KAY BOJESEN · JOURNAL

A MAN OF MANY TALENTS

KAY BOJESEN

KAY BOJESEN WAS A DANISH CRAFTSMAN, KNOWN AND LOVED FOR HIS FUNCTIONAL, SIMPLE AND AESTHETIC DESIGN

A look into Kay Bojesens shop and workshop anno 1950

Kay Bojesen was born in 1886 into a creative family in Copenhagen.

In 1907, Kay got an apprenticeship as a silversmith at Georg Jensen’s workshop. Here, Kay learned how to master silver craft, Art Nouveau and curlicues. By 1910, when Kay was fully trained, Georg Jensen admired Kay’s talent and wrote: “It is my belief that a young man with his skills, is able to take it far”.

After his apprenticeship, Kay travelled Europe, and once he returned to Copenhagen in 1913, he opened his first silversmith workshop. He kept letting his craftsmanship push him forward to experiment with innovative styles and materials. In the 1920s, Kay became a strong advocate for functionalism, arguing that ornamentations and decorations belonged to a bygone era.

Kay Bojesen was constantly rethinking shapes, materials and the function of objects. He mastered multiple materials, including silver, wood, glass, melamine, tin, steel and porcelain, and stated that his biggest concern was:“that I have a terribly difficult time keeping my initiative in check” Kay was always curious and industrious, and during his career, he managed to design and put more than 2.000 objects into production, equivalent to an impressive 2.6 new designs per week!

Even though Kay Bojesen created most of his designs in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, his craftsmanship still brings joy to this day. His ability to think ahead of his time and welcome new trends, at the same time as staying true to his functionalistic and simple line of thought, has resulted in his pieces of craftsmanship becoming iconic symbols of Danish design.

Certificate of honour, manifesting that Kay Bojesen received the Grand Prix prize for his silver cutlery at the Triennale di Milano in 1951.

Kay Bojesen with his indispensable wingwoman, Erna, enjoying their garden at the Bellavista housing estate, designed by their friend and architect, Arne Jacobsen. Kay Bojesen in front of his shop in Bredgade, Copenhagen A very young Kay Bojesen working in Georg Jensen’s workshop

KAY

BOJESEN A FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY

“I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH MY GRANDFATHER’S CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND THEREFORE IT SEEMED OBVIOUS TO CARRY FORWARD HIS DESIGN, WHEN THE POSSIBILITY PRESENTED ITSELF.”

Sus Bojesen Rosenqvist, granddaughter of Kay Bojesen and CEO of Kay Bojesen ApS since 2011

A young Sus Bojesen Rosenqvist attending an exhibition of her grandfathers work.

Kay Bojesen is a Danish design company founded in 2011 by Sus Bojesen Rosenqvist, granddaughter of Kay Bojesen. Sus has always worked with her grandfather’s design, and therefore it has only seemed natural to carry forward his design legacy into the 21st century.

As a young girl, Sus helped out in Kay’s store in Bredgade 47 in Copenhagen, and for many years she assisted her father, Otto Bojesen, in the quality control of Kay Bojesen’s wooden animals. Later on, Sus opened her own store with Kay Bojesen’s designs and even tried her hands as a silversmith.

In 2011, Sus decided to relaunch her grandfather’s Grand Prix cutlery, and thus founded Kay Bojesen. She visioned to uphold Kay’s

mindset to offer everyone the experience of his design. Kay believed that: “Good design is something everyone is entitled to”, and this is still the essence of the brand today.

Inspiration for new interior and tableware designs is found in the extensive Kay Bojesen archives, containing numerous old sketches of products that have not been in production for many years.

It is a privilege and an honour to carry forward Kay Bojesen’s design heritage and let it evolve with contemporary lifestyle. However, there is also a responsibility to stay true to Kay’s design values and keep rethinking materials, shapes and new functions for objects - just as Kay would have done.

’THERE MUST BE LIFE, BLOOD, AND HEART IN THE THINGS YOU PRODUCE AND YOU MUST LIKE TO HOLD THEM IN YOUR HAND’

Kay Bojesen

KAY BOJESEN SILVER

ALTHOUGH KAY BOJESEN FOUND GREAT JOY IN EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT MATERIALS,

Selected pieces from Kay Bojesen’s original silverware collection, some of which have also been been introduced in other materials

Kay Bojesen was a trained silversmith and spent the first many years of his career crafting silver. He was trained at Georg Jensen’s workshop in a backyard to Bredgade in Copenhagen, where he learned how to master Art Nouveau, curlicues and ornamentations to perfection. His early hammered silver crafts were thus characterised by heavy decoration, motives inspired by nature; flowers and insects, and semiprecious decorative stones.

Once Kay returned from travelling Europe and opened his own workshop in 1913, his eyes were opened to a different style of crafting silver. During the 1920s, Kay became a strong advocate for functionalism, arguing that Art Nouveau, ornamentations and decorations belonged to a bygone era. Instead, he admired the clean, simple and engineer-like expression of

functionalism, believing that the alluring reflections of the silver was decoration enough in itself.

In the 1930s Kay Bojesen put his heart and mind into crafting functionalist silverware. He created coffee- and tea pots, trays, bowls, plates, cups, candleholders and jewellery, among other things. Kay eventually set out to create the perfect, functionalist cutlery, and in 1938 he presented what later became known as the iconic Grand Prix cutlery.

Kay Bojesen experimented with a lot of different materials throughout his career. However, silver was his all-time preferred material, as Kay believed it to be superior to all other materials. Today, Kay Bojesen’s silver craft stands as the flagship of his design and work.

As part of his bar series, Kay Bojesen created a whisky cup in silver

Kay Bojesen crafted a collection of silver jewellery, including hair slides of different sizes Archive photo of original Kay Bojesen barware in silver

Photograph from the local silversmith workshop creating Kay Bojesen silver pieces on demand.

KAY BOJESEN STEEL

KAY BOJESEN’S ORIGINAL DESIGNS WERE ALL CRAFTED IN SILVER, BUT ALREADY DURING THE 1950s, KAY LOOKED TO MODERNISE HIS CHOICE OF MATERIALS

Kay Bojesen was a trained silversmith and spent countless productive hours designing and crafting unique household pieces in silver. During his career, he managed to put several thousand different designs into production, some of which are still unseen. Among all of his silver creations, the best ones have been reintroduced in stainless steel, which correlates with Kay’s vision to make his designs more readily available.

One wondrous discovery was Kay Bojesen’s Royal Guard in silver. Years after Kay had passed away, his grandchildren had to empty their parent’s attic and found a small, rattling, but anonymously looking box. Upon opening the box they found a lot of loose components and one fully assembled Royal Guard.

This is just one example of Kay’s classic silver designs that have recently been rema-

de in stainless steel. However, already during his own lifetime and career, Kay was looking towards modernising his choice of materials. Only some twenty years after creating his iconic Grand Prix cutlery in silver, he presented it in a more affordable matte steel version.

Now, many of Kay’s original pieces are also manufactured with a polished steel finish that mimics the original look. Besides the Grand Prix cutlery, is also the children’s tableware, the NEST serving bowls and the combined vase and candle holder; VISTA.

Today, the stainless steel pieces are amongst the most popular Kay Bojesen items, and most recently, the NEST bowl has been launched in stainless steel with a black silk matt finish. The materials still continue to be rethought and developed to stay contemporary and relevant.

Kay Bojesen NEST bowl available in polished steel as well as hand-painted porcelain

Kay Bojesen steel plate, originally designed as part of the children’s set The Royal Guard comes in polished stainless steel, in gold plated steel and in silver.

VISTA stainless steel vase and candle holder, available with a matte, polished and black finish

BAR SERIES

AMONGST HIS SILVER WORKS FROM THE LATE ’20S AND UP UNTIL THE 50’S, KAY BOJESEN SHAPED

AN ENTIRE BAR SERIES.

The original silverware is now being introduced in stainless steel, giving a sleek, sophisticated look that no home bar can be complete without.

COOLER

The COOLER was not originally part of Kay Bojesen’s bar series but originated from a silver bowl that has been scaled up twice from original size. This has resulted in a wine cooler that perfectly fits one or two bottles on a base of ice cubes.

SHAKER & CARAFE

The centerpiece of the bar series is the iconic SHAKER, which sits perfectly and securely in your hand. The combination of its beautiful, rounded silhouette with the festive finish makes it a delicate piece of barware, that suits any room. Following the same contour is also the glass CARAFE that can be used to beautifully present sparkling water, wine or spirits. Together they make up quite the pair.

TRAY

The stunning silver tray, which gave shape to the porcelain KAY plates, is now being re-introduced in polished steel. By imitating the look and reflectiveness of the original silver it adds an exclusive and festive touch to any setting or serving.

COCKTAIL TOOLS

Amongst the bar accessories in stainless steel, is the Cocktail Whisk and the Cocktail Spoon. These are characterized by a unique intricacy, through their sophisticated shaping. This makes the two utensils highly functional in preparing cocktails and drinks, and acknowledged as a pair of elegant and professional tools for all the drink connoisseurs.

ICE BUCKET

The elegant ICE BUCKET is completely streamlined with the rest of the polished steel barware collection. It combines rounded silhouettes with clean, straight edges and its clever dimensions hold a volume of 1,5 liters. The ICE BUCKET makes it easy to always be ready for serving anything on the rocks.

DRINKING GLASSES

Naturally, no bar series is complete without something to serve the finished drinks in. Kay Bojesen is introducing drinking glasses, making it easy to enjoy your beverage. Their unique rounded shape fits perfectly in any hand, making them suitable for not only the cocktail party but also everyday use.

KAY BOJESEN · NEWS

KAY BOJESEN BAR SERIES From the top: SHAKER, TRAY, DRINKING GLASSES, COOLER

From the left: ICE BUCKET, SHAKER, TRAY, COOLER, DRINKING GLASSES

The COOLER perfectly fits two bottles on a base of ice cubes TRAY is the perfect combination of beauty and function The SHAKER is the centerpiece of the bar series Glasses with a spectacular triangular shape.

The ICE BUCKET combines rounded silhouettes with clean, straight edges and its clever dimensions hold a volume of 1,5 liters.

Kay Bojesen designed his cutlery to accommodate the specific functions needed at the table, where every angle was shaped with a purpose.

KAY BOJESEN GRAND PRIX

GRAND PRIX IS AT THE SAME TIME A MASTERPIECE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, AS IT IS A SINGULAR EXPRESSION OF ARTISTIC VALUES

During the 1930s Kay Bojesen set out to create the perfect series of functionalist cutlery. He shaped the cutlery to function, to perform and to last. Kay did not want the cutlery to be driven by fashion, but rather stand out as resourceful and aesthetic utensils. This resulted in the birth of the Grand Prix cutlery.

The Grand Prix cutlery has been perfectly balanced - neither too heavy nor too light. Every piece is shaped according to its function and related by gentle, harmonious forms that reflect Kay’s sensitivity to both contour and comfort. The simple but aesthetic look ensures that the cutlery never steals the show at a table setting.

Kay Bojesen won first prize for his cutlery at the IX Triennale di Milano in 1951. For that reason he named the cutlery after the prize: Grand Prix.

For some 20 years, the Grand Prix cutlery was only available in silver, which was seen as a costly investment. However, due to Kay’s ability to adapt to the times and

trends, he saw the industrialisation after the Second World War as an opportunity to produce and offer his cutlery in steel as well. This made Kay’s design available to more people, which was in line with his belief that ‘good design is something that everyone is entitled to’.The Grand Prix cutlery was reintroduced in matte stainless steel in 1953.

Since then, the Grand Prix cutlery has been honoured as the national cutlery of Denmark. It is a permanent piece of interior at Danish embassy residences around the world, and prominent architects and restaurants praise the Grand Prix cutlery for its simplicity and functionality.

In 2011, Grand Prix cutlery was introduced in a polished version of stainless steel, which salute the original silverware. Both the matte and polished steel Grand Prix is manufactured in Japan and available in 30 different cutlery pieces. The Grand Prix cutlery has been celebrated for 75 years and continues to be one of the most prominent Kay Bojesen designs to this day.

Grand

in sterling

Prix cutlery

silver

Grand Prix cutlery in steel

A selection of Grand Prix knives: Dinner knife, Lunch knife and Fish knife. KAY BOJESEN · JOURNAL

BABETTE

FOLLOW ALONG WHEN MORTEN FALK FROM BABETTE WELCOMES BOTH SUMMER AND KAY BOJESEN INTO HIS KITCHEN AND SERVES UP SOME DELICATE CANAPÉS, PERFECT FOR THIS SUMMER’S GATHERINGS.

Behind the name Babette, you’ll find two highly competent profiles; Christian Wellendorf and Morten Falk. Both are well-versed within the world of French cuisine and have individually, for the past many years, engaged in cultivating the culinary arts. This has culminated in the unique catering concept; Babette, which delivers extraordinary food experiences to large parties and events, as well as into private dining rooms for intimate dinners within the confines of a host’s home. Regardless of the occasion, Babette manages to bring people together around their beautiful and intricate dishes that combine French delicacies with Scandinavian elegance.

FRENCH APETIZERS

Summer weather is approaching, and Morten Falk has invited Kay Bojesen to join for some French-inspired canapés served on a beautifully and festively set table.

Morten has put together a menu of six different appetizers that are equally satisfying for the tastebuds as they are a pleasure for the eyes. Pickled green olives, smoked quail eggs with seaweed salt, small pies with smoked cheese and lumpsucker roe, oysters with blood orange, malt crispbread with smoked salmon mousse and trout roe, as well as grilled green asparagus. It is truly a feast for all the senses, and you are guaranteed to impress your guests with such a mouthwatering spread.

FOOD FOR MANY

Along with summer comes a natural break in the calendar for most, and thus the opportunity to gather with friends and family. Future travel plans may begin to occupy space in the calendar and invitations to graduations, events and barbeques are perhaps already trickling into the inbox.

No matter what the occasion for getting together is, Babette’s specialty is making sure the entire table is full and happy, without compromising on the quality of the dinner nor the ingredients. Here, the small canapés are ideal for meeting different food preferences and ensuring that there is something of everyone’s liking, so the guests can leave the table with a well-rounded and versatile dining experience.

Morten Falk’s festive and tasty canapés are perfect to serve at the reception or the next cocktail party, where your guests will be able to easily experience the appetizers sitting or standing, whilst they enjoy conversation with the other guests. If you are up for creating your own hors d’oeuvres, Morten offers some suggestions for a handful dishes of varying degrees of difficulty, which will surely be enjoyed by all. The finishing touch, of course, is elegant tableware, that complements the starters and allows them to be presented in the best surroundings.

Morten Falk’s canapés served on the KAY plate Ø27 along with Grand Prix dinner cutlery, Grand Prix oyster fork and DRINKING GLASS

MARINATED OLIVES WITH BAY LEAVES & ROSEMARY

200 g. green olives (Blonde Amfissis, lucques or similar)

100 ml. olive oil

2 tbsp. water

1 twig lemon thyme

3 bay leaves

1 twig rosemary

2 cloves garlic

½ organic lemon (the peel from here)

Boil herbs, lemon peel, garlic and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil when the water has evaporated and let it steep. Add olives and refrigerate overnight. Serve the olives in a small bowl with toothpicks or Grand Prix lobster fork.

Marinated olives served in the Kay Bojesen deep plate in polished steel

The polished steel NEST is perfect for serving fresh oysters on a bed of ice cubes. Complete the arrangement with the elegant Grand Prix oyster forks.

GILLIARDEAU OYSTERS & BLOOD ORANGE REDUCTION

4 pcs. Gilliardeau oysters

6 pcs. blood orange

2 tbsp. sugar

crushed ice

olive oil

Squeeze the blood oranges and pass the juice through a sieve. Boil blood orange juice and sugar and reduce to 1/3 of the amount. Cool the reduction. Open the oysters and put them on ice in a bowl. Garnish each oyster with 1 tsp. blood orange reduction and a few drops of olive oil.

GRILLED GREEN ASPARAGUS & IRONWORT

4 pcs. green asparagus

60 g. ironwort

30 g. baby spinach

80 ml. vegetable oil

12 pcs. bronze fennel, small twigs

salt

Blanch green asparagus in lightly salted water and then cool in cold water. Heat oil to 70 degrees. Blend it with ironwort and spinach for 10 minutes at maximum speed. Sift oil through a coffee filter. Brush asparagus with ironwort oil and grill them until they attain colour. Season the asparagus with salt and garnish with bronze fennel.

Let the TRAY elevate the table setting by combining it with the KAY plate Ø22.

SMOKED QUAIL EGGS & SEAWEED SALT

4 pcs. quail eggs

3 tbsp. smoke dust

2 tsp. fine Atlantic sea salt

1 tsp. dried kelp or something similar

Blend dried seaweed and mix with salt. Boil quail eggs for 2 minutes and cool in cold water. Heat smoke dust in a saucepan until there is smoke. Place the quail eggs in a sieve, place over the pan and close tightly with the pot lid. Smoke quail eggs for 10 minutes and peel them. Serve the eggs on a plate with salt on the side.

WING 20 cm is perfect for serving the delicate canapés

KAY BOJESEN PORCE LAIN

KAY BOJESEN CHALLENGED TRADITIONS AND ALWAYS LOOKED TO INNOVATE HIS USE OF MATERIALS TO BETTER HIS CREATIONS

Kay Bojesen’s vision was to create designs that everyone could use, admire and benefit from. One of his focus points was to create articles that would make life easier for housewives. He did so by making designs that were aesthetically pleasing without compromising on functionality.

As a trained silversmith, Kay Bojesen’s first many years of his career were spent on forging silver, as silver was a traditional and integral part of every household. However, Kay’s curiosity and enthusiasm for functionalism led him to challenge traditional designs and redundant decorations. Instead he advocated for clean, smooth surfaces and incorporating an interplay between form and function in design.

During the 1940s and 1950s industrialisation, it became possible to produce crafts in bigger quantities, and a change in materials followed. Kay Bojesen was fond of this development in the industry, as it helped in making his design available to a wider group of people. He was amongst the first designers to introduce factory-produced cutlery in stainless steel rather than hand-made silver, which was the custom at the time.

Kay Bojesen passed away in 1958, and did not live to see all the possibilities that the industrialisation and globalisation have brought to the design industry since. However, as a visionary, Kay would unhesitantly have wanted his designs to continue to progress and move with the times. In the nature of his spirit, the Kay Bojesen design heritage is therefore carried into the present by relaunching selected silver designs in more contemporary materials.

These are the principal ideas behind the KAY-series, which is created from the original silver designs from Kay Bojesen’s archive, but is now manufactured in modern materials, including porcelain and steel. The KAY-series includes plates, bowls and dishes of different sizes, to cover every household need.

The series is named after the mastermind behind the Kay Bojesen brand. It is equally a tribute to the original designer, as it is a reminder to carry on the mantra of offering great design to everyone.