Best known for his chairs and other 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 Hans Wegner’s best chair designs 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.
Find vintage Hans Wegner lounge chairs, armchairs, daybeds and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
H 73 in W 68 in D 75 in
Hans Wegner Danish Lounge Chair CH28 Sawback, 1950s Scandinavian
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Original CH28 sawback lounge chair designed by Hans Wegner, Denmark, for Carl Hansen & Sons in massive teak. Minor sign.
Leather, Teak
H 31.5 in W 25.2 in D 25.99 in
Pair of CH44 Lounge Chairs by Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Designed in 1965 by Hans J. Wegner. This pair is from the 1970s, produced by Carl Hansen & Søn in Denmark. Very good original condition.
Rope
H 31 in W 27.75 in D 30 in
Pair of Hans Wegner Lounge Chairs in Oak
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Denton, TX
Great pair on Danish modern in white oak with gray fabric by Hans Wegner.
Upholstery, Wood
H 31 in W 27 in D 28 in
Hans Wegner Danish Modern Cigar Lounge Chair
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Atlanta, GA
Sculptural Danish Modern "Cigar" Model lounge chair, designed by Hans Wegner for Getama, unsigned, Denmark, circa 1960s. It has been reupholstered in an ivory color herringbone uphol...
Metal, Brass
H 30.32 in W 28.35 in D 29.53 in
Hans Wegner CH-27 Chair, Carl Hansen & Son, Denmark, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A CH-27 chair designed by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen, Denmark, 1950s. Stamped with makers mark. The cane on seat has been professionally restored. Very good condition and ready...
Rattan, Oak
H 30.5 in W 24.5 in D 24 in
Pair of Hans Wegner Lounge Chairs for Johannes Hansen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Very rare and well-constructed pair of Wegner Model JH 812 lounge chairs in chrome-plated steel with original saddle leather, circa 1970. Documented in Hans J. Wegner's 100 Chairs...
Steel
H 29.93 in W 29.93 in D 29.14 in
Hans J. Wegner "Sawbuck" Lounge Chair in Patinated Oak, 1950s
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Odense, DK
Early production Hans J. Wegner "CH28" lounge chair in patinated oak and dark green vintage upholstery. This example is from the early 1950s and has the most amazing patina and wood grain. The "CH28" Saw Buck chair...
Oak
H 28.6 in W 27.4 in D 24.2 in
Pair of Hans J. Wegner CH22 Lounge Chairs, Oak, Mid-Century Modern
By Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & Søn
Located in San Diego, CA
A beautiful and authentic pair of Hans J. Wegner CH22 lounge chairs, designed in 1950 for Carl Hansen & Søn — one of Wegner’s earliest lounge chair designs and a cornerstone of D...
Oak
H 31 in W 27 in D 30 in
Early Production Hans Wegner Getama GE-240 Lounge Chair / Denmark
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early production Hans Wegner for Getama GE-240 lounge chair, sometimes called the Cigar series because of the shape of the arm. Teak arms with oak body. Somewhat beefier than the GE-...
Fabric, Oak, Teak
H 30 in W 29 in D 27 in
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Hans J. Wegner for AP Stolen
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A pair of lounge chairs, newly upholstered in a dark blue, cotton and linen weave, on top of tapered wood legs. Designed by Hans Wegner, made by AP Stolen ...
Cotton, Linen, Wood
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
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.
