Mid-Century Balloon Chair by Hans Olsen for Lea Design, 1960s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

The Balloon Chair was designed in the 1960s by Hans Olsen for Lea Design. The furniture has been professionally and carefully restored consisting in replacing the upholstery with a new one made of natural mustard-colored leather. Solid teak armrests have been cleaned of old coatings and finished with Danish Oil. The metal frame has been painted black again.

Click here for full description Close description

Creator	Hans Olsen
Design Period	1960 to 1969
Production Period	1960 to 1969
Country of Manufacture	Denmark
Identifying Marks	This piece has been attributed based on archival documentation, such as vintage catalogs, designer records, or other literature sources
Style	Danish Design, Vintage, Mid-Century, Scandinavian Modern, Minimalist, Modernist
Detailed Condition	Restored — This vintage/antique item is in very good condition because it has been refreshed through new upholstery and/or refinishing.
Restoration and Damage Details	Reupholstered, Partially restored
Product Code	LOT-1989360
Materials	Leather, Metal, Teak
Color	Black, brown, yellow
Width	78 cm 78 cm
Depth	65 cm 65 cm
Height	67 cm 67 cm
Seat Height	37 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Poland
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Hans Olsen

Industrial designer and architect Hans Olsen was born in Denmark in 1919. He began his career as a cabinetmaker, but, at the age of thirty, he decided to attend the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Art (Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi), where he studied architecture under esteemed architect-designer Kaare Klint (1888-1954) from 1941 to 1943. Under Klint’s instruction, Olsen focused on principles of ergonomics and anthropometry (the study of human body measurements), while cultivating his expertise in materials and traditional craftsmanship.

While many his Danish contemporaries—such as Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjærholm, Børge Mogensen, and Hans Wegner—embraced the “Klint School” of modernism, Olsen was particularly eager to experiment with design and material choices in effort to achieve maximum comfort. Olsen had an affinity for bent laminated wood, which engendered designs with a great freedom of form, both sturdy and lightweight

In 1953, Olsen opened his own studio and began actively presenting his furniture at the annual Cabinetmakers Guild exhibitions in Copenhagen. This exposure brought Olsen a great deal of work with Danish manufacturers, including Bramin Møbel, C/S Furniture, Frem Røjle, Juul Kristensen, N.A. Jørgensen, and Verner Birksholm.

Olsen’s first successful design was the Roundette Dining Set (1952) for Frem Røjle Møbelfabrik. The compact, teak and leather design was an achievement in form and function, as the chair backs seamlessly tuck under the tabletop. Other standout designs from Olsen include the Shell Chair (1955), Easy Chair (1955), Fried Egg Chair (1956), the modular TV-bench (1956), CS500 Series (1962), Model 532A Rocking Chair (1963), and the Bikini Chair (1968)—iconic for its futuristic silhouette. Olsen’s Frederik the 9th Chair (1964)—named after Danish King Frederik VII, who apparently preferred sitting backwards—won the A.I.D gold medal in 1965.

Olsen passed away in 1992. Though Olsen is lesser known than his Danish modern contemporaries, his prolific career and distinctive designs have attracted renewed interest in recent years.