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.
Midcentury Modern Dining Table from Næstved Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1960s
By Naestved Mobelfabrik
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Lovely dining table from Næstved Møbelfabrik, in a neat size and practical extension flaps for bigger dinners. Made from teak with oak legs, decorative wooden balls at the intersecti...
Oak, Teak
Teak Dining Table by Børge Mogensen, Denmark, 1960s
By Søberg Møbler, Børge Mogensen
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Teak dining table by Børge Mogensen, model 162, in a rare edition with steel legs. Elegant, light expression. Clever, decorative mechanism for folding out th...
Steel
Midcentury Modernist “Architect's Desk”, Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 1960s
By Hans J. Wegner, Johannes Hansen
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Amazing “Architect’s Desk”, model #JH571, by Hans J. Wegner, made from teak in a generous size. Subtly tapering oak legs supported by brass stretchers. Deep drawers with custom made ...
Metal
Midcentury dining table by Torbjørn Afdal for Bruksbo, Norway, 1960s
By Bruksbo, Torbjørn Afdal
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Elegant rosewood dining table by Torbjørn Afdal, sleek and versatile with beautiful rich brown veneer. A versatile table that extends from a round table for four, in an up to 360 cm ...
Rosewood
Teak Dining Table by Peter Hvidt and Orla Møllgaard for France & Son, Denmark
By Peter Hvidt, Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Stunning, sculptural teak drop-leaf dining table by Peter Hvidt and Orla Møllgaard. Beautiful oval shape and legs in the shape of five joined, sculpted rectangles. Beautiful teak woo...
Teak
Scandinavian Modern Free Form Teak Desk, Denmark, 1950s
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Amazing Danish midcentury modern desk. Tabletop in a sleek and organic shape made from teak with legs in brass and contrasting feet ends, also made in teak. A large desk that feels a...
Brass
“Sabre Leg” AT-304 Extendable Dining Table in Oak by Hans Wegner, 1950s
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Kensington, MD
The “Sabre Leg” Model AT-304 Extendable Dining Table in Oak by Hans Wegner for Andreas Tuck, 1950s A very hard to come by example of this table with both an oak top & oak legs. ...
Brass
Hans Wegner Dining Table, Model AT-314 for Andreas Tuck
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck Møbelfabrik
Located in San Francisco, CA
Rare largest size Hans Wegner dining table produced, Model AT-314. drop leaf at either side each side with a pullout support, opening up to 122"in. Wide. High quality materials and c...
Brass
Modified Hans Wegner Saber Leg Dining Table, Model AT-303 for Andreas Tuck
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Buffalo, NY
**Modified** Hans Wegner Saber Leg Dining Table, / Desk Model AT-303 for Andreas Tuck.. Not certain if this was originally a drop leaf or an extension table since there is no evidenc...
Metal
Danish Modern AT-304 Teak and Oak Dining Table by Hans J. Wegner
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Danish "Saber-Legged" dining table designed by Hans J. Wegner for Andreas Tuck in Denmark in 1950. This iconic AT-304 table comprises a teak top with two drop leaves. The architectural crossed...
Brass
Hans Wegner by Andreas Tuck Dining Table 303 in Oak and Metal, Denmark, 1950's
By Andreas Tuck, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Hans J. Wegner “Sawbuck” Dining Table (Model AT-303) for Andreas Tuck, c. 1950s — Oak Version This iconic dining table, often referred to as the “Sawbuck Table” (Model AT-303), was ...
Metal
Hans J. Wegner Sabre Leg Table Model AT-304 for Andreas Tuck
By Hans J. Wegner, Andreas Tuck
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans J. Wegner oak dining table with two drop-leaves and cross-legs, stretchers of brass. Very fine condition. Designed by Wegner 1950 and manufactured by cabinetmaker Andreas Tuck...
Brass
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.
