Paul Volther started out as a cabinetmaker before studying design at the Arts and Crafts School in Copenhagen. Volther was a devoted follower of the modernistic functionalistic movement and concentrated as a designer on the simple crafting of quality materials. This was an idea that he passed on to his students while working as a teacher at Denmark’s Design School.
In 1949, Volther was employed by the cooperative FDB Møbler, where he worked under Børge Mogensen. When Mogensen left in 1950, Volther was put in charge, a position he held until 1955. For FBD Møbler Volther designed a series of Windsor chairs, as well as sofas and armchairs.
Volther’s most well-known design is the Corona chair first created in 1964. The chair consisted of a steel skeleton on which a series of oval cushions provided the seat and the back. It wasn’t until 1997 that the Corona became a sales success for the producer Erik Jørgensen when it was presented at both the Cologne Fair and the Scandinavian Furniture Fair at the Bella Center in Copenhagen. Since then, the chair has become a design icon and one of Erik Jørgen's most successful items.
Paul Volther passed away at the age of 78 in 2001.
