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Hans Bølling Optimist & Pessimist Wooden Figures, Set of Three

Hans Bølling Optimist & Pessimist Wooden Figures, Set of Three

Designer Hans Bølling
Manufacturer T. Ørskov & Co.
Year of Design Circa 1963
Production Period Circa 1960s
Materials Solid wood, natural hair, braided cord

NT$6,000
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Description

Hans Bølling was a Danish designer who retained a strong sense of playfulness throughout his life. As a young man, he used the prize money from a design competition to purchase woodworking equipment and began making a variety of wooden figures by hand. Originally created as gifts for his wife and close friends, the figures were so well received that they eventually developed into designs for commercial production.

This group of figures follows the distinctive visual language of Bølling’s best-known Optimist & Pessimist series. Their simple, rounded bodies are made from turned solid wood and combined with exaggerated noses, natural hair and thick braided-cord arms. Subtle differences in posture, facial expression and gaze create remarkably distinct personalities and moods, demonstrating Bølling’s ability to bring character and humour to life with only a few simple elements. The Optimist and Pessimist are also often interpreted as representations of two opposing attitudes towards life: optimism and pessimism.

The three figures shown here vary in size and posture. After decades of age and use, the wood has developed a warm patina, while the hair and braided cord retain the distinctive texture of their early production. One figure bears a clear original stamp on the underside reading “HANS BØLLING / T. ØRSKOV OG CO. / DENMARK”, confirming its production by Ørskov & Co. in Denmark.

Bølling’s wooden figures were never intended to be realistic. Instead, they transformed the very idea of play into a design language. Through simple materials such as wood, hair and cord, he created characters full of individuality and charm, revealing a warm and deeply human side of post-war Danish modern design. Early examples produced by Ørskov & Co. are now also sought-after vintage pieces among collectors of Hans Bølling’s wooden figures.

Product No：T018-1

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