Gustav Jensen

born in 1898

Danish industrial designer, artist and letterer who emigrated to U.S. and settled in New York City. His clients included Colophon Quarterly, Covici-friede, United Drug Company and DuPont, for whom he designed book jackets, bindings, and cosmetics.

He began work in industrial design in 1928. In 1930 he designed a Monel Metal sink for International Nickel Company to popularize the new metal. He also designed a telephone for AT&T and a water heater for L.O. Koven & Bro.

He was featured in the landmark 1934 article about the new profession of industrial design in Fortune magazine that year, along with Loewy, Dreyfuss, Teague, and other pioneers of the profession. The article noted that Jensen was regarded as "the top man from a purely aesthetic point of view."

In 1935 he patented a fantasy spherical Art Deco radio cabinet that was not produced. He was a mentor to Paul Rand (1914-1996), but not much is known about his later life or date of death.