Design story
Hans J Wegner Sofa Model GE-236 is a true icon from the mid-century modern era and designed by one of the masters of the time. Wegner designed this sofa in 1955 and, as with all his designs, it looks beautiful from all angles. In fact one of his design philosophies was that furniture should not be something that is hidden in the corner or up against a wall. Hence, he made an effort to make even the back of his chairs and sofas look good.
As you can see, the rear of the Hans J Wegner Sofa Model GE-236 is of special note and the angled posts give the sofa a contemporary look.
Getama, one of Denmark’s oldest furniture factories. The precise story of Getama’s origins remain unclear. However, in the 1880s, a young cabinetmaker named Carl Petersen opened a workshop in the small Danish town of Gedsted. Living close to a fjord, Petersen got the brilliant idea of making mattresses out of seaweed.
At a time when most people had mattresses consisting of straw or heather, using seaweed turned out to be a fantastic idea as there was a need for more comfortable and resilient mattresses. In fact, the demand grew and Petersen had to expand with an additional workshop. Petersen called the company Gjedsted Tang Madratsfabrik (Tang means seaweed in Danish), and it quickly became successful with its high quality, competitively priced products.
In 1910, as the business grew, Petersen added beds and furniture to his range of products. The company’s reputation for craftsmanship and high quality products made the it well know and respected. When Hans J Wegner joined, as furniture designer, the company started getting international recognition and with that it changed it’s name to Getama in 1953.
Wegner already started his career at the age of 14 when he 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. Learn more about Hans J Wegner here.
