Dezeen Magazine

Hans J. Wegner's CH88 chair put into production by Carl Hansen & Son

A wood and steel chair created by Danish Modernist designer Hans J. Wegner in 1955 has been put into production for the first time by furniture brand Carl Hansen & Son.

Carl Hansen and Son puts Hans J. Wegners CH88 chair into production

The CH88 was designed by Wegner almost 60 years ago and has been launched by Carl Hansen & Son to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of the designer's birth.

A slim steam-moulded wooden back support has upturned ends for resting arms, combined with an oval wood seat and a tubular steel frame.

Carl Hansen and Son puts Hans J. Wegners CH88 chair into production

"Wegner was an unsurpassed master when it came to exploring the applications and compatibility of different materials," said Carl Hansen & Son CEO Knud Erik Hansen.

"It is precisely the fusion of organic wood and industrial steel that produces a versatile chair suited to a range of different styles and settings."

Carl Hansen and Son puts Hans J. Wegners CH88 chair into production

The CH88 was first unveiled as a prototype at the H55 Exhibition in Helsingborg, Sweden, in 1955.

Carl Hansen & Son slightly tweaked the proportions of the original design to accommodate users who are taller today. The company also altered the shape of the seat so the chairs can be stacked.

Carl Hansen and Son puts Hans J. Wegners CH88 chair into production

The design is available in beech and oak, in a range of coloured finishes, and the frame comes in stainless steel, powder-coated black or plated in chrome. On display at Stockholm Furniture Fair earlier this month, the CH88 chair is due to go on sale in May.

Carl Hansen & Son recently reverted to using the logo that Wegner designed for the brand in 1950.