AP 19 - Papa Bear chair & stool in new fabric by Hans J. Wegner
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 39.77 in (101 cm)Width: 35.44 in (90 cm)Depth: 37.41 in (95 cm)Seat Height: 16.54 in (42 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960's
- Condition:Reupholstered.
- Seller Location:Copenhagen, DK
- Reference Number:
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: 2770, Denmark
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- AP 19 - Papa Bear Chair by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKAP 19 - Papa Bear Chair in Hallingdal 65-wool. Hans J. Wegner / AP StolenCategory
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- AP 19 - Papa Bear Chair by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKAP 19 - Reupholstered Papa Bear Chair in yellow 'COLOR' textile (colour: 10-101). Hans J. Wegner / AP StolenCategory
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- AP 19 - Papa Bear Chair in green leather By Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKAP 19 - Reupholstered Papa Bear Chair in dark green 'Dunes' aniline leather (colour: Racing Green). ABOUT THE ITEM: This is an original ‘Papa Bear Chair' by Hans J. Wegner, produced...Category
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- Ap18s Sofa by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKAP 18S - 3-seater sofa, reupholstered in new textile (Sunniva 3, colour code 153) and legs in patinated oak. Hans J. Wegner / AP Stolen.Category
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- Pair of easy chairs model JH 703 by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKPair of JH 703 easy chairs by Hans J. Wegner / Johannes Hansen.Category
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- Pair of JH 801 easychairs by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKJH 801 - Reupholstered easy chair in new textile (Malou Ocre from Pierre Frey) on steel frame. Designed in the 1970s. Hans J. Wegner / Johannes HansenCategory
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
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- Hans Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear Chair in Boucle FabricBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in London, GBHans J. Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear chair, 1953 Vintage, original 1950s production of one of Danish master Hans Wegner's most iconic designs. The Papa Bear is rightly considered one...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Bouclé, Teak
- Hans J. Wegner AP19 Papa Bear ChairBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Dallas, TXHans J. Wegner 1914-2007. "Papa Bear" chair, model AP19 produced for A.P Mobler. Designed in 1951. Upholstered with Holly Hunt Boucle'. Teak nails ("paws") and legs. We have extra fa...Category
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
- Hans Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear Chair in Green Wool FabricBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in London, GBHans J. Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear chair, 1953 Vintage, original 1950s production of one of Danish master Hans Wegner's most iconic designs. The Papa Bear is rightly considered one...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wool, Oak
- Hans Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear Chair in Grey Wool FabricBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in London, GBHans J. Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear chair, 1953 Vintage, original 1950s production of one of Danish master Hans Wegner's most iconic designs. The Papa Bear is rightly considered one...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wool, Oak
- Hans Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear Chair in Green Boucle FabricBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in London, GBHans J. Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear chair, 1953 Vintage, original 1950s production of one of Danish master Hans Wegner's most iconic designs. The Papa Bear is rightly considered one...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wool, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner AP-19 Papa Bear ChairsBy A.P. Stolen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYHandsome pair of early 1960s AP-19 chairs designed by Hans J. Wegner for A.P. Stolen. These chairs are better known as the Papa Bear chair for their stately silhouette. Exquisitely crafted teak details notable in the paws, showcasing Wegner's intimate understanding of fine woodworking. Expertly upholstered in a downy gray wool fabric, these cozy chairs...Category
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MaterialsTeak
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