Hans J. Wegner Pair of 'Airport Slipper' Chairs in Leather and Steel

Hans J. Wegner, pair of 'Airport' lounge chairs, leather, steel, Denmark, 1958.

This pair of Airport chairs are created by Hans Wegner in 1958. Although, not specifically designed for airports, the chair thanks its name to the Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport, that was furnished with similar chairs. The chair is simplistic, yet strong in its design by means of the black leather upholstery, the metal base and metal details on the side. These chairs are a great example of Wegner's work in thin upholstery that is yet still highly comfortable and strong; Wegner proved that upholstered furniture did not have to be large and overstuffed.

The chairs are finished with a metal label of the "Danish Furniture Control, which indicates that it is an early version of this model.

Hans Wegner (1914-2007) is one of the most prolific furniture designers of the world. Wegner was born in 1914 in Denmark and began his apprenticeship with Danish master cabinetmaker H.F. Stahlberg when he was 14 years old. Afterwards, he moved to Copenhagen and attended the School of Arts and Crafts between 1936 and 1938. In 1938, he was approached by the architects and designers Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller. It was also during this period that he started to collaborate with cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen. In 1943, he established his own studio, and he became one of the most renowned and creative Danish furniture designers. Wegner's furniture was designed with the greatest understanding of materials, construction techniques, and use. Wegner is known to have thorough understanding of the materials he worked with, yet his greatest aim was to create expressive and exciting design. Although Wegner was a functionalist, he was not a rational dogmatist such as Kaare Klint, of whom he was a student. Instead, his designs sparkle with inventiveness and sculptural sense. But this never meant that his organic and sensuous forms left the strict rules of functionalism. At heart, Wegner was an idealist. He was relentless in his quest for the best chair: 'there is never one damn thing that cannot be made better'. However, Wegner was aware that he could not create the 'perfect' chair, which gave him the freedom to produce as much as possible. He left behind more than 3500 drawings and about 500 of his designs went into production. His designs feature in the UN Building and Seagram Building in New York, UNESCO's headquarters. NATO's headquarters in Paris, and several buildings by the architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

 

VAT within the EU: When buying or delivering an item within the EU, VAT usually applies and will be added.