Henry Walter (H.W.) Klein, born in 1919 in Norway, transitioned from a military career in the Norwegian Royal Marines to the realm of design, focusing initially on cabinetmaking. In 1949, he relocated to Denmark to pursue interior design studies at the Tekniske Skole in Frederiksberg, where he was mentored by the renowned designer and architect Finn Juhl. By 1952, after completing his education, Klein went back to Norway to launch his furniture and interior design business, producing items that epitomized the Danish modern style of the postwar period, notably utilizing premium woods like teak and emphasizing balanced, meticulously crafted forms.
Klein’s creative interests expanded into the domain of plastic furniture, leading him to develop an innovative method for plastic production. His work in this area facilitated a partnership with the Danish furniture company Bramin, supporting his plastic design projects financially. In 1960, this collaboration prompted Klein to settle in Denmark, where he dedicated himself to Bramin until its closure in 1980. Subsequently, in the 1980s, Klein and his family relocated to San Francisco.