Hans Wegner Round Chair 'JH 503' in Teak
View Similar Items
Hans Wegner Round Chair 'JH 503' in Teak
About the Item
- Creator:Johannes Hansen (Maker),Hans J. Wegner (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)Seat Height: 17.5 in (44.45 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Seat was reupholstered by our expert in-house team.
- Seller Location:Kalamazoo, MI
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5573230598522
Round Chair
In September of 1960, when Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy sat down for the first nationally televised presidential debate, the two candidates rested on one of the most celebrated designs of the 20th century. Often called simply “The Chair,” the Round chair is one of hundreds designed by Hans J. Wegner (1914–2007). As he once said, “The good chair is a task one is never completely done with.”
Nicknamed the “Master of the Chair,” influential Danish designer Wegner inventively used natural materials in his work and, in particular, experimented with different types of wood instead of the industrial materials favored by 20th-century European modernism.
In his highly functional pieces with their timeless silhouettes, Wegner celebrated the textures of oak, walnut, birch and others while concealing joints inside the various pieces for a seamless frame. Sometimes described as “Organic Functionality,” his approach exemplified the aesthetics of Scandinavian modern design in its reduction of an object to its essential elements while using that sparsity to elevate its materials.
The son of a cobbler, Wegner later apprenticed to a master cabinetmaker and studied at the Technical University of Denmark and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (then the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts). He opened his furniture design firm in 1943 and throughout his career centered his practice on craftsmanship and constantly reimagined the shape of the utilitarian chair.
He debuted the Round chair in 1949, first showing it at the Annual Exhibition of the Cabinetmakers’ Guild in Copenhagen. Wegner called it simply “the round one.” A semicircle of wood is balanced on its tapered legs, with either a handwoven cane or leather seat stretched between them. Its open back offers comfort for movement, an alternative to traditional straight-back chairs; its finely turned arms provide support without intruding on the sitter’s space. Incorporating 11 pieces of wood and zigzag joints to offer the appearance of a continuous semicircle of wood from the arms to the back, the Round chair’s form is minimal but showcases expert carpentry. In 1950, Interiors magazine declared it “the most beautiful chair in the world.”
Wegner took incredible care with his designs, believing that a good piece of furniture should last a lifetime. Originally manufactured by Danish furniture maker Johannes Hansen, the Round chair is now produced by Danish joinery workshop PP Møbler, which has sought to guard Wegner’s design through meticulous craftsmanship so it can continue to be enjoyed for generations.
Hans J. Wegner
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 Wegner JH-507 Armchair in Teak and LeatherBy Johannes HansenLocated in Kalamazoo, MIThis is a very rare teak armchair designed by Hans Wegner and produced by Johannes Hansen in 1950. The JH-507 in teak and leather was only produced in limited quantities and is a hard piece to find. The chair boasts the original leather on its seat back, and it appears that the upholstery on the seat itself has been recovered in the last few decades. Some age-related wear is visible in the seat back upholstery (see photos for details) while the seat cushion leather is in wonderful condition. In addition to being a collectible item designed by an iconic name in mid-century modern furniture, this Hans Wegner JH...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
$2,600 Sale Price48% Off - Mid Century Folding Rope Chairs in the Style of Hans WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Kalamazoo, MIIf this pair of popular folding chairs with rope seats and backs looks familiar, it is because it is closely based on Hans Wegner's famous chair design. This stunning pair of mid-cen...Category
Mid-20th Century Macedonian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Cord
- Danish Modern BO 360 Suede Sling Chair by Erik Ole JorgensenBy Erik Ole Jørgensen, BovirkeLocated in Kalamazoo, MIEarly 1960s metal and suede hoop sling chair by designer Erik Ole Jorgensen made by Bovirke in Denmark. Deceptively comfortable, this sling lounge chair conforms to your body providi...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Teak Kofod Larsen Side ChairBy Ib Kofod-Larsen, SeligLocated in Kalamazoo, MIThis is a rare example of a teak side chair with a bent wood back designed by Kofod Larsen and made and distributed by Selig. This is a stunning chair from the 1950s that is the epit...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsTeak, Bentwood
- Jens Risom Armchair for Knoll AssociatesBy Knoll, Jens RisomLocated in Kalamazoo, MIThis is a beautiful upholstered armchair designed by Jens Risom for HG Knoll & Associates in the 1940s. It is one of the early, iconic chairs that ushered in a period of incredible mid-century modern design. The solid Birch frame cradles a foam cushioned seat that was recently reupholstered in Knoll Maharam fabrics. The fabric is timeless and high-quality, and it suits the lighter birch wood color perfectly. This is more than just a collectible MCM chair...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBirch
- Michael van Beuren 'Edimburgo' ArmchairBy Michael van BeurenLocated in Kalamazoo, MISuperb and rare armchair by Michael Van Beuren for his company, made in Mexico in the 1960s. The beautiful chair boasts a nice combination of woods with a stunning teak backrest -- this is not a chair you should keep up against the wall! The original leather seat is in good vintage condition with some signs of wear (photos show examples of this). Frame shows signs of use but is good overall and ready for immediate use. The Van Beuren label is affixed underneath the chair and is great shape, with all text clearly visible -- a rare find for one of these 1960s Mexican modern chairs.Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
$1,200 / item
- 5 Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH-503 Chairs in Teak and LeatherBy Hans J. Wegner, Johannes HansenLocated in Los Angeles, CAWe are excited to offer 11 early Hans Wegner JH-503 chairs designed in 1949 and Produced by Johannes Hansen. Fully restored solid old growth teak construction. Stamped with the maker...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Hans Wegner JH-501 Chair, TeakBy Johannes Hansen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in London, GBHans J. Wegner JH-501 "The Chair", 1949. Wegner's most iconic design. This example with teak frame and original woven rattan seat. Minor breaks in cane which do not affect use....Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsRattan, Teak
- Pair Hans J. Wegner 'the Chair' JH503 for Johannes HansenBy Johannes Hansen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYStunning rare pair of Danish modern Teak chairs designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen circa 1954. The chairs are upholstered with ori...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- The Chair, Model JH503, Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, 1950sBy Johannes Hansen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Lejre, DKThis is a teak and leather chair designed by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen in the 1950s. The model JH 503 is known as "The Chair" or "The Round Chair" and is a collector's item ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- 8 Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH-503 Chairs in Walnut and LeatherBy Hans J. Wegner, Johannes HansenLocated in Los Angeles, CAWe are excited to offer 8 early Hans Wegner JH-503 chairs designed in 1949 and Produced by Johannes Hansen. Fully restored solid Walnut construction. Stamped with the maker's mark. C...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Set of Eight Hans Wegner JH-503 ChairsBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CASet of eight Hans Wegner JH-503 armchairs designed in 1949 and produced by Johannes Hansen. NOTE: PRICE IS FOR EACH CHAIRCategory
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
$3,600 / item