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.
$7,547
H 30.71 in W 92.92 in D 31.5 in
Hans J. Wegner Model 236/4 Sofa, Oak Frame, Aniline Leather, 1960s
By GETAMA, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner four-seat sofa new upholstered with pure aniline leather. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid oak. Model 236/4, produced by GETAMA.
Leather, Oak
Hans Wegner Style Mid Century Danish Teak 4 Seater Sofa
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Hans Wegner Style Mid Century Danish Teak 4 Seater Sofa This sofa measures: 95.5 wide x 32 deep x 28.5 inches high, with a seat height of 14.75 and arm height of 20.5 inches Good V...
Upholstery, Teak
$7,075
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
Fredrik Kayser Model-934 Mid Century Teak and Leather Sofa
By Fredrik A. Kayser
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Fredrik Kayser Model-934 Mid Century Teak and Leather Sofa This sofa measures: 87 wide x 30 deep x 29 inches high, with a seat height of 18 and arm height of 20.25 inches Excellent...
Leather, Teak
Hans J. Wegner Three-Seat Sofa by GETAMA, Oak Frame, Leather
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hans J. Wegner three-seat sofa new upholstered with pure aniline leather. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid oak. Model 236/4, produced by GETAMA.
Oak, Leather
GE-236/3 Sofa in Teak by Hans J. Wegner 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Handewitt, DE
GE-236 / 3 sofa in solid teak, designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1955. Manufactured by Getama in 1960s. Original cushions in creme / green stripes wool fabric,
Teak
$3,017
H 29.53 in W 72.84 in D 29.93 in
Original Arne Wahl Iversen Midcentury Sofa Couch Komfort Vintage
By Arne Wahl Iversen, Komfort
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönen Vintage Dreisitzer vom dänischen Qualitätshersteller "Komfort" zum Verkauf an. Das Sofa wurde von Arne Wahl Iversen, einem der größten skandinavischen Mö...
Leather, Teak
Hans Olsen for Vatne Mobler MCM Model 500 Teak and Leather Sofa
By Hans Olsen, Vatne Møbler
Located in Germantown, MD
Hans Olsen for Vatne Mobler Mid-Century Modern Model 500 Teak and Black PU Leather Upholstered Sofa. Very comfortable and in Excellent condition. Measures 87" in width and 29" in de...
Teak, Faux Leather
$1,073
H 27.96 in W 51.97 in D 29.93 in
Midcentury Zweisitzer Sofa Couch L.Olsen & Søn teak Vintage design
By L. Olsen and Son 2
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Zweisitzer Sofa von L.Olsen & Søn Møbelfabrik aus den 1970er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Sofa verfügt über bequeme und mit braunem Leder bezogene Pols...
Leather, Teak
Solid Oak Frame Brown Upholstery MCM Style 3 Seat Sofa Clean!
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Solid Oak Frame Brown Upholstery MCM Style 3 Seat Sofa Clean!
Upholstery, Oak
Rare Lou Hodges Three-Seat Sling Sofa, Oak & Leather, 1970s
By Lou Hodges
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This incredibly rare and iconic 1970's Sling sofa by Lou Hodges for California Design Group has been restored and is in beautiful condition. As comfortable as it is striking, this ic...
Leather, Oak, Walnut
1951 HANS WEGNER Lounge chair, model no. CH-22 by Carl Hansen & Son, Denmark.
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1951 HANS J. WEGNER Lounge Chair, model no. CH-22 manufactured by Carl Hansen & Søn, Denmark. Oak frame with rush seat. Underside of arm branded with designer. In good vintage condi...
Rush, Oak
Børge Mogensen Spanish Chair, Leather & Oak, Mid-Century, 1958
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful 1950 Børge Mogensen Spanish Chair by Fredericia, Denmark. Børge Mogensen designed the Spanish Chair in 1958 for Fredericia Furniture, and it has since become a definitive...
Brass
Hans J. Wegner CH 22 Lounge Chairs for Carl Hansen & Søn., Oak & Papercord, 1951
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of iconic 1950s CH 22 lounge chairs created by Danish designer Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn. Elegant low armchairs with envelope weaved paper cord seats and beauti...
Papercord, Oak
1973 Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Armchairs in Freijo Wood & Leather by Oca, Brazil
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gorgeous pair of 'Kilin' armchairs designed by Sergio Rodrigues and manufactured by Oca, Brazil., 1973. Designed by the renowned architect and designer, Sergio Rodrigues, these arm...
Leather, Wood
1970s Afra and Tobia Scarpa Soriana Sofa for Cassina, Italy
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful 1970s Afra and Tobia Scarpa Soriana Sofa for Cassina, Italy. In a gorgeous burnt orange leather upholstery with a beautiful age commensurate patina throughout. As comfort...
Steel
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.
