Ole Wanscher, Colonial Chair, P. Jeppesen, Late 20th Century
View Similar Items
Ole Wanscher, Colonial Chair, P. Jeppesen, Late 20th Century
About the Item
- Creator:Ole Wanscher (Designer)
- Design:Colonial ChairColonial Series
- Dimensions:Height: 84 in (213.36 cm)Width: 65 in (165.1 cm)Depth: 70 in (177.8 cm)Seat Height: 42 in (106.68 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1980s
- Condition:Repaired: The frame has been glued and repaired by Swedens premium furniture restorer. Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Uppsala, SE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3440331733152
Colonial Chair
In creating his seminal work, the Colonial chair, in 1949, Danish designer Ole Wanscher (1903–85) found the ideal balance between minimalism and traditionalism through a simple silhouette, slim wooden framework and plush leather cushions. While Wanscher may not be a household name today in the way that his Danish contemporaries Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl and Hans Wegner are, he played a prominent role in mid-century Scandinavian design and is greatly respected by furniture historians.
Raised by an art historian father, Wanscher developed an appreciation for the arts at an early age, eventually going on to study architecture and furniture design under modernist master Kaare Klint at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating, he worked for Klint’s practice before starting his own firm. Then, after Klint’s death in 1954, Wanscher took over Klint’s academic role until his own retirement from the academy in 1973. His professional accolades include the Copenhagen Carpenters’ Guild Annual Award and the gold medal at the 1960 Milan Triennale.
An avid historian himself, Wanscher also traveled the world to study designs from different cultures and was particularly interested in furniture from Egypt, Greece and China, as well as from the Shaker movement and the Vienna Secession. He’d later publish the results of his global studies in The Art of Furniture: 5,000 Years of Furniture and Interiors. This approach, rooted in history, which was largely inspired by Klint’s own philosophy, set Wanscher apart from the segment of Scandinavian modernists who eschewed the past for the present and the future.
For the Colonial chair, Wanscher drew inspiration from 18th-century English furniture, namely ladder-backed chairs by Thomas Chippendale. He crafted the slim frame of roundwood timber, using curved armrests and legs — a Wanscher signature element — and thoughtfully placed mortise-and-tenon joints to create stability. And although the finished product radiates a sense of careful craftsmanship, Wanscher designed the Colonial chair to be easily manufactured: Its wood frame, woven cane seat and leather cushions can each be produced separately and joined at a later stage.
The Colonial chair was originally manufactured by P. Jeppesens Møbelfabrik, for whom Wanscher also designed the Colonial sofa and the Colonial coffee table to complete the Colonial collection. Today the chair is manufactured by Carl Hansen & Søn and sold alongside a footrest. It remains a crowd-pleaser with its timeless, elegant yet simple form.
Ole Wanscher
A scholar and architect with the heart of an artist, Ole Wanscher helped define the functional, clean-cut style that formed the core of modern Danish furniture design. Influenced heavily by his world travels, Wanscher gained inspiration from English, Asian, Egyptian and traditional Shaker furniture, and he incorporated elements from these styles into his revered mid-century designs.
Wanscher’s deep respect for the use of traditional materials such as quality wood is reflected in his work, which is valued for being both beautiful and built to last. He was also a leader in the postwar “design for everyone” movement, creating many pieces intended for everyday life within the small confines of the average Danish household. Later, Wanscher became a prolific writer on the subject of furniture design. He is considered one of the most significant influences on the world of Scandinavian modernism.
The son of an art historian and a painter, Wanscher studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. From 1925 to 1927, Wanscher worked under the great Danish designer and professor Kaare Klint, who became one of the greatest stylistic influences on his output. Wanscher would go on to work as a professor at the academy from 1955 to 1973.
Wanscher founded his own furniture manufacturing company in 1929. Here he employed the top cabinetmakers of the day, most notably A.J. Iversen, with whom Wanscher collaborated for many years. While the workshop produced seductive handmade furniture with organic materials such as teak and mahogany, Wanscher intended to design durable seating, tables and more for the mass market — he was committed to making quality furniture available to a wider audience.
Of all of Wanscher’s designs, he is perhaps best known for his Colonial chair. This piece — which is part of a collection for Danish manufacturer P. Jeppesens that includes a sofa and a coffee table — exemplifies his penchant for combining minimalist design with traditional craftsmanship. Wanscher’s dining room tables, such as the Rungstedlund table, also epitomize the elegance of his work’s simple silhouettes and careful construction. These sleek tables serve as an ideal centerpiece for both modern and traditionally styled dining rooms, highlighting the versatility of Wanscher’s work.
Wanscher received a gold medal for his exemplary work at the 1960 Milan Triennale. He also received the Copenhagen Carpenters’ Guild Annual Award. Though Wanscher passed away in 1985, his iconic designs and scholarly writings remain relevant to this day.
Find vintage Ole Wanscher tables, seating and case pieces on 1stDibs.
- Antique Arts & Crafts Oak Reclining Chair, Early 20th CenturyBy Heal'sLocated in Uppsala, SEDeep seated Arts & Crafts recliner in oak, possibly English and possibly retailed by Heal's of London, from the early 20th century. Seat and back covered in what is most likely the o...Category
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Oak
- Kaare Klint, Cognac Leather Safari Chair for Rud Rasmussen, 1960sBy Kaare Klint, Rud RasmussenLocated in Uppsala, SEThe legendary safari chair in cognac coloured leather on a very dark oak frame designed by the grandfather of Danish design, Kaare Klint, in 1933 for his long time collaborator Rud R...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Carl Malmsten, Pair of Konsert Lounge Chairs for Stockholm Concert Hall, 1926By Carl MalmstenLocated in Uppsala, SEVery rare and important lounge chairs, model Konsert, designed by the grandfather of Swedish design, Carl Malmsten, for Stockholms Konserthus (Stockholm Concert Hall) in 1923. An early piece in his production. The concert hall was designed by Swedish architect Ivar Tengbom...Category
Vintage 1920s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsVelvet, Birch
- Swedish Modern Birch, Bambu & Rattan Longe Chair, Attr. to Otto Schulz, ca 1940By Boet, Otto SchulzLocated in Uppsala, SEVery rare loung chair from ca 1940 in birch (or maybe elm) with new off-white fabric to both cushions. The pegs / stems at the backrest are made of bambu and the seat cushion is held...Category
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Bamboo, Rattan, Birch
- Chest of Drawers by Ole Wanscher for A.J. Iversen, 1940sBy Ole Wanscher, A. J. IversenLocated in Uppsala, SEChest of drawers or tall boy with curved front and eight drawers designed by Ole Wanscher for A.J. Iversen in the 1940s. Made of walnut and red beech with metal handles. Very good co...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMetal
- Antique Ebonized Reading Chair on Castors, Late 19th CenturyLocated in Uppsala, SEDiminutive antique reading chair with ebonized legs on castors, late 19th century. Either you sit on it like a normal chair our you can turn arou...Category
Antique Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
$1,215 Sale Price20% Off
- Ole Wanscher Colonial ChairBy Ole Wanscher, Poul JeppesenLocated in Esbjerg, DKOle Wanscher lounge chair new upholstered with black aniline leather. Made of new black painted ash. Model colonial chair, made by Poul Jeppesen.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
Sold$3,472 - Ole Wanscher Lounge ChairBy France & Daverkosen, Ole WanscherLocated in Esbjerg, DKOle Wanscher lounge chair with new upholstered with blue fabric. Frame of stained beech. Made by France & Daverkosen.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWool, Beech
- Ole Wanscher Colonial Chair and Ottoman in oak, OW149By Poul Jeppesen, Ole WanscherLocated in Esbjerg, DKOle Wanscher lounge chair and ottoman original upholstered with premium aniline leather. Made in oak. Model OW 149 colonial chair, made by Carl Hansen & Søn.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Cane, Oak
- Pair of Colonial Chairs and Ottoman by Ole WanscherBy Ole WanscherLocated in Dallas, TXA pair of mahogany and leather Colonial Lounge chairs and ottoman designed by Ole Wanscher for Paul Jeppeson.Category
Vintage 1950s Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Mahogany
$14,000 / set - Vintage PJ-149 Colonial Chair by Ole Wanscher for P. Jeppesen 1949By Ole WanscherLocated in Handewitt, DEVintage „Colonial Chair“ by Ole Wanscher for Poul Jeppesen 1949. Model PJ-149. Produced in 1950s. Made in rosewood and orignial cushions in lig...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric
- Ole Wanscher Lounge Chair in MahoganyBy Ole WanscherLocated in Waalwijk, NLOle Wanscher, chair, model 'PJ 112' mahogany, pink patterned fabric, Denmark, 1950s. This delicate Danish chair is designed by Ole Wanscher. The frame shows elegant lines, especiall...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMahogany, Fabric