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Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Buffalo, NY
GE6 Daybed designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA. This brilliantly constructed sofa doubles as a
Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Daybeds

Materials

Metal

Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
GE6 Daybed designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA. This brilliantly constructed sofa doubles as a
Category

Vintage 1950s Scandinavian Modern Daybeds

Materials

Teak

Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
H 30 in W 76.75 in D 33.75 in
Hans Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Low sofa with lifting backrest to open to a daybed. Designed by Hans Wegner with simple mid-century
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Hans Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
Hans Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMA
H 29.75 in W 80.88 in D 36 in
Danish GE6 Sofa Bed By Hans Wegner For Getama Mid Century Vintage Retro MCM
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Cambridge, GB
New Stock ✅ Danish GE6 Sofa Bed by Hans Wegner for Getama The model GE6 Daybed designed by Hans J
Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Linen, Teak

Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 1 bench is a versatile piece of furniture. One side adjusts
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench
Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench
H 15 in W 47 in D 30.5 in
Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair
Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair
H 27.5 in W 22 in D 19 in
Hans Wegner GE-290S Footstool, Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290S footstool is one of the architect’s Classic
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290S Footstool, Oak
Hans Wegner GE-290S Footstool, Oak
H 16.5 in W 23 in D 20.5 in
Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair
Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair
H 29.5 in W 30 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair
Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair
H 38.5 in W 30 in D 33 in
Hans Wegner GE-280 Modular Sofa
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1980, the GE 280 modular sofa provides modern comfort with flexibility
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-280 Modular Sofa
Hans Wegner GE-280 Modular Sofa
H 30.75 in W 25 in D 33 in
Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290/3 is the three-seat version of the 290
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa
Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa
H 29.5 in W 71 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290/2 is the two seater version of the 290
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa
Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa
H 29.5 in W 50 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Oak
Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Oak
H 27.5 in W 22 in D 19 in
Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench, Stained Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench, Lacquered Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Hans Wegner GE-1935 Bench - Lacquered Walnut
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell bench has become an icon of modern design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Hans Wegner 1936 Lounge Chair, Lacquered Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1957, the GE 34 lounge chair features clean, modern lines
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Hans Wegner 1936 Lounge Chair, Stained Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1957, the GE 34 lounge chair features clean, modern lines
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Hans Wegner GE-34 Lounge Chair, Steel
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1957, the GE 34 lounge chair features clean, modern lines
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Hans Wegner GE-261 Daybed, Stained Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-258 Daybed, Lacquered Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 258 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290S Footstool, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290S footstool is one of the architect’s Classic
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290s Footstool, Stained Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290S footstool is one of the architect’s Classic
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner Ge-290s Footstool, Lacquered Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290S footstool is one of the architect’s Classic
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-261 Daybed, Stained Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-261 Daybed, Lacquered Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner 1936 Lounge Chair, Lacquered Walnut
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell chair has become an icon of modern design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Hans Wegner 1936 Lounge Chair, Seat Upholstered
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1948, the GE 1936 shell chair has become an icon of modern design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s Classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Oak
Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Oak
H 38.5 in W 30 in D 33 in
Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench - Lacquered Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 1 bench is a versatile piece of furniture. One side adjusts
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench - Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 1 bench is a versatile piece of furniture. One side adjusts
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench - Stained Oak
Hans Wegner GE-1 Bench - Stained Oak
H 15 in W 47 in D 30.5 in
Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s Classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Oak
Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Oak
H 29.5 in W 30 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa, Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290/3 is the three-seat version of the 290
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa, Oak
Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa, Oak
H 29.5 in W 71 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa, Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290/2 is the two seater version of the 290
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa, Oak
Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa, Oak
H 29.5 in W 50 in D 31 in
Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Lacquered Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Stained Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Lacquered Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-34 Lounge Chair, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1957, the GE 34 lounge chair features clean, modern lines
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-525 Dining Chair, Stained Beech - Wegner Blue - Harald 3 #182
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1970, the GE 525 dining chair offers a beautifully rounded design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-259 Day Bed, Stained Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-259 Day Bed, Lacquered Beech
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-261 Day Bed, Lacquered Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-259 Day Bed - Lacquered Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 day bed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-258 Day Bed - Lacquered Beech
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 258 day bed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-258 Day Bed - Stained Beech
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 258 day bed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-259 Day Bed - Stained Beech
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 259 day bed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-258 Day Bed, Stained Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner in 1954, the GE 258 daybed is a versatile piece of furniture. The
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-34 Lounge Chair, Lacquered Oak
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1957, the GE 34 lounge chair features clean, modern lines
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Stained Beech
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s Classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s Classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Lacquered Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s Classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Lacquered Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, Stained Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290/3 is the three-seat version of the 290
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290/2 Sofa, Stained Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290/2 is the two-seat version of the 290 lounge
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Lacquered Oak
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s Classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak

Hans Wegner GE-290/3 Sofa - Stained Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290/3 is the three seater version of the 290
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, Lacquered Beech
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Berkeley, CA
Designed by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s classic and most
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Beech

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Hans J Wegner Ge6 For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the hans j wegner ge6 you’re looking for. Frequently made of wood, oak and hardwood, every hans j wegner ge6 was constructed with great care. Find 14 options for an antique or vintage hans j wegner ge6 now, or shop our selection of 67 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect hans j wegner ge6 — we have versions that date back to the 20th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. Each hans j wegner ge6 bearing mid-century modern or Scandinavian Modern hallmarks is very popular.

How Much is a Hans J Wegner Ge6?

The average selling price for a hans j wegner ge6 at 1stDibs is $4,875, while they’re typically $922 on the low end and $12,677 for the highest priced.

Hans J. Wegner for sale on 1stDibs

Best known for his chairs and other seating pieces — though a master of many furniture types like sofas and tablesHans 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.

A Close Look at mid-century-modern Furniture

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

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.