Carl Hansen & Søn.

Carl Hansen & Søn

Carl Hansen & Søn is one of the emblematic edition houses of Danish cabinetmaking. Founded in 1908 in Odense, the house has edited since 1949 some of the most recognisable chairs of the 20th century, signed Hans Wegner. The CH24 Wishbone Chair, whose production reportedly exceeded six hundred thousand units since launch, and the CH25 lounge chair are global references in solid wood seating. LAPIERRE sources and restores these pieces for the Paris and European market.

Brand history

The Carl Hansen workshop opened in 1908 in Odense, Denmark, under master cabinetmaker Carl Hansen. From the start the company positioned itself in the high-end of Danish manufacturing: solid wood furniture, traditional joinery, hand finishing. Through the first half of the 20th century the catalogue remained largely composed of dining and storage furniture in the regional tradition.

1949 marks a turning point. Hans Wegner, a young designer trained at Copenhagen's School of Applied Arts and already collaborating with Johannes Hansen, proposed to Carl Hansen Junior a new chair model inspired by Ming Chinese chairs. The CH24 Wishbone Chair was released in 1950: steam-bent solid wood backrest in a single piece, integrated rear post, hand-woven Danish paper cord seat. The steam-bending technique imposed a manufacturing discipline specific to the house. The same year released the CH22 and CH25, two woven-leather lounge chairs, then the CH33 in 1957 — a stackable chair with stretched shell.

Carl Hansen & Søn gradually became Wegner's primary editor after the death of cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen, and acquired over the decades the rights to other pieces: CH28, CH36, CH37, CH38 (dining chairs), CH468 Oculus, CH88, CH88P. The house also edits Mogens Koch, Kaare Klint, Bodil Kjær and Frits Henningsen. Production remains centralised in Aarup and Gelsted, Denmark, with European-sourced wood and long atmospheric drying.

Signature pieces we source

CH24 Wishbone Chair. Characteristic Y-shaped backrest, paper cord seat, solid wood base. Sought in soaped oak, oiled oak, ash, walnut or rosewood depending on era. Absolute signature piece.

CH25 lounge chair. Low armchair with large reclined back, paper cord or woven leather seat and back on solid wood structure. 1950 model, sought in oak and walnut.

CH22 lounge chair. Lower than the CH25, paper cord or leather back, wood structure. 1950 model, rarer in arrivals than the CH24.

CH33 stacking chair. Compact dining chair, wood shell on four-leg base. 1957 model, sought in oak or ash.

CH28, CH36, CH37, CH38. Dining chairs in solid wood, paper cord or upholstered seat. Often sourced in sets of four, six or eight.

CH468 Oculus. Upholstered armchair with oval back, 1960 model reissued later by Carl Hansen & Søn. Exceptional piece.

CH88, CH88P. Dining chair with moulded plywood shell and wood or metal base, posthumous model edited from 2014 from Wegner drawings. Recent production, distinct from vintage models.

Authenticating an original

Four points support authentication of a vintage Carl Hansen & Søn chair. Marking: Carl Hansen & Søn engraved or stamped marking under the seat, sometimes with Hans Wegner's signature. Logo style has evolved and helps approximate dating. Wood and joinery: consistent species, regular grain, clean mortise-and-tenon joints, single-piece bent backrest without visible joint. Paper cord: regular checkerboard pattern, natural Danish paper cord, even tension. Slack, torn or oddly coloured paper cord signals a seat needing re-weave. Patina: a vintage soaped-oak CH24 carries a characteristic honey patina that no factory output reproduces.

LAPIERRE process for this brand

The Carl Hansen & Søn protocol at LAPIERRE first evaluates wood condition (scratches, chips, cracks) and paper cord state. A slack paper cord seat is entrusted to a qualified re-weaving workshop using original Danish paper cord. A damaged backrest or post can be repaired through traditional cabinetmaking. Original patina is preserved as much as possible. For CH25 lounge chairs in woven leather, full check of leather strips and re-tensioning if needed.

Request a search

Looking for a CH24 in a specific species, a CH25 lounge in original woven leather, or a complete set of CH33 or CH36 for a dining room? Write to LAPIERRE with your brief: model, species, period, target condition. Our team activates its sourcing network in Denmark and Northern Europe and returns within a few days.