Hans J. Wegner “Cigar Sofa” GE 240
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer),GETAMA (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 27 in (68.58 cm)Width: 71 in (180.34 cm)Depth: 32 in (81.28 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. The frame is in damage free condition with a golden patina to the oak. Newly upholstered in Kvadrat fabric.
- Seller Location:Oakland, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7361239406502
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: Oakland, CA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Vintage Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB Markaryd Dome Pendant Lamp, 1950sBy Hans-Agne JakobssonLocated in Oakland, CABeautiful pendant lamp by designer Hans-Agne Jacobsson circa 1950s for AB Markaryd, Sweden. This is a more uncommon version, similar to one of Aalto's designs. Timeless Scandinavian ...Category
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Vintage Edvin Helseth Lounge ChairBy Edvin HelsethLocated in Oakland, CAFantastic all wood lounge chair designed by Edvin Helseth circa 1960s, Norway. The chair is made of a certain kind of Pine which is the equivalent of the US old growth Douglas Fir. N...Category
Vintage 1960s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Rare Arne Vodder Rosewood FD164 Adjustable Lounge Chair c1960sBy France & Søn, Arne Vodder, John StuartLocated in Oakland, CAArne Vodder's iconic FD164 Reclining Lounge Chair in rare rosewood c1960s. This is a one-person-owner who had no kids, no pets, and was a non-smoker. This is a wonderful example with...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Rosewood
- Valmazan Folding Safari Chair in the Style of Mogens Koch Mk-16By Mogens Koch, ValmazanLocated in Oakland, CAFolding campaign / Safari chair in the style of Mogen Koch's Mk-16, in black leather with a oak frame and brass accent hardware, a very well piece of furniture. Thick stitched leathe...Category
Vintage 1960s Spanish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Danish Ceramic Abstract Flower Wall Plaque by SoholmBy Soholm PotteryLocated in Oakland, CACeramic floral motif wall plaque by Soholm of Denmark, colorful abstract images of flowers done in a geometric format on a soft white background. Still retains the original sticker o...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Decorative Art
MaterialsCeramic
- Vintage Scandinavian Studio Ceramic Lamp c1960sLocated in Oakland, CAStunning vintage Scandinavian studio ceramic table lamp c1960s, with incredible glaze work mounted on a wood base with a new linen shade. Shade is 16" w x 12" dCategory
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Hans J. Wegner “Cigar Sofa” GE 240By Hans J. WegnerLocated in Portland, ORClassic Cigar sofa designed by Hans J. Wegner in oak. Reupholstered in a kvadrat textile with velvet welt. Three seats. Beautiful frame in solid oak with original finish, made in Den...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsTextile, Oak
- Hans Wegner GE-240 GETAMA SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Philadelphia, PAHans Wegner for GETAMA GE-240 3 seat sofa. Oak body with teak arms. Redone about 13 years ago but retaining it's original inner coil springs. Looks like arms were refinished at some...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Oak, Teak
- Hans Wegner GE-240 SofaBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Shibuya-ku, 13Hans J. Wegner. He is said to have designed more than 500 chairs during his lifetime and was one of the most influential masters in the history of Danish furniture design. The GETAMA...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Oak
- Hans Wegner GE-240/3 SofaBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Berkeley, CADesigned by Hans Wegner for GETAMA in 1955, the 240/3 sofa features unparalleled craftsmanship and ergonomics. Sculpted “cigar” shaped arms show off the natural beauty of wood grain....Category
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
- Hans Wegner Cigar Lounge Chairs, Model GE 240By GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in San Francisco, CAHans J. Wegner design "Cigar" chairs Model 240 for GETAMA. Handsome Scandinavian design lounge or easy chairs by the master Hans Wegner, Denmark. Masculine solid chairs executed wit...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak, Teak
- Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMABy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Buffalo, 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 Danish Scandinavian Modern Daybeds
MaterialsMetal
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.