Hans J. Wegner’s Papa Bear Chair, designed in 1951, is today produced in differing specifications by more than one manufacturer. Two versions frequently compared are PP Møbler’s PP19 and the Papa Bear Chair made by the American company MODERNICA.
Although they appear similar at first glance, their production backgrounds, upholstery structures, materials and exposed wooden details differ clearly. This study organizes those differences using information published by the manufacturers together with observations of the physical details.
PP Møbler’s PP19
PP Møbler’s official information presents PP19 as the Papa Bear Chair designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1951. PP Møbler began making frames for this chair for AP Stolen in 1953, making the Papa Bear Chair an important early point in the long collaboration between Wegner and PP Møbler.
The present PP19 is built on a solid-wood frame and shaped through layers of natural materials including cotton, palm leaves, flax fibre and horsehair. The back uses metal springs in combination with jute webbing to tune the support. PP Møbler states that a chair requires at least about two weeks to make, reflecting the extensive handwork involved in both cabinetmaking and upholstery.
MODERNICA’s Papa Bear Chair
Los Angeles-based MODERNICA also manufactures a Papa Bear Chair. The company presents it as a Hans Wegner design and manufactures it in its California factory.
MODERNICA describes its production as using traditional construction, while specifying American-made high-density foam for the upholstery. North American walnut or maple is offered for the legs and exposed arm ends. A broad selection of fabrics and leathers is available, and chairs are made to order.
PP19 and MODERNICA: Key Differences
| PP19 | MODERNICA | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | PP Møbler | MODERNICA |
| Production | Denmark | California, USA |
| Historical relationship | Involved in frame production for AP Stolen from 1953 | Currently produced through its own production system |
| Upholstery | Layered natural materials with springs | High-density foam |
| Main exposed woods | Oak, ash, cherry, walnut and others | Walnut or maple |
| Production method | Extensive handwork in woodworking and upholstery | Made to order in its California factory |
The largest difference lies inside rather than in the outline. PP19 combines natural filling materials and springs, with the upholsterer building the form layer by layer. MODERNICA uses high-density foam as a principal upholstery material.
This is more than a material difference. It reflects different approaches to how the chair’s form is created and how it may change through long-term use.
Internal Structure and Upholstery
In PP19, plant fibres such as palm leaves establish the basic form, over which horsehair and cotton are layered. Coil springs are used in the back, and the final shape is adjusted as the buttons are drawn in. Support is created by combining the inherent resilience and firmness of different materials.
MODERNICA explicitly states that it uses high-density foam. Foam makes it comparatively straightforward to create a uniform form and maintain a stable product silhouette. Thus, even when two chairs look similar, the materials and structures supporting their shapes are not the same.
Arm Ends and Exposed Wood
The exposed wood at the ends of the arms is one of the Papa Bear Chair’s signature details, evoking a bear’s forepaws. It is also an important element in the chair’s overall visual identity.
Depending on specification, PP19 uses woods including oak, ash, cherry and walnut. MODERNICA offers walnut or maple. Beyond species, the carving of these pieces and the junction between wood and upholstery reveal characteristics of each maker’s production.
Differences in Form
Viewed from the front or at an angle, differences can be perceived in the rise of the back, the spread of the wings, the thickness of the seat and the volume around the arms. Photographs, however, vary with camera angle and upholstery, so photographic appearance does not necessarily correspond directly to dimensional differences in the physical chairs.
The differences also appear in the internal structure and materials. The Papa Bear Chair’s silhouette is created by the frame and upholstery beneath its surface, so differences in method can also influence the final form.
Two Products Sharing the Papa Bear Chair Design
PP Møbler’s PP19 and MODERNICA’s Papa Bear Chair both begin from Wegner’s 1951 design, but their current manufacturers, materials, upholstery structures and production processes differ. Their appearance is similar, but the two chairs are manufactured to different specifications.
PP19 is connected to PP Møbler’s history of making frames for AP Stolen from 1953. MODERNICA, meanwhile, produces its Papa Bear Chair to its own specification in California. Comparing them shows how the same design can take shape through different manufacturing approaches.
Related Articles
Papa Bear Chair Comparison | Vintage AP-Stolen, Current PP Møbler, and Modernica Reproduction Models
AP19 (PP19) Papa Bear Chair
Hans J. Wegner
PP Møbler