CH46 Chair by Carl Hansen & Son

The CH46 armchair is a good example of how Hans J. Wegner often used the same design idea in furniture with different functions.

Classic chair design showing quality craftsmanship

Hans J. Wegner's CH46 chair is simple and functional, but, at the same time, also elegant. One senses that Wegner could be inspired by the simple chairs of Southern Europe and the American Shaker movement, but he has personalized his inspiration.Ergonomics was an essential consideration for Wegner in his designs. Careful coordination between slopes and proportions ensured that each chair was optimally suited for the human body. The choice of curved hind legs plays an important role in the construction and balance of the chair. The rearward bending at the top ensures a comfortable incline of the backrest, while the angle of the bottom ensures that the chair cannot fall backwards. The chair seat is woven from paper cord and the two backrest bars are laminated from 3 different thicknesses of wood which are then curved into a soft but tense bow shape. At the front, the armrest has the same elegant rounding as the front leg while curving slightly upwards toward the back where it is firmly fastened between the two backrest bars. The legs and armrests have a slightly arched surface.The comfortable armrest, the good back support and the handwoven seat in paper cord, all incorporated in a timeless design, make CH46 comfortable and suitable for the dining room, conference rooms and waiting rooms. When Carl Hansen & Søn started working on CH46 in 1966, Wegner also gave them the drawing for a chair without armrests, model number CH47. CH46 and CH47 are related to Wegner's lounge chair CH44 from 1965.