Another design by Hans J. Wegner that was so complex for its time, it wasn't able to be put into production until nearly 50 years later. Wegner designed the Carl Hansen CH20 Elbow Chair in 1956 with a solid wood frame and upholstered laminate seat. The distinctive backrest, which also sticks out far enough to support arms (hence the name "Elbow Chair"), is steam bent out of a single piece of wood. Stackable up to 4 high.

When he founded his company in 1908 in Odense, Denmark, Carl Hansen was determined to prove that high-quality craftsmanship and efficient mass production could work well together. To this day, Carl Hansen & Son furniture--mostly the continually popular Danish Modern designs of the 1930s through the 1960s--is swiftly produced by hand, combining the best materials possible with traditional woodworking techniques and the latest manufacturing technologies.

Photo Courtesy of Carl Hansen & Son

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Carl Hansen & Son CH20 Elbow Chair