Contemporan

The founder and first-generation owner, Carl Hansen, was a master cabinetmaker who made furniture to order as well as in small series. He opened his first workshop in Odense, Denmark, on October 28, 1908.

The company entered a second generation of growth when the founder’s son, Holger Hansen, took over the reins from his father. A master cabinetmaker himself, Holger Hansen understood the making of quality furniture from the ground up. He was also quick to discover a new breed of young Danish furniture designers that were coming onto the scene after WWII – including the then relatively unknown Hans J. Wegner.

The cooperation between Carl Hansen & Son and Hans J. Wegner began in 1949. Wegner, who trained as a master cabinetmaker before he became a designer, worked closely with Holger Hansen and his team of craftsmen to find a way to bring Wegner’s daring designs into series production. The first models, including the legendary CH_24, “The Wishbone Chair”, were introduced in 1950.

Since then Carl Hansen & Son have crafted a wide range of other Wegner chairs and tables. Many of these have achieved status of as collectors’ items and design icons in their own right.

Today, Carl Hansen & Son is led by Knud Erik Hansen, grandson of the founder. The third-generation company now produces these enduring designs in a new, dedicated facility according to the strictest quality and environmental standards, with exports throughout the world.