Schulim Krimper immigrated to Australia in 1939, and from his earliest days in Melbourne, a certain mystique always surrounded his name. He went on to establish an empire, and a reputation for superb, custom-made modern furniture throughout the 1950s and 60s. Krimper was Melbourne’s leading innovator and creator of forward-thinking modern designs, with exquisite talent and craftsmanship. Customers were known to wait months, sometimes years for him to finish the design of their cabinets, dining settings and even entire living rooms. He liked to be known only by his surname, and wore a dust coat with white gloves, and a French beret. Those that knew him were in awe, elevating him to the level of famous artist or sculptor. Krimper’s craft developed over the years, with a fusion of different styles; elements of Europe, Scandinavia and even Asia. His pieces were organic, and celebrated the vast Australian timbers he worked with. He loved Queensland black bean, jarrah, blonde wood, cedar, complimenting them with brass and leather fittings. Still today Krimper proves that his designs are distinctive, relevant and convincing to the new generation of collectors, and design savvy buyers. A great article in The Argus from 1952 notes: ‘To his clients, Krimper is always right – eventually’. An impressive selection of his designs will be included in our forthcoming Modern Design Auction in April.
Anna Grassham / Head of Modern Design