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.
Set of Five Hans J Wegner W2 Chairs
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in San Francisco, CA
A set of five stained oak and cane dining chairs. Each chair frame is branded with the manufacturer's mark; [C.M. Madsen Fabriker Haarby Danmark Made in Denmark Design: Hans J. Wegne...
Cane, Oak
Set of 8 W2 Dining Chairs by Hans J Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in San Francisco, CA
A set of eight W2 oak dining chairs featuring an inset black upholstered seat and tapered legs. Stamped C M Madsens, made in Denmark, Hans J Wegner.
Upholstery, Oak
Six Hans Wegner Dining Chairs, Model CH34 for Carl Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Rare set of six CH34 armchairs designed by Hans Wegner and manufactured by Carl Hansen of Denmark, circa 1960s. Sculpted teak and adjustable backs. Original black leather seats (one ...
Leather, Teak
$7,975 / set
H 29.53 in W 20.48 in D 19.69 in
Hans Wegner CH30 Dining Chairs Carl Hansen, Denmark, 1950
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Stunning set of 6 dining chairs model CH30 designed by Hans J. Wegner and manufactured by Carl Hansen & Son, Odense Denmark 1950. These chairs are an early design by Wegner as they w...
Faux Leather, Oak, Teak
(6) Hans J. Wegner CH24 'Wishbone' Danish Beech Dining Chairs
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Norwalk, CT
This set of chairs features one of the most iconic Danish designs of the 20th century. Originally designed by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son in 1949, these chairs were impossibly modern for the time, allowing them to retain their significant over half a century later. The CH24, or Wishbone Chair, was the first model Hans J. Wegner designed exclusively for Carl Hansen & Søn in 1949 and has remained in continuous production since its debut in 1950. Crafted through a meticulous process involving over 100 steps—most completed by hand—the chair reflects Wegner’s belief that furniture should be both beautiful and functional. Inspired by the graceful lines of traditional Chinese Ming Dynasty chairs...
Beech
$16,500 / set
H 28 in W 23 in D 19 in
Vintage Set Of Eight Hans J. Wegner Armchairs, Model PP-201, Denmark Circa 1969
Located in Nashville, TN
Vintage Set Of Eight Hans J. Wegner Armchairs, Model PP-201, Denmark Circa 1969. Rare set with a solid oak frame. Excellent condition.
Oak
$100,428 / set
H 29.14 in W 22.84 in D 17.72 in
Hans Wegner Armchairs Model JH-505 Produced by Cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare set of 6 Cowhorn armchairs model JH-505 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen in Denmark.
Cane, Rosewood, Teak
Wishbone Chairs by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in New York, NY
An outstanding opportunity to acquire a versatile suite of ten CH36 Dining Chairs, this set was manufactured in Denmark in the 2010s by the esteemed producer Carl Hansen & Son. T...
Papercord, Beech
Hans J. Wegner CH31 dining chairs
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Egå, DK
HANS J. WEGNER (Denmark, 1914 - 2007). 4 CH31 chairs. Oak wood. New restored wood and new braiding. Measurements: 80 x 52 x 42 cm ; 44 cm (seat height) Set of four chairs designed b...
Oak, Braid
Set of Eight Dining Chairs by Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Lejre, DK
Group of 8 great looking chairs in original black lacquered. Designed by Maa. Hans J Wegner and produced by Carl Hansen. Original condition.
Beech
1960s Set of Eight Dining Chairs in Oak by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a fine set of eight CH23 Dining Chairs in oak and paper cord, initially designed by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen in 1950. These particular examples date to the 1960s. The roll...
Oak, Papercord
1960s Set of Six Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son Wishbone Dining Chairs
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original set of six Wishbone Armchairs, designed by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen and Son in 1950. This set was produced in Denmark in the 1960s, and the listed price includ...
Steel
2023 Set of Three Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen CH24 Wishbone Dining Arm Chairs
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a set of three CH24 Wishbone dining chairs, originally designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1949. These particular examples were produced by Carl Hansen in Denmark C. 2023. The chai...
Papercord, Wood
1990s Set of Crassevig & Knoll Gina / Ginotta Dining Chairs by Enrico Franzolini
By Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a set of four gorgeousGina / Ginotta bent plywood dining chairs with oatmeal-color fabric upholstery, produced by Crassevig, distributed by Knoll in the US, and de...
Fabric, Plywood
1950s Set of Six T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb Model 4209 Dining Chairs
By Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a set of six dining chairs, Model 4209, designed by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb Furniture. The chairs were manufactured in Grand Rapids, Michigan, circa 1950s. Their...
Upholstery, Walnut
1960s Hans J. Wegner Set of 10 AP38 Airport Dining Chairs by A.P. Stolen Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a set of ten (price listed includes all ten chairs) Hans Wegner airport chairs AP38, produced by A.P. Stolen in Denmark du...
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.
