Ox Chair

History

Nicknamed ‘The Master of the Chair’, Hans J. Wegner designed the Ox Chair. It was his great passion for the design of chairs that eventually made Wegner a legendary figure in Danish Modernism and world-famous furniture designer. He created more than 500 chairs, many of which went into mass production.

The final prototype of the Ox Chair was introduced in 1960 and soon after it went into production. Unfortunately, the Ox Chair shared the fate of many of Wegner’s designs from that period, including the Shell Chair, the Oculus Chair and the Elbow Chair, as its production eventually stopped in 1962 being too advanced for this period. For almost three decades, the chair remained forgotten before winning enough attention and becoming commercially available.

The Ox Chair was brought back to life by the Erik Jorgensen furniture company in 1989. This furniture design classic, produced under the new brand, enjoyed instant commercial success thus finally fulfilling Wegner’s core belief; that a chair is only finished when somebody actually sits in it.

Design

The form of the chair is sophisticated and rather unusual, yet modern and pure. Its design embodies its creator’s famous credo: “A chair should have no rear view. It should be beautiful from all sides and angles." Indeed, the chair with its famously organic shape is very appealing and futuristic from any angle. Its shell is made from multiple birch wood components, which are connected with dowels. The frame is then buffed for a smooth, seamless finish. The sophisticated manufacturing techniques, including wood bending and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) routing, utilized in the production, highlight very clearly why the chair’s production was impossible with the technology available in the 1960’s.

The EJ100 Chair’s most distinctive feature is its generous headrest, which bears a resemblance to the horns of an ox. Hence the chair’s name – “The Ox Chair”. Its sloping arm rests and generous back rest give the chair its regal, throne-like masculine appeal. Its form allows a user to assume a multitude of different positions. The high level of comfort can be attributed to the high-density urethane foam, which is then covered in a supple, high-quality leather in a wide variety of colours. The chair leans slightly backwards, hinting at its relax, lounge nature. The Ox Chair rests on a slanted stainless steel brushed frame made of welded circular tubes. The base adds visual lightness and provides a balanced contrast to the capacious seat. In order to reach the absolute heights of comfort and relaxation, customers can combine the Ox Chair with the matching ottoman.

Although the chair looks like a masterpiece of modern art, it is fully functional and very comfortable. Its cutting-edge futuristic design, combined with the impeccable quality of craftsmanship, has earned the chair a very special place in the history of interior design. This timeless piece of furniture still looks extravagant and intriguing, making it a great, tasteful addition to any modern interior.

Interesting facts

• The Ox Chair is believed to have been the favourite chair of its famous creator, Hans J. Wegner. The EJ100 was used to furnish the living room of Wegner’s house. This shows how truly special the Ox Chair is, as it was picked as the favourite from among more than 500 extraordinary designs.

• The chair can be seen in the movie “Austin Powers, The Spy Who Shagged Me”.

• The Ox Chair’s complicated manufacturing process adds to the price of this unique piece of furniture. The cost of the single EJ100 Chair oscillates around astronomical L8000.