Hans J. Wegner
Herskabsstalden at Schackenborg Castle is furnished with Hans J. Wegner's classic and iconic furniture. Here, his daughter, Marianne Wegner, talks about her father's furniture and upbringing in Tønder.
CH07, 1963 "The Three-Legged Shell Chair" - From weird to popular
A new and different design
I don’t think many people today would find my father’s “Three-Legged Shell Chair” particularly unusual, but it wasn’t like that in 1963. Nowadays, there are specialized workshops for bending wood, which can supply parts for that type of chair, but that wasn’t the case back then. So, it was in the evenings at Johannes Hansen’s cabinetmaking workshop that he gained access to conduct his experiments with foreman Thomsen. As a consequence, the place where the chair was first exhibited was also at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild exhibition, where Johannes Hansen participated every year, and visitors always flocked to admire the latest and craftsmanship-wise absolute best in cabinet furniture.
However, a chair consisting of molded plywood shells on a laminated frame with three legs was not exactly what visitors expected to find at this exhibition. Indeed, some found it new and fresh, but most probably thought it was too much and too modern. The word cheeky was also used – cheeky, that my father could even think of presenting a chair that simply didn’t belong at a cabinetmaker’s exhibition. And, to top it off, he had even painted one of the specimens orange – oh dear
However, my father loved to surprise and stand out with new ideas, so the advantage for him in displaying the chair at the cabinetmaker’s exhibition was that this was where his design would receive the most attention. Unlike the usual practice for new products, Johannes Hansen had not assigned a product number to the chair. So perhaps my father also hoped that a manufacturer would come by and produce his chair if Johannes Hansen declined. In the following years, a few shell chairs were indeed made in Johannes Hansen’s workshop, but production ceased thereafter.
The Shell Chair goes into production
We now fast forward 35 years to 1998 before the chair goes into actual production. In the meantime, Johannes Hansen’s workshop has closed, and now Carl Hansen & Søn has obtained the right to manufacture the chair. Much has changed since 1963. Homes have become larger, and since the mid-1990s, people have become more open to slightly more space-consuming and unusual furniture. The reintroduction of the shell chair takes place at the Bellacenter sales fair, where it is displayed in ash. Bo Bedre awards it the Classic of the Year prize, and since then, interest in the chair has steadily increased. In addition to Denmark, it is especially popular in Norway, from where the nickname “The Smile” originates, as well as in Sweden and the USA.
May 2021, Marianne Wegner
CH23, 1950 - With crossbars and flat weave
From Seagrass to Paper Yarn
When my father designed his CH23 chair, seagrass was the material commonly used for weaving chair seats. Therefore, it was a novelty to choose paper yarn for the seats of both the CH23 chair and three other chairs that my father had just designed for Carl Hansen & Søn. Paper yarn was known, as it was used to tie knots in the fields, but it was uncertain whether it would be durable enough for chair seats, and there were concerns about it becoming slack in use. Fortunately, it turned out that the material fully met expectations – so much so that it has practically replaced seagrass today.
Simple chair with typical details
At first glance, CH23 may appear to be a rather ordinary chair. However, upon closer inspection, one will discover that it incorporates a series of solutions that are both unique and typical of my father’s approach to design. For instance, the back leg is curved backward both at the top and bottom. At floor level, this is, of course, done to ensure that the chair doesn’t tip backward. However, at the top, the purpose of the slope is to precisely match the one on the backrest, whose inclined direction is determined by the desire for the best possible back support. Furthermore, the flat fronts of the back legs, from the seat and upward, are “twisted” inward so that they align perfectly with the curvature of the backrest at the top. And, to capture the eye and showcase the craftsmanship of the workshop, the wooden plugs that conceal the screws on the backrest have been given a distinctive cross-shaped form.
Flat weaving instead of envelope weaving
To teach the people in the workshop how to weave the new chairs, a basket maker, who had been a scout companion with the owner’s son, was brought in. The most commonly known weaving pattern for seats was and still is the so-called envelope weaving. The method involves “wrapping” the cord around the seat’s frame from the outside, while moving – almost dancing – around the chair. However, for the seat of the CH23, the more unusual “flat weaving” was chosen, which is a kind of weaving. Besides giving the seat a more distinctive appearance, the reason for this choice may have been that flat weaving was suitable for compensating for the difference in seat width between the front and back of the CH23. The procedure involves starting by pulling the cord’s strands from the front to the back, after which the transverse cords are woven in. The turn on the side is made by guiding the cord around the side rod, which is placed just below the side frame for that reason.
May 2021, Marianne Wegner
CH29, 1952 "The Sawhorse Chair" - Chair in only eight parts
A chair made of only eight parts
A sawhorse or a folding chair’s profile could have been what inspired my father to create this highly comfortable, sturdy, and intriguing chair, which in its simplest form with a wooden seat consists of as few as just eight elements, whereas a typical four-legged chair, in comparison, often comprises 13 to 14 parts.
Side view reminiscent of a folding chair
The basic idea in the side profile of a typical folding chair and CH29 is not very different. However, when looking at details and seating characteristics, the difference is significant. A folding chair typically has a flat, narrow seat to fit between the chair’s legs when folded. Its backrest is often also quite flat, as a stack of folding chairs should not take up too much space in storage. Therefore, it is most suitable for sitting straight forward, but the concept is also that it should be brought out from storage and serve as a spare chair, and one must accept that it is not particularly comfortable.
CH29, on the other hand, cannot be folded, and precisely because folding was not the intention, my father could use the idea in the construction to create a chair where comfort has been the absolute focus. The seat has been made extra wide at the front and curved slightly downward in the middle, and the backrest has been given a particularly strong curvature across, while its angle has been carefully adjusted to the tilt of a human back. With these adjustments, the user has the opportunity to turn in the chair and find comfortable rest in various sitting positions.
The Design of CH29
In terms of design, all details in CH29 bear the clear imprint of my father’s very personal approach to design. Taking the front legs, these are round and thickest near the seat for the strength in the joints with the two frames. Upward and downward, they taper because less wood is needed in these areas, and their ends are also rounded to give the impression of lightness. The back legs, on the other hand, are made flat on the sides and extra strong at the top with a backward curve. The former is to prevent the edges on their “grip” around the thicker front legs from becoming too sharp and frayed, and the latter is to ensure enough wood for a solid dowel joint with the front legs.
Finally, the backrest of the chair has carvings on the sides, which, with their size and shape, contribute to giving the chair its airy and easily recognizable appearance. Simultaneously, they also play a role in the assembly of the board with the front legs. For the sake of the chair’s comfort, the arch at the top of the board is shorter than the arch at the bottom, making it easier to join the front legs and the board with four short dowels than it would be with two at the full height of the board.
May 2021, Marianne Wegner
CH33, 1957 - Chance with a New Design
To succeed with a design
In 1954, my father had designed a simple and comfortable dining chair, CH30, for his producer Carl Hansen. It consisted of a solid wood frame with a molded seat and back. At that time, furniture design was not legally protected, and soon chairs with similar designs appeared from other manufacturers. There wasn’t much difference from the seat upward, but in those imitations, the rungs were made simpler and more delicate to reduce the cost, affecting the sales of CH30. Some believed my father should feel flattered to inspire others, but when he experienced not being able to showcase a new design before it was copied a couple of times, it became a problem. Designing a good, new chair takes time, is expensive for a manufacturer to prepare for production, and one never knows if it will appeal to people’s tastes.
A new and more interesting chair
Instead of giving up, the “competition” in this case spurred my father to design a new version of his CH30 – namely CH33. The flat legs of the CH30 were replaced with round ones, and the back legs were given a bend at the top with a distinctive shape to support the slanted backrest. With straight back legs, the side rails had to be extended, leading to the choice of the alternative design. Furthermore, it was made even more apparent than in the CH30 that the solid frame was the supporting element of the chair, and the two molded shells were the supported elements. The side curves of the CH33 were tilted inward towards each other at the top, making both shells – but especially the back shell – appear more independent of the construction. To further emphasize this, the back shell was made extra wide and now had a new and more precise shape with tapered ends.
Plywood from the aviation industry
Working with molded plywood shells as in CH33 (and the Shell Chair) became truly possible during the 1940s. The technique was introduced around 1930 and further developed by the British during World War II. It was used in conjunction with balsa wood in an aircraft known as the “Mosquito” due to its lightness. A test flight demonstrated that it was an exceptionally fast and maneuverable aircraft, and it had the advantage of being difficult to detect on radar. In Denmark, this aircraft is known for the Royal Air Force bombing during the war of the Shell House in Copenhagen and Aarhus University, both of which were occupied by the Gestapo.
May 2021, Marianne Wegner
PP68, 1987 - Armrest and backrest combined
A recurring theme
Among my father’s many armchairs, there is a particular type to which he often returns. It’s the one where the backrest and armrests merge into a U-shaped headrest. Most of them have armrests that extend all the way to the front legs, but some, like the PP68 from 1987, have arms that are slightly shorter. One of the advantages of this chair type is that the soft curve of the headrest at the back makes it quite easy to reach in and, for example, set the table or serve. Another advantage is that, when seated in the chair, one can easily slide in and out by turning it (whereas a more angular chair often needs to be pushed all the way back). Therefore, chair types like the PP68 are particularly well-suited as dining chairs.
Seating characteristics
Introducing a new chair to the market that wasn’t comfortable to sit in was inconceivable for my father. Knowing that people often unconsciously change positions, he made sure that the chair had space to accommodate this. The design and height of the U-shaped headrest are crucial to allow resting the arms without feeling tension in the neck or shoulders while providing proper support to the lower back at the right angle. There should be space for one’s tailbone between the headrest and the seat, and the seat should slope slightly downward towards the back edge to prevent sliding forward.
Designed for use on ferries
It was the particular features of this chair type that led to its selection for use in the restaurants on a couple of ferry routes where there is a need to set tables and serve many people in a short time. These were the chairs my father had designed for PP Møbler, and they must have lived up to expectations because it was another ferry project that, nearly 10 years later, inspired my father to design the PP68. The fact that this chair was intended for a ferry might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, the profile of the armrest’s front, which is slightly higher than it is wide, originates from this context. The reason for this was that ship floors often curve a bit, and since tabletops must be horizontal, the height on the sides of a table could vary. By having the chair’s armrest stop against the table edge, a slightly higher profile could better compensate for the difference. However, not all projects come to fruition, and the PP68 never set sail. But that’s the explanation for why the armrest on this chair, unlike many of my father’s other chairs, is not wider than it is high.
May 2021, Marianne Wegner
Hans J. Wegners Upbringing in Tønder - told by his daughter
My father, Hans Jørgensen Wegner, was born in 1914 in Tønder (at that time, there were about 5000 inhabitants in Tønder), and it was also here that he spent the first 21 years of his life. The Wegner family lived right across from the main entrance of Kristkirken in Smedegade 12, where his father, Peter, also had his shoemaking workshop. Thus, my father grew up with craftsmanship close to him. While he could borrow tools from his father, it was more the carpenter’s workshop and the wood three houses down the street that drew his attention. From a very young age, he could get the sticks and pieces of wood he needed for his projects there.
Schoolwork didn’t captivate his interest much. Instead, he had always enjoyed drawing and painting, finding subjects for his watercolors in the surrounding areas of the town. Otherwise, it was the open land outside the city, particularly the areas around the Vidå River, that attracted him. The nature there provided him the opportunity to catch butterflies and insects, learn about plants, and study animals and birds. If there was a young magpie that had left the nest too early in its eagerness in one of the city’s tall trees, it was not unfamiliar for him to take care of it.
The water of the Vidå River, offering the opportunity for sailing, swimming, and diving, also played a significant role. My father has recounted how he and his older brother, Heini, once bathed in it in November. They had hoped that their mother, Nicoline, wouldn’t notice, but my father – who was not very old at the time – had accidentally put his shirt on inside out. So, an inevitable scolding followed. Many years later, it was the fish, small creatures, and plants he remembered from the river and the city’s surroundings that he chose to reproduce on the doors and drawer fronts of his so-called “Fish Cabinet” using carefully carved veneer pieces (intarsia). For me, this cabinet is the piece of furniture that most obviously connects back to his upbringing in Tønder due to its unique motif.
At the age of 14, he began an apprenticeship as a carpenter, spending the following four years learning to craft the furniture and other items ordered by customers from his master, Stahlberg. He loved working with wood and, therefore, set up his own workbench in the basement beneath his father’s workshop. Here, he started using chisels to carve figures, especially people and birds. The wood for these came from large pieces of oak beams he found on the street when the city’s old houses were being renovated. Was he dreaming of becoming a woodcarver at this point? His interest in the craft must have spread through the town, as woodcarver Michael Laursen from Aarhus, urged by his relatives in Tønder, visited the Wegner family to see what the shoemaker’s son could achieve. Several years later, they met again, but this time in Aarhus. In the meantime, my father had studied furniture design in Copenhagen and was now involved in designing furniture for the new city hall in Aarhus. Laursen wanted to produce a chair designed by my father, and he became the first to mass-produce such a chair – the rocking chair ML-33. And yes, its frame does indeed have carved leaf motifs.
By the way: Since Peter (Mathiesen) Wegner was a skilled shoemaker, one of the customers he made shoes for was Count Schack at Schackenborg Castle.
May 2021, Marianne Wegner
Experience Sønderjylland
Schackenborg Castle is located in the idyllic Møgeltønder, just a few kilometers from the border to Germany. Combine your visit to Schackenborg with other delightful experiences in Southern Jutland. Explore, for example, Tøndermarsh, Museum South Jutland, take a stroll in the charming Slotsgade, and immerse yourself in the Southern Jutlandic atmosphere.Schackenborg Slot ligger i idylliske Møgeltønder få kilometer fra landegrænsen til Tyskland. Kombinér dit besøg på Schackenborg med andre skønne oplevelser i Sønderjylland. Besøg fx Tøndermarsken, Museum Sønderjylland, gå en tur i den hyggelige Slotsgade og få den sønderjyske stemning ind under huden.
