KRENIT BOWLS by Herbert Krenchel

KRENIT BOWLS OF FUN

Krenit Bowls are the invention of mid century designer Herbert Krenchel in 1953 and derived it's name from the combination of "Krenchel" and "eternit" (a fiber cement used for the coating of the exterior of the bowls). Manufactured in Denmark, the bowls were produced in an assortment of vibrant interior colors with a clear coat of enamel and matt black on the outside. They came in an assortment of serving and portion sizes and used for salads, fruit, etc.

In 1954, the design won a gold medal award in Milano, Italy. Production came to an end a decade later after over one million units were produced.

Like much of the great modern designs of the 20th century which have gained recently popularity in the collectors market, these have been recently reproduced for the contemporary consumer who does not want to scout for the originals. They are manufactured by Norman Copenhagen but they differ from the originals in that they typically have the same color inside and out and are limited in color scheme., i.e., white, black, green and blue and are more shallow in shape.

If you are a purist and covet the originals like me, you can find them online or contact Modlife @ modlife@comcast.net for pricing and sizes as shown in the image above.

NEVER MET A NAGEL I DIDN'T LOVE

One of the coolest things about being a collector is uncovering variations of items that you covet the most. For example, the iconic mid-century modern chrome candle holders made by Nagel, Germany has a myriad of styles and metal finishes. You will find these candelholders sprinkled about the U.S. usually purchased from 20th century modern stores like Modlife or from dealers on ebay. Typically, you will find the classic chrome 3-footed candlestick which allows you to build various configurations by plugging them into one another like a jigsaw puzzle of your own design. You can build a tower or a centerpiece adding accessories such as the bowls. They hold thin danish style candles which aren't always easy to find in the states but the candlesticks are so decorative you needn't really dress them with candles anyway.

The candlesticks where designed by Fritz Nagel and Ceasar Stoffi and manufactured by BMF/Nagel, Germany (Beyerische Metall Fabrik) in the space age area of the 20th century. Since then variations have circulated including brass/gold metal, brutalist textures, bird-shapes, shooting stars, rosewood and metal candelabra (pictured above) to name a few. What they all share in common is how they are designed to stack and create a centerpiece or a sculpture to your own specifications depending on the size, variations and number of units you own. Typically the popular Nagel chrome unit sells anywhere from $10-$50 each depending on where and how many you buy - the most affordable naturally, being in Germany where they originate. You can still find dealers on ebay but unless you buy them in large quantities it may not be worth the cost of having them shipped internationally. As for this collector - I keep my eye out for the rarer less common variations - some of which are on sale at Modlife. For more information call the showroom at 773-425-8338