Dan Swivel Chair in Bent Beechwood by Magnus Stephensen for Fritz Hansen, 1930s

Rare and important “DAN” swivel chair in beech bentwood produced at Fritz Hansen, Copenhagen in the 1930s. The chair was designed by Magnus Stephensen and is considered an icon in the history of Danish Modern design. The seat can be adjusted up and down by turning the top of the chair. Marked “FH DAN” on the underside. Good condition with all original parts and no repairs. Around 1930, the first Danish-designed chairs in steam-bent beech wood, called the DAN Chair, were brought to market. Although clearly inspired by the work of Thonet, the chairs were distinctly Scandinavian with cleaner lines and a lighter, more functional expression. Steam-bending wood is an economical and ecological production technique with a rich heritage. The pursuit of the steam-bending technique was game changing; not only for Fritz Hansen, but for the furniture industry at-large. The grandson of the founder of the Fritz Hansen designed a DAN chair for the company in 1930 – a rationalisation and simplification of the Café Chair – and then architect Magnus Stephensen designed the dining chair “Model 234” that combined a bent-wood frame with a more comfortable shaped and curved backrest in wood. This was also produced as a swivel chair for offices. DAN was a general term used for these chairs in steam-bent beech. The DAN Chair remains a highly important link in furniture production innovation, and for Danish design.