Keep it long, treasure it long.

Wooden Objects Watching Over Daily Life

A monkey dangling lightly and a horse standing quietly. Both are wooden objects crafted by Kai Bojesen, welcomed into many homes since the 1950s. Starting from metalwork, he sought everyday items that would fit into postwar life and ventured into making toys using wood as his material. Their honest forms, free from exaggerated animal features and stripped of excess, naturally blend into daily life regardless of changing times, still captivating many today.

Beautiful and functional form

Kai Bojesen began crafting wooden toys in the 1930s. His guiding principle was creating beautiful, functional forms accessible to both children and adults. Rather than realistically replicating animals, he translated their movements and characteristics into concise lines, producing sculptures that also served as beautiful interior pieces. The enduring popularity of many series today stems from this accumulation of designs valuing such timeless qualities.

One of his signature pieces, the Monkey, debuted in 1951. Its long arms and wrists shaped for easy hanging were originally conceived as hooks for children's belongings. While today's Monkey is made as a toy and lacks the strength to support clothing, knowing its origins reveals Boisen's vision that blended playfulness with practicality. Its appeal lies in the movable joints at the neck, shoulders, hips, wrists, and ankles, allowing it to sit or hang and present different expressions depending on its placement. Rubber and cords at the joints achieve a high level of craftsmanship, balancing flexible movement with durability.

Meanwhile, the Horse is a wooden objet d'art with a distinct presence from the Monkey. Its gentle back curve, rounded leg shape, and carved features suggesting a soft gaze all embody Boison's signature minimalist sculpting throughout. Holding it reveals the pleasing balance of the wood's smooth texture and weight, inviting you to shift angles and admire it further. It also makes a lovely display piece as a zodiac figurine. Both transcend the category of mere toys; they are cherished items in many homes today, meant to be displayed long-term, watching over a family's growth.

Timeless Design

Kay Bojesen, a brand recognized worldwide for its quality and known as a supplier to the Danish Royal Family. Pioneer of decorative arts and crafts, Kay Bojesen trained for four years at Georg Jensen before establishing himself as an independent silversmith. In the 1920s, alongside Christian Kraulberg of Holmegaard, he founded the innovative design shop Kay Bojesen, dedicated to curating and selling select Danish design pieces. During Denmark's wartime conditions, when silver supplies for cutlery became scarce, he designed cutlery using stainless steel—a material then uncommon in industrial design. This cutlery won the top prize at the Milan Triennale for three consecutive years, captivating people worldwide as the "ultimate cutlery."

Kay Bojesen's talent extended beyond metalwork. The wooden objects he began creating in the 1930s became the face of the brand. Producing various popular wooden objects, Kay Bojesen upheld the principle that "wooden animals should not imitate real animals." His simple, charming wooden creations, including the iconic Monkey, are beloved by people worldwide.