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.
GE280 Modular Sofa by Hans Wegner for Getama, 1980s
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Rare modular sofa designed by of of the best mid century designers Hans J Wegner for Getama. Model GE 280. The modular sofa consists of a beautifully bentwo...
Fabric, Oak
Hans J. Wegner Two-Seat Sofa in Oak and Fabric for AP Stolen
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans J. Wegner two-seat sofa in oak and wool upholstery, model AP20. Executed by AP Stolen, Denmark.
Wool, Oak
$6,573Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 30.71 in W 80.71 in D 29.53 in
Vintage Mid-Century Modern 3-Seat Sofa & Armchair by Hans J. Wegner for Getama
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This elegant lounge set consist of a three-seater sofa and an armchair. The set was designed by Hans J. Wegner for the Getama Gedsted in Denmark during the 1960s. This is the GE-530 ...
Wool, Oak
Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
AP 20S - sofa in oak and new textile in Vidar 3 (colour 323 and cushion in colour 333). Hans J. Wegner / AP Stolen.
Oak
Hans J. Wegner AP18 Sofa
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Chicago, IL
Made by: A.P. Stolen, Denmark Material: oak, upholstery Size: 75 W × 31 D × 30 H in seat height 16 inches.
Upholstery, Oak
Rare Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Rare sofa with patinated oak legs, newly upholstered in textile (DAW, color Stripe 7) Hans J. Wegner / Johannes Hansen.
Oak
Midcentury Sofa by Hans Wegner, 1960s
By A.P. Stolen, Hans J. Wegner
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 GE-240 Sofa by GETAMA, Oak & Teak, Scandinavian Modern
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Hans 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...
Upholstery, Oak, Teak
Hans Wegner Danish Armless Sofa
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Pasadena, TX
A Mid-Century Modern Danish sofa designed by Hans Wegner. A streamlined form without arms and tubular chrome legs. Upholstered in it's original lilac fabric.
Chrome
$7,048
H 30.71 in W 92.92 in D 31.5 in
Hans J. Wegner Model 236/4 Sofa, Teak Frame, Tan Leather, Denmark
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner four-seat sofa new upholstered with pure tan aniline leather. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid teak. Model 236/4, produced by GETAMA.
Leather, Teak
Charles Eames Sofa Compact
By Charles Eames
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A very rare and rather exceptional sofa compact by Charles Eames for Herman Miller. This example is special for a few reasons. It is a very early model as evidenced by the centre metal bracket. It is also a folding example. Later pieces were fixed in place. This sofa also retains the original vintage Alexander Girard "giant stripe" textile. A very rare thing as most were reupholstered of originally upholstered in a basic vinyl or wool . This textile and construction dates the sofa to approx. 1959. This is most likely the best example of a vintage Sofa Compact available for sale. A true museum example. From Herham Miller website: Why “compact” for a sofa that’s six feet wide and seats three? The clean profile of the Eames sofa compact...
Metal
Hans Wegner Getama 375 Lounge chair with Ottoman in Solid Oak and Wool
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A terrific and special Hans Wegner for Getama solid oak lounge chair. In incredible original condition with original wool upholstery and solid oak frame and arms. . Solid oak frame...
Wool, Oak
Ilmari Tapiovaara Cast Iron and Oak Stools
By Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A really special set of four solid cast iron and oak stools by the Scandinavian master Ilmari Tapiovaara ca. 1965. These stools are incredibly well built and heavy. Thick oak sol...
Iron
Pair of Early Madsen (Arctander) Clam Shell Chairs in Sheepskin
By Arnold Madsen
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A fantastic pair of early edition Clam Chairs, designed in 1944 in Copenhagen by Arnold Madsen for the collaborative work with cabinet maker Henry Schubell, who together formed one o...
Sheepskin
Ilmari Tapiovaara Crinolette Lounge Chair
By Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Toronto, Ontario
An exceptional iconic chair designed by Finnish Master Ilmari Tapiovaara. A rare example of Scandinavian design. Less than 5000 of these chairs were ever created. Winner of the Ame...
Wood
Exotic Wood Coffee Table by Tapio Wirkkala
By Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A very exciting coffee table in rare woods by Tapio Wirkkala for Asko, circa 1958. This example has a taller base than most which is very well suited for the display of small obje...
Metal
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.
