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.
H 33.08 in W 16.15 in D 16.15 in
IKEA ‘Vilbert’ Chair by Verner Panton, 1993, Post-Modern
By Verner Panton
Located in CULEMBORG, GE
Verner Panton was one of the most influential figures in design history, pushing the boundaries of form and materials in the 1960s and 1970s. Launched in 1993 by IKEA and only in pro...
Wood
H 33.47 in W 16.15 in D 20.08 in
"Vilbert" Chair by Verner Panton by IKEA
Located in København, København
1980s "Vilbert" chair by Verner Panton for IKEA - Panton own color scheme represented on this fabulous vintage chair, which is in very good condition.
Laminate
H 33.27 in W 16.34 in D 21.66 in
Verner Panton Vilbert Chair, 1993
By IKEA, Verner Panton
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful colorful postmodern accent chair "Vilbert" by Verner Panton for Ikea 1993, in blue, purple, green, red and black formica with black edges. The structure follows geometric a...
Formica
H 31.89 in W 18.12 in D 23.63 in
Panton S, Chairs Vitra by Verner Panton for Herman Miller 1965s
By Verner Panton
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good condition - cleaned.
Laminate
H 32.29 in W 19.3 in D 21.66 in
Side Chair by Verner Panton for Herman Miller - Felhbaum, 1971
By Herman Miller, Verner Panton
Located in Barcelona, ES
Side chair designed by Verner Panton in 1967 for Herman Miller - Fehlbaum production, Germany. This one is stamped in 1971 in black glossy thermoplastic.
Plastic
H 32.29 in W 18.12 in D 18.12 in
430 Chair in Beige by Verner Panton
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Horsens, DK
Fully upholstered stacking chair with black painted metal frame and felt feet. It is the Nanna Ditzel designed fabric, Hallingdal from Kva...
Metal
H 32.29 in W 18.12 in D 18.12 in
430 Chair in Blue by Verner Panton
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Horsens, DK
Fully upholstered stacking chair with black painted metal frame and felt feet. It is the Raf Simons designed fabric, Harald from Kvadrat, ...
Metal
H 32.29 in W 18.12 in D 18.12 in
430 Chair in Green by Verner Panton
By Verpan, Verner Panton
Located in Horsens, DK
Fully upholstered stacking chair with black painted metal frame and felt feet. It is the Raf Simons designed fabric, Harald from Kvadrat, ...
Metal
H 35 in W 20 in D 23 in
Verner Panton for Vitra Glow Panton Chair, Luminescent, White, Blue, Limited Ed
By Verner Panton, Vitra
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Verner Panton for Vitra Glow Panton chair, Luminescent, white, limited edition, on occasion of 50th anniversary. 1000 luminescent produced. After several years of joint development by Verner Panton and Vitra, the Panton chair was finally ready for production in 1967 – as the first all-plastic cantilever chair to be manufactured in one piece. Created with a revolutionary production technique, the chair’s unique sculptural design was presented to the public for the first time at the imm Furniture Fair in Cologne in 1968. It rapidly came to symbolise an entire era. In 2018, 50 years after its launch, Vitra is issuing two limited editions of this iconic classic: Panton Chrome and Panton Glow. Vitra limited production of the “Glow” to 333 chairs which were sold in June 2018, the 50th anniversary of the first presentation of the chair to the public. Verner Panton showed an ardent interest in innovative technologies, techniques and materials over the course of his lifetime. He worked with lighting, colour and luminous elements in many of his futuristic interiors. For his legendary 1970 installation ‘Visiona 2...
Plastic
H 31.4 in W 19.6 in D 23.6 in
Verner Panton 'System 1-2-3' Standard Lounge Chair in Fabric for Verpan
By Verpan, Verner Panton
Located in Glendale, CA
Verner Panton 'system 1-2-3' standard lounge chair in fabric for Verpan Verner Panton was one of Denmark's most legendary modern furniture and interior designers. His innovative exp...
Metal, Aluminum, Steel
Gloss White Panton S-Chair by Verner Panton / Herman Miller Fehlbaum Production
By Verner Panton, Herman Miller
Located in Doornspijk, NL
The S-chair by Verner Panton is one of the absolute stars of furniture pop art. This is the original version of the Herman Miller Fehlbaum Production ...
Plastic
Pair of Postmodern Floor Lamps Panto Beam by Danish designer Verner Panton
By Verner Panton
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Pair of Postmodern Floor Lamps Panto Beam by Danish designer Verner Panton. One black and one white Panto Beam, this pair of lamps was designed by Verner Pa...
Steel
Bauhaus Style Set of 4 Spoleto Chairs by Ufficio Tecnico for Knoll International
By Knoll
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Ufficio Tecnico, Knoll’s own team of engineers and designers, created this cantilevered tubular metal chair in 1971 and called it the Spoleto. The ...
Steel
Unique Prototype Chair by Marcel Wanders with Chrome Flower Décor
By MARCEL WANDERS
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Unique piece by world famous Dutch designer Marcel Wanders. It was sold during a sample sale at MOOOI in Amsterdam in 2005. The chrome has a flower pattern. This chair never actuall...
Chrome
Set of 4 Mid-Century Modern Teak Wood Dining Chairs by Johannes Andersen
By Johannes Andersen
Located in Doornspijk, NL
These very elegantly designed dining chairs are made of teak wood. They have some eye-catching details such as the visually floating seats, the protective feet covers and the visual ...
Fabric, Teak
Mid-Century Modern Chair Designed by Wim Rietveld for Auping
By Wim Rietveld, Auping
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Mid-Century Modern chair designed by Wim Rietveld for Auping. It was conceived especially for the bedroom boasting a broad backrest to hang cloth...
Steel
In an innovative display, the Designmuseum Danmark is permanently exhibiting the 20th century's most iconic seats.
From high-fashion runways to a brand-new book, the groovy, futurist work of this groundbreaking Danish creative is receiving newfound — and much deserved — attention.
