Hans Wegner GE-240 GETAMA Sofa
About the Item
- Creator:Hans J. Wegner (Designer),GETAMA (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 67.5 in (171.45 cm)Depth: 30 in (76.2 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1955
- Condition:Reupholstered. Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Was partially refinished and reupholstered about 13 years ago.
- Seller Location:Philadelphia, PA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU843037373832
Hans J. Wegner
Best known for his chairs and other seating pieces — though a master of many furniture types like sofas and tables — Hans Wegner was a prolific designer whose elegant, often ebullient, forms and devotion to the finest methods in joinery made "Danish Modern" a popular byword for stylish, well-made furniture in the mid-20th century.
Wegner considered himself a carpenter first and a furniture designer second. Like his peers Arne Jacobsen and Finn Juhl, Wegner believed that striking aesthetics in furniture were based on a foundation of practicality: a chair must be comfortable and sturdy before it is chic.
In keeping with that tenet, several of Hans Wegner’s best chair designs have their roots in traditional seating forms. The Peacock chair (designed in 1947) is a throne-like adaptation of the Windsor chair; pieces from the China chair series (begun in 1944) as well as the 1949 Wishbone chair, with its distinctive Y-shaped back splat, are derived from 17th-century Ming seating pieces, as is the upholstered Ox chair (1960). Wegner’s comfy Papa Bear chair (1951) is an almost surreally re-scaled English wingback chair.
Wegner’s most representative piece, the Round chair (1949), gained a footnote in political history when it was used on the TV stage of the first Kennedy-Nixon debate of 1960. That chair, along with Wegner’s more bravura designs — for example, the 1963 Shell chair, with its curved surfboard-shaped seat — bring a quietly sculptural presence to a room.
Wegner was a designer who revered his primary material — wood — and it shows. His wood gathers patina and character with age; every Hans Wegner piece testifies to the life it has led.
Find vintage Hans Wegner lounge chairs, armchairs, daybeds and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
GETAMA
The story of how GETAMA got its name is perhaps as unique as the range of subdued but sophisticated Scandinavian modern furniture for which the manufacturer is known (thanks to a partnership with Hans Wegner).
In the late 1890s in the Danish town of Gedsted, a young cabinetmaker by the name of Carl Pedersen opted to use seaweed — rather than the traditional heather or straw — as mattress stuffing. Pedersen named his new factory Gedsted Tang-og Madrasfabrik (the “Gedsted Seaweed and Mattress Factory”), which he abbreviated to GETAMA. Seaweed’s fire-retardant properties make it an excellent and safe upholstery material for mattresses, chairs and sofas. Pedersen leveraged this quality as a selling point — the abundance of seaweed on the shores of Denmark and its weightlessness added to its appeal as an economical but durable upholstery filling for all kinds of furnishings. The crowning quality was its softness.
GETAMA’s seaweed mattresses proved so popular for their comfort and durability that Pedersen had to expand into a larger factory within the first year. He felt almost obligated to launch a line of bedroom furniture to accompany his much-loved mattresses.
The working relationship established in 1959 between Hans Wegner and GETAMA afforded the company the opportunity to break into the international market. Wegner — a legendary Danish carpenter and furniture designer revered by mid-century modern collectors everywhere — became one of the brand’s principal designers and often spent a great deal of time at the factory — refining and adjusting each new piece until he felt satisfied that it was ready for production. For decades, Wegner’s impressive contributions to GETAMA’s daybeds, lounge chairs, sofas and dining room tables became the backbone of the company’s sales.
Over the years, other designers entered into working agreements with GETAMA, including Nissen & Gehl, OM Design, 2R Design, Blum and Balle, and Jørgen Gammelgaard. Copenhagen native Nanna Ditzel, a Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alum who trained under Kaare Klint, designed GETAMA’s Mondial coffee table. Alongside her husband, Jørgen Ditzel, she also created the sensuously curvy and wildly popular Ring chair.
Today, the sleek modern furniture that GETAMA manufactures is still inclusive of their lauded mattresses.
On 1stDibs, find vintage GETAMA seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Philadelphia, PA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Hans Wegner for GETAMA High Back Oak Lounge Chair and Ottoman Model GE290By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in Philadelphia, PAHans Wegner for Getama High Back Oak Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Beautiful Wood in Original Condition. Upholstery is newly done in a Knoll Fabric. All original wire coil springs rewrap...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen CH468 Oculus Lounge ChairBy Hans J. Wegner, Carl Hansen & SønLocated in Philadelphia, PAHans Wegner for Carl Hansen CH468 Oculus Lounge Chair in like new Condition! Was used in a show house basically for a photo shoot. Very clean condition in a gray fabric. Stainless...Category
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Danish Angle Arm Upholstered SofaBy Arne VodderLocated in Philadelphia, PADanish Angle Armed 96" Long Sofa. Newly upholstered in a cream fabric with threads of reds and tans. Even Armed Design perfect for unobstructed views! Very comfortable with a cozy...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
- Finn Juhl Jupiter Leather 3-Seat SofaBy Finn JuhlLocated in Philadelphia, PAFinn Juhl Jupiter 3 seat brown leather sofa. Shows beautiful Patina and wear! One seat cushion has tear in leather in front as seen in photos, everyt...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Florence Knoll Parallel Bar Sofa for KnollBy Florence Knoll, KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAFlorence Knoll Parallel Bar Armed Sofa. Newly reupholstered in a great weave fabric in shades of red, gray and purple. Very solid and subst...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsStainless Steel, Metal
- Tubular Chrome and Glass Sofa TableBy Milo BaughmanLocated in Philadelphia, PATubular Chrome Sofa Table with slightly recessed glass top. Nice scale, perfect to use with a Sofa or in front of a window! Chrome is pretty clean, one leg shows...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofa Tables
MaterialsChrome
- Hans J. Wegner “Cigar Sofa” GE 240By GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Oakland, CAClassic Cigar sofa designed by Hans J. Wegner in oak. Reupholstered in a Kvadrat textile with velvet welt. Three seats. Beautiful frame in solid oak with original finish, made in Den...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsTextile, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMABy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Buffalo, NYThe perfect New York sofa and guest bed, and one of the finest daybed designs of the era. The model GE6 Daybed designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA. This brillia...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Daybeds
MaterialsMetal
- Hans J. Wegner GE6 Daybed Sofa for GETAMABy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYThe perfect New York sofa and guest bed, and one of the finest daybed designs of the era. The model GE6 Daybed designed by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA. This brillia...Category
Vintage 1950s Scandinavian Modern Daybeds
MaterialsTeak
- Hans Wegner GE-240 SofaBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Shibuya-ku, 13Hans J. Wegner. He is said to have designed more than 500 chairs during his lifetime and was one of the most influential masters in the history of Danish furniture design. The GETAMA...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Oak
- Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA Model GE-290 SofaBy GETAMA, Hans J. WegnerLocated in Norwalk, CTTranscend time with this resplendent Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA Model GE-290 Sofa—a beacon of 1960s Danish design and a testament to understated elegance. Craf...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsBeech
- Oak GE-236 Sofa by Hans Wegner for GetamaBy Hans J. Wegner, GETAMALocated in VANCOUVER, CAOak mid-century "GE-236" sofa by Hans Wegner for Getama circa 1960's. Much loved Danish four seat sofa with original sprung cushions on seat and backrest. Cozy upholstered arms too, ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Oak
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Design Icon Ilse Crawford on Her Colorful New Hans Wegner Chairs
If anyone is brave, humble and adept enough to recolor these mid-century masterpieces, it’s Ilse Crawford. Here, she gives us the details on her five earthy paint choices and tells us how she feels about design collaborations.