The letter Y in our festive A-Zdvent calendar is represented by Hans J Wegner's CH24 chair, which is also known as the Y Chair because of its characteristically shaped back.

The CH24 chair was created by the legendary Danish designer for furniture company Carl Hansen & Søn in 1949. It has been in continuous production since it was launched in 1950 and is one of the best-known of the more than 500 chairs Wegner designed prior to his death in 2007.

The design is also referred to as the Wishbone Chair because the Y-shaped support that connects the seat with the curved arm and back rest resembles a wishbone.

"The Wishbone Chair is perhaps Wegner's most celebrated work," claims its manufacturer. "A light, attractive and comfortable dining chair with the characteristic Y-shaped back, the chair is a triumph of craftsmanship with a simple design and clean lines."

Wegner is known as one of the key exponents of the Danish Modern movement, which aimed to combine traditional furniture craftsmanship with ergonomic and elegant forms. In 1952 he said: "If only you could design just one good chair in your life... But you simply cannot."

The CH24 is one of several products that Wegner developed based on research into classical Chinese Emperor's thrones, and epitomises the designer's passion for natural materials and skilled joinery.

The chair's production involves over 100 different steps, including the hand-weaving of the seat from more than 120 metres of paper cord.

This year marked the 100th anniversary of Wegner's birth, which prompted a retrospective exhibition at Copenhagen's design museum.

Several manufacturers also released new editions of some of Wegner's furniture designs this year. Carl Hansen & Søn put one his previously unreleased chairs into production and switched its company logo back to one originally designed by Wegner in 1950.

British designer Paul Smith applied his signature stripy fabrics to several of Wegner's iconic designs, while Danish furniture brand PP Møbler also launched several pieces that had never before been in production.

Dezeen is publishing an A to Z of iconic chairs to count down the days until Christmas. Catch up with the list so far »