FUR-077 — Verner Panton — "Pantonova" Chrome Wire Dining Chair for Fritz Hansen, Denmark, c.1971

An original Verner Panton "Pantonova" dining chair, produced by Fritz Hansen, Denmark, circa 1971 — one of the most sculpturally ambitious and collectible chair designs of the 20th century.

Verner Panton (Danish, 1926–1998) was among the most visionary and radical furniture designers of the postwar era. Trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under lighting master Poul Henningsen, and later working in the office of Arne Jacobsen, Panton broke dramatically from Scandinavian modernist tradition to pursue a bold, space-age aesthetic defined by new materials, fluid forms, and an exuberant Pop sensibility. He is perhaps best known for the cantilever S-chair (1960) — the first single-material, single-form injection-molded plastic chair — but his Pantonova system, introduced in 1971 and manufactured by Fritz Hansen, is among his most technically and visually daring achievements.

The Pantonova system was designed as a complete, modular chrome wire furniture environment — dining chairs, lounge chairs, chaises, tables, sofas, planters, and cube stools — all constructed from parallel chrome-plated steel wire rods that give the pieces their characteristic open, linear silhouette. The system was originally developed for the legendary Varna Restaurant in Aarhus, Denmark, and quickly became one of the definitive expressions of early 1970s design optimism. Individual pieces and complete sets are now actively collected worldwide.

This dining chair features the Pantonova's signature parallel chrome wire construction with the convex seat and back form characteristic of the dining chair configuration. Fritz Hansen manufacturer's markings should be present.

• Designer: Verner Panton (Danish, 1926–1998)
• Manufacturer: Fritz Hansen, Denmark
• Series: Pantonova
• Design Year: 1971
• Materials: Chrome-plated steel wire
• Dimensions: Approx. 26" H × 31" W × 26" D
• Condition: Good vintage condition; minor wear to chrome consistent with age and use
• Source: Joshua Kodner Galleries, Dania Beach, FL
• Auction Date: January 6, 2024
• Lot Number: 315