Verner Panton introduced the word “groovy” — or at least its Danish equivalent — into the Scandinavian modern design lexicon. He developed fantastical, futuristic forms and embraced bright colors and new materials such as plastic, fabric-covered polyurethane foam and steel-wire framing for the creation of his chairs, sofas, floor lamps and other furnishings. And Panton’s ebullient Pop art sensibility made him an international design star of the 1960s and ’70s. This radical departure from classic Danish modernism, however, actually stemmed from his training under the greats of that design style.
Born on the largely rural Danish island of Funen, Panton studied architecture and engineering at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where the lighting designer Poul Henningsen was one of his teachers. After graduating, in 1951, Panton worked in the architectural office of Arne Jacobsen, and he became a close friend of Hans Wegner's.
Henningsen taught a scientific approach to design; Jacobsen was forever researching new materials; and Wegner, the leader in modern furniture design using traditional woodworking and joinery, encouraged experimental form.
Panton opened his own design office in 1955, issuing tubular steel chairs with woven seating. His iconoclastic aesthetic was announced with his 1958 Cone chair, modified a year later as the Heart Cone chair. Made of upholstered sheet metal and with a conical base in place of legs, the design shocked visitors to a furniture trade show in Copenhagen.
Panton went on to successive bravura technical feats. His curving, stackable Panton chair, his most popular design, was the first chair to be made from a single piece of molded plastic.
Panton had been experimenting with ideas for chairs made of a single material since the late 1950s. He debuted his plastic seat for the public in the design magazine Mobilia in 1967 and then at the 1968 Cologne Furniture Fair. The designer’s S-Chair models 275 and 276, manufactured during the mid-1960s by August Sommer and distributed by the bentwood specialists at Gebrüder Thonet, were the first legless chairs crafted from a single piece of plywood.
Panton would spend the latter half of the 1960s and early ’70s developing all-encompassing room environments composed of sinuous and fluid-formed modular seating made of foam and metal wire. He also created a series of remarkable lighting designs, most notably his Fun chandeliers — introduced in 1964 and composed of scores of shimmering capiz-shell disks — and the Space Age VP Globe pendant light of 1969.
Panton’s designs are made to stand out and put an eye-catching exclamation point on even the most modern decor.
Find vintage Verner Panton chairs, magazine racks, rugs, table lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Verpan Welle Ottoman by Verner Panton, Newly Reupholstered
By Verner Panton
Located in Toronto, CA
The organic form of this lounger is a hallmark of designs by Danish iconoclast Verner Panton (1926 – 1998). Part of his Welle series, which comprised 6 different units, (Welle 1-6) t...
Fabric, Foam
Verner Panton 'Easy' Sofa for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'Easy' sofa for Verpan. Designed in 1963. New, current production. With its round shapes and layered design, the Easy collection stands out as one of the most visual...
Fabric
Verner Panton for Verpan “Meridienne Welle” Chaise Longue
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Paris, FR
Perfectly conforming to the shape of the back, Verner Panton’s iconic Welle Meridienne exemplifies the designer’s fascination with organic forms and sculptural comfort. Designed as p...
Upholstery, Plywood
Verner Panton “Cloverleaf” Modular Sofa for Verpan, 1969
By Verpan, Verner Panton
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Verner Panton “Cloverleaf” modular sofa for Verpan, green fabric, Denmark, 1969. Verner Panton designed the Cloverleaf modular sofa in 1969, ...
Fabric
Verner Panton 'Easy' Sofa for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'Easy' sofa for Verpan. Designed in 1963. New, current production. With its round shapes and layered design, the Easy collection stands out as one of the most visually...
Fabric
$2,912
H 17.5 in W 22.5 in D 17 in
Vintage Regency Style Ottomans Newly Reupholstered in Black & White Velvet, Pair
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage French Regency Style Ottomans with Scrolled Bases and Newly Reupholstered in Black & White Velvet Polka Dot Fabric - Pair This exquisite pair of vintage French Regency ...
Velvet, Hardwood
Verner Panton 'Easy' Sofa for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'Easy' sofa for Verpan. Designed in 1963. New, current production. With its round shapes and layered design, the Easy collection stands out as one of the most visually...
Fabric
Verner Panton 'Welle' 3 Piece Landscape for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'Welle' Three Piece Landscape for Verpan. Designed in 1969. New, current production. To call Verner Panton’s Welle series “lounge furniture” is almost an understatement. Like so much else of Panton’s extensive oeuvre, these wildly imaginative organic forms land like a colourful bomb in the sleepy world of traditional furniture – and leave us anything but indifferent. With the 'Welle' pieces you can create a large seating or lounging landscape. For this listing we combined the 'Welle' 1, 3 and 4. - Welle 3...
Fabric
$1,100
H 18 in W 18 in D 19 in
Antique Carved Ornate Tufted Ottoman Newly Upholstered Reupholstered in Velvet
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Carved Ornate Tufted Ottoman Newly Upholstered Reupholstered in a Burgundy Velvet Perfect for additional seating or as a stylish accent piece, this ottoman combines function...
Velvet, Wood
Verner Panton 'Easy' Sofa for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'Easy' sofa for Verpan. Designed in 1963. New, current production. With its round shapes and layered design, the Easy collection stands out as one of the most visually...
Fabric
Verner Panton 'Easy' Sofa for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'Easy' sofa for Verpan. Designed in 1963. New, current production. With its round shapes and layered design, the Easy collection stands out as one of the most visually...
Fabric
$1,250
H 20 in W 19 in D 17 in
Antique Mahogany Chippendale Tufted Ottoman Newly Reupholstered in Velvet
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Mahogany Chippendale Tufted Ottoman Newly Reupholstered in High End Italian Royal-Blu Silk Velvet Circa Early 20th Century Dimensions: H 20” W 19” D 17”
Mahogany
Custom Designer Concave Ottomans Newly Reupholstered - Pair
Located in Chicago, IL
Custom Designer Concave Ottomans Newly Reupholstered - Pair Sophisticated pair of custom designer concave ottomans featuring sculptural walnut platform bases with four-footed suppo...
Fabric, Chenille, Velvet
Set of Pantonova Stools by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen
By Verner Panton
Located in Dronten, NL
Chrome-plated steel wire, original upholstery in useable condition. Competitive worldwide shipping available. Please ask for our in house crating and shipping services.
Steel