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Fritz Hansen Sofas

Danish, 1847-1902

When the Copenhagen-based furniture maker Fritz Hansen opened for business more than 140 years ago, the company — which today styles itself The Republic of Fritz Hansen — adhered to the traditional, time-honored Danish values of craftsmanship in woodworking and joinery. Yet thanks to the postwar innovations of Arne Jacobsen and others, Fritz Hansen would become the country’s leader in Scandinavian modern design using new, forward-looking materials and methods.

Fritz Hansen started his company in 1872, specializing in the manufacture of small furniture parts. In 1915, the firm became the first in Denmark to make chairs using steam-bent wood (a technique most familiar from birch used in the ubiquitous café chairs by Austrian maker Thonet). At the time, Fritz Hansen was best known for seating that featured curved legs and curlicue splats and referenced 18th-century Chippendale designs.

In the next few decades, the company promoted simple, plain chairs with slatted backs and cane or rush seats designed by such proto-modernist masters as Kaare Klint and Søren Hansen. Still, the most aesthetically striking piece Fritz Hansen produced in the first half of the 20th century was arguably the China chair of 1944 by Hans Wegner — and that piece, with its yoke-shaped bentwood back- and armrest, was based on seating manufactured in China during the Ming dynasty. (Wegner was moved by portraits he’d seen of Danish merchants in the Chinese chairs.) 

Everything changed in 1952 with Arne Jacobsen’s Ant chair. The collaboration between the architect and Fritz Hansen officially originated in 1934 — that year, Jacobsen created his inaugural piece for the manufacturer, the solid beechwood Bellevue chair for a restaurant commission. The Ant chair, however, was the breakthrough.

With assistance from his then-apprentice Verner Panton, Jacobsen designed the Ant chair for the cafeteria of a Danish healthcare company called Novo Nordisk. The chair was composed of a seat and backrest formed from a single piece of molded plywood attached, in its original iteration, to three tubular metal legs. Its silhouette suggests the shape of the insect’s body, and the lightweight, stackable chair and its biomorphic form became an international hit.

Jacobsen followed with more plywood successes, such as the Grand Prix chair of 1957. The following year he designed the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen and its furnishings, including the Egg chair and the Swan chair. Those two upholstered pieces, with their lush, organic frames made of fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane, have become the two chairs most emblematic of mid-20th-century cool. Moreover, the Egg and Swan led Fritz Hansen to fully embrace new man-made materials, like foam, plastic and steel wire used to realize the avant-garde creations of later generations of designers with whom the firm collaborated, such as Piet Hein, Jørn Utzon (the architect of the Sydney Opera House) and Verner Panton. If the Fritz Hansen of 1872 would not now recognize his company, today’s connoisseurs certainly do.

Find a collection of vintage Fritz Hansen tables, lounge chairs, sofas and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Fritz Hansen
Outdoor 'Virkelyst' 3-Seater Sofa in Teak and Ash Fabric for Skagerak
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Glendale, CA
Outdoor 'Virkelyst' 3-seater sofa in teak and ash fabric for Skagerak Skagerak was founded in 1976 by Jesper and Vibeke Panduro, who took inspiration from their love of Scandinavian design and its rich tradition. The brand emphasizes sustainability by using responsibly sourced materials and production methods that minimize waste and reduce environmental impact. Each piece of handcrafted furniture is designed to age with grace and last for generations. Virkelyst is a series of modern outdoor furniture with the seating comfort of indoor furniture. The simple wooden 100% FSC Certified Teak frame strikes a contrast with the thick, soft cushions. Able to withstand wind and weather, the upholstery fabrics are Oeko-Tex certified...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Teak

Mid-Century Modern 2-Seater Brown Leather Sofa3330 by A. Vodder for Fritz Hansen
By Fritz Hansen, Arne Vodder
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This two-seater sofa model 3330 was designed by Arne Vodder for the Danish manufacturer Fritz Hansen during the 1960s. A museum piece, rarely available for sale, especially in the two-seater version. This sofa is upholstered in high-quality amber brown natural leather. Spacious and comfortable pillows are loosely placed. The wide armrests resemble the shape of a wing. The legs are made of black lacquered steel. Perfect proportions, Scandinavian craftsmanship with a clearly marked line of furniture due this project timelessness. The traditions and philosophical assumptions of Danish craftsmanship have been translated into a modern furniture idiom. Vodder was born in Denmark in 1926. Trained as a carpenter and architect, he studied with Finn Juhl at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. After school, he worked as a designer in Hindsgaul, focusing primarily on office decor. In 1950, Vodder founded his own architectural and design studio with architect Anton Borg. Over the years, the studio moved to several locations in Copenhagen before finally settling in the suburb of Holte, north of the city. Vodder and Borg worked together until the 1970s. Vodder is best known for its furniture designs that were usually simple pieces consisting of natural materials such as rosewood and teak. His designs were often inspired by natural forms. Vodder collaborated with respected brands, designing furniture for manufacturers such as Fritz Hansen, France & Søn, Nielaus, Sibast, Kircodan. In the 1950s and 1970s, Vodder furniture designs were used by President Jimmy Carter at the White House and President Anwar Sadat in Cairo, and were incorporated into the United Nations Office in Geneva and graced many hotels, banks, and embassies around the world. His works have been widely presented both individually and in collective exhibitions with artists such as Verner Panton and Nanna Ditzel. Fritz Hansen, also known as the Republic of Fritz Hansen, is a Danish furniture design company whose history begins in 1872 in Nakskov. From the very beginning, Fritz Hansen and his son Christian placed emphasis on the high quality of their furniture, which is their hallmark until the present day. The long list of orders in the first fifty years of the company's operation confirms this. At the beginning of the 20th century, Christian Hansen began experimenting with the steam-bending of beech wood, and in 1915 he created the first laminated chairs, which became the company's specialty. Arne Jacobsen completely dominated the 1950s in the company. He started working together in 1934, but his breakthrough came when he created the Ant laminated chair in 1952. The next projects: Series 7 (1955), Swan (1958) and Egg (1958), which were designed for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, became milestones in the history of Fritz Hansen and are still produced today. This sofa is in original vintage condition. It has a natural patina and traces of age, leather scrapes, pigment changes, traces of repair on the seat. The seat is 39 cm high. Literature: Catalog of Fritz Hansen, April 1968, page 72. Mobilia Magazine...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Metal

Rare Swan Sofa by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen in gray / grey, circa 1968
By Arne Jacobsen, Fritz Hansen
Located in Berlin, DE
Vintage Swan sofa model 3321 in patinated black leather.
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Leather

Danish Two Seat Beech Sofa Model 2240 by Fritz Hansen
By Fritz Hansen, Søren Hansen
Located in Madrid, ES
Stained beech two seat sofa, model 2240, designed by Søren Hansen in 1939. Manufactured by Fritz Hansen. Veneered molded 'floating' back and seat reupholstered with beige and white v...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Textile, Beech

Danish 3-seater sofa, laminated beech and mahogany model AX by Peter Hvidt 1960.
By Fritz Hansen, Hvidt & Mølgaard
Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR
Superb Scandinavian sofa composed of two movable armchairs, each with an armrest and a chaise longue in the middle. With its understated and elegant design, this set can be combined ...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Beech, Mahogany

1957 Arne Jacobsen Fritz Hansen of Denmark Sofa Model 3300/4 4-Seat Sofa Knoll
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a Model 3300/4 sofa, designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen of Denmark. This examples was produced circa 1957. While it is more common to see the single-seater...
Category

1950s American Modern Vintage Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Metal

Fritz Hansen by Jaime Hayon Blue & Grey RO Sofa
By Fritz Hansen, Jaime Hayon
Located in Basildon, London
Designed by Jaime Hayon for Fritz Hansen, the RO sofa is named after the Danish word for ‘tranquility’. The soft curves of the sofa combined with the high b...
Category

2010s Polish Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Danish 2-seater sofa, laminated beech and mahogany model AX by Peter Hvidt 1960.
By Hvidt & Mølgaard, Fritz Hansen
Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR
Superb Scandinavian sofa composed of two movable armchairs, each with an armrest. With a simple and elegant design, these armchairs can be combined with low chairs, available in anot...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Fritz Hansen Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Beech, Mahogany

Fritz Hansen sofas for sale on 1stDibs.

Fritz Hansen sofas are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of fabric and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Fritz Hansen sofas, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 34 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 21 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original sofas by Fritz Hansen were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider sofas by Illum Wikkelsø, Ole Wanscher, and France & Søn. Prices for Fritz Hansen sofas can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,997 and can go as high as $34,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,750.

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