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 GE-300/4 Sofa Getama Denmark 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
GE-300 / 4 sofa, designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1960s for Getama Denmark. Legs in solid oak and original blue Kvadrat wool fabric. Needs a new upholstery/fabric. Ask for price (if int...
Oak
Hans J. wegner GE-236/4 Sofa Getama Denmark 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
In very good vintage condition, ready for use.
Fabric, Oak
Hans. J.Wegner 3-Seater Sofa GE236
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Shibuya-ku, 13
Hans J. Wegner. It is said that he designed over 500 chairs during his lifetime, making him one of the most influential masters in the history of Danish furniture design. Among his w...
Fabric, Oak
Rare Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Rare sofa with patinated oak legs, newly upholstered in textile (DAW, color Stripe 7) Hans J. Wegner / Johannes Hansen.
Oak
Hans J. Wegner Sofa Model GE-236/4, 1950
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful Danish four-seater sofa, model GE236/4 designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA, 1950, with a solid oak frame and original spring loaded cushions with original beige/grey stri...
Wool, Oak
$5,883
H 30.71 in W 92.52 in D 29.14 in
Hans J. Wegner Model 235/4 Sofa, Wool Upholstery, Oak Frame, Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner four-seat sofa new upholstered with Halligdal wool from Kvadrat Frame in solid soap treated oak. Model 235/4, produced by GETAMA.
Wool, Oak
AP18 Sofa by Hans J. Wegner for AP Stolen 1950
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
Model AP18 3-seat heigh sides sofa by Hans J. Wegner for. AP. Stolen, Denmark. Designed 1950. At the momnet upholstered with 2 different fabrics in 3 different colors. later new fabr...
Oak
Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
AP 20S - sofa in oak and new textile in Vidar 3 (colour 323 and cushion in colour 333). Hans J. Wegner / AP Stolen.
Oak
Hans Wegner AP33 Four-seater Sofa for A.P. Stolen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Winnipeg, MB
Monumental and rare four-seater AP33 sofa designed by Hans Wegner for AP Stolen, Denmark. This piece features angled oak legs and the original wool upholstery. It has a streamlined a...
Wool, Upholstery, Oak
Hans J. Wegner Sofa Model GE-290/3, 1950
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful Danish three-seat sofa, model GE290/3 designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA, 1950, with a clean solid oak frame and original spring loaded cushions with a later date dark r...
Wool, Oak
Hans Wegner Sofa Model AP-64 Produced by AP-Stolen in Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare sofa model AP-64 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by AP-Stolen in Denmark.
Leather, Oak
Bernt Petersen Sofa Produced by Wørts Møbelsnedkeri in Denmark
By Bernt Petersen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare sofa designed by Bernt Petersen. Produced by Wørts Møbelsnedkeri in Denmark. Easy chair is also available.
Leather, Cane, Oak
Ole Wanscher Sofa Model 116 / Senator Produced by France & Son in Denmark
By Ole Wanscher
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare sofa model 116 / Senator designed by Ole Wanscher. Produced by France & Son in Denmark.
Leather, Teak
Arne Jacobsen Sofa Produced by Cabinetmaker Otto Meyer in Denmark
By Arne Jacobsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Unique freestanding sofa designed by Arne Jacobsen. Produced by cabinetmaker Otto Meyer in Denmark. Provenance: Publisher Fergo, hence by descent in th...
Brass
Hans Olsen Sofa Model 500 Produced by C/S Møbler
By Hans Olsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare sofa model 500 designed by Hans Olsen. Produced by C/S Møbler in Denmark.
Brass
Kai Lyngfeldt Larsen Sofa Produced in Søborg Møbler in Denmark
By Kai Lyngfeldt Larsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare sofa designed by Kai Lyngfeldt Larsen. Produced in Søborg Møbler in Denmark.
Leather, Rosewood
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.
