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.
Pair of Hans Wegner Jh-501 Round Chairs in Teak + Cane
By Johannes Hansen
Located in Berkeley, CA
Origin: Denmark Designer: Hans Wegner Manufacturer: Johannes Hansen Era: 1949 Materials: Teak, Cane Measurements: 24.5" wide x 20" deep x 30″ tall, Seat: 17.5" tall
Cane, Teak
$10,395
H 32.5 in W 26 in D 21 in
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH515 Danish Teak Occasional Chairs - Pair
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH-515 Mid Century Danish Teak Occasional Chairs - Pair Each chair measures: 26 wide x 21 deep x 32.5 high, with a seat height of 17.5 and arm height...
Upholstery, Teak
$15,161 / set
H 29.93 in W 24.81 in D 20.48 in
Pair of Hans J. Wegner Armchair "JH-501" in Oak & Rattan Cane, Danish Modern
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Odense, DK
Designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1949 this is one of the most iconic pieces of Danish modern furniture design. Pair of rare and early model "JH-501" made by cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen...
Rattan, Oak
Pair of Classic Hans Wegner Side Chairs in Oak
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A pair of signed Hans Wegner side or dining chairs by C.M.Madsens, Denmark ca' 1950s. Oak with newly recaned seats. Comfortable and sculptural these chairs look beautiful from any an...
Oak
Hans J Wegner The Chair Model JH501 in Teak with Original Cane Seat
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A beautiful example of Hans Wegner's timeless The Chair or Round Chair built by cabinetmaker, Johannes Hansen, in solid teak with its original cane seat. The caning is 95% intact and...
Cane, Teak
$9,500 / set
H 30 in W 24.5 in D 20 in
Vintage Round Chairs in Teak by Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen - a Pair
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pair of two matching JH-503 "Round Chairs" in teak designed by Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen. This iconic chairs, also known simply as "The Chair" is one of the most celebrated des...
Leather, Teak
$5,895
H 30.25 in W 24.75 in D 20.5 in
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen Mid Century Danish Teak The Chair
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen Mid Century Danish Teak The Chair This chair measures: 24.75 wide x 20.5 deep x 30.25 inches high, with a seat height of 18.5 and arm height/chair cl...
Upholstery, Teak
One Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH501 "The Chair" in Teak & Cane
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Seattle, WA
A single JH501 with cane seat and back, designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen. This iconic Danish modern design is best known as "The Chair.” The more common version with le...
Cane, Teak
Straw and Teak Pair of Chairs, 1960s, Denmark
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Straw and Teak Pair of Chairs, 1960s, Denmark Measurements : Height: 77 cm Seat height: 45 cm Width: 46 cm Depth: 54 cm Please do not hesitate to ask us if you have any questions.
Straw, Teak
Hans Wegner AP-16 Mid Century Danish Teak Lounge Chairs - Pair
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner AP-16 Mid Century Danish Teak Lounge Chairs - Pair Each chair measures: 28 wide x 29 deep x 33 high, with a seat height of 17.25 and arm height/chair clearance of 25 inc...
Upholstery, Teak
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.
