Provenance
Private collection, Denmark
Private collection, New York
Literature
“Reclining Chairs,” Arts & Architecture, November 1951, p. 30
Grete Jalk, ed., Dansk Møbelkunst gennem 40 aar, Volume 3: 1947-1956, Copenhagen, 1987, p. 142
Noritsugu Oda, Hans J Wegner's 100 Chairs, Tokyo, 2002, pp. 42-43
Christian Holmsted Olesen, Wegner: just one good chair, exh. cat., Design Museum Denmark, 2014, p. 184
Catalogue Essay
Building on the rational perfection and elegance of his iconic 1949 folding chair design, Hans J. Wegner infused a deep sense of playfulness into his "Dolphin" lounge chair of 1950. This rare chair (only four are known) conveys movement and energy—here specifically the lyricism and speed of a dolphin in water—culminating in the sculptural carved cantilevered armrests that boldly project forward motion. In its modernist beauty and superb craftsmanship, the Dolphin is a poetic example of the fruitful collaboration of the youthful Wegner and the esteemed Copenhagen cabinet maker Johannes Hansen. And it stands out as a clear and profound expression of the designer's career-long, deeply-felt humanist interest in furniture’s adaptability to human forms and needs, in this case the modern capacity to transform for transport.

Hans J. Wegner

Rare short "Dolphin" folding armchair, model no. JH510

1950
Oak, cane, brass.
38 1/2 x 28 1/2 x 34 3/4 in. (97.8 x 72.4 x 88.3 cm)
Executed by cabinetmaker Johannes Hansen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Estimate
$70,000 - 90,000

Sold for $87,500

Contact Specialist
Meaghan Roddy
Head of Sale
New York
+1 212 940 1266

New York Auction 15 December 2015 5pm