Hans J. Wegner GE290A White Oak Lounge Chairs
View Similar Items
Hans J. Wegner GE290A White Oak Lounge Chairs
About the Item
- Creator:GETAMA (Manufacturer),Hans J. Wegner (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 38 in (96.52 cm)Width: 30 in (76.2 cm)Depth: 33 in (83.82 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. The chairs are in beautiful restored condition, with an attractive patina to the robust oak frame. Minor dent to one arm, does not detract from presentation.
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: SKU000012981stDibs: LU954131665142
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.
GETAMA
The story of how GETAMA got its name is perhaps as unique as the range of subdued but sophisticated Scandinavian modern furniture for which the manufacturer is known (thanks to a partnership with Hans Wegner).
In the late 1890s in the Danish town of Gedsted, a young cabinetmaker by the name of Carl Pedersen opted to use seaweed — rather than the traditional heather or straw — as mattress stuffing. Pedersen named his new factory Gedsted Tang-og Madrasfabrik (the “Gedsted Seaweed and Mattress Factory”), which he abbreviated to GETAMA. Seaweed’s fire-retardant properties make it an excellent and safe upholstery material for mattresses, chairs and sofas. Pedersen leveraged this quality as a selling point — the abundance of seaweed on the shores of Denmark and its weightlessness added to its appeal as an economical but durable upholstery filling for all kinds of furnishings. The crowning quality was its softness.
GETAMA’s seaweed mattresses proved so popular for their comfort and durability that Pedersen had to expand into a larger factory within the first year. He felt almost obligated to launch a line of bedroom furniture to accompany his much-loved mattresses.
The working relationship established in 1959 between Hans Wegner and GETAMA afforded the company the opportunity to break into the international market. Wegner — a legendary Danish carpenter and furniture designer revered by mid-century modern collectors everywhere — became one of the brand’s principal designers and often spent a great deal of time at the factory — refining and adjusting each new piece until he felt satisfied that it was ready for production. For decades, Wegner’s impressive contributions to GETAMA’s daybeds, lounge chairs, sofas and dining room tables became the backbone of the company’s sales.
Over the years, other designers entered into working agreements with GETAMA, including Nissen & Gehl, OM Design, 2R Design, Blum and Balle, and Jørgen Gammelgaard. Copenhagen native Nanna Ditzel, a Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alum who trained under Kaare Klint, designed GETAMA’s Mondial coffee table. Alongside her husband, Jørgen Ditzel, she also created the sensuously curvy and wildly popular Ring chair.
Today, the sleek modern furniture that GETAMA manufactures is still inclusive of their lauded mattresses.
On 1stDibs, find vintage GETAMA seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture.
- Hans J. Wegner CH-27 Oak Lounge Chair with Woven Rattan SeatBy Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & SønLocated in Brooklyn, NYEarly CH-27 lounge chair, designed by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen. Constructed from solid oak, the reclining open frame features beautiful sculptural details at the back rest. Wid...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsRattan, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMABy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYThe perfect New York sofa and guest bed, and one of the finest daybed designs of the era. The model GE6 Daybed designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA. This brillia...Category
Vintage 1950s Scandinavian Modern Daybeds
MaterialsTeak
- Hans J. Wegner AP-20 Mini Bear Lounge Chairs - PairBy A.P. Stolen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYPair of scarce model AP-20 chairs, designed by Hans J. Wegner, manufactured by AP Stolen. Classic form is accented by sculptural teak handles at the armrests. Our pair have been faithfully restored and upholstered in period-correct Hallingdal 65 in a soft gray hue. Stunning in every way, this makes a wonderful companion to the larger Bear...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsTeak
$21,000 / set - Hans J. Wegner AP20 Easy ChairBy A.P. Stolen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYA scarce model AP-20 chair, designed by Hans J. Wegner, manufactured by AP Stolen. Classic form is accented by sculptural teak handles at the armrests. Our example has been faithfully restored and upholstered in period-correct Hallingdal 65 in a soft gray hue. Stunning in every way, this makes a wonderful companion to the larger Bear...Category
Mid-20th Century Lounge Chairs
MaterialsTeak
- Hans J. Wegner AP19 Papa Bear Chair and OttomanBy A.P. Stolen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYOriginal 1960s AP-19 Lounge Chair, better known as the Papa Bear Chair, designed by Hans J. Wegner for A.P. Stolen. A magnificent example of the ic...Category
20th Century European Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWool, Teak
- 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
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsTeak
$58,000 / set
- Hans Wegner, Oak Lounge Chair GE-290By Hans J. WegnerLocated in Klintehamn, SEHans J Wegner, lounge chair model "GE-290". Made of oak. New leather cushions. Designed in 1953. Produced by Getama, Denmark.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
$3,075 Sale Price20% Off - Vintage Danish Dark Oak Lounge Chair GE290 by Hans J. Wegner, 1970sBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Asaa, DKVintage Danish Dark Oak Lounge Chair GE 290 by Hans J. Wegner, 1970s Mid-century Modern Scandinavian armchair model GE-290 by Hans Wegner for Getama in...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner "GE290" Lounge ChairBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CAHans Wegner "GE290" Lounge ChairCategory
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Oak
$3,850 / set - Vintage Danish Oak and Bouclé Lounge Chair GE290 by Hans J. Wegner, 1960sBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Asaa, DKVintage Danish Dark Oak and Off-white Bouclé Lounge Chair GE 290 by Hans J. Wegner, 1960s Mid-century Modern Scandinavian armchair model GE-290 by ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner GE-290 Lounge Chair, OakBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290 is one of the architect’s Classic and most appreciated works. Large, sculpted paddle arms showcase the natural beauty of the wo...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
$4,225 / item - Hans Wegner GE-290A Lounge Chair, OakBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1953, the GE 290A is one of the architect’s Classic and most appreciated works. Large, sculpted paddle arms showcase the natural beauty of the w...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
$5,070 / item
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Design Icon Ilse Crawford on Her Colorful New Hans Wegner Chairs
If anyone is brave, humble and adept enough to recolor these mid-century masterpieces, it’s Ilse Crawford. Here, she gives us the details on her five earthy paint choices and tells us how she feels about design collaborations.