Design story
Hans Wegner chair, Model JH-101. Hans J. Wegner designed this chair (model JH101) in the early 70s with the Danish firm Johannes Hansen. Since then, a few pieces have appeared on the vintage market and in auctions despite only producing a limited number.
Carl Hansen & Søn relaunch the chair on the occasion of their 100th anniversary in 2008. The model number since relaunch is therefore CH101.
Note, this particular chair is one of the few originals produced by Johannes Hansen.
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 and working with wood. After the apprenticeship Wegner moved to Copenhagen and attended the School of Arts and Crafts from 1936 to 1938 before setting out as a furniture designer.
When Wegner was 24 years old he was employed by Arne Jacobsen, 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. 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.
Wegner designed over 500 chairs out of which 100 was put into production and many have become design icons. He gained great recognition for his furniture, including numerous accolades, and a permanent display at MoMA in New York.
