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Quick Answer:
- This natural-ash woven chair pair is the best overall.
- This black woven chair is the best single-chair value.
- This black woven chair set of four is the best value for a full table.
- This natural-ash paper-cord pair is the closest match to the CH24 proportions.
- This oak woven chair is the best warm single.
Hans Wegner’s authentic CH24 Wishbone Chair is the 1949 Danish icon with a curved top rail, Y-shaped back, and handwoven paper-cord seat, now starting around $860 per chair. The alternatives below preserve those defining details for a fraction of the cost.
| Chair | Finish | Pack | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| VODUR Black Ash SingleShop on Amazon | Black ash | Single | $159.99 |
| Polynices Black Set of 4Shop on Amazon | Black frame, natural woven seat | Set of 4 | $559.99 |
| POLY & BARK WeaveShop on Amazon | Oak | Single | $176.99 |
| Polynices Natural PairShop on Amazon | Natural ash | Set of 2 | $289.99 |
| VODUR Natural PairShop on Amazon | Natural ash | Set of 2 | $319.99 |
Amazon prices and availability shown are as of Oct 23, 7:11 PM ET, or the last recorded check for a listing Amazon is not currently pricing, and can change; the price on Amazon at checkout applies.
The Original: Carl Hansen CH24 Wishbone Chair
Hans Wegner designed the CH24 for Carl Hansen and Son in 1949, and the same workshop still makes it: a steam-bent top rail that curves into the arms, the Y-shaped back splat that gives the chair its name, and a seat of about 120 meters of paper cord woven by hand. It comes in oak, beech, ash, walnut, and painted finishes, and the authentic chair starts around $860 each. The alternatives below keep those three defining details for a fraction of the cost.
The Alternatives
Curved wood frames and woven seats that preserve the CH24's easy silhouette for less.
VODUR Wishbone Chairs, Set of 2, Solid Ash in Natural
The closest thing here to the original's specification, bought two at a time. Solid ash in a pale natural finish with a handwoven paper cord seat, joined with mortise and tenon joinery rather than hardware, rated to 300 pounds and shipped fully assembled. Paper cord is what the real CH24 uses, and it is the detail that decides whether the seat looks woven or moulded. Best for doing the whole table in one order, buyers who care that the joinery and the cord match the original, pale minimal dining rooms.
Shop the VODUR PairThe Dark Finishes
Two black framed takes: an all black single in ash, and a fully assembled set of four whose natural cord seat reads bright against the dark frame.
VODUR Wishbone Chair in Black Ash with Paper-Cord Seat
The darkest reading of the shape and an easy way to buy it one chair at a time. Solid ash, mortise-and-tenon joinery, a curved top rail, the defining Y-back, and a handwoven kraft paper-cord seat keep the construction honest. The listing measures 28.8 inches high, 20.2 inches wide, and 18.1 inches deep, with a 300-pound capacity.
Best For
Dining rooms that want the silhouette without the pale wood, mixing one dark chair into a lighter set, small kitchens where a single chair is the whole purchase
Pairs Well With
A pale oak or white table for contrast, a cowhide or jute rug, brass pendant lighting
Polynices Wishbone Chairs, Set of 4, Black Frame with Natural Cord
The contrast version, and the easiest way to seat a whole table at once. A black frame carries a natural cord seat, so the weave reads as a pale stripe across a dark chair rather than disappearing into it. They are solid ash with mortise-and-tenon joinery and arrive fully assembled, which matters more than it sounds with this shape: the Y splat and curved rail are the parts a flat pack gets wrong.
Best For
Filling four seats at once, rooms that want the dark frame but not an all black chair, anyone who would rather not assemble a curved chair
Pairs Well With
A white or marble topped table, a warm toned rug to pick up the cord seat, green or teal cabinetry nearby
The Warm and Natural Finishes
Two more light-wood options: a warm oak single and a natural-ash pair with paper cord.
POLY & BARK Weave Dining Chair in Oak
The recognizable name in the group, in a warm oak tone. POLY & BARK builds the Weave from solid wood with a tightly handwoven seat, a gently arched top rail that curves into the arms, and the open Y back, and it arrives fully assembled. The oak finish sits between the pale ash and the black picks, so it warms a medium wood table without going dark.
Best For
Mid century and organic modern rooms, buyers who want a brand they recognize, adding single chairs to an existing table over time
Pairs Well With
A walnut or medium oak table, exposed brick, botanical prints in light wood frames
Polynices Wishbone Chairs, Set of 2, Solid Ash in Natural
The second natural ash pair, and the one that gets the numbers right. Solid ash with mortise and tenon joinery, a handwoven kraft paper cord seat, a 17 inch seat height and 28.8 inches overall, which is close to the CH24's own proportions. Both chairs arrive fully assembled and rated to 300 pounds, so a table for four is two boxes away.
Best For
Scandinavian and organic modern rooms, filling a table in one order, anyone comparing paper cord to paper cord
Pairs Well With
A light oak table, a jute or seagrass rug, white walls, black accents to sharpen the pale wood
Wishbone Chair Matchups: Which CH24 Alternative Wins in 2026?
VODUR vs. Polynices: which natural ash pair is closer to the CH24?
Both use solid ash, paper cord, and mortise and tenon joinery; the Polynices publishes proportions closest to the original. The VODUR pair is the pick with the longer track record, rated to 300 pounds and shipped assembled. The Polynices pair matches its materials and adds a 17 inch seat height and 28.8 inches overall, which is close to the CH24’s own numbers. If the two are priced within a few dollars, choose the finish that works best with your table.
VODUR black vs. Polynices black set: one chair or four?
Buy the VODUR to add one chair at a time; buy the Polynices set when you need to seat a whole table now. The VODUR black ash uses solid ash, mortise-and-tenon joinery, and a handwoven paper-cord seat, so it works as a desk chair or a single dining seat without diluting the CH24 idea. The Polynices set puts a natural cord seat on a black frame and arrives fully assembled, which is useful when you need four matching chairs at once.
POLY & BARK Weave vs. the ash pairs: is the oak single worth it?
The Weave is the one to take when you want a warmer tone and a brand you recognize. The POLY & BARK Weave sits between the pale ash and the black chairs with an oak finish, a tightly handwoven seat, and a name that answers the phone. Its top rail arches more gently than the CH24’s, so purists will prefer the VODUR or Polynices. Around a medium wood table, the Weave is the one that looks like it belongs.
Living with a wishbone chair
Match the finish to the table, not the floor. The chair is the lighter object in the pairing, so it reads as trim around the table. Pale ash against a blond or white table gives the airy Scandinavian look; oak warms a medium wood table; black is the one that works when the table is already pale and the room needs an outline.
Decide about the seat before you order. A handwoven cord seat is firm and slightly springy, and it is what makes the chair look right. It is not a soft seat. A tie on pad works on any of them if you find the cord too firm for long meals.
Collect, or commit. Sets cost less per seat, arrive matched, and all three sets here ship fully assembled, which is worth paying for on a chair whose whole appeal is curved joinery. Singles let a table grow slowly, and mixing a black chair or two into a natural set is a designer’s trick, not a compromise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Wishbone chair alternative?+
Why do all the Wishbone alternatives look the same?+
Are paper cord seats comfortable?+
Should I buy singles or a set?+
How do I care for a woven cord seat?+
What table height suits these chairs?+
The Bottom Line
Furnishing a whole table in one order, buy the VODUR pair or the Polynices pair in natural ash, the closest matches to the original’s materials, or the Polynices black set of four if the black frame suits the room better and the budget matters more. Buying one chair at a time, the VODUR black ash single is the value pick, and the POLY & BARK Weave in oak is the one to take when you want a warmer tone and a name you recognize behind the chair.
A Wishbone chair wants the right table under it, and a farmhouse extending table is the other end of that spectrum: see our Pottery Barn Benchwright alternatives. For the other Danish and mid century icons worth knowing, our Eames lounge chair alternatives cover the lounge end of the room.
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