Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
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Sofa by Hans J. Wegner
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer),GETAMA (Cabinetmaker)
- Dimensions:Height: 28.35 in (72 cm)Width: 50.79 in (129 cm)Depth: 30.71 in (78 cm)Seat Height: 15.36 in (39 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1967
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Lejre, DK
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1020811329653
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.
GETAMA
The story of how GETAMA got its name is perhaps as unique as the range of subdued but sophisticated Scandinavian modern furniture for which the manufacturer is known (thanks to a partnership with Hans Wegner).
In the late 1890s in the Danish town of Gedsted, a young cabinetmaker by the name of Carl Pedersen opted to use seaweed — rather than the traditional heather or straw — as mattress stuffing. Pedersen named his new factory Gedsted Tang-og Madrasfabrik (the “Gedsted Seaweed and Mattress Factory”), which he abbreviated to GETAMA. Seaweed’s fire-retardant properties make it an excellent and safe upholstery material for mattresses, chairs and sofas. Pedersen leveraged this quality as a selling point — the abundance of seaweed on the shores of Denmark and its weightlessness added to its appeal as an economical but durable upholstery filling for all kinds of furnishings. The crowning quality was its softness.
GETAMA’s seaweed mattresses proved so popular for their comfort and durability that Pedersen had to expand into a larger factory within the first year. He felt almost obligated to launch a line of bedroom furniture to accompany his much-loved mattresses.
The working relationship established in 1959 between Hans Wegner and GETAMA afforded the company the opportunity to break into the international market. Wegner — a legendary Danish carpenter and furniture designer revered by mid-century modern collectors everywhere — became one of the brand’s principal designers and often spent a great deal of time at the factory — refining and adjusting each new piece until he felt satisfied that it was ready for production. For decades, Wegner’s impressive contributions to GETAMA’s daybeds, lounge chairs, sofas and dining room tables became the backbone of the company’s sales.
Over the years, other designers entered into working agreements with GETAMA, including Nissen & Gehl, OM Design, 2R Design, Blum and Balle, and Jørgen Gammelgaard. Copenhagen native Nanna Ditzel, a Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alum who trained under Kaare Klint, designed GETAMA’s Mondial coffee table. Alongside her husband, Jørgen Ditzel, she also created the sensuously curvy and wildly popular Ring chair.
Today, the sleek modern furniture that GETAMA manufactures is still inclusive of their lauded mattresses.
On 1stDibs, find vintage GETAMA seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture.
- Midcentury Sofa by Hans Wegner, 1960sBy A.P. Stolen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Lejre, DKSofa by Hans J. Wegner - Upholstered and restored with custom-made fabric by Hanne Vedel in Denmark. In great condition, made by AP Stolen in the 1950s."Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric
- Pair of Lounge Chairs Model Ge460 by Hans Wegner, 1970sBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Lejre, DKPair of GE 460 lounge chairs in original condition. Designed by Hans J. Wegner M.A.A for GETAMA in 1978. Great condition. Made in Denmark.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
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- Midcentury Peacock Chair by Hans Wegner, 1950sBy Johannes Hansen, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Lejre, DKPeacock chair designed by Hans J Wegner for master cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen. Made in Denmark in the mid-1950s. Great original condition.Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
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- Rocking Chair in Oak by Hans Wegner, 1950sBy Hans J. Wegner, A. Mikael LaursenLocated in Lejre, DKRocking chair in oak and fabric, designed by Hans Wegner and made by Mikael Laursen. Great condition.Category
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- Work Table by Hans J. Wegner in Solid TeakBy Hans J. Wegner, Andreas TuckLocated in Lejre, DKWork table in solid teak designed by Maa. Hans J. Wegner for Andreas Tuck cabinetmakers, Denmark. Great original condition.Category
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsTeak
- Sofa by Arne NorellBy Arne Norell, Norell Möbel ABLocated in Lejre, DKGreat looking two-seat sofa in beech and leather back and seat with comfortable woven cushions, designed by Arne Norell for Aneby. Made in Sweden in the ...Category
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MaterialsLeather, Beech, Fabric
$4,200
- Hans Wegner GE-240 GETAMA SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Philadelphia, PAHans Wegner for GETAMA GE-240 3 seat sofa. Oak body with teak arms. Redone about 13 years ago but retaining it's original inner coil springs. Looks like arms were refinished at some...Category
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MaterialsUpholstery, Oak, Teak
- Danish Modern Hans Wegner Getama SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Minneapolis, MNThree seat sofa designed by Hans Wegner for Getama, model 290 in oak. Newly upholstered in Kvadrat textiles Sisu. Cleanup of the frame will be completed upon purchase. Professional, skilled furniture restoration is an integral part of what we do every day. Our goal is to provide beautiful, functional furniture that honors its illustrious past. Our restoration workshop is continuously refining ways to clean and restore while still preserving the patina that quality vintage furniture...Category
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- Sofa by Hans J. WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Copenhagen, DKAP 20S - sofa in oak and new textile in Vidar 3 (colour 323 and cushion in colour 333). Hans J. Wegner / AP Stolen.Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsOak
$10,349 - Hans J. Wegner Three-Seat SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Esbjerg, DKHans J. Wegner three-seat sofa new upholstered with Divina wool in 100 % New Zealand wool. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid oak. Model 236/3, produced by GETAMA.Category
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MaterialsWool, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner Four-Seat SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Esbjerg, DKHans 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.Category
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MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Hans J. Wegner Four-Seat SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Esbjerg, DKHans J. Wegner four-seat sofa new upholstered with mokka aniline leather. Original Epeda cushions. Frame in solid oak. Model 236/4, produced by GETAMA.Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Oak
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