Jens Harald Quistgaard Biography
Jens Harald Quistgaard, born 23 April 1919, was a Danish sculptor and designer, best known for his work at the American company Dansk Designs, where he served as chief designer for a period of thirty years starting in 1954. From a young age, he displayed extraordinary artistic talents. As a teenager, he served an apprenticeship with blacksmiths and carpenters in his village. His father taught him sculpture and he was later trained as a draftsman and silversmith at the technical school in Copenhagen. Quistgaard began his career making portraits. In addition, he created jewelry, hunting knives, ceramic works, glass and graphics in the form of monograms and city coats of arms. His breakthrough as an industrial designer came in 1953-54, when he created the Fjord cutlery set, the first cutlery set that combined stainless steel with teak handles. Quistgaard's designs achieved great success early on in the United States and were quickly followed by a series of table and kitchen designs. His work for Dansk Designs has been marketed in every major city in the United States, but has also been successful in Europe and Japan. Quistgaard continued to be the chief designer for Dansk Designs until the early 1980s, when he moved to Rome, where he lived until 1993. Quistgaard died at the age of 88 on 4 January 2008 in Vordingborg, in Denmark.
