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 Wegner High Back Lounge Chair, Model GE-375, 1960
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful high back chairs by Hans Wegner with solid oak frame and cushions in beige wool (seemingly reupholstered at a later date), produced by GETAMA in 1969, model GE 375, detacha...
Wool, Oak
Hans Wegner Armchairs, 1970
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful 1970s side chairs 'Koldinghus' by Hans Wegner, with arms, in oak with straps of hemp, stackable, marked, very comfortable. Priced individually.
Hemp, Oak
Børge Mogensen, Model 2254 Lounge Chair, 1956
By Fredericia, Børge Mogensen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful lounge chair 'BM-2254/ Slædestolen' designed by Børge Mogensen in 1956 and produced by Fredericia Stolefabrik, Sweden, adjustable mahogany frame with original beige alcanta...
Leather, Upholstery, Mahogany
Hans J. Wegner Model CH-24 Dining Chair, 1950
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful model CH-24 dining chair by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn, designed in 1950, in light oak with woven paper cord seat, seat cushion available on request, marked.
Leather, Papercord, Ash
Hans J. Wegner Sofa Model GE-290/2, 1950
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful Danish two-seat sofa, model GE290/2 designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA, 1950, with a solid oak frame and original spring loaded cushions with patterned upholstery (from ...
Oak, Upholstery
Borge Mogensen, Model 2254 Lounge Chair, 1956
By Børge Mogensen, Fredericia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful highback lounge chair 'BM-2254/ Slædestolen' designed by Børge Mogensen in 1956 and produced by Fredericia Stolefabrik, Sweden, mahogany frame with adjustable seat and back...
Upholstery, Mahogany, Suede
Rocking chair 'J16' by Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Eskilstuna, SE
Classic rocking chair model 'J19' designed by Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, during the 1960s.
Seagrass, Beech
Classic Hans Wegner Danish "J16" Rocking Chair for FDB Mobler
By Hans J. Wegner, FDB Møbler
Located in Peabody, MA
Hans Wegner “J16” rocker in beech with corded seat for FDB Mobler, Denmark. Created in 1944, this has been one of Wegner’s most widely recognized designs. Marked with a production da...
Papercord, Beech
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian Rocking Chair Model J16 by Hans Wegner, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian rocking chair Model J16 by Hans Wegner. Designer Biography : "Best known for his chairs and 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 Wegner’s best chair designs, seen in dealer listings below, have their roots in traditional seating...
Wood
The J 16 Shaker Rocking Chair by Hans J. Wegner for FDB
By Hans J. Wegner, FDB Møbler
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A Shaker Style Scandinavian Modern rocking chair designed by Hans Wegner in beech wood with a woven paper cord seat. Made in Denmark by FDB, circa 1970s.
Papercord, Beech
J16 rocking chair by Hans Wegner for FDB Mobler, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Mid century beech wooden and papercord rocking chair designed by Hans J Wegner for FDB Mobler in the 1960s. Beautifully crafted chair by one of the best scandinavian designer from t...
Papercord, Beech
Totally Original J16 Rocking Chair by Hans J. Wegner for Fredericia
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Markington, GB
Trully original J16 Rocking Chair by Hans J. Wegner for Fredericia, 1940s A beautiful example of mid-century Danish design, this J16 rocking chair was designed by Hans J. Wegner in ...
Beech
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.
