, Pennsylvania - 16 Jun 1955
Advertisement of Lawrence Peabody designs for Selig. Danish line bottom right.
Home and Garden 1955
Selig advertisement from Home and Garden magazine for Lawrence Peabody's designs. ** Bottom left states designs by Lawrence Peabody
/s Selico Advertisement 1955:
As you will find these chairs were being manufactured in Denmark and sold to both the American market and Danish market.
Arizona Republic, Arizona - 26 Feb 1956
In 1956 after Peabody left Selig, the company started working hard to figure out their next move. They began employing multiple outside designers to help grow the line. In the below article you will see this is when Kofod Larsen started working with the American design staff to manipulate some of Peabody's designs, marketing them as Kofod. We believe this is why they started to change the way the slats looked in the back of the original Danish Line. As Peabody was the head staff designer, I am sure they felt like they owned his designs and it was appropriate to manipulate them. You will also notice these items were specifically designed for Selig....
Fort Lauderdale News, 19 Feb 1956
This is the first reference of Kofod Larsen designing anything that Selig imported outside of the Penguins. Below is the chair the previous article is referencing. (sweetheart chair)
The Tennessean Nashville, Tennessee - 7 Nov 1969
Below is an article from '69 which also indicates Peabody's life work and part of it was the Danish furniture for Selig.
From imported from Denmark
Foam rubber
d i m e n s i o n s
H: 28 (71.12cm)
W: 30.25 (76.84cm)
D: 32 (81.28cm)
Arm Height: 21.25 (54.61cm)
Seat Height: 17.5 (44.45cm)
Seat Width: 22.5 (57.15cm)
Seat Depth: 19.25 (48.895cm)