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.
$19,681 / set
H 30.12 in W 20.28 in D 18.12 in
Set of 9 CH-30 Chairs in Oak and Wool by Hans Wegner, 1954
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This set of nine dining chairs, model CH-30, designed by Hans J. Wegner and produced by Carl Hansen & Søn in Denmark, represents a quintessential expression of Danish modernism—r...
Wool, Oak
4 Early Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH-503 Chairs in Teak
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
We are excited to offer 4 early Hans Wegner JH-503 chairs designed in 1949 and Produced by Johannes Hansen. Fully restored solid old growth teak construction. Stamped with the maker'...
Leather, Teak
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
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
$60,000 / set
H 29.75 in W 25 in D 21 in
1960s Set of Ten Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen Dining Chairs in Teak
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a set of ten “The Chair” dining chairs, originally designed by Hans J. Wegner. These particular examples were produced in the 1960s specifically for Knoll International a...
Foam, Teak, Leather
$13,717 / set
H 28.35 in W 19.69 in D 18.9 in
Set of Eight Hans J Wegner FH 4103 Heart Chairs in Teak & Beech Denmark, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Stockholm, SE
A very rare and early first edition set of eight Danish mid century wooden dining "FH 4103" or more commonly called "heart chairs" in stained teak and beech by Hans J. Wegner and pro...
Oak, Teak
$29,820 / set
H 30.71 in W 20.12 in D 22.05 in
Set of 8 Dining Chairs in Oak and Woven Cane by Arne Vodder, 1951
By Arne Vodder
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Set of 8 Dining Chairs in Oak and Woven Cane by Arne Vodder, 1951 Additional Information: Material: Oak and woven cane Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Rare set of 8 dining chairs m...
Oak, Cane
$16,997 / set
H 30.12 in W 19.3 in D 16.93 in
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
$9,000 / set
H 30 in W 18.5 in D 18 in
Set of 8 Original Hans Wegner Oak CH23 Chairs by Carl Hansen & Son
By Carl Hansen, Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bring home the authentic mid-century modern Danish furniture that has become the envy of the design world with this exquisite set of original Hans Wegner CH-23 oak & rattan dining ch...
Wicker, Rattan, Wood, Hardwood, Oak
$26,500 / set
H 30 in W 24.75 in D 20.5 in
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen “The Chair” Dining Chairs Set of Six in Oak 1960
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Chicago, IL
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen “The Chair” Dining Chairs Set of Six in Oak 1960 Also known as “The Round Chair,” this iconic design is celebrated for its sculptural continuous arm a...
Cane, Oak
Set of 8 Hans Wegner Model W1 Oak Dining Chairs, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner, C.M. Madsen
Located in London, England
Hans Wegner - Model W1 Dining Chairs A set of 8 Model W1 dining chairs designed by Danish master Hans Wegner in the early 1950s. This design was produced by cabinetmakers C. M. Mad...
Leather, Oak
Set of 10 Hans Wegner Model W1 Oak Dining Chairs, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner, C.M. Madsen
Located in London, England
Hans Wegner - Model W1 Dining Chairs A set of 10 Model W1 dining chairs designed by Danish master Hans Wegner in the early 1950s. This design was produced by cabinetmakers C. M. Ma...
Leather, Oak
Set of 8 Hans Wegner W2 Oak and Leather Dining Chairs
Located in London, England
Hans Wegner - Model W2 Dining Chairs, 1953 A set of 8 Model W2 dining chairs designed by Danish master Hans J. Wegner in 1953 and produced by cabinetmakers C. M. Madsen in Haarby, D...
Leather, Oak
Set of 8 Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Model 31 Dining Chairs 1950s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Kai Kristiansen - Model 31 Dining Chairs A set of 8 dining chairs produced by Skovman Andersen Mobelfabrik in the early 1960s and designed by master of Danish mid-century design: Ka...
Wool, Bouclé, Rosewood
Kai Kristiansen Set of 8 Model 42 Rosewood Dining Chairs 1950s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Kai Kristiansen - Model 42 Dining Chairs, 1956. A set of 8 dining chairs produced by Schou Andersen for the Illum Bolighus department store in Copenhagen. The frames are made from t...
Rosewood, Fabric
Kai Kristiansen Set of 8 Model 42 Rosewood Dining Chairs 1950s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Kai Kristiansen - Model 42 Dining Chairs Kai Kristiansen's iconic Model 42 dining chairs, produced by cabinetmaker Villy Schou Andersen in Denmark and designed in 1956. These exampl...
Fabric, Rosewood
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.
