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.
Large solid oak coffee table Model: 5353 by Borge Mogensen for Fredericia 1950
By Fredericia Stolefabrik, Børge Mogensen
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Sophisticated & Timeless! This rare danish design classic model 5353 Coffee Table designed by Børge Mogensen for Fredericia Stolefabrik A/S, Denmark 1950’s. Gorgeous Mid-century desi...
Oak
Solid oak coffee table Model: 5350 by Borge Mogensen 1950 Shaker syle side table
By Børge Mogensen, Fredericia Stolefabrik
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Sophisticated & Timeless! This rare danish design classic model 5350 Coffee Table designed by Børge Mogensen for Fredericia Stolefabrik A/S, Denmark 1950’s. Gorgeous Mid-century desi...
Oak
Large Hans J. Wegner Extendable Dining Table AT-312, Teak & Oak, 1950 original
By Andreas Tuck Møbelfabrik, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
An exceptional and highly sought-after original 1950s extendable dining table (rare large model) designed by Hans J. Wegner and produced by Andreas Tuck. This rare large model embod...
Oak, Teak
Danish Foldable Side Table in teak Designed by Illum Wikkelsø for CFC Silkeborg
By CFC Silkeborg, Illum Wikkelsø
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Rare & Unique! This Mid-century modern Danish design foldable triangular table by Illum Wikkelso for Silkeborg, Denmark circa 1960. Crafted from teak with attention to detail & a un...
Teak
Large solid oak coffee table Model: 5351 by Borge Mogensen for Fredericia 1950
By Børge Mogensen, Fredericia Stolefabrik
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Sophisticated & Timeless! This rare danish design classic model 5351 Coffee Table designed by Børge Mogensen for Fredericia Stolefabrik A/S, Denmark 1950’s. Gorgeous Mid-century desi...
Oak
Midcentury Large Sculpted Metal and Teak Coffee Table by Heinz Lilienthal, 1970
By Heinz Lilienthal
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
This coffee table was made and designed by German designer Heinz Lilienthal in 1970. Lilienthal was known for his wall decorations made of metal, wood, and concrete. The top of this ...
Stainless Steel
Mid-Century Modern Side Table by Peter Løvig Nielsen for Løvig Design, 1964
By Peter Løvig Nielsen, Løvig Design
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and elegant Mid-Century Modern side table or coffee table. Design by Peter Løvig Nielsen for Løvig Design. Striking Danish design from the 1960s. Solid teak base with origin...
Teak
danish modern COFFEE TABLE side table teak trioh made in denmark 1970s
By Trioh Møbelfabrik
Located in Mannheim, DE
Danish modern 1970s teak coffee table produced by Trioh. Marked to bottom Trioh Made in Denmark 79. Made of solid teak wood and teak veneer (table top). Beautiful details. Dimension...
Teak
Danish Modern Low Profile Side Table by Kai Kristiansen
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in San Diego, CA
Sleek Danish modern low profile side table by Kai Kristiansen, circa 1960s. The tab;e is in very good vintage condition and measures 18.25"W x 14.25"D x 18.25"H. Very nice high qual...
Teak
Side Table, Coffee Table, Teak by Juul Kristensen for Komfort - Denmark, 1960s
By Komfort, Juul Kristensen
Located in Schwerin, MV
Well-preserved coffee table/side table by Juul Kristensen for the company Komfort - Denmark, from the 1960s. Made of solid teak, it is very sturdy. The tabletop is screwed between th...
Teak
Mid-Century Modern Side Table by P.S. Heggen, Teak, Norway, Circa 1960
By P.S. Heggen
Located in Wheat Ridge, CO
A beautifully crafted Mid-Century Modern side table attributed to Heggen of Norway, showcasing the clean lines and warm materiality characteristic of Scandinavian design. Constructed...
Teak
Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Square Coffee Side Table
By Dux of Sweden
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Made in Sweden Danish modern style square teak coffee table.
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.
