Leather "CH 163" Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
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Leather "CH 163" Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
About the Item
- Creator:Carl Hansen & Søn (Maker),Hans J. Wegner (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27.17 in (69 cm)Width: 74.81 in (190 cm)Depth: 29.14 in (74 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Stockholm, SE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1638211681321
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.
Carl Hansen & Søn
Family-owned since its inception, Carl Hansen & Søn has been one of the most prestigious furniture manufacturers in Denmark for more than a century. The firm has produced timeless masterpieces of Scandinavian modernism by iconic designers Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen and others.
In 1908, cabinetmaker Carl Hansen opened his first small workshop near Odense, Denmark, where he created furniture by hand in the preferred Victorian style of the times. Hansen expanded his operations by 1915 due to high demand. The larger factory allowed room for more modern machinery and a staff of many journeymen who produced a small series of their most popular pieces, including coffee tables, cabinets and sculptural, inviting armchairs. The firm became known for marrying the finest handmade craftsmanship with efficient production processes.
The Great Depression of the 1930s saw worldwide furniture sales plummet, and many furniture manufacturers were forced to shutter their workshops. At the age of 23, furniture maker Carl Hansen’s youngest son, Holger, took control of his father’s factory and piloted it through the era’s uncertain waters.
Holger Hansen’s youthful enthusiasm, innovative spirit, and intuitive business savvy kept their company afloat. He believed in the quality of the firm’s work and the cutting-edge designs that were produced at its factory, which emerged from modest beginnings to become a pivotal piece of the history of Danish furniture.
Owing to Holger’s leadership, Carl Hansen & Søn emerged from the Great Depression and entered into creative alliances with many acclaimed Danish masters of mid-century design, including Kaare Klint, Børge Mogensen, Arne Jacobsen, Ole Wanscher, Frits Henningsen and Poul Kjærholm.
None of these partnerships proved as prolific as their relationship with Hans Wegner, however. In 1949, the cabinetmaker moved to Denmark’s Funen Island and was staying in Holger’s family home, as the then-Carl Hansen CEO had commissioned Wegner to create a chair for the company that was similar to his popular China chair of 1944.
Wegner began to work closely with the company’s craftsmen and devised a streamlined chair with a Y-shaped back and woven paper-cord seat. The legendary Wishbone chair, which still involves nearly 100 processes and takes weeks to make, has been in continuous production since its 1950 debut.
Carl Hansen & Søn has manufactured some of the most extraordinary chairs, sofas and lounge chairs for living room relaxation in the history of design. Their dining room tables and chairs run the gamut in style and functionality, from everyday comfort to elegant entertaining. The company’s impressive roster of contemporary designers includes renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the Vienna-based design firm EOOS and celebrated American industrial designer Brad Ascalon. They remain the world’s largest producer of Wegner’s furniture and still enjoy a collaborative relationship with the Hans J. Wegner Studio.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Carl Hansen & Søn chairs, tables, case pieces and other furniture.
- Teak "JH 555" Sofa by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen, Denmark. 1950s.By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Stockholm, SEAmazing sofa by Hans J. Wegner, model “JH 555”. Made from teak with linen upholstery. Clean lines with a striking silhouette and decorative wooden elements. Cas...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
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- Pair of “CH 27” Lounge Chairs by Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 195osBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Stockholm, SEPair of beautiful “CH 27” lounge chairs by Hans J. Wegner, made from oak and rattan. Beautiful pattern in the rattan and whimsical carved “horns” at the tops of the backs.Category
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- Leather Webbing Sofa by Gustaf Hiort Af OrnäsBy Carl Gustaf Hiort af OrnäsLocated in Stockholm, SESofa by Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs, made from beech with sculptural details. The amazing leather webbing backrest makes this sofa a real room jewel. Pillows an...Category
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- Midcentury "JH 507" Armchair by Hans J. WegnerBy Johannes Hansen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Stockholm, SEElegant “JH 507” armchair by Hans J. Wegner, made with an oak frame and natural leather seat and back.Category
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- Coffee Table by Hans J. Wegner for Andreas TuckBy Andreas Tuck, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Stockholm, SECoffee table by Hans J. Wegner, in a clean, balanced design. Striking Wenge tabletop and round stained oak legs.Category
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- Walnut Sofa with Leather Webbing by Gustaf Hiort Af Ornäs, Finland, 1950sBy Carl Gustaf Hiort af OrnäsLocated in Stockholm, SESofa by Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs, made from walnut with sculptural details. The amazing leather webbing backrest makes this sofa a real room jewel. Seat upholstered in cream fabric.Category
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- 2020 CH163 3 Seater Sofa by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen in Smoked Oak & LeatherBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a CH163 Three-Seater Sofa designed by Hans Wegner and produced by Carl Hansen & Son in Denmark. The sofa is made with a solid smoke oiled oak frame and red leather upholstery...Category
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- Hans J. Wegner Ch-102 2-Seater Leather Sofa, Carl Hansen, 1970sBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Rosendahl, DEVery nice leather sofa designed by Hans Wegner from the 1970s. Wonderfully patinated, glove-soft leather, very comfortable to sit on; down-filled cushions.Category
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MaterialsChrome
- Hans Wegner Sofa Model CH163 Produced by Carl Hansen & Son in DenmarkBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länRare sofa model CH163 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by Carl Hansen & Son in Denmark.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
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- Black Leather Sofa by Hans Wegner, Model CH103, for Carl Hansen & SonBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Dorchester, MADesigned by Hans Wegner in the early 1970s, this deeply comfortable sofa, in rich black leather, sits on a polished stainless steel base that carries through to the front and back of...Category
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- Hans J. Wegner Ch-103 3-Seater Sofa, Carl Hansen, 1970sBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Rosendahl, DEVery nice leather sofa designed by Hans Wegner from the 1970s. Wonderfully patinated, glove-soft leather, very comfortable to sit on; down-filled ccushions.Category
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MaterialsChrome
- 2020 CH104 Sofa by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen in Steel & White LeatherBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Philadelphia, PAListed for sale is a CH104 Sofa made with a stainless steel frame and white leather. The sofa was designed by Hans Wegner and produced by Carl Hansen & Son in Denmark. It dates to ci...Category
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