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.
Model no. CH-23 Dining Chairs by Hans Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Set of four dining chairs designed by Hans Wegner. Iconic mid-century modern design with webbed seating and inlay cross on seat backs. Please confirm lo...
Wood
Vamo Sønderborg Style Wishbone Dining Chairs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Set of six mid-century modern styled dining chairs with sculptural frames. Distinctive horn or wishbone backs that support while seated. Rich red seats offset the deeper stained wood...
Wood
Set of Four Danish Dining Room Chairs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pairing sculpted teak frames with upholstered vinyl seats, this set of four Danish dining chairs is a great way to add timeless and versatile Mid-Century Modern style to a dining roo...
Upholstery, Teak
Set of Six Upholstered Danish Dining Chairs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A classic set of six Danish dining chairs, crafted in walnut with warm, elegant grain. The clean lines and sculptural form reflect timeless mid-century design, while the upholstery r...
Walnut
Eight Danish Midcentury Dining Chairs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Set of eight dining chairs with teak wood frames. Danish made in the 1960s with simple and handsome design. Two armchairs and six side chairs. side chairs Measure 36" h x 16" w x 19...
Teak
Set of Six Mid-Century Dining Chairs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage set of six dining chairs in walnut with slat backs. Two armchairs and four side chairs with original fabric. Armchairs: 30.5h, 22w, 20d Side chairs: 30.5h, 18.5w, 20d Please ...
Walnut
Midcentury Modern "W2" Dining Chairs by Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 1960s
By C.M. Madsen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Set of eight beautiful “W2” dining chairs by Hans J. Wegner, made from oak with natural leather seats. Great woodgrain that follows the lines of the seamlessly sculpted backrests.
Leather, Teak
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
Set of Six W2 Dining Chairs by Hans Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Barcelona, ES
Set of six W2 chairs designed in 1953 by Hans Wegner for C. M. Madsen, Denmark. Solid teak wood and new upholstery with tan leather.
Leather, Teak
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
Hans Wegner dining CH 23 chairs Danish Mid Century set of 6
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Dublin, IE
An original set of six Hans Wegner CH 23 dining chairs designed in 1950 and made during the 1950’s by Carl Hansen & Son in Denmark, with rattan wicker seats. Makers mark underneath. ...
Oak, Teak
Set of 6 fine Hans J. Wegner W2 Chairs C.M.Madsen 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
Set of six old Hans J. Wegner chairs in solid oak and black leather. Model W2. Produced by C.M. Madsen Denmark in 1950s. With beautiful patina and in original condition.
Leather, 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.
