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.
$31,313
H 12.21 in W 76.38 in D 16.74 in
Hans J. Wegner Teak Bench, Scandinavian Mid-Century Design, Denmark, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Stockholm, SE
Model designed for Johannes Hansen. Solid teak. Measurements: L: 194 cm/ 6' 5" W: 42.5 cm/ 16 3/4" H: 31 cm/ 12 1/4". Hans J. Wegner is the father of Danish design and is well kn...
Teak
$9,500
H 12.125 in W 47.5 in D 17 in
1960s Solid Teak “JH574” Bench by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Victoria, BC
An outstanding example from the workshop that defined the pinnacle of Danish cabinetmaking, this 1960s JH574 bench by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen embodies everything collector...
Teak
JH 574 - Bench in solid teak by Hans J. Wegner
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
JH 574 - Bench in solid teak with tapered legs. Marked by manufacturer Johannes Hansen and designed by Hans J. Wegner.
Teak
JH 574 - Bench in solid teak by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
JH 574 - Bench in solid teak with tapered legs. Branded by manufacturer Johannes Hansen.
Teak
$14,500
H 29.5 in W 110 in D 52 in
Important and Large Teak and Oak Dining or Conference Table by Hans Wegner
Located in Montreal, QC
Very large teak and ash dining or conference table , the barrel shaped top showing a beautiful teak veneer on solid oak, the circumference of the top is finished solid teak trim, all...
Oak, Teak
$2,321
H 18.9 in W 59.06 in D 23.63 in
1960s Hans J Wegner Solid Oak Coffee Table 'AT-15' for Andreas Tuck, Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck
Located in Praha, CZ
- Item has been carefully refurbished. - Stamped by producer.
Oak
$10,220 / item
H 28.3 in W 74.8 in D 37.4 in
Hans J. Wegner 'CH327' Dining Table in Oiled Teak & Oak for Carl Hansen & Son
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hans J. Wegner 'CH327' Dining Table in Teak, Oak and Oil for Carl Hansen & Son The story of Danish Modern begins in 1908 when Carl Hansen opened his first ...
Wood, Oak, Teak
$2,916
H 17.72 in W 59.06 in D 16.54 in
Large Danish teak coffee table or bench by Peter Lovig Nielsen, 1960.
By Lovig Dansk
Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR
Scandinavian coffee table featuring a stunning U-shaped base. A piece with a clean, elegant design that can serve as a coffee table, an entryway or living room bench, or a bench for ...
Teak
Bar Bench Model PP-589 Oak by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
Bar bench model PP589, Designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen 1953, Manufactured circa 2000. Made in solid oak wood. This bench was original from Wegners private house in Gentofte / Copenhagen. Documented on Bruun Rasmussen...
Ash
Hans Wegner for Andreas Tuck Teak and Oak Coffee Table
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Beautiful Teak and Oak Hans Wegner coffee table for Andreas Tuck,model AT-11. features teak top with raised lip and round tapered Oak legs. Classic danish modern design. marked on un...
Oak, Teak
Solid Oak and Teak Table by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A low table / bench with a reversible solid teak top on an oak base.
Wood
Rare Low cocktail/coffee table Teak & Oak by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rectangular solid teak top and oak base low table/bench/coffee table with a basin-edged top.
Oak, Teak
Rare Low cocktail/coffee table Teak & Oak by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rectangular solid teak top and oak base low table/bench/coffee table with an uncommon routed edge detail. the overall height can be reduced at client's request. More info to follow.
Wood
Modernist Teak Table by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, 1960s
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rare solid teak minimalist desk or dining table.
Wood
A Reversible Top Low Table by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A low table / bench with a flip-top black laminate and a teak top on an oak base.
Oak, Teak
Solid Teak and Oak Side Table by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, 1950's
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rare handcrafted teak and oak end/side table with a lower shelf.
Wood
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.
