Danish Modern Chairs By Illum Wikkelso
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Wicker, Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Cord, Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Cord, Beech
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Beech
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Wool, Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wool, Teak
Mid-20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Beech, Seagrass
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Lacquer
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Papercord, Beech
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Faux Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wenge
Vintage 1950s European Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1950s European Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Mahogany, Faux Leather
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wool, Teak
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Faux Leather, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Canvas, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Faux Leather, Wood
Vintage 1950s European Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Upholstery, Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Side Chairs
Leather, Rattan, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Beech
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wool, Oak
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
Leather, Palisander
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Rocking Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Cane, Beech
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Danish Modern Chairs By Illum Wikkelso For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Danish Modern Chairs By Illum Wikkelso?
Illum Wikkelsø for sale on 1stDibs
The work of furniture designer Illum Wikkelsø wholly embodies the spirit of Scandinavian modernism. With their organic forms and wealth of angles inspired by the Danish countryside, his vintage lounge chairs, sofas and other seating pieces offer ergonomic comfort and lasting visual appeal.
Born Kristian Illum Wikkelsø and raised in a town near Faaborg, Denmark, the designer grew up around carpentry and cabinetmaking. He apprenticed with a cabinetmaker in his teens and enrolled in classes at the Technical Society School in Copenhagen as well as the Danish School of Arts & Crafts. At the latter, Wikkelsø studied under Kaare Klint, an architect and designer widely recognized as the father of modern Danish furniture.
After completing his studies, Wikkelsø went on to work with famed Danish architect and furniture maker Jacob Kjær. After a time with Kjær, he moved on. He went to work for designer and architect Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen at Hvidt & Mølgaard, a firm established by Mølgaard-Nielsen — Wikkelsø’s former instructor at the Technical Society School — and Peter Hvidt that yielded more than 250 designs and lasted over 30 years.
In 1954, Wikkelsø opened his own design studio in Aarhus, Denmark. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he made quite a name for himself, with designs that were new and innovative to the industry at the time. He created furniture for Holger Christiansen and secured commissions from the Danish government. While he’s likely best known today for his inviting teak and leather lounge chairs or slender rosewood dining chairs, some of Wikkelsø’s 1960s-era lounge chairs merged Danish craftsmanship and Pop art with their unconventionally shaped chrome frames and vibrantly colored upholstery.
Wikkelsø passed away in 1999, but collectors around the world continue to prize his outstanding designs.
Find vintage Illum Wikkelsø tables, seating and case pieces on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.