Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench, Lacquered Oak
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer),GETAMA (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27.5 in (69.85 cm)Width: 47 in (119.38 cm)Depth: 25 in (63.5 cm)Seat Height: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:Walnut,Lacquered
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Contemporary
- Production Type:New & Custom(Current Production)
- Estimated Production Time:Available Now
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Berkeley, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1353215160382
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.
GETAMA
The story of how GETAMA got its name is perhaps as unique as the range of subdued but sophisticated Scandinavian modern furniture for which the manufacturer is known (thanks to a partnership with Hans Wegner).
In the late 1890s in the Danish town of Gedsted, a young cabinetmaker by the name of Carl Pedersen opted to use seaweed — rather than the traditional heather or straw — as mattress stuffing. Pedersen named his new factory Gedsted Tang-og Madrasfabrik (the “Gedsted Seaweed and Mattress Factory”), which he abbreviated to GETAMA. Seaweed’s fire-retardant properties make it an excellent and safe upholstery material for mattresses, chairs and sofas. Pedersen leveraged this quality as a selling point — the abundance of seaweed on the shores of Denmark and its weightlessness added to its appeal as an economical but durable upholstery filling for all kinds of furnishings. The crowning quality was its softness.
GETAMA’s seaweed mattresses proved so popular for their comfort and durability that Pedersen had to expand into a larger factory within the first year. He felt almost obligated to launch a line of bedroom furniture to accompany his much-loved mattresses.
The working relationship established in 1959 between Hans Wegner and GETAMA afforded the company the opportunity to break into the international market. Wegner — a legendary Danish carpenter and furniture designer revered by mid-century modern collectors everywhere — became one of the brand’s principal designers and often spent a great deal of time at the factory — refining and adjusting each new piece until he felt satisfied that it was ready for production. For decades, Wegner’s impressive contributions to GETAMA’s daybeds, lounge chairs, sofas and dining room tables became the backbone of the company’s sales.
Over the years, other designers entered into working agreements with GETAMA, including Nissen & Gehl, OM Design, 2R Design, Blum and Balle, and Jørgen Gammelgaard. Copenhagen native Nanna Ditzel, a Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alum who trained under Kaare Klint, designed GETAMA’s Mondial coffee table. Alongside her husband, Jørgen Ditzel, she also created the sensuously curvy and wildly popular Ring chair.
Today, the sleek modern furniture that GETAMA manufactures is still inclusive of their lauded mattresses.
On 1stDibs, find vintage GETAMA seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Berkeley, CA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench - Lacquered WalnutBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design. Crafted in bent ply with a solid oak frame, the chair is hand...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWalnut
- Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench, Stained OakBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design. Crafted in bent ply with a solid oak frame, the chair is hand...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench - Lacquered OakBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 1 bench is a versatile piece of furniture. One side adjusts to create a backrest or can be lowered for flat bench seating....Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench with Upholstered Seat, Lacquered OakBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design. Crafted in bent ply with a solid oak frame, the chair is hand...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench with Upholstered Seat - Lacquered WalnutBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design. Crafted in bent ply with a solid oak frame, the chair is hand bui...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWalnut
- Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench with Upholstered Seat, Stained OakBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design. Crafted in bent ply with a solid oak frame, the chair is hand...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner Fauteuil GE 265 for GETAMA in Oak and Black Leather, 1980By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Hellouw, NLRobust Hans Wegner Fauteuil GE 265 for GETAMA in oak and black leather, 1980. This chair has new upholstery in black leather. It is very comfortable and in good...Category
Vintage 1980s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Hans Wegner for Getama Mid Century GE240 Teak Lounge ChairBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Countryside, ILHans Wegner for Getama Mid Century GE240 Teak Lounge Chair This chair measures: 26.5 wide x 29 deep x 29.5 high, with a seat height of 16 and arm height/chair clearance 22 inches A...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
- Teak Hans Wegner Lounge Chair GE290 by GETAMA - Fully RestoredBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Utrecht, NLLounge chair GE290 is a beloved early design by Hans Wegner, Wegner already designed the chair in 1953. The chair offers exceptional good seating comfort and much convenience is offe...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWool, Upholstery, Teak
- Hans J. Wegner / Easy chair GE-270 / GETAMABy Hans J. WegnerLocated in 足立区, JPThe item is in good condition. The fabric is reupholstered using Danish fabric hallingdal65. There is a maker's stamp on the back of the chair.Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsTeak
- Hans J. Wegner Armchair Cigaren Model GE-240, Teak and Oak GE240 ChairBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Hamburg, HHHans J. Wegner armchair, model GE-240, 'Cigaren' with frame of massive teak, armrest of oak. Designed in 1955. Produced by GETAMA. Occurrence of wear, scratches, marks. Note: Cushio...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsOak, Teak
- Hans J. Wegner For Getama GE-259 Adjustable Oak DaybedBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Norwalk, CTDesigned by Hans J. Wegner in 1954, the GE-259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture lending itself to both style and function. Not only easily used as a sofa in a living space to...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsOak
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Design Icon Ilse Crawford on Her Colorful New Hans Wegner Chairs
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.