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.
Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen J.H 502 Swivel Chair
By Johannes Andersen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
A beautiful original example of this super rare swivel chair by Hans J.Wegner for Johannes Hansen, designated JH502. This amazing executive office chair model JH-502 was designed by...
Steel
Danish Mid-Century Swivel Task Chair by Jørgen Rasmussen, 1955
By Jørgen Rasmussen
Located in Queens, NY
Danish Mid-Century swiveling 'task' chair with light teak bentwood seat and back with pivoting adjustable back support, resting on a brown powder coated metal base with four black pl...
Bentwood
The Swivel Chair by Hans Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
swivel chair designed by Hans Wegner & made by Johannes Hansen w/teak back, chrome frame & blue vinyl seat
Chrome
Rare Midcentury Soft Pad Chairs Sunar Hauserman (up to 6)
By Sunar, Niels Diffrient
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Premium leather with beautiful stitching wrapped around aluminum frame. Unique brown leather chairs for home or office. Adjustable height and tilt. Arm height 24.75 lowest position
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Fritz Hansen Swivel Office Chair
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stunning vintage modern desk chair boasts a tag underneath with the date 1980 and designer name, "Fritz Hansen." A lovely Danish design ...
Chrome
$1,984
H 34.65 in W 24.81 in D 18.9 in
Arne Jacobsen Model 3217 Office Chair for Fritz Hansen, First Edition, 1950s
By Arne Jacobsen
Located in DE KWAKEL, NL
An iconic Model 3217 office chair designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen during the 1950s. This early first edition combines Jacobsen’s sculptural approach to seating with the fu...
Metal
Arne Jacobsen Model 3217 Office Chair for Fritz Hansen, 1950s
By Arne Jacobsen
Located in Nørre Aaby, DK
Iconic Model 3217 office chair designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen in the 1950s. This early edition beautifully reflects Jacobsen’s sculptural approach to seating combined wit...
Steel
$2,931
H 31.5 in W 18.11 in D 19.69 in
Mid-Century Early German SE 40 Swivel Chair by Egon Eiermann, 1950s
By Egon Eiermann
Located in Hamburg, DE
Very rare office swivel chair from the series of tubular steel spring chairs by egon eiermann. A rare collector's item. A robust version of the se 40 with a wooden base. Like all of...
Metal
1950s Mid Century Modern Office Chair by Jorge Rasmussen
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-century office chair designed and manufactured by Jorgen Rasmussen in Denmark circa 1950s. This desk chair features a plywood frame with a chrome metal base and four wheels, maki...
Bentwood
$2,114Sale Price|62% Off
H 36.23 in W 24.41 in D 15.75 in
Series Seven Office Chair Model 3217 Early Edition By Arne Jacobsen
By Fritz Hansen, Arne Jacobsen
Located in Lejre, DK
Seven office chair, model 3217, with armrests and swivel function in original dark brown leather designed by Arne Jacobsen in the 1950s and manufactured by Fritz Hansen. The chair is...
Aluminum
Rare Executive Desk Chair in Walnut, Brass and Leather, Palle Suenson, 1940s
By Palle Suenson, Jacob Kjaer
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Palle Suenson & Jacob Kjær - Scandinavian Modern A rare executive desk chair by Danish Modenist Architect Palle Suenson (1904-1987) and cabinetmaker Jacob Kjær (1896-1957) a special order for the...
Brass
Fritz Hansen 1669 Armchair, Brown Sheepskin, Denmark 1930s, Scandinavian Modern
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
FRITZ HANSEN & MID-CENTURY MODERN A beautiful Fritz Hansen easy chair, model 1669, 1930s. Sculptural and comfortable armchair upholstered in brown sheepskin with cognac coloured bu...
Sheepskin
Rare Rattan Lounge Chair by Tove Kindt-Larsen, Wengler, Denmark 1940s
By Robert Wengler, Tove & Edvard Kindt-Larsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
TOVE KINDT-LARSEN & R. WENGLER SCANDINAVIAN MODERN DESIGN Small lounge chair / fireplace chair in rattan designed by Danish architect Tove Kindt-Larsen for R. Wengler, Denmark 1940...
Rattan
Rare Adjustable Table Lamp by Vilhelm Lauritzen and Frits Schlegel
By Vilhelm Lauritzen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
FRITS SCHLEGEL & VILHELM LAURITZEN SCANDINAVIAN MODERN Rare, large adjustable table lamp with cone-shaped brass shade by Frits Schlegel and Vilhelm Lauritzen. Mounted with push but...
Brass, Steel
Set of Four Klint Red Chairs, Rud Rasmussen, Niger Leather and Mahogany
By Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Kaare Klint & Rud Rasmussen Snedkerier - Scandinavian Modern Design. An extraordinary set of four Kaare Klint red chairs, executed by cabinetmaker Rud. Rasmussen, Denmark. Profiled...
Leather, Mahogany
Vintage Arne Jacobsen Saint Catherine Oxford Table Lamp Scandinavian Modern
By Arne Jacobsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
ARNE JACOBSEN & LOUIS POULSEN SCANDINAVIAN MODERN A beautiful vintage Arne Jacobsen Saint Catherine table lamp. This lamp is also called the Oxford Table Lamp...
Metal
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.
