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.
Danish Rocking Chair by Hans J. Wegner for Getama, oak, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berlin, DE
1960s Hans J. Wegner "Keyhole" Chair in Oak and Canvas A rare and refined example of Hans J. Wegner’s masterful design, this 1960s "Keyhole" chair embodies the Danish designer’s sig...
Canvas, Oak
Lounge Chair by Carl Gustaf Hiort af Örnas, Finland 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs
Located in Berlin, DE
An exquisite lounge chair designed by Carl Gustaf Hiort af Örnas, crafted in Finland during the 1960s. The chair is in remarkable condition—the original leather webbing remains beaut...
Leather, Ash
Danish Lounge Chair by Illum Wikkelsø for Holger Christiansen, Denmark, 1960s
By Holger Christiansen, Illum Wikkelsø, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berlin, DE
Very beautiful lounge chair designed by Illum Wikkelsø and produced by Holger Christiansen in the 1960s in Denmark. The lounge chair comes with a beautifully patinated brown leather...
Leather
Old Original Hans Brattrud for Hove Møbler 'Scandia' Lounge Chair, 1957
By Hans Brattrud, Hove Möbler, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berlin, DE
Lounge Chair 'Scandia' by Hans Brattrud for Hove Møbler, Norway, circa 1957 This chair is in excellent vintage condition with signs of wear consistent with its age and use. This st...
Steel
Lounge Chair by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler Mod. PL22 for OCA Brazil, 1960s
By OCA Brazil, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Berlin, DE
PL22 folding chair, designed by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler for OCA in 1960s Brazil. The frame, crafted from solid tropical hardwood, shows a rich patina and light age-related wear,...
Leather, Nutwood
Beautiful Lounge Chair Mod. Eva by Bruno Mathsson, 1960ies Sweden No.2
By Bruno Mathsson, Firma Karl Mathsson
Located in Berlin, DE
Lounge Chair “Eva” by Bruno Mathsson for Karl Mathsson, Värnamo, Sweden, 1960s Offered here is an iconic “Eva” lounge chair, designed by celebrated Swedish furniture designer Bruno ...
Leather, Beech
Dutch Art Deco Dutch early armchair by Hendrik Wouda for Pander & Sons, 1920s
By H.Pander & Zonen, Hendrik Wouda
Located in EVERDINGEN, NL
This rare and completely original armchair was designed by Hendrik Wouda and produced around 1917 by Pander & Sons, in the early years of Wouda's employment. The piece carries th...
Oak, Leather
Lars Israël Wahlman Swedish Arts & Crafts Armchair
By Lars Israël Wahlman
Located in London, Charterhouse Square
A architecturally shaped Arts & Crafts armchair designed by Lars Israël Wahlman, one of Sweden’s leading architects and designers of the early 20th Century. He worked in what was termed the ‘National Romantic Style’ which drew inspiration from the natural world, Nordic mythology as well as traditional Swedish furniture...
Wood
Armchair in Birch and Horsehair Attributed to Axel Einar Hjorth, 1930s
By Axel Einar Hjorth
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This armchair, attributed to Axel Einar Hjorth and produced by Bodafors in Sweden during the 1930s, represents a refined confluence of Swedish Grace and early functionalist aesthetic...
Birch
Art Deco Armchair by J.A. Muntendam, Solid Oak, Dutch Design, 1920s
By L.O.V. Oosterbeek
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and elegant Art Deco Modernist armchair. Design by J.A. Muntendam for L.O.V. Oosterbeek. Striking Dutch design from the 1920s. Solid oak frame with original black lacquered ...
Rush, Oak
Danish Armchair in the manner of Henning Kjaernulf
By Henning Kjærnulf
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Danish armchair in the manner of Henning Kjærnulf, constructed in oak, newly reupholstered in striped velvet and silk fabric.
Silk, Velvet, Oak
Rare Dutch Armchair by L.O.V Oosterbeek, Netherlands, 1920s
Located in ROUEN, FR
Rare Dutch armchair manufactured by LOV Oosterbeek in the 1920s. Incredible patina. Crafted from solid oak, it features a restrained architectural form characteristic of early 20th-...
Oak
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.
