Early Hans Wegner Dining Chairs Model CH-23 by Carl Hansen & Son, Denmark
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer),Carl Hansen & Søn (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)Width: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)Depth: 19.75 in (50.17 cm)Seat Height: 16.5 in (41.91 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 4
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950
- Condition:Refinished. Rewoven. Wear consistent with age and use. 29.53 in.Hx20.47 in.Wx19.68 in.D.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1374221899672
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Los Angeles, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Early Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son Lounge Chairs, CH-22 in OakBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CAWegner designed the CH22 lounge chair in 1950 for the ‘Købestævnet’ exhibition in Denmark. The chair features Wegner’s characteristically shaped armrests and a paper cord seat in wha...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsPapercord, Oak
- Early Hans Wegner Oak Dining Table Model AT-304 by Andreas Tuck in DenmarkBy Andreas Tuck, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis is a rare and early all oak Hans J. Wegner dining table AT-304 with two drop-leaves, cross-legs and stretchers of brass. Designed by Wegner 1950 and manufactured by cabinetmake...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Early Hans J. Wegner JH-550 Peacock Chair for Johannes Hansen, 1950's DenmarkBy Hans J. Wegner, Johannes HansenLocated in Los Angeles, CAHans Wegner JH-550 Peacock chair for Johannes Hansen Iconic 'Peacock' Chair Model JH-550 produced by furniture maker Johannes Hansen in Denmark. Insp...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Windsor Chairs
MaterialsTeak, Papercord, Ash
- 4 Early Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen JH-503 Chairs in TeakBy Hans J. Wegner, Johannes HansenLocated in Los Angeles, CAWe are excited to offer 4 early Hans Wegner JH-503 chairs designed in 1949 and Produced by Johannes Hansen. Fully restored solid old growth teak construction. Stamped with the maker'...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- 10 Niels O. Møller Dining Chairs Model 71 by J.L. Møllers Møbelfabrik in DenmarkBy Niels Otto MøllerLocated in Los Angeles, CA10 teak dining chairs designed by Niels Otto Møller for J. L. Møllers Møbelfabrik. The model 71 dates to 1968 and is an exceptional chair offerin...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsTeak, Upholstery
- Pair of Early Oak and Cane Round Chairs by Hans WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis is a pair of early oak and caned armchair by Hans Wegner for Johannes Hansen, Denmark. Excellent condition including new professionally crafted cane seats and backs.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsCane, Oak
- Set of Hans J. Wegner Dining Chairs Model "Ch33" by Carl Hansen & Sons, DenmarkBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Odense, DKSet of Hans J. Wegner "CH33" from the early Carl Hansen & Sons production in the 1950s. Rare model in solid teakwood with seats reupholstered in natural aniline leather of the highest quality. Hans J. Wegner’s light...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Hans Wegner CH23 Dining Chairs Carl Hansen & Son, Denmark, Set of 8By Carl Hansen & SønLocated in Culver City, CAImagine a world where dining isn't just a meal—it's an enchanting experience. These CH23 dining chairs are your golden ticket to that fantastical realm. Crafted with the kind of arti...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsPapercord, Teak
- Hans Wegner Dining Chairs Model CH-31 Produced by Carl Hansen & Son in DenmarkBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länVery rare dining chairs model CH-31 designed by Hans Wegner. Produced by Carl Hansen & Son in Denmark.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsCane, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner Danish Teak Dining Chairs CH 33 for Carl HansenBy Carl Hansen & Søn, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Oakland, CAHans Wegner sculpted CH33 dining chairs designed in 1957, for Carl Hansen & Son, made between 1957-1967. The chairs feature a dramatic curved backrest, new leather seats, and is cons...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Set of 2 Chairs Hans J. Wegner Model CH33 Upholstery for Carl Hansen & SonBy Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & SønLocated in Bern, CHSet of 2 vintage chairs Hans J. Wegner model CH33 upholstery for Carl Hansen & Son A rare set of 2 original vintage chairs by Hans J. Wegner, model...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Teak
- Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen and Son Midcentury Teak CH23 Dining Chairs, PairBy Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & SønLocated in Countryside, ILHans Wegner for Carl Hansen and Son midcentury Teak CH23 Dining Chairs - Pair These chairs Measure: 18.5 wide x 19.5 deep x 30.5 inches high, ...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Design Icon Ilse Crawford on Her Colorful New Hans Wegner Chairs
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.