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.
19th Century Welsh Elm Folk Farmhouse Chair
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
Wonderful 19th Century Elm Folk Farmhouse chair, simplistic form, probably Welsh origin dates from 1870 / 1880. In wonderful original condition, retains the original black finish. ...
Beech, Elm
Mid century Wooden Slatted Yoga Body Chairs Loungers 1979 Pair
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
An important and rare pair of chairs designed by Jim Warren and produced by Pearl Dot, England, they date from 1979. Very cleverly designed to reflect the whole human body, in its fu...
Ash
1960s White Metal Midcentury Garden Chair
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
Good quality, very stylish mid-century garden chair. Wonderful garden chair, dates from the 1960s, made from plastic coated steel rod. In good vintage condition, retains the original...
Steel
Danish Wine Rack Bottle Holder By Richard Nissen for Nissen Langaa 1960s
By Richard Nissen
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
Good quality Teak freestanding wine rack, designed by Richard Nissen, manufactured by Nissen Langaa, dates from 1960s. Freestanding wine rack, housing up to 12 bottles, made from so...
Teak
1960s Wall mounted Plant Hanger By Desmond Sawyer Rattan Hook
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
Very hard to find plant hanger by Desmond Sawyer, dates from the 1960s. Painted black steel rod and rattan decoration, wall hung. The hooks have not b...
Steel
Decorative Wooden fluted Bowl by David Pye OBE
Located in Stow on the Wold, GB
Wonderful hand turned decorative fluted bowl by David Pye OBE Hand produced with decorative flutes to the bowl, very nicely executed, with Pye's distinctive decorative fluting to th...
Maple
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian Rocking Chair Model J16 by Hans Wegner for Fred
By Hans J. Wegner, Fredericia
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian rocking chair model J16 by Hans Wegner for Fredericia. New edition. Finish: Beech, Black lacquered or oak. Natural or black paper cord seat. Price is ...
Beech
Wegner J16 Rocking Chair by Hans Wegner for FDB Møbler
Located in Centreville, VA
The J16 Rocking Chair, designed by celebrated Danish designer Hans J. Wegner for FDB Møbler in 1944, is a masterful example of Scandinavian design that blends functional craftsmanshi...
Papercord, Oak
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
Hans J. Wegner Model J16 Rocking Chair, 1961
By Hans J. Wegner, FDB Møbler
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful model J16 rocking chair by Hans Wegner for FDB Møbler, designed in 1944, in light-gray painted beech with woven paper cord seat. This example was produced in 1961, features...
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
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
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.
