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.
Hans J. Wegner Airport Sofa AP34/4 Denmark 1954
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Danish modern four seater sofa model AP34/4 designed by Hans J. Wegner and manufactured by AP Stolen, Denmark 1954. This is for the rare 4 seater version of this...
Steel
Roll Arm Sofa by Hans J. Wegner for AP Stolen
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A straight-back roll arm sofa retaining its original brown wool strie´ upholstery, the seating element having a comfortable pitch and elevated by solid squared teak legs.
Teak, Upholstery
$2,398
H 29.53 in W 35.83 in D 30.71 in
Three Seater Sofa, Model AP 18S, Designed by Hans J. Wegner, 1960s
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Lejre, DK
The three-seater sofa, Model AP 18S, upholstered in green wool fabric and with dark wood legs, was designed by the Danish architect Hans J. Wegner in 1960. Wegner, known for his uniq...
Wool, Wood
Model AP18 3-Seat Sofa by Hans J. Wegner for A. P. Stolen
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 3 seat sofa with sprung seat cushions designed 1950 by Hans Wegner model AP 18s produced by AP Stolen. This elegant and classic Danish design 3 seat sofa offers excellent se...
Fabric, Wood
Hans J. Wegner Two-Seat Sofa in Oak and Fabric for AP Stolen
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans J. Wegner two-seat sofa in oak and wool upholstery, model AP20. Executed by AP Stolen, Denmark.
Wool, Oak
AP18 Sofa by Hans J. Wegner for AP Stolen 1950
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
Model AP18 3-seat heigh sides sofa by Hans J. Wegner for. AP. Stolen, Denmark. Designed 1950. At the momnet upholstered with 2 different fabrics in 3 different colors. later new fabr...
Oak
Midcentury Sofa by Hans Wegner, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, A.P. Stolen
Located in Lejre, DK
Sofa by Hans J. Wegner - Upholstered and restored with custom-made fabric by Hanne Vedel in Denmark. In great condition, made by AP Stolen in the 1950s."
Fabric
Hans Wegner Sofa Model AP-64 Produced by AP-Stolen in Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare sofa model AP-64 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by AP-Stolen in Denmark.
Leather, Oak
$5,530 / set
H 28 in W 29 in D 29 in
Hans Wegner Model 'AP34' Lounge Chairs for Johannes Hansen, 1960s
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Coronado, CA
A petite, sleek pair of loungers designed by Hans Wegner and produced in Denmark by Johannes Hansen in the 1960s. New top grain, cognac leather. Steel legs. Signed. Very good vintag...
Steel
Hans Wegner AP33 Four-seater Sofa for A.P. Stolen
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Winnipeg, MB
Monumental and rare four-seater AP33 sofa designed by Hans Wegner for AP Stolen, Denmark. This piece features angled oak legs and the original wool upholstery. It has a streamlined a...
Wool, Upholstery, Oak
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.
