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.
Desk 'RY 32' Designed by Hans J. Wegner for Ry Møbler
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Stockholm, SE
This Hans J. Wegner oak desk, model RY 32, is a quiet and assured example of Danish modern design. Crafted in solid oak, it features a slim rectangular top supported by tapered legs,...
Oak
$58,769
H 27.96 in W 82.68 in D 36.03 in
Hans Wegner Desk Produced by Cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen in Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare freestanding desk designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen in Denmark.
Steel
Hans Wegner Desk Danish Mid Century Table
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Dublin, IE
The Hans Wegner Desk Model No. PP305, designed in 1955 and crafted by PP Mobler, is a beautiful example of Danish modernism. Constructed from solid ash throughout, the desk showcases...
Beech
$76,400
H 29.14 in W 59.06 in D 29.53 in
Hans Wegner Desk Model JH-563 by Cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen in Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare freestanding desk model JH-563 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen in Denmark.
Brass
$9,990
H 28.75 in W 55.12 in D 29.93 in
Hans J. Wegner Drop Leaf Desk or Table Model "AT-305" for Andreas Tuck, 1955
By Andreas Tuck, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Odense, DK
This magnificent drop-leaf table by Danish designer Hans J. Wegner can be used both as a work desk and as a dining table. The design is from 1955 and this particular table is from th...
Oak, Teak
$10,495
H 28.75 in W 29.73 in D 29.73 in
Desk “AT 305” Designed by Hans J. Wegner for Andreas Tuck, Denmark, 1955
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Stockholm, SE
Desk “AT 305” designed by Hans J. Wegner for Andreas Tuck, Denmark. 1955. Oak. Stamped by cabinetmaker Andreas Tuck. Dimensions: H: 73 cm / 2' 5" W: 75,5 cm / 2' 7" L: 139 cm / 4...
Oak
$75,364
H 28.75 in W 76.78 in D 35.44 in
Desk model JH571 Designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Stockholm, SE
The Architect’s Desk, model JH571, designed by Hans J. Wegner for the Copenhagen cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen in 1953, represents one of the most refined and architecturally minded w...
Metal
Hans Wegner Danish Oak AT-305 Desk, 1953
By Andreas Tuck Møbelfabrik, Hans J. Wegner
Located in London, England
Hans Wegner - Model 305 Desk, 1953 Oak desk from Danish icon Hans Wegner produced by master-cabinetmaker Andreas Tuck for his own company c1950s. The 305 is considered Wegner's fine...
Oak
Rare Hans J. Wegner PP-312 Teak Desk 1960s.
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
Rarely offered Hans J. Wegner desk in sold teak. Model PP-312. This is probably an earlier version of the current PP-312. Like its predecessor, the PP-305, this model still has thre...
Teak
Hans Wegner Oak Desk for P.J. Møbler, 1970s Mid-Century Design
By P.J. Møbler, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Queens, NY
Mid-Century Danish (1970s) rectangular oak table desk having 4 pullout drawers with sculpted round knobs (the right drawer can be locked), and rounded corners resting on cylindrical ...
Brass
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.
