Seats of Power
A look at five iconic chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn.
CH22: The Lounge Chair
After being out of the production line for several decades, Carl Hansen & Søn started producing Hans J. Wegner’s CH22 lounge chair again in 2016. At first glance, one may notice the Wegner chair’s large, distinctive wooden back with visible cover caps, but on closer inspection of the chair, more Wegner signature details become apparent.
On the sides, you will see, for example, that the arm support is embracing the side stretcher and the seat frame only to expand to full width under the armrest, to give it optimum support. In the back, the seat’s paper cords are led down around the seat frame and through a horizontal groove in the back rail. There are two refined joints on the front of the seat where the front legs are led up through the hand assembled corners.
Although the production has been modernised, today’s CH22 is still manufactured using the same principles of craftsmanship as when Wegner participated in manufacturing the first examples at Carl Hansen’s family-owned workshop in 1950. In the meantime, modernisation has improved precision so that the front legs, which were originally manufactured round, can now have the same profile as the back legs. This means that they are now made as Wegner had originally drawn them.
CH23: Sophisticated Ergonomics
The CH23 dining chair was one of the first chairs Hans J. Wegner designed exclusively for Carl Hansen & Søn in 1950. The unique pieces he created at this time set new standards for modern furniture design with their artistic expression and ergonomic form. Although the CH23 chair may appear uncomplicated at first glance, it incorporates many fine, sophisticated details, among them the elegant cruciform cover caps in the backrest, a double-woven seat, and arched rear legs that ensure optimal stability.
Carl Hansen & Søn reintroduced the CH23 in 2017, and as always, the design remains true to Wegner’s original, hand-drawn sketches, with all aesthetic and structural components intact.
CH24: The Wishbone Chair
The very first model Hans J. Wegner designed exclusively for Carl Hansen & Søn in 1949, the CH24 – or Wishbone Chair – has been in continuous production since 1950. With a form that is uniquely its own, the back- and armrest are shaped into a single piece. To give stability to the steam-bent top and ensure comfortable support, Wegner developed the characteristic Y-shaped back that the Wishbone Chair is named after.
Ilse Crawford’s innate sense of colour and space marries beautifully with Wegner’s understanding of how a piece of furniture is experienced. The collector’s item is offered in one of nine modern yet timeless hues. The carefully curated palette of translucent, non-toxic, water-based paints adds depth and complexity to the familiar shape, and allows the natural beauty of the wood grain to shine through each design.
CH25: New Materials
The CH25 lounge chair caused a stir due to Wegner’s choice of materials on the backrest and seat. The woven paper cord, a replacement for seagrass developed during World War II, had not been used in furniture before. Wegner was enthusiastic about the look of the material and its durability – as were generations after him. The CH25 lounge chair has been in continuous production since 1950, a testament to Wegner’s visionary approach.
It takes a skilled craftsman 10 hours and approximately 400 meters of paper cord to complete one seat and backrest by hand, using a particular technique resembling weaving, which is visible on both sides of the backrest. The striking result of this exacting process is an exceptional chair that is fascinating from all angles.
CH26: The Dining Chair
The CH26 dining chair by Hans J. Wegner was put into production by Carl Hansen & Søn in close collaboration with the Hans J. Wegner Design Studio and in accordance with Wegner’s original working drawing for translating the lounge chair’s form into a dining chair. He never actually manufactured a mock-up of the armchair and it remained unknown to the public until 2016, when Carl Hansen & Søn brought the CH26 design to life.
The dining chair closely resembles the lounge version with its organic shapes, refined back and hand-woven seat, and features proportions ideal for longer periods of sitting at a dining table or a desk.
Carl Hansen & Søn Flagship Store London
48A Pimlico Road, SW1W 8LP
020 77308454
@carlhansenandson_london
carlhansen.com
