Best known for his chairs and other seating pieces — though a master of many furniture types like sofas and tables — Hans Wegner was a prolific designer whose elegant, often ebullient, forms and devotion to the finest methods in joinery made "Danish Modern" a popular byword for stylish, well-made furniture in the mid-20th century.
Wegner considered himself a carpenter first and a furniture designer second. Like his peers Arne Jacobsen and Finn Juhl, Wegner believed that striking aesthetics in furniture were based on a foundation of practicality: a chair must be comfortable and sturdy before it is chic.
In keeping with that tenet, several of Hans Wegner’s best chair designs have their roots in traditional seating forms. The Peacock chair (designed in 1947) is a throne-like adaptation of the Windsor chair; pieces from the China chair series (begun in 1944) as well as the 1949 Wishbone chair, with its distinctive Y-shaped back splat, are derived from 17th-century Ming seating pieces, as is the upholstered Ox chair (1960). Wegner’s comfy Papa Bear chair (1951) is an almost surreally re-scaled English wingback chair.
Wegner’s most representative piece, the Round chair (1949), gained a footnote in political history when it was used on the TV stage of the first Kennedy-Nixon debate of 1960. That chair, along with Wegner’s more bravura designs — for example, the 1963 Shell chair, with its curved surfboard-shaped seat — bring a quietly sculptural presence to a room.
Wegner was a designer who revered his primary material — wood — and it shows. His wood gathers patina and character with age; every Hans Wegner piece testifies to the life it has led.
Find vintage Hans Wegner lounge chairs, armchairs, daybeds and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Papa Bear Chair by Hans J Wegner for A.P.Stolen
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
This is a beautiful example of an earlier version of the classic design by Hans J Wegner, and has been expertly reupholstered in Abraham Moon Forest Green fabric. The legs are of Oak...
Wool, Oak, Teak
$25,018
H 38.98 in W 36.23 in D 35.83 in
Hans J. Wegner 'Papa Bear' Armchair, A.P. Stolen, Denmark, 1963
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in The Hague, NL
The iconic Papa Bear armchair was designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1951. This armchair on offer here was produced in 1963 by A.P. Stolen, the first and original manufacturer of the AP-1...
Fabric, Wool, Upholstery, Beech, Oak
$9,347
H 40.75 in W 28.25 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner for AP Stolen AP-28 Mid Century Danish Oak Mama Bear Lounge Chair
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner for AP Stolen AP-28 Mid Century Danish Oak Mama Bear Lounge Chair This lounge chair measures: 28.25 wide x 31 deep x 40.75 high, with a seat height of 14 and arm height/...
Upholstery, Oak
Hans Wegner Boucle, Teak & Oak Papa Bear Chair 1950s
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in London, England
Hans J. Wegner - AP-19 Papa Bear Chair, 1952 Vintage, original 1950s production of one of Danish master Hans Wegner's most iconic designs. The Papa Bear is rightly considered one of...
Oak, Wool, Bouclé, Cotton, Teak
Unavailable|$27,000
H 38.75 in W 35.75 in D 18.5 in
Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chairfor A.P. Stolen Denmark, 1950's
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in San Diego, CA
The Papa Bear Chair is absolutely stunning. The AP-29 is a truly iconic chair newly upholstered in a soft beautiful grey Maharam wool. The chair features beautiful oak legs and tea...
Oak, Teak, Wool
Hans Wegner Easy Chair Model AP-16 by AP-Stolen in Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare easy chair model AP-16 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by AP-Stolen in Denmark.
Fabric, Oak
$9,292
H 31.5 in W 26.78 in D 30.71 in
Scandinavin Modern Lounge Chair by Hans J. Wegner "AP-16" Oak & Leather, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Odense, DK
Rare vintage ap16 lounge chair from the early production by Hans J. Wegner manufactured at "AP stolen" in the 1950s. Hand crafted by Danish cabinetmaker in solid oakwood with an amaz...
Leather, Oak
$10,000
H 41 in W 28.5 in D 26 in
Danish Mid Century Modern Mama Bear AP-27 Chair designed by Hans Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Danish Mid Century Modern model AP-27 designed by Hans Wegner, made by AP-Stolen, known as the Mama Bear chair. The chair features an exaggerated tall back, spayed teak armres...
Fabric, Teak
$25,000
H 38.75 in W 36 in D 36 in
Original AP19 "Papa Bear"chair by Hans J. Wegner A.P. Stolen Leather oak teak
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
An original AP19 “Papa bear” chair designed by Hans J. Wegner for A.P. Stolen, designed in 1951 and made in Denmark. This example with new black leather and featuring oak legs and t...
Leather, Oak, Teak
Hans Wegner for AP Stolen AP19 Mid Century Papa Bear Chair
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner for AP Stolen AP19 Mid Century Papa Bear Chair This chair measures: 35 wide x 35 deep x 39 high, with a seat height of 15.5 and arm height/chair clearance of 24.75 inche...
Upholstery, Wood
Fritz Hansen, Wingback Armchair Model ‘FH 8023’, Denmark C.1950
By Finn Juhl, Fritz Hansen, Viggo Boesen
Located in Munster, NRW
Made in Denmark—birthplace of the renowned furniture maker Fritz Hansen—this striking wingback chair is a standout example of Danish Mid-Century Modernism, with a silhouette that is ...
Fabric, Beech
Hans J. Wegner, Town Hall chair. Oak and Leather. Denmark C.1940
By Plan Møbler, Arne Jacobsen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Munster, NRW
Hans J. Wegner, Town Hall Chair. Denmark, circa 1940 Designed in the early 1940s and originally commissioned for Denmark’s Aarhus City Hall—a project led by renowned architects Arne ...
Leather, Oak
Hans Brattrud, Scandia Swivel Lounge Chair, 1957 for Hove Møbler, Norway
By Hove Möbler, Hans Brattrud, Hans Brattrud for Hove Möbler
Located in Munster, NRW
Hans Brattrud for Hove Møbler, Norway, 1957 Scandia swivel lounge chair with removable leather cushions. Captains return mechanism. Amazing condition. An extremely shapely...
Wood
Donald Gordon Rocking Chair Kauri Wood Oak Sam Maloof New Zealand
By Sam Maloof
Located in Munster, NRW
Donald Gordon, rocking chair in Kauri wood This rocking chair, made by Donald Gordon in the early 2000s, is a special object, a unique piece of furniture, the fantastic combination ...
Wood, Oak
Børge Mogensen, set of 6 BM-1 chairs for C.M Madsens Møbelfabrik
By Børge Mogensen, C.M. Madsen
Located in Munster, NRW
Børge Mogensen, set of 6 BM-1 chairs for C.M Madsens Møbelfabrik This set of 6 BM-1 chairs, by master Danish designer Børge Mogensen for C.M. Madsens Møbelfabrik, is a great example...
Papercord, Oak
Poul Kjaerholm PK20 Lounge Chair E. Kold Christensen Denmark Steel Leather 1968
By Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold Christensen
Located in Munster, NRW
First edition of the PK20 lounge chair, a graceful, elegant masterpiece created in 1968 by Danish designer Poul Kjaerholm for Ejvind Kold Christensen. It consists of an aesthetic c...
Steel
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
If anyone is brave, humble and adept enough to recolor these mid-century masterpieces, it’s Ilse Crawford. Here, she gives us the details on her five earthy paint choices and tells us how she feels about design collaborations.
