HANS WAGNER

The name Hans Wegner has become an important chapter of Danish design and history. Wegner introduced his first furniture designs in the early 1940s, focusing especially on chairs. His work featured natural woods and simple, neutral colors. Over the next few decades, Wegner won several design awards from around the world for his work. Today, his work continues to appear in classic room designs everywhere. After his death in 2007 at the age of 92, a growing number of designers have come to recognize his vintage pieces as valuable and important parts of the Danish aesthetic. 

Due to their high demand, Hans J. Wegner chairs are now available through retailers like Urban Americana. His vintage pieces like the Papa Bear Chair & Ottomenshowcase his way of using the natural properties of the wood as a strong accent, while also including interesting curves and textures in his design. On the other hand, the Sawbuck Chair features a more functional and straightforward design. Again, the wood itself is the main focal point with odd angular armrests and an open back. This is one of the most popular Hans Wegner furniture designs ever, thanks to its versatility in nearly any room. 

But of course, Wegner didn't stop at designing chairs for living rooms and offices. He continued on to create a selection of dining room chairs for the whole family. For instance, his CH-23 Dining Chair features a simple wood frame and a woven lattice of paper cord as the seat. In particular, he combines oak and teak to create an interesting, if subtle, color combination where the backrest and side rails meet.

While Wegner was known informally as the "master of the chair", he also expanded his work to include dining room tables and matching credenzas to go with his chairs. Some of Wegner’s designs were licensed for use by manufacturers who continue to sell his designs today, but the most valuable pieces of all are those that are no longer in production. They are a rare piece of Wegner's legacy from an era that has drawn to a close. 

To see more of Wegner's Danish Modern design work, explore the Urban Americana website. You can even purchase some of these antique and valuable items for yourself. 

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