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.
1950s Hans Wegner CH23 chair for Carl Hansen & Søn, Denmark.
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The CH23 was one of the first chairs Hans J. Wegner designed exclusively for Carl Hansen & Søn back in 1950. At first glance it’s simple and understated, but the chair is full of tho...
Beech, Oak, Teak
1951 HANS WEGNER Lounge chair, model no. CH-22 by Carl Hansen & Son, Denmark.
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1951 HANS J. WEGNER Lounge Chair, model no. CH-22 manufactured by Carl Hansen & Søn, Denmark. Oak frame with rush seat. Underside of arm branded with designer. In good vintage condi...
Rush, Oak
Danish Mid-Century Modern Chair by Hvidt & Mølgaard-Nielsen, 1960s
By Peter Hvidt, Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960s Peter Hvidt & Orla Nielsen Molgaard 317 Chair Manufactured by Søborg Møbelfabrik. Chair is in good vintage condition with a beautiful patina throughout. Papercord seat is...
Teak, Paper
Børge Mogensen Spanish Chair, Leather & Oak, Mid-Century, 1958
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful 1950 Børge Mogensen Spanish Chair by Fredericia, Denmark. Børge Mogensen designed the Spanish Chair in 1958 for Fredericia Furniture, and it has since become a definitive...
Brass
Hans J. Wegner CH 22 Lounge Chairs for Carl Hansen & Søn., Oak & Papercord, 1951
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of iconic 1950s CH 22 lounge chairs created by Danish designer Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn. Elegant low armchairs with envelope weaved paper cord seats and beauti...
Papercord, Oak
Rare Model 42 Arm Chair by Erik Kirkegaard for Høng Stolefabrik, Denmark, 1950's
By Erik Kirkegaard, Høng Stolefabrik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Introducing an exceptional early Model 42 armchair by acclaimed Danish designer Erik Kirkegaard, produced by Høng Stolefabrik. Recently refinished and newly clad in thick, full-grain...
Leather, Teak
Hans J Wegner, Valet Chair, Model JH540 in Teak and Oak, Designed 1953, Stamped
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Hans J Wegner (1914-2007), Valet Chair, model no. JH540, teak and oak, original edition produced by Johannes Hansen, 1953. Underside impressed with manufacturer’s mark: JOHANNES ...
Oak, Teak
A Vintage Hans Wegner Oak Valet Chair By Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A rare and highly sculptural original Hans Wegner valet chair. Manufactured by Johannes Hansen, Copenhagen, Denmark and imported and sold by Knoll. This version made entirely of soli...
Brass
Valet Chair Model 540 Designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Jansen, Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Stockholm, SE
Valet chair model 540 designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Jansen, Denmark, 1953. Teak, oak and brass. Stamped. H: 94 cm W: 51 cm D: 50 cm SH: 44.5 cm Hans J. Wegn...
Brass
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen Mid Century Danish Teak The Chair
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen Mid Century Danish Teak The Chair This chair measures: 24.75 wide x 20.5 deep x 30.25 inches high, with a seat height of 18.5 and arm height/chair cl...
Upholstery, Teak
Hans J. Wegner, Armchair in Teak & Leather, "The Chair" model JH501, 1950s
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Odense, DK
An iconic armchair in teak and leather, Model JH501, famously known as "The Chair," designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1949. This particular version, crafted in the 1950s by Johannes Hans...
Leather, Teak
The JH 250 Valet Chair by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, 1953
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Iconic Wegner JH 250 'Valet' chair executed in solid oak and teak. The shaped crest rail sitting above a leaf shaped back acts as a shirt hangar while the hinged seat opens forward t...
Wood
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.
