The Idea is Dansk: Rare Salesman's Presentation Catalogue with Illustrations by a Young Andy Warhol

[Warhol, Andy, and Jens Quistgaard]
Dansk Designs Salesman's Presentation Catalogue
New York, ca. 1958-65. Folio, approximately 15 x 12 in. (381 x 305 mm). Salesman's presentation catalogue, comprising over 30 spiral-bound leaves with printed and hand-colored illustrations, some by a young Andy Warhol, others by an unknown, but likely staff artist; with three long fold-out panels featuring over two dozen mounted newspaper and magazine ads, as well as photographs of store displays, and more. Original black easel-style folding presentation binding, stamped “Dansk” in red on front board, scattered light wear; some scattered light soiling to leaves, some starting.

Very rare, and perhaps unique, Dansk Designs salesman's presentation catalogue, featuring illustrations by a young Andy Warhol. Using the pitch “The Idea is Dansk”, this catalogue was used by Dansk salesmen to pitch the firm’s modern home goods to American buyers who purchased inventory for luxury department stores and independent retail stores. This showcases Warhol’s iconic pre-Pop Art commercial illustrations of Dansk chief designer Jens Quistgaard's work.

Dansk was founded by American entrepreneurs Ted and Martha Nierenberg in 1954 with the intention of introducing high quality modern housewares to the American consumer market. While on their honeymoon in Copenhagen, the couple discovered Quistgaard's sculptural work, and thinking it perfect for their venture, recruited him to be the new company's chief designer. In 1958-59, when Ted commissioned Andy Warhol to produce work for Dansk, Warhol was at the peak of his career as a commercial artist, then known for his work for I. Miller and for his illustrations that frequently appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, McCall’s, and Vogue. By this same time, Dansk had become wildly successful and Quistgaard's designs were internationally renowned. Dansk's wares sold across the United States and abroad, and could be found in some of the finest department stores of the day, such as Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, and Neiman-Marcus, among many others.

Using his signature blotted-line style, Warhol here illustrates Quistgaard's most captivating designs, including his Fjord and Tjorn flat wear, Kobenstyle vessels and cookware, and Flamestone pitchers and cups. Warhol's work is also featured in newspaper ads mounted within, depicting Quistgaard's ice bucket and Flamestone objects, seen in ads for the Higbee Company in Cleveland (November, 1958), Steiger in Springfield, Massachusetts (December, 1958), and Horne in Pittsburgh (September, 1959)--Warhol's hometown.

Very rare and is perhaps unique. A seemingly similar example from the collection of the Nierenberg family was featured in the Quistgaard retrospective at the HEART Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, in 2016, but it is not clear from their photos or description whether it was constructed in a similar fashion or with the exact content as ours.

We cannot locate any other examples ever coming to auction.

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Lot 41

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