KK47000 "Safari" Chair
Carl Hansen & Søn

Kaare Klint’s KK47000 Safari Chair is a refinement of the chairs brought on an African safari by an American cinematographer and his wife. Klint noticed them in the couple’s photos. They were most likely based on Indian Roorkhee Chairs used by the British military – possibly the first examples of self-assembled furniture. The original featured glueless joints, tool-free assembly, and an intelligent construction that caused the joints to tighten when the chair was occupied, enhancing strength and stability. Klint focused on simplifying, clarifying and refining the lounge chair’s composition, exhibiting his final Safari Chair design in 1933 at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition. While inspired by its British predecessor, Klint’s sophisticated, lightweight chair is defined by his signature systematic approach, fine craftsmanship, well-conceived proportions, and remarkable material effects.