Carl Hansen & Søn: Tradition Without Standing Still

Some manufacturers find their way into our collection because of a particular chair or table. Others shape the collection themselves. Carl Hansen & Søn has been with holm° since the very beginning. Not only because the company produces some of the most iconic pieces of Danish design, but also because it embodies much of what first inspired our passion for Scandinavian furniture: high-quality materials, a serious commitment to craftsmanship, and designs that remain relevant long after the era in which they were created.

A Family History of Danish Design

Carl Hansen & Søn was founded in 1908 and remains a family-owned business to this day. However, it was by no means certain that this continuity would one day be taken for granted. When Holger Hansen died unexpectedly in 1962, his wife Ella took over the company. Using the proceeds from his life insurance policy, she paid off the company’s debts and ensured that operations could continue.

The collaboration, which would have a decisive impact on the company's future, had begun several years earlier. In 1949, Holger Hansen Hans J. Wegner—who at the time was still relatively unknown outside professional circles—to Carl Hansen & Søn. Together, they developed a series of chairs that would later become some of the most famous designs of Danish Modernism.

The CH24 Wishbone Chair

One of them was the CH24, better known as the Wishbone Chair. The chair has been in continuous production since 1950. More than 100 individual steps are required to manufacture it, many of which are still done by hand today. About 120 meters of paper cord are used just for the woven seat.

The craftsmanship involved is considerable. Yet the chair does not need to flaunt it. Perhaps that is precisely one of its qualities. The construction, materials, and craftsmanship are visible without drawing undue attention to themselves.