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.
Midcentury “Sabre Leg” Dining Table by Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Stunning “Sabre leg” dining table by Hans J. Wegner with teak table top and beech legs. Excellent construction with brass extenders holding up the drop leaves steadily. The brass ext...
Teak
Midcentury dining table by Torbjørn Afdal for Bruksbo, Norway, 1960s
By Torbjørn Afdal, Bruksbo
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Elegant rosewood dining table by Torbjørn Afdal, sleek and versatile with beautiful rich brown veneer. A versatile table that extends from a round table for four, in an up to 360 cm ...
Rosewood
Midcentury “PK 54” dining table by Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold Christensen, Denmark
By Poul Kjærholm, E. Kold Christensen
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Amazing dining table, model “PK 54”, by Poul Kjærholm. Large round marble table top with a tumbled surface. Square brushed steel base with a lightness that contrasts the solid top. P...
Marble, Steel
Maria Dining Table by Bruno Mathsson, Teak & Beech, 1930s Sweden
By Bruno Mathsson
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
First edition “Maria” dining table by Bruno Mathsson, made with a teak table top and beech legs. Beautiful brass locking mechanism that keeps the middle part from moving when folded....
Brass
Scandinavian Modern "Skoga" Dining Table, Axel Einar Hjorth, Nk, Sweden, 1930s
By Axel Einar Hjorth, NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Rustic “Skoga” dining table by Axel Einar Hjorth, made from pine. Chunky rounded lines.
Pine
"Lovö" Dining Table by Axel Einar Hjorth for Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden, 1930s
By Axel Einar Hjorth, NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Lovö” dining table by Axel Einar Hjorth, made from solid pine in a clean, rustic design. Beautiful woodgrain. “Lovö” is one of the series of furniture included in NK:s “Sporstugemöb...
Pine
Hans J. Wegner Sabre Leg Table Model AT-304 for Andreas Tuck
By Andreas Tuck, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans J. Wegner oak dining table with two drop-leaves and cross-legs, stretchers of brass. Very fine condition. Designed by Wegner 1950 and manufactured by cabinetmaker Andreas Tuck...
Brass
Hans Wegner "AT-309" Drop-Leaf Dining Table for Andreas Tuck, Denmark 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Utrecht, NL
This rare “AT-309” dining table was designed by Hans Wegner in 1955 and its title of ‘iconic’ is well deserved. As it is no longer produced, this model has become a collector’s item ...
Wood
Modified Hans Wegner Saber Leg Dining Table, Model AT-303 for Andreas Tuck
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Buffalo, NY
**Modified** Hans Wegner Saber Leg Dining Table, / Desk Model AT-303 for Andreas Tuck.. Not certain if this was originally a drop leaf or an extension table since there is no evidenc...
Metal
Hans Wegner by Andreas Tuck Dining Table 303 in Oak and Metal, Denmark, 1950's
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Hans J. Wegner “Sawbuck” Dining Table (Model AT-303) for Andreas Tuck, c. 1950s — Oak Version This iconic dining table, often referred to as the “Sawbuck Table” (Model AT-303), was ...
Metal
"AT-312" Table by Hans J. Wegner for Andreas Tuck, Denmark 1950s
By Andreas Tuck, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Utrecht, NL
This oak and teak “AT-312” dining table was designed by Hans Wegner in the 1950s and its title of ‘iconic’ is well deserved. Created by a designer who is credited as one of the main ...
Teak
J. Hansen 'Minimal' Dining Table by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, c.1965
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A round extension dining table with oak top set on four tubular chrome legs each tipped with a rosewood insert.
Chrome
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.
