Danish Modern Sofa by Hans Wegner
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer),GETAMA (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 28 in (71.12 cm)Width: 70.5 in (179.07 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Very good condition. It retains it's original finish and has been recently teak oiled. Various surface scratches, small dings, and wear. Reupholstered in an ivory color herringbone fabric.
- Seller Location:Atlanta, GA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU87186027213
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Atlanta, GA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Danish Modern Coffee Table by Hans WegnerBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Atlanta, GADanish modern coffee table by Hans Wegner for GETAMA, Denmark, circa 1960s. This table is currently being refinished. The price noted includes refinishing.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsTeak
- Hans Wegner Danish Modern Cigar Lounge ChairBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Atlanta, GASculptural 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...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Danish Modern Teak SofaLocated in Atlanta, GADanish modern teak sofa, Denmark, circa 1960s. This sofa is currently being reupholstered and can be completed in your fabric. The price noted ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood, Teak
- Danish Modern Modular Sofa by Peter HvidtBy Peter HvidtLocated in Atlanta, GADanish Modern "Minerva" Model Modular Sofa, designed by Peter Hvidt for France and Son, Denmark, circa 1960s. It can be used in various configurations. The two sofas can be pushed to...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsMetal
- Hans Wegner Large Scale Oak End Tables or Night StandsBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Atlanta, GAPair of large scale Danish Modern oak end tables, designed by Hans Wegner for Andreus Tuck, Denmark, circa 1950s. These tables are currently being...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern End Tables
MaterialsMetal
- Milo Baughman Curved Sofa in Pierre Frey FabricBy Milo Baughman, Thayer CogginLocated in Atlanta, GALarge scale curved sectional sofa, designed by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin, American, circa 1960s. Reupholstered in a sumptuous Pierre Frey ivory color linen style fabric. It is ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Danish Modern Hans Wegner Getama SofaBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Minneapolis, MNThree seat sofa designed by Hans Wegner for Getama, model 290 in oak. Newly upholstered in Kvadrat textiles Sisu. Cleanup of the frame will be completed upon purchase. Professional, skilled furniture restoration is an integral part of what we do every day. Our goal is to provide beautiful, functional furniture that honors its illustrious past. Our restoration workshop is continuously refining ways to clean and restore while still preserving the patina that quality vintage furniture...Category
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Oak
- Danish Modern GE 290 Oak Sofa by Hans Wegner for GETAMABy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in VANCOUVER, CAOak GE 290 sofa by Hans Wegner for GETAMA, circa 1950's. Elegant, robust Danish 3 seat solid frame with stunning lines. Seat deck has the original springs, a very comfortable sitting...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsWool, Oak
- Danish Mid-Century Modern Oak & Leather Sofa GE 236/3 by Hans Wegner for GETAMABy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in VANCOUVER, CAOak & leather Danish sofa, model GE 236/3 by Hans Wegner for Getama, circa 1960's. Three seat sofa frame is constructed of solid oak. Removable, n...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner Three-Seat SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Esbjerg, DKHans J. Wegner three-seat sofa new upholstered with Boucle. Frame in solid oak. Model 236/3, produced by GETAMA.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsBouclé, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner Four-Seat SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Esbjerg, DKHans J. Wegner four-seat sofa new upholstered with pure aniline leather. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid oak. Model 236/4, produced by GETAMA.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner Four-Seat SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Esbjerg, DKHans J. Wegner four-seat sofa new upholstered with pure aniline leather. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid soap treated oak. Model 236/4, produced by GETAMA.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Oak
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.