black painted oak
(wood rain visible)
smoked oak
clear lacquered oak
oiled oak
soaped oak
Hans J. Wegner
Hans J. Wegner was born in 1914 in Tønder, Denmark, the son of a shoemaker. At the age of 17, he finished his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker with H. F. Stahlberg, in whose workshops Wegner’s first design experiments took form. He moved to Copenhagen as a 20 year-old, and attended the School of Arts and Crafts from 1936 – 1938 before he began working as an architect.
As a young architect, Wegner joined Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller in Århus, working on furniture design for the new Århus city hall in 1940. It was during the same year that Wegner began collaborating with master cabinetmaker, Johannes Hansen, who was a driving force in bringing new furniture design to the Danish public.
The Copenhagen Museum of Art and Industry acquired its first Wegner chair in 1942.
Wegner started his own design office in 1943. It was in 1944 that he designed the first “Chinese chair” in a series of new chairs that were inspired by portraits of Danish merchants sitting in Ming chairs. One of these chairs, the “Wishbone Chair”, designed in 1949 and produced by Carl Hansen & Son in Odense since 1950, became the most successful of all Wegner chairs.
Among Danish furniture designers, Hans J. Wegner is considered one of the most creative and productive. He has received practically every major recognition given to designers, including the Lunning prize, the grand prix of the Milan Triennale, Sweden’s Prince Eugen medal and the Danish Eckersberg medal. Wegner is an honorary Royal designer for industry of the Royal Society of Arts in London. Almost all of the world’s major design museums – from The Museum of Modern Art in New York to Die Neue Sammlung in Munich – include his furniture in their collections.
Hans J. Wegner died in Denmark in January, 2007.
Hans J. Wegner’s contribution to Danish Modern:
- First a cabinetmaker, then a designer: integrates exacting joinery techniques and exquisite form.
- A deep respect for wood and its characteristics – and an abiding curiosity about other natural materials
- Brings an organic, natural softness to formalistic minimalism
- Generally regarded as ”the master of the chair”, with more than 400 chair designs to his name
90% wool / 10% nylon – 27 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
100% wool – 27 available colours – 45.000 Martindale (durability)
90% wool / 10% helanca – 47 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
oiled oak – leather 88
soaped oak – Rime 781
soaped oak – Rime 641
soaped oak – Rime 151
soaped oak – Canvas 174
oiled oak – Crisscross 1401
Leather 90 – Naturel
Leather 88 – Black
Leather 86-1 – Dark brown
Leather 76 – Olive
Leather 74 – Umbra grey
Leather 84 – Dark red
Leather 73 – Dark clay
Leather 77 – Warm grey
Leather 72 – Sand
Leather 82 – Tan
Leather 75 – Cognac
Leather 71 – Light Tan
Leather 70 – Beige
leather Premium – price group 1
A state of the art full-grain semi-aniline leather made from the best Scandinavian bull hides. Thanks to a delicate and precise protective layer, Leather Premium retains a comfortable touch with excellent breathability. The leather is user-friendly and hardwearing with protection against dirt and light. This article was originally developed for Fredericia’s Mogensen 22 Collection, but it is suitable for all leather furniture. Chrome tanned in Italy.
Leather 98 – Black
Leather 96 – Dark Brown
Leather 93 – Indian Red
Leather 92 – Tan
Leather 91 – Nutshell
Leather 95 – Cognac
This luxurious full-grain aniline leather has a pleasant touch and a natural open-pored texture. The leather is highly breathable and comfortable with a smooth, natural surface and tight structure. Aniline Nature is made from top selection Scandinavian bull hides with discrete visible marks of animal life. With no protective layer, Aniline Nature is sensible in use and will acquire a patina over time. Chrome then vegetable tanned in Italy.
leather Aniline Nature – price group 2
A pure, uncoloured aniline leather with a refined touch. This leather is produced from the top selection of Scandinavian bull hides. Discrete marks of animal life demonstrate the material’s authentic origin. Vegetal Nature has a natural open-pored texture, making the leather highly breathable. With no protective layer, Vegetal Nature is sensible in use. This leather quickly acquires a unique patina and darkens over time. Fully vegetable tanned in Italy.
leather Vegetal Nature – price group 3
Nubuck 506 – Black
Nubuck 504 – Dark brown
Nubuck 512 – Olive
Nubuck 503 – Clay
Nubuck 502 – Warm grey
Nubuck 501 – Light sand
leather Nubuck velvet – price group 3
Velvet is a nubuck leather with a warm and charming look made from the finest European bull hides. A full-grain aniline hide has been lightly sanded to obtain a matte effect. The velvety soft touch of this nubuck leather is unparalleled by any other article. Chrome tanned in Italy.
100% wool – 24 available colours – 45.000 Martindale (durability)
94% new wool, 6% nylon – 31 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
68% new wool, 26% cotton, 6% nylon – 19 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
100% wool – 56 available colours – 45.000 Martindale (durability)
> price group 3
100% cotton velvet – 30 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
90% wool / 10% nylon – 28 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
70% wool / 30% viscose – 58 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
90% wool / 10% helanca – 47 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
92% wool / 8% nylon – 27 available colours – 60.000 Martindale (durability)
90% wool / 10% nylon – 50 available colours – 100.000 Martindale (durability)
90% wool / 10% nylon – 37 available colours – 80.000 Martindale (durability)
> price group 2
81% viscose, 15% linen, 4% polyester – 26 available colours – 30.000 Martindale (durability)
63% cotton / 37% linen – 36.000 Martindale (durability)
> price group 1
95% wool of New Zealand / 5% polyamide – 60 available colours – 200.000 Martindale (durability)
100% polyester – 80 available colours – 50.000 Martindale (durability)
The armchair can be upholstered with a wide collection of fabrics and leathers. Delivery time is approx. 6 / 8 weeks. We have a wide collection of samples, we will gladly send it to you against deposit. Do not hesitate to contact us to talk directly of your project.
customize your 1788 armchair
ready-made versions
The 1788 armchair was designed in 1963. Its appearance is particularly striking thanks to the lightweight design made in wood and the comfortable cushions. The elegant armchair with its classical expression is perfect for both public spaces or private homes.
Alongside his friend and colleague, Børge Mogensen, Hans J. Wegner worked on the exhibition project Copenhagen Cabinetmaker’s Guild Exhibition in 1945. Together, they presented the « A Home for the Future » during which the 1788 armchair was introduced. However, despite the public acclamation, it was regarded as too refined for this post-war era, thus the production was launched for the first time nearly twenty years later in 1963.
Dimensions H88 x W65.5 x D70 cm – seat height 43.5cm
black lacquered oak – leather 88
