Design story
Hans J. Wegner CH47 chair designed 1966. Wegner used the same design idea as his CH46 armchair from the same year and the CH44 lounge chair from the previous year. The chair is manufactured by Carl Hansen & Søn and is still in production (new price in Australia starts at $1,890)
The CH47 design is simple and stylish with its woven seat and a solid wooden black frame with rounded profiles. An important element is the curved hind legs which give CH47 a laid-back look.
As always with Wegner’s design he has used his expert carpentry knowledge to create a sturdy the CH47 chair. He has strengthened all the joints by displacing the rails and stretchers, ensuring that the dowels can be used at full height and maximum depth when inserted into the chair legs.
Hans Wegner is without a doubt one of the great masters of Danish design. Particularly known for his chairs that, according to Wegner, are not just pieces of furniture but art made to support the human form.
Wegner was born in Southern Denmark, son of a cobbler and on track to follow in his fathers footstep. However, at the age of 14 Wegner entered into an apprenticeship with a local cabinet maker. It quickly became evident that he had an enormous talent designing chairs and working with wood.
When Wegner was 24 years old he was employed by Arne Jackobsen, Flemming Lassen and Erik Møller, three titans of the design world. Together they designed nearly all the furniture for Aarhus (the second largest city in Denmark) city hall. During the project, he met Inga Helbo, a secretary in Mr. Jacobsen’s office. They later married.
Throughout his career, Wegner had a fondness for integrating wood into his chairs, and he had a special talent for using the characteristics of the material to create surprising, sculptural lines.
Learn more about Hans J Wegner here.
