Hans J. Wegner 1914–2007
Hans J. Wegner was born in Tønder, Denmark in 1914. As a teenager, Wegner apprenticed with master cabinetmaker H.F. Stahlberg before enrolling at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in 1936. In 1940, Wegner teamed with Arne Jacobson and Erik Møller to design furniture for the newly built City Hall building in Aarhus, Denmark. In 1943, Wegner opened his own drafting studio. Wegner insisted on the highest standard of craftsmanship for his furniture, and his chairs often feature traditional mortise and tenon joints and unique materials such as paper cord.
Wegner’s famed China series (inspired by the imperial Chinese chairs from the Ming dynasty) was designed in 1949. That same year he introduce what is probably his most iconic seating design, The Chair at the Cabinetmakers Guild exhibition in Copenhagen. In 1951, his chairs were featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s famous Good Design exhibit. His chairs reached a national audience in 1960 when John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon sat in them during the televised presidential debate. In 1971, Wegner was awarded the Diploma di Collaborazione at the Milano Triennale. Wegner created his innovative three-legged stacking chair known as the PP58 in 1988. In 1992, he retired from his firm and his daughter Marianne took over his practice. Wegner died in 2007.
In 2014, the Design Museum of Denmark honored Wegner with a retrospective of his work. Wegner’s furniture designs are held in the collections across the globe and can be found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Victoria and Albert in London, and the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, among many others.
Auction Results Hans J. Wegner
Hans J. Wegner
rare Roman armchair
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $75,700
Hans J. Wegner
chaise lounge
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $70,800
Hans J. Wegner
Cow Horn chairs, set of ten
estimate: $30,000–40,000
result: $62,400
Hans J. Wegner
Swivel chair, model 50
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $50,400
Hans J. Wegner
Cow Horn chairs, set of eight
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $45,000
Hans J. Wegner
Rare Dolphin lounge chair
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $45,000
Hans J. Wegner
folding chairs, pair
estimate: $10,000–15,000
result: $40,000
Hans J. Wegner
Pollestolen (Ox Chair) and ottoman, model 46
estimate: $7,000–9,000
result: $38,400
Hans J. Wegner
desk
estimate: $7,000–9,000
result: $35,000
Hans J. Wegner
rare Bear chair and ottoman
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $35,000
Hans J. Wegner
The Chairs, set of twelve
estimate: $10,000–15,000
result: $32,500
Hans J. Wegner
The Chairs, set of ten
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $32,500