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Price category: 2,500 - 5,000 usd / eur

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This pair of classically elegant “1675” dining chairs was designed in 1942 by Ole Wanscher and manufactured by Fritz Hansen in Denmark. Wanscher viewed furniture design as a branch of architecture and emphasized slim dimensions and resilient forms – a quest exemplified in these dining chairs.

These stained beech chairs combine straight and curved lines in a traditional manner. Ole Wanscher was integral to the core aesthetic and functionality of modern Danish design. These chairs have show Wanscher’s inspiration in varied visual expressions that he incorporated into his own unique design aesthetic. What makes these models stand out is the smart combination of the individual elements, including the curved armrests, the spindle back, and the bent back legs. The aesthetic is defined by the stained beech structures, especially the backrests comprised of four thin spindle pairs. While the seats are upholstered in cognac leather, the backs are left bare to showcase the elegant spindles. Breaking the straight lines are the bent, curved armrests that “clasp” the seats on the sides to create an interesting look. While the legs in the front are in a simple, mission style shape, the back legs have an apparent curved look that mimic the curve of the spindles.

Ole Wanscher’s modern classics are still revered for their detail and his deep respect for materials. In 1958, the Danish newspaper Politiken wrote: “Owning a Wanscher chair is an adventure every day, and will be so even several hundred years from now, for this is how long it lasts”. Today, his modern classics, including this pair, are still revered for their detail and his deep respect for materials.

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Condition:

In vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. The chairs have been reupholstered recently in cognac leather. Each of our items can be re-upholstered by our in-house atelier in a fabric of choice. Please reach out for more information.

About the Designer:

Ole Wanscher (1903-1985) was an architect and professor, and is known today as one of the leading figures in the Scandinavian Design movement and many of his pieces became staples in Scandinavian homes.

Wanscher studied at the Danish School of Art and Design, and was highly influenced by his professor, Kaare Klint. After graduation, Wanscher worked with Klint between 1924 and 1927, then set up his first own office, specializing in furniture design. By the end of the 1940s, Wanscher made a name for himself for his quality designs. As the Danish newspaper Politiken put it: “'Owning a Wanscher-chair is an adventure every day, and will be so even several hundred years from now, for this is how long it lasts”.

Like Klint, Wanscher disagreed with the modernist full-sail rejection of the past and preferred to explore classic yet minimal aesthetics informed by precise study of the human body. Wanscher was also heavily influenced by Greek, Chinese, and Egyptian designs—which he encountered during his many travels abroad—as well as proto-modernist movements, like the Viennese Secession, Biedermeier, and Shaker styles.

In the 1950s, Wanscher left his private firm to begin an association with P. Jeppesens Mobelfabrik A/S that would last for the rest of his professional life. Ole Wanscher's work has remained sought after by furniture collectors. His designs are described as "delicate", "elegant", and "orderly". Today, Wanscher’s pieces are considered to be modern classics and are still adored for their detail and the designer’s deep respect for materials. ~H.