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.
1950's Arne Vodder Attributed Wing-back Teak Lounge Chair
By Arne Vodder
Located in New York, NY
1950's mid-century modern high back teak wing-back lounge chair attributed to Arne Vodder, fully restored and re-upholstered in velvet fabric, with minor wear and patina due to age a...
Velvet, Teak
Danish Modern Late 1950's Lounge Chair with Teak Accents
By Kurt Østervig
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Beautiful late 1950's or classic danish modern lounge chair on tapered teak legs. The angled back rest and thick padded seating offer maximum comfort. A sleek and sturdy design with ...
Wool, Teak
Hans Wegner Danish Modern Cigar Lounge Chair
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Atlanta, GA
Sculptural Danish Modern "Cigar" Model lounge chair, designed by Hans Wegner for Getama, unsigned, Denmark, circa 1960s. It has been reupholstered in an ivory color herringbone uphol...
Metal, Brass
$8,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 30 in W 28.5 in D 29 in
Hans J. Wegner JH517 "Buck" Golden Oak Frame Lounge Chair - Holland and Sherry
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Model JH517 "Buck" Lounge Chair in oak, designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen. The robust oak frame is features broad sculptural armrests and a gracefully curved backrest, o...
Oak
Kurt Olsen Model 221 Wingback Lounge Chair in Teak
By Kurt Olsen, Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in Berkeley, CA
Origin: Denmark Designer: Kurt Olsen Manufacturer: Slagelse Møbelfabrik Era: 1955 Materials: Teak, Wool Measurements: Inquire for dimensions. Condition: In excellent original...
Wool, Teak
$4,157
H 39.38 in W 29.93 in D 32.29 in
Hans J. Wegner Model 290A Lounge Chair, Solid Oak, Mid-Century Modern
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner lounge chair made of solid oak. New upholstered with vintage tan aniline leather. Model 290A, made by GETAMA.
Wool, Oak
Danish Midcentury Highback Lounge Chair with Teak Armrests
By Kurt Østervig
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Very cool Danish midcentury highback lounge chair with teak legs and teak accents on the armrests. Epitomizes the style from around 1960. This chair is much in the style of Kurt Ost...
Wool, Teak
$4,157
H 39.38 in W 29.93 in D 32.29 in
Hans J. Wegner Model 290A Lounge Chair, Solid Oak, Mid-Century Modern
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner lounge chair made of solid oak. New upholstered with vintage Yellow Hallingdal from Kvadrat. Model 290A, made by GETAMA.
Wool, Oak
$3,500
H 27 in W 29.5 in D 28 in
Expertly Restored - Danish Modern Teak Lounge Chair by Finn Andersen for Selig
By Finn Andersen, Selig
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Teak Wood, New Boucle Fabric, New High-Density Foam, New Webbing __________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing h...
Bouclé, Foam, Teak, Wood, Fabric
Danish Midcentury Easy Chair with Teak Armrests, 1950's
By Kurt Olsen
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Nice light and versatile easy chair in the style of Kurt Olsen. Great for a smaller room where space is an issue and you may want to be able to move the chair around. The frame and a...
Wool, Teak
GE 240 - 'Cigar' easy chair in oak by Hans J. Wegner
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
GE 240 - 'Cigaren' armchair in patinated oak with cushions in light upholstery. Designed by Hans J. Wegner and made by GETAMA.
Fabric, Oak
JH 507 - Rare armchair in solid teak by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
JH 507 - Rare armchair in solid teak, upholstered in 'Old America' aniline leather. Designed by Hans J. Wegner and made by Johannes Hansen.
Leather, Teak
AP 19 - Papa Bear chair & stool in new fabric by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
AP 19 - Reupholstered Papa Bear chair with matching stool in light textile (A Joy by Dedar, colour 002 Natural) ABOUT THE FURNITURE: This is an original 'Papa Bear chair' by Hans J....
Textile, Oak
JH 515 - Armchairs in oak by Hans J. Wegner
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
JH 515 - Rare armchair in patinated oak upholstered in new 'Bridget' textile (colour: Meringue). From 1951. Designed by Hans J. Wegner and made by Johannes Hansen.
Fabric, Oak
Model 9662 - Faaborg chair in mahogany by Kaare Klint
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Model 9662 - ‘Faaborg Chair’ in mahogany with seat in patinated natural leather. Designed by Kaare Klint made by Rud Rasmussen.
Leather, Mahogany
JH 518 - Rare 'Bull Chair' by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
JH 518 - Rare 'Bull Chair' in solid oak and with seat of new, braided cane. Original label from manufacturer. Designed in 1961. Hans J. Wegner / Johannes Hansen
Oak
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.
