&Tradition: the Danish brand bringing forgotten mid-century pieces back
&Tradition was founded in 2010 in Copenhagen with a specific brief: reissue underappreciated Danish and Scandinavian mid-century designs alongside contemporary work. Here's the short story.
&Tradition brings forgotten mid-century pieces back, and the practical thing to know before buying it on Whoppah is that the same design carries two prices depending on who made it. Martin Kornbek Hansen founded the brand in Copenhagen in 2010 on two strategies: reissue mid-century work other manufacturers let drift out of production, and commission new Scandinavian designers. The Flowerpot pendant is the clearest case. Original 1960s Louis Poulsen Flowerpots sell here at €200 to €500; &Tradition reissues from the 2010s at €120 to €280. Its Bellevue lamp (Jacobsen, 1929, reissued 2013) runs €350 to €800. Quality control is noticeably stricter than Hay or Muuto, and supply is steady from Copenhagen and Stockholm sellers.
&Tradition was founded in 2010 in Copenhagen by Martin Kornbek Hansen. The founding brief was specific: produce Danish and Scandinavian design with two complementary strategies. First, reissue underappreciated mid-century pieces that other manufacturers had let drift out of production. Second, commission contemporary work from a new generation of Scandinavian and international designers.
The reissue strategy has produced some of the most distinctive pieces in the catalogue. The Flowerpot pendant lamp (Verner Panton, 1968), originally produced by Louis Poulsen, was reissued by &Tradition starting in 2010 and is now considered "their" piece more than Poulsen's by most buyers. The Lato side table (Luca Nichetto, 2013, but echoing Italian post-war forms), the Pinch chair (Hee Welling, 2012), and the Mass tables are part of the contemporary side.
The Bellevue lamp (Arne Jacobsen, 1929), originally designed for the Bellevue Theatre in Copenhagen, was reissued by &Tradition in 2013. Vintage examples sit at €350 to €800 on Whoppah; current retail is around €600.
The Catch chair (Jaime Hayon, 2014) and the Fly sofa (Space Copenhagen, 2014) are among the more contemporary pieces with active secondhand markets.
How do you recognise an authentic &Tradition piece?
What to look for on the secondhand market: every authentic &Tradition piece carries the &Tradition label, usually a small printed or embossed mark on the underside of the seat or on the mounting hardware of lighting. Because many of the brand's products are reissues of earlier designs, authentication requires distinguishing between original-period production and &Tradition's reissue. Both are legitimate but they're different markets.
What does a secondhand Flowerpot lamp cost, original or &Tradition reissue?
The Flowerpot lamp specifically: original 1960s Louis Poulsen Flowerpots sit at €200 to €500 used; &Tradition reissues from the 2010s onward sell at €120 to €280. Same design, different production era, different price.
&Tradition is one of the better-curated contemporary Scandinavian brands, with quality control noticeably stricter than Hay or Muuto. If you want contemporary Danish at a price between Carl Hansen heritage and mass-market accessibility, this is the brand worth knowing.
