Do you know the story of the little wooden puppet that came to life? Pinocchio. The carpenter Geppetto made him, and a magical fairy breathed life into him overnight. Danish designer Kay Bojesen was something like a real, modern-day version of the carpenter from the children's tale. His wooden animals with their shiny black eyes have soul, and they're still hugely popular today. His most famous piece is the Kay Bojesen Monkey.
Kay Bojesen originally designed the Monkey as a hook for an exhibition of children's furniture. The long arms were meant to reach down to children's height, while the short legs offered space for hats and scarves. In 1951, this became the well-known little wooden monkey.
The birth of the wooden animals
In 1919, Bojesen began developing his wooden toys. They were for his newborn son Otto. He was inspired by his own childhood memories, thinking of his father, who had carved wooden figures for him when he was a child.
Three years later, he entered a design competition with his first designs. When asked why he was taking part, Bojesen replied:
"I have a son who is showered by family and friends with every toy imaginable. Unfortunately, this strong little fellow has quickly discovered that toys break easily between his fingers. That's worrying."
So Bojesen's toys had to be sturdy, made of wood and have soft, rounded shapes. Over the following years, the designer focused increasingly on developing wooden animals. His aim wasn't to create complex replicas of the real animals. Instead, he created animals that could have sprung straight from a child's imagination.
Following this principle, he went on to create a dachshund, zebra, rabbit, elephant and many other figures. His wooden monkey remains unrivalled to this day. It and other animals are still produced today by Rosendahl Design Group in collaboration with the Bojesen family.
Making the Bojesen Monkey: design with responsibility
The wooden monkey consists of 31 individual parts. These are made from limba, an African hardwood, and sustainable teak. The company is committed to protecting the environment and taking social responsibility. That's why the teak is sourced exclusively from controlled plantations where responsible logging is practised. This means the rainforest isn't cleared for production, and people in the plantation regions benefit from better living conditions.
The light limba wood used for the monkey's face, hands, feet and belly comes from Africa. It's imported in accordance with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which is designed to ensure that the wood comes from legal logging in the country of origin.
Every Kay Bojesen Monkey is unique
Each of the wooden animals is unique. That's down to the natural grain and colour of the wood, as fresh plantation teak can vary in colour from waxy yellow to a light greyish green. Dark spots and streaks are also common. These colour variations are normal and are not a sign of poor quality.
The company takes care to give the wooden monkey as uniform an appearance as possible, despite the variations in colour. This applies above all to the animal's arms and legs. The head often looks a little darker than the rest of the body.
The Monkey keeps evolving
Since 1951, the Monkey has been available in a wide range of sizes and versions. One special variant is the Reworked Monkey, introduced to mark the 70th anniversary. It's made from leftover wood that would otherwise go unused.
This not only gives the wood a new lease of life – each piece also features an individual combination of different woods, such as walnut, oak, ash or mahogany. The rounded shape, movable arms and legs and friendly expression of the original remain unchanged.
Strict quality control
When inspecting a finished monkey, the manufacturer checks that the surface of each animal is smooth, with no splinters, marks or cracks. Knotholes are only permitted if they have formed naturally and the wood is sound.
The Kay Bojesen Monkey is alive – in its own way. Over the months and years, light and air can turn the wood's colour nuances into an even, warm golden brown. But your Bojesen Monkey always keeps one thing: its very own personality.
