Hans J. Wegner Lounge Chair Model AP-27
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Hans J. Wegner Lounge Chair Model AP-27
About the Item
- Creator:A.P. Stolen (Cabinetmaker),Hans J. Wegner (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 41 in (104.14 cm)Width: 29 in (73.66 cm)Depth: 32.5 in (82.55 cm)Seat Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960's
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:San Francisco, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU812534442222
Papa Bear Chair
The wingback Papa Bear chair, also known as the Teddy Bear chair, has two outstretched arms with wood detailing once described by a critic as “great bear paws embracing you from behind” — hence the name. The piece was designed by Hans Wegner (1914–2007), a pioneer of Danish modernism who crafted nearly 500 chairs over the course of his long career. Not many of them, however, have the anthropomorphic qualities that this one does.
Wegner was raised in the south of Denmark, where he served as an apprentice to a cabinetmaker as a child. Inspired to study architecture and design, he enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, then opened his own studio in 1943, working closely with peers like Arne Jacobsen, Erik Møller and more. Wegner was a leading figure of the Scandinavian modern movement, which championed quality craftsmanship, elegant design and efficient functionality.
The Papa Bear chair was Wegner’s first project with manufacturer A.P. Stolen, which enjoyed numerous collaborations with the designer over time. Originally produced with a solid beechwood frame, Wegner’s chair, with its high backrest, lengthy back legs and comfortable cotton-upholstered cushioning, was designed in 1951 and had its first manufacturing run from 1953 to 1969. Its current production is managed by Danish joinery workshop PP Møbler, and the Papa Bear chair and ottoman are now available in a variety of wood and textile finishes.
Hans J. Wegner
Best known for his chairs and 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 Wegner’s best chair designs, seen in dealer listings below, 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.
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$13,500 / set - Hans J Wegner Lounge ChairBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in San Francisco, CAHans J Wegner design oak and teak lounge chair model JH-713 for Johannes Hansen, Denmark. Simple elegance combined with high quality construction and restorations make for the perfe...Category
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- Hans Wegner Lounge Chairs for Carl Hanson & Son Model CH-22By Hans J. WegnerLocated in San Francisco, CAHans J. Wegner design lounge chairs for Carl Hanson & Son, Model CH-22 Denmark. An original matched pair of chairs in oak with original paperboard seats in...Category
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- Hans Wegner Papa Bear Ottoman, Model AP-29By Hans J. WegnerLocated in San Francisco, CAHans Wegner Papa Bear chair ottoman, model AP-29. Perfect as a casual bench or stool. Made from solid shaped teak with original bl...Category
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- Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chair and Ottoman for A.P. StolenBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in San Francisco, CAHans J. Wegner design "Papa Bear" chair and matching ottoman produced for A.P. Stolen, Denmark. This an original matched set that has been perfectly refinished and newly upholstered ...Category
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- Hans Wegner AP-27 Lounge ChairBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CAHans Wegner AP-27 lounge chair designed in 1954 and produced by A. P. Stolen. Store formerly known as ARTFUL DODGER INCCategory
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$4,750 Sale Price50% Off - Hans Wegner Ap-27 Lounge ChairBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CAHans Wegner AP-27 lounge chair. Designer in 1954. Produced by A.P. Stolen.Category
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- Danish Modern Hans Wegner AP 27 Lounge & AP 29 FootstoolBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in Minneapolis, MNAn icon like it’s mate the Papa Bear chair. This AP 27 lounge is upholstered in a white textured textile (not original) with large teak armrests that reach out to the sky. We have the matching AP 29...Category
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- Hans Wegner AP-27 ArmchairBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in Los Angeles, CAHans Wegner AP-27 armchair designed in 1954 and produced by A.P. Stolen. Store formerly known as ARTFUL DODGER INCCategory
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- Hans J. Wegner Mama Bear Lounge Chair Model AP 27By Hans J. WegnerLocated in San Diego, CAThe AP-27, also known as the Mama Bear chair, was designed by Hans Wegner in 1957. This iconic chair has a tall back and oak wood paws and beautifully sculpted arms. As with every We...Category
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- Pair of "AP 16" Lounge Chairs by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in Stockholm, SEPair of awesome “AP 16” lounge chairs by Hans J. Wegner. Made from oak and upholstered with beautiful oxblood leather.Category
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$15,561 / set
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