Set of two leather Swan chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen
About the Item
- Creator:Arne Jacobsen (Designer),Fritz Hansen (Manufacturer)
- Design:Swan ChairSwan Series
- Dimensions:Height: 30.71 in (78 cm)Width: 29.53 in (75 cm)Depth: 26.78 in (68 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2006
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Meulebeke, BE
- Reference Number:
Swan Chair
In 1958, during the golden age of air travel, Scandinavian Airline Systems tapped Arne Jacobsen (1902–71), then a notable architect both in his native Denmark and beyond, to design its SAS Royal Hotel. The 22-story building would become Copenhagen’s first skyscraper, and its interiors constitute a monument to modern design and mid-century air travel. The project became a crowning achievement for Jacobsen, who, in conceiving its architecture, interiors and furnishings — which included the elegant Swan chair — had the opportunity to produce a widely visited Gesamtkunstwerk, or “total work of art.”
As a meeting place in one of SAS’s hub cities, the hotel was, by nature, a bustling place. Jacobsen factored that into the design, creating several spaces for activities ranging from business tête-à-têtes to preflight cocktails. The Swan chair was set on a swivel base, an important attribute that offered guests the ability to become mobile participants in the hotel’s buzzy lobby, lounges and elsewhere.
When it debuted, the Swan — as well as the equally celebrated Egg chair, also created for the SAS Royal Hotel — represented a daring departure from the traditional notion of a chair. With nary a back slat or a linear armrest in sight, the curvaceous shape exemplified Jacobsen’s innovative approach. The seat, as well as its accompanying sofa, was produced by Danish manufacturer Fritz Hansen, with which Jacobsen enjoyed a long partnership. Fritz Hansen continues to produce the Swan chair today.
Despite its popularity and Jacobsen’s close relationship with American designers Charles and Ray Eames, who are considered pioneers of easily replicable furniture, the Swan is not ideal for autonomous mass production: The seat of each chair is hand-sewn by an upholsterer to carefully adhere to its shapely curves before being attached to the base, which is made of polished aluminum.
Decades later, the Swan chair continues to be a fixture in modern interiors, with its seat offered in over 30 upholstery options. In 2018, on the hotel’s 60th anniversary, Danish design firm Space Copenhagen undertook an expansive redesign of the SAS Royal Hotel, now known as the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. Jacobsen’s Swan chair, Egg chair and Drop chair feature prominently throughout the hotel’s lobby and guest rooms, paired with more contemporary furnishings and bespoke interior detailing for a new jet-set era.
Arne Jacobsen
The eye-catching work of the Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen often introduces new collectors to mid-20th century furniture. With their fluid lines and sculptural presence, Jacobsen’s signature pieces — the elegant Swan chair and the cozy-yet-cutting edge Egg chair, both first presented in 1958 — are iconic representations of both the striking aesthetic of the designers of the era and their concomitant attention to practicality and comfort. Jacobsen designed furniture that had both gravitas and groove.
Though Jacobsen is a paragon of Danish modernism, his approach to design was the least “Danish” of those who are counted as his peers. The designs of Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Børge Mogensen and others grew out of their studies as cabinetmakers. They prized skilled craftsmanship and their primary material was carved, turned and joined wood. Jacobsen was first and foremost an architect, and while he shared his colleagues’ devotion to quality of construction, he was far more open to other materials such as metal and fiberglass.
Many of Jacobsen’s best-known pieces had their origin in architectural commissions. His molded-plywood, three-legged Ant chair (1952) was first designed for the cafeteria of a pharmaceutical company headquarters. The tall-backed Oxford chair was made for the use of dons at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, whose Jacobsen-designed campus opened in 1962 (while still under construction). The Swan, Egg and Drop chairs and the AJ desk lamp were all created as part of Jacobsen’s plan for the SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel, which opened in 1960. (The hotel has since been redecorated, but one guest room has been preserved with all-Jacobsen accoutrements.)
To Jacobsen’s mind, the chief merit of any design was practicality. He designed the first stainless-steel cutlery set made by the Danish silver company Georg Jensen; Jacobsen’s best-selling chair — the plywood Series 7 — was created to provide lightweight, stackable seating for modern eat-in kitchens. But as you will see from the objects on 1stDibs, style never took a backseat to function in Arne Jacobsen’s work. His work merits a place in any modern design collection.
Find authentic Arne Jacobsen chairs, tables, sofas and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Meulebeke, Belgium
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- French Set of Lounge Chairs in Floral UpholsteryLocated in Meulebeke, BESet of tree french armchairs that have a elegant curve of the backrest and the large, bulky armrests that provide the sitter to lay down their arms comfortably. This design is ably e...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Pair of Lady armchair by Marco Zanuso for Arflex 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Meulebeke, BEDesigned in 1951 by Italian architect and furniture maker Marco Zanuso, these iconic chairs are a symbol of stylish, material and technological innovation. They won a gold medal at t...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Augusto Bozzi Cosmos set for Saporiti Italia 1954By Saporiti, Augusto BozziLocated in Meulebeke, BEThis set of Cosmos armchairs and sofa by designer Augusto Bozzi for Saporiti were designed in 1954 and are a model of elegance, comfort and innovation. The Cosmos collection is chara...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Club Chair by Jori Ca.2000By JORILocated in Meulebeke, BEClub chair model Pacific by Belgian brand Jori. Made of beige color. Made around 2000. The armrest can be put down, what gives the sofa more space to sit. Measures: Width: 104-15...Category
Early 2000s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Set of Empire Armchairs, Ca.1820Located in Meulebeke, BESet of two early Empire armchairs made of solid mahogany wood and sheepskin. With carved sculptured armrests and lion's paw feet to the legs. A great patina on this set of French s...Category
Antique 1820s French Empire Armchairs
MaterialsSheepskin, Mahogany
- Set Art Deco Armchairs by Jules Leleu 1930By Jules LeleuLocated in Meulebeke, BEGreat set of Art Deco club chairs and sofa made by the French designer Jules Leleu made around 1930. Fully reupholstered in champagne color velvet. Has some great details in the cur...Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Armchairs
MaterialsVelvet
- Swan Chair in Leather Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, 1960sBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Kelkheim (Taunus), HEMid-Century Modern Design Classic "Swan" chair designed by Arne Jacobsen 1958 for the lounge area of ??the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. The armchair has no identification of the manu...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Purple Swan Swivel Armchair, Set of TwoBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in London, GBOriginally designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, the swan armchair was groundbreaking at the time and has gone on to become a true classic. The ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Modern Swivel Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- Svanen or Swan Chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz HansenBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Kramfors, SEArmchair Svanen by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen in Denmark. Designed during the 1958 and later introduced on SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen the year 1960. SAS Royal Hotel was the wo...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Mid Century Set of 2 Swan Chairs by Arne Jacobsen and Fritz HansenBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Oud Beijerland, NLBeautiful set of two original Swan Chairs. These Swan chairs were designed in the 1950s by Arne Jacobsen for the SAS Hotel in Copenhagen and produced by Fritz Hansen. The chairs f...Category
1990s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Scandinaviaan Brown Leather Swan Chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen DenmarkBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Vienna, ATBeautiful brown leather swan lounge chairs model 3320, designed by Arne Jacobsen 1958 for the SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel which opened in 1960. This o...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsAluminum
- Set of 6 Lily Chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, 1960sBy Arne Jacobsen, Fritz HansenLocated in Oud Beijerland, NLRare set with 6 original Arne Jacobsen armchairs named and known as "Lily" from the original interior of the town hall, Mainz/Germany. The object belongs to his widely known furnitur...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal