BUYERS GUIDE HENNING KOPPE L


With a creative mind in full flow and a happy relationship with Georg Jensen Henning found his niche with ever more refined creations. Such was his success that he was awarded the famed Lunning Prize by the critics, high praise indeed for this radical young talent. Soon he turned his attentions to flatware, the bread and butter of the metal ware industry. The Caravel stainless steel range was his first production, a clean modern design with tapering ends and beautiful shapes. This was followed in 1963 by the ‘New York’ pattern which was designed for New York World Fair. It proved so popular with visitors that over a third of the flatware used in the Danish restaurant was stolen by the guests. To follow was ‘Strata’, the most successful flatware pattern of the time, with thick plastic handles and a sturdy enough design to handle going through the dishwasher.


Soon after Henning Koppel would change directions and materials once again, trying his hand at porcelain with Royal Copenhagen. Porcelain proved difficult to adjust to as structurally it was apt to changes during the firing process, which meant Koppel would soon learn to compromise (slightly) with the nature of his materials. Not to be daunted however, he would once again create wonders with a truly unique tea service and other dishes with clean modern lines, graceful curves, and his own definitive style. Although available with a delicate blue design, Henning's porcelain designs would prove to be more popular in plain white, as he had always wanted.


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The following years would prove to be creative and varied, as Henning designed in many different fields. An oil lamp, designs for the logo of a soccer team, a postage stamp, Henning's designs were many and varied. He eventually settled back in to designing in pewter, a softer and more malleable material than sterling silver, and created a beautiful contemporary desk set. Later would come a minimal clock and weather station. Always working, and always a personality, a man with a certain magnetic charm and charisma.


When Henning Koppel died in 1981, aged 63, he had created an astonishing range of work from his Strata stainless steel cutlery which found its way into the homes of millions, to magnificent one-off signature pieces such as the silver and crystal chandelier he designed to celebrate the 75-year anniversary of Georg Jensen in 1979.


During his life, he won many international awards including the Milan Triennial, the International Design Award and of course the Lunning Prize. Accolades from the design elite are of course important, but what means even more is that people still choose to wear a bracelet by Henning Koppel or to serve coffee from one of his pots. The integrity and appeal of his designs remain vital and undiminished placing him in history as one of the leading designers of the Post War era.


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