Lawrence Peabody Danish Line Lounge Chair, Model 598 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 references that people lean on for this specific design. 

This add is very mis leading as both of these were designed by Lawrence Peabody in 1954. We are not sure if this came from a retailer or the Selig company, either way it is a gross misrepresentation of the real designer. What is most surprising is there are 0 references to Kofod Larsen designing anything for Selig outside of the Penguin chair until 1956 (this chair and ottoman were designed in 1954 with the original Danish Line and are referenced by material dated as such). 

** the designer name being marked through is certainly for a purpose.

Below is another advertisement that people rely on which miss represents Lawrence Peabody lounge chair (top left) and the Poul Jensen Z chair (bottom) both as Kofod Larsen.  

**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 (the 598 chair is shown in the original press release):

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 his 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. 

**This is the model #500 ottoman also mis represented in the upper reference!

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

A/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.

Dansk Kunsthåndværk 1955

Magasin was a Danish department store, and included the two Peabody chairs into an exhibit in Charlottenborg, next to Wegner and Mogensen pieces no less. So not only were Danish factories making designs from an American then, they were also marketing those chairs within Denmark as well. 

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)

he 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.