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Danish Deluxe
Danish Deluxe was founded in 1958 by Neville Ashkanasy, John Westacott and Borg Gjorstvang. Based in Huntingdale Victoria, Danish Deluxe was a Melbourne furniture design and manufacturing company. Designing inhouse and under license contemporary mid-century modern furniture often influenced by Scandinavian design, DDL also commissioned leading local Australian Designers, including George Kral and Max and Maggie May. DDL also manufactured the Grant and Mary Featherson "Talking Chair MKII". Danish Deluxe advertised and sold nationally from 1968 to the early 1980s, including offshore markets in New Zealand and Hong Kong. Also known as Danish De Luxe Ltd, and DDL.
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In the late 50's and 60's competition between several Melbourne based furniture manufacturer's was good for business and lead to outstanding design and craftsmanship. One of DDL's greatest competitors was Fler Furniture.
Fler, advertising brochure c.1950S
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Fler Funiture
Before they became one of the most sought-after brands for modern furniture, Fler was a small business run by two Jewish migrants. Escaping from Nazi Europe, Fred Lowen and Ernest Rodeck arrived in Australia on the prison ship Dunera in September 1940. They both ended up in the Tatura Internment Camp in 1941, where the friendship between the two Dunera boys began. Lowen was released in 1942, and he began working as a fitter and turner. Despite possessing little knowledge of timber, he eventually began selling his hand-turned wooden bowls, platters, and other tableware to gift shops. Meanwhile, Rodeck was making pencil propellers. Founded in 1946, their little business was located in a two-horse stable in Richmond, Melbourne. Combining their initials, they gave their business the name Fler. Their furniture from those early days is highly collected and sought after today. Fler is a major part of the Australian MCM design collective. Fler in its later years became Tessa. |
