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.
Danish Design Rocking Chair Design by Hans.J.Wegner Model Ch45
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Oirlo, LI
Danish Design rocking chair design by Hans.J.Wegner Model ch45. J. Wegner rocking chair with the horizontal backrest supports from the Tarm furniture factory that ran as a subsidi...
Papercord, Wood
Hans J Wegner GE421 Getama Oak Relax Armchair with Adjustable Backrest
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Oirlo, LI
Hans J Wegner GE421 Getama Oak Relax Armchair with Adjustable Backrest Discover the perfect combination of style and comfort with the Hans J Wegner GE421 Getama relax armchair. This...
Fabric, Oak
Design Chair by Borge Mogensen, Also Called Spanisch Chair, 1960, Denmark
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Oirlo, LI
Design chair by Borge Mogensen, also called Spanisch chair, 1960 Denmark. This original safari chair was made in the 1960s and therefore the saddle leather has a beautiful patina, a...
Leather, Oak
Hans Olsen Lounge chair Model 107 for Bramin Mobler, Denmark, 1950s
By Hans Olsen
Located in Oirlo, LI
Hans Olsen Lounge chair Model 107 for Bramin Mobler, Denmark, 1950s Hans Olsen Lounge chair Model 107 for Bramin Mobler, Denmark, 1950s This is the first model 107 made in the follo...
Fabric, Wood
Dining Chair by Glyngøre Stolefabrik, Denmark 1960
Located in Oirlo, LI
A beautiful dining room or side chair, produced by Glyngore Stolefabrik in Denmark around 1960. This beautiful, teak dining room chair is a very recognizable piece of Danish design! ...
Papercord, Teak
Dining Chairs by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn Denmark 2 CH37 and 2 CH36
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Oirlo, LI
The dining chair by Hans J. Wegner is made with great attention to detail in a simple and functional design. This design from 1962 demonstrates the influence that American Shaker fu...
Papercord, Wood
Hans Wegner Peacock Chair, C1960s
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in London, GB
“Peacock Chair”. Easy chair with ash frame and teak armrests. Seat with woven paper cord. Model JH 550. Designed 1947. This example made approx. 1960s by cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen...
Ash
Peacock Chair by Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen, Denmark, 1947
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Peacock chair by Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen 1947 Also known as PP550. Early 1960's production. Original cord seat. Branded manufacturer's mark to underside ‘Johannes Hansen Cope...
Papercord, Ash, Teak
Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Peacock Chair by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Stockholm, SE
Hans J. Wegner's 1947 Peacock Chair (model PP550) exemplifies the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modernist design principles. Drawing inspiration from the classic English W...
Oak, Teak
Easy chair Peacock JH521 Designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in PARIS, FR
As one of the most remarkable chairs, created in 1947 by Hans Wegner, recognized as a leading designer of the Danish mid-century modern movement, this easy chair delivers great expre...
Papercord, Oak, Teak
Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen Peacock Chair
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Chicago, IL
Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen Peacock Chair made in Denmark, 1947 Ash frame with Teak arms and grass cord seatBranded manufacturer's mark to underside ‘Johannes Hansen Copenhage...
Rush, Ash, Teak
Hans Wegner JH50 “Peacock Chair” in Oak and Teak
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Seattle, WA
Hans Wegner JH50 chair, or more commonly known as the “Peacock Chair” had its name blessed by famous designer, Finn Juhl, and was designed in 1947 an...
Oak, 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.
