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.
Roll Arm Sofa by Hans J. Wegner for AP Stolen
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A straight-back roll arm sofa retaining its original brown wool strie´ upholstery, the seating element having a comfortable pitch and elevated by solid squared teak legs.
Teak, Upholstery
Rare Set of Four Solid Teak Chairs Original Leather Upholstery by Hans J. Wegner
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rare set of four (4) armless dining chairs retaining the original green oxhide upholstery.
Teak, Leather
$4,434Sale Price / set|37% Off
Set Of 4 "Airport-Chairs" Model AP37 By Hans J. Wegner From 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Lejre, DK
The set of four "Airport-Chairs," model AP37, designed by Hans J. Wegner and manufactured by AP Stolen in the 1950s, is a stunning and iconic collection of chairs. Hans J. Wegner, a...
Chrome
Airport Chair, Model Ap-38, by Hans J. Wegner and A.P. Stolen, 1960s
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Lejre, DK
The airport chair, model AP-38, designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1958 and manufactured by A.P. Stolen in the 1960s, is a classic and iconic piece of furniture in the mid-century modern ...
Leather
Very Rare Wegner Side Chair in Originally Red Painted Wood, circa 1930
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This chair is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house. Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beac...
Wood
$14,004 / set
Pair of Armchairs Designed by Hans Wegner for Getama
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Paris, FR
Solid oak, wool seat 80 x 75 x 85 cm
Wool, Oak
Mid-Century Modern Bar Stool CH 56 by Hans Wegner, New Edition
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mid-Century Modern CH 56 stool by Hans Wegner. New edition. This elegant 76 cm barstool was designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1985. It is available in oak o...
Oak
1960s Pair of Hans Wegner AP38 Airport Chairs by A.P. Stolen of Denmark
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a pair of 'Airport' Chairs, Model AP38, designed by Hans J. Wegner for A.P. Stolen in 1958. The design is named after Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport, though it was not specific...
Steel
Mid-Century Modern Set of 4 Chairs by Hans Wegner, Black Wood and Rope, Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Set of 4 Chairs by Hans Wegner, Black Wood and Rope, Denmark, 1950 Hans J. Wegner (Danish, 1914–2007) was a renowned furniture designer associated with Organic Fu...
Rope, Wood
2020 CH33T Dining Chair by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen in Silver Grey
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a CH33T Chair designed by Hans Wegner and produced by Carl Hansen & Son in Denmark. The chair is made with a solid beech frame and painted Silver Grey (we believe ...
Beech
$14,588 / set
Fauteuils Lounge Getama Getama Lounge Armchairs
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Paris, FR
95 x 103 x 86 cm Original leather
Leather, Wood, Oak
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.