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.
| Average Sold Price |
| $6,142 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
Iconic Hans J. Wegner “Wishbone” Oak Arm Chair for Carl Hansen & Søn
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Oak Wood, Original Rush Chord Seats ________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this j...
Rush, Wood, Oak
$10,895
H 31 in W 78.75 in D 19.25 in
Hans J. Wegner "President" Teak Tambour-Door Credenza for Ry Mobler
By Ry Møbler, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Materials: Teak Wood, Steel _______________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journ...
Steel
$5,400
H 21.66 in W 73.23 in D 28.75 in
Hans J. Wegner GE19 Daybed in Teak and Camel Leather for Getama Denmark 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Beautiful early Daybed Model GE19 designed by Hans J. Wegner for Getama Denmark 1960s. Teak frame with tapered legs in very good vintage condition with minor traces of use. New mattr...
Leather, Teak
$38,700 / item
H 29.93 in W 41.34 in D 46.07 in
Iconic Hans Wegner ‘Flag Halyard’ Lounge Chairs Early Edition Model GE225
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Hans J. Wegner, ‘Flag Halyard’ lounge chairs model ‘GE225’, rope, steel, dark green lacquered steel, leather, wood, sheepskin, Denmark, 1958 and 1950s/60s This iconic chair, made wi...
Steel
Daybed GE 19 - Hans J. Wegner for Getama, Denmark 1960s
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Rosendahl, DE
Classic daybed model GE 19 in the standard version, designed by Hans J. Wegner and manufactured by Getama. The piece stands out for its clean, timeless design language and the high-q...
Wool, Teak
Hans Wegner Chinese Chair 4283
By Hans J. Wegner, Fritz Hansen
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner famous and beautiful chair is an adaptation of an old Chinese chair of the Ming dynasty; “China Chair”. A very comfortable armchair made in mahogany. Loose seat cushio...
Leather, Mahogany
$64,000
H 28.55 in W 76.78 in D 36.23 in
Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen Rare ‘Architect’s Desk’ in Teak and Oak
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, writing desk, model 'JH571', teak, oak, metal, Denmark, 1953 Out of all the desks that Wegner designed, the ‘JH571‘ is the most 'Wegnerian'. This...
Metal
$4,334
H 28.75 in W 28.35 in D 28.75 in
Hans J. Wegner, Lounge Chair, Model 671, Oak, Coda 2 and Cotton Rope
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner lounge chair made bended oak veener. Cotton cord in back New upholstered with Coda 2 fabric for kvadrat Model 671, made by GETAMA.
Fabric, Cord, Oak
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| $6,142 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $295-$42,906 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
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.
To celebrate the Wishbone’s 70th anniversary, Carl Hansen & Søn’s third-generation CEO, Knud Erik Hansen, shares some of the secrets behind the beloved chair.
In an innovative display, the Designmuseum Danmark is permanently exhibiting the 20th century's most iconic seats.
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Photographer Susan Ressler revisits the office life of decades past, whose style still resonates.
