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.
Pair of Armchairs in Leather and Rosewood by Ole Wanscher, 1950s
By Ole Wanscher
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This very rare pair of armchairs, designed by Ole Wanscher and produced by master cabinetmaker A.J. Iversen in Denmark, exemplifies the disciplined elegance and elevated craftsmanshi...
Leather, Rosewood
Pair of Scandinavian Armchairs in Leather & Rosewood by Arne Vodder, 1960s
By Arne Vodder
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This rare pair of armchairs, designed by Arne Vodder and produced by Sibast Møbelfabrik in Denmark, exemplifies the quiet sophistication and precise craftsmanship that define Danish ...
Leather, Rosewood
Pair of Samsö Easy Chairs in Rosewood & Leather by Ib Kofod-Larsen, 1950s
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This rare pair of Samsö easy chairs, designed by Ib Kofod-Larsen and produced by OPE Möbler in Sweden, is a striking example of Scandinavian modernism at its most refined. Kofod-Lars...
Leather, Rosewood
Set of 2 Easy Chairs Leather and Teak by Ib Kofod-Larsen, 1960s
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
The Örenäs easy chairs, designed by Ib Kofod-Larsen and produced by OPE in Sweden during the 1950s, are distinguished examples of Scandinavian modern design. The frames are crafted f...
Leather, Teak
Set of 2 Easy Chairs in Leather and Walnut by Arne Norell, 1960s
By Arne Norell
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This rare pair of easy chairs, model Löven, was designed by Arne Norell and produced by Arne Norell AB in Aneby, Sweden, during the 1960s. The chairs exemplify the principles of Scan...
Leather, Walnut
Set of 2 Easy Chairs in Leather and Teak by Ib Kofod-Larsen, 1950s
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This rare pair of easy chairs, model Örenäs, was designed by Danish architect and furniture designer Ib Kofod-Larsen and produced by OPE Möbler in Sweden during the 1950s. The chairs...
Leather, Teak
Danish Modern Mahogany and Leather Lounge Chairs by Ole Wanscher, Denmark, 1950s
By A. J. Iversen, Ole Wanscher
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Pair of elegant lounge chairs by Ole Wanscher, in a generous size with beautiful curved back legs that follow the length of the backrest. Made from mahogany and upholstered in black ...
Leather, Mahogany
Pair Mid-Century Mahogany & Faux Leather Armchairs
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair Mid-Century Mahogany & Faux Leather armchairs are just the ticket for creating a sleek, post-modern look to any room or office! The tailored lines of the framework were craf...
Faux Leather, Mahogany
Ole Wanscher Pair of Vintage Rosewood & Leather Colonial Chairs, 1950s
By Ole Wanscher, Poul Jeppesen
Located in London, England
Ole Wanscher - Model PJ-149 Colonial Chair, 1949 A fine pair of Ole Wanscher's most iconic design: The Colonial Chair. Produced by master cabinetmaker Poul Jeppesen in Denmark in th...
Linen, Rattan, Rosewood
Rosewood and Leather Armchairs by Kurt Østervig
By Sibast
Located in Montclair, NJ
A pair of rosewood armchairs upholstered in seat and back with black full-grain leather. Model 414. Designed 1961. Manufactured and marked with metal plaque...
Leather, Rosewood
Rare Pair of Highback Chairs in Oak and Saddle Leather by Fritz Hansen 1940s
By Fritz Hansen
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Pair of rare Fritz Hansen highback chairs in saddle colored leather with matching ottoman. Open armrest in carved oak with good grain figure and nice wear and patina. Tall and slim p...
Leather, Oak
Set of Two Danish Leather Side Chairs, 1950
By Ole Wanscher
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful set of two Danish leather arm chairs by Ole Wanscher, matching high and low back versions, solid dark beech frames with chocolate colored, tufted leather cushions, measurem...
Leather, Wood
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.
