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 Florence Knoll Nightstands or Chests of Drawers
By Florence Knoll
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful pair of chests of drawers or nightstands in an iconic design by Florence Knoll. Louvered drawers on raised turned wood legs imbue a timeless design.
Maple
Pair of Edward Wormley for Dunbar Chest of Drawers, Nightstands
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautifully crafted chest of drawers by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. These are mahogany and feature 5 drawers, 2 smaller than the other three. Make great n...
Mahogany
Edmond Spence Wavy Front Nightstands in Birch
By Edmond J. Spence
Located in Dallas, TX
Introduce timeless elegance to your bedroom with Edmond Spence's Wavy Front Nightstands in Birch, exclusively available at circa20c. These mid-century modern masterpieces beautifully...
Birch
Paul Frankl Cork Nightstands for Johnson Furniture
By Paul Frankl
Located in Dallas, TX
Great looking pair of Paul Frankl cork top nightstands by Johnson Furniture. Nightstands feature two drawers each, a cork top and brass cross pulls.
Brass
Early Florence Knoll No. 126 Louvered 3-Drawer Cabinet or Chest, Late 1940s
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful chest of drawers or nightstand in an iconic design by Florence Knoll. Louvered drawers on raised turned wood legs imbue a timeless design. Bears Madison Ave. Knoll label. ...
Birch
Vladimir Kagan Nightstands, Lucite and Lacquered Wood, Mid-Century Modern, 1970s
By Vladimir Kagan
Located in Dallas, TX
The first few photos are AI generated to show you various colorways. We can lacquer these in your choice of color. The chests are currently in the orangey color and need restoration....
Lucite, Wood, Lacquer
Pair Aksel Kjersgaard Small Chest of Drawers Oak Model 384 Danish Modern, 1960s
By Aksel Kjersgaard, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Pair of original vintage small chest of drawers and bedside tables with 2 drawers model no. 384. Made of solid and veneered oak with soap treatment, designed by Danish Aksel Kjersg...
Oak
Pair of Poul Volther Bedside Tables Oak Chest of Drawers End Table Danish 1960s
By Poul Volther
Located in Basel, BS
Pair of Poul Volther bedside chest of drawers in oak, made in Denmark in the 1960s. Solid oak legs, veneered top with solid handles. Even veneered on the back. The wood has been cl...
Oak
A pair of Wegner oak nightstands, 1960's Danish mid century modern classic
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Copenhagen, DK
A rare pair of Hans J. Wegner Model 430 nightstands in oak, dating from the mid-20th century. Designed by one of Denmark’s most celebrated furniture designers, these elegant bedside...
Oak
Pair of MCM Paul McCobb for Planner Group Blond Maple Three-Drawer Chests
By Paul McCobb
Located in St. Louis, MO
All original pair of Paul McCobb Planner Group chest / dressers for Winchendon. Three drawers, brass cone pulls on tapered legs. Touched up original finish. Can be ebonized for addit...
Maple
Pair of Paul McCobb Planner Group Chest of Drawers Dresser
By Paul McCobb
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair of solid maple chest of drawers designed by Paul McCobb for Winchendon, part of the iconic Planner Group Series. This version features McCobb’s distinctive aluminum ring pulls...
Aluminum
Elegant Restored Pair of Modern Maple Chests by John Stuart, circa 1950
By John Stuart
Located in Atlanta, GA
A stunning restored pair of modern chests by John Stuart, circa 1950. The sleek clean design is clearly influenced by the Florence Knoll case production of the same period. Expertly ...
Maple
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.
