Along with Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen and Børge Mogensen, Finn Juhl was one of the great masters of mid-20th-century Danish design. Juhl was the first among that group to have his work promoted overseas, bringing the character of the nation’s furnishings — and the inherent principles of grace, craftsmanship and utility on which they were based — to an international audience.
A stylistic maverick, Juhl embraced expressive, free-flowing shapes in chair, credenzas and sofa designs much earlier than his colleagues, yet even his quietest pieces incorporate supple, curving forms that are at once elegant and ergonomic.
As a young man, Juhl hoped to become an art historian, but his father steered him into a more practical course of study in architecture. He began designing furniture in the late 1930s, a discipline in which, despite his education, Juhl was self-taught, and quite proud of the fact.
Juhl’s earliest works, designed in the late 1930s, are perhaps his most idiosyncratic. The influence of modern art is clear in his 1939 Pelican chair: an almost Surrealist take on the classic wing chair. Critics reviled the piece, however; one said it looked like a "tired walrus." Juhl had tempered his creativity by 1945, when the workshop of Danish cabinetmaker Niels Vodder began to issue his designs. Yet Juhl’s now-classic NV 45 armchair still demonstrates panache, with a seat that floats above the chair’s teak frame.
Juhl first exhibited his work in the United States in 1950, championed by Edgar Kaufmann Jr., an influential design critic and scion of America’s most prominent family of modern architecture and design patrons. (Kaufmann’s father commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright’s design of the house “Fallingwater.”)
Juhl quickly won a following for such signature designs as the supremely comfortable Chieftan lounge chair, the Judas table — a piece ornamented with stylish inlaid silver plaquettes — and the biomorphic Baker sofa. After an article authored by Kaufmann on Juhl and his work appeared in the U.S.-based magazine Interiors in 1948, he began receiving American commissions.
Kaufmann commissioned Juhl to create the exhibition design for, and contribute pieces to, the 1951 edition of the Good Design shows he organized for MoMA and Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. Baker Furniture asked Juhl to design for the firm, and he produced a collection of chairs, tables and cabinets, and, later, the 1957 sofa.
Scandinavian modernist seating, such as the chairs and sofas Juhl created for Baker, became immensely popular in postwar America, as the seeds of the Scandinavian style that Juhl sowed took root and spread in the United States. Juhl and his work featured prominently in the landmark show “Design from Scandinavia,” which opened in 1954 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and traveled to 24 museums in the U.S. and Canada; over three years, it was seen by more than a million people.
Juhl’s furniture — as well as his ceramics, tableware and accessories — has an air of relaxed sophistication and elegance that is unique in the realm of mid-century design.
Find vintage Finn Juhl armchairs, coffee tables, desks and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Rare sewing table by Finn Juhl
By Finn Juhl
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Rare sewing table in teak and maple on wheels from the 1950s. Finn Juhl / Bovirke.
Maple, Teak
$562Sale Price|20% Off
H 23.63 in W 23.23 in D 17.33 in
Abeautiful Coffee, Sewing and side table With A Rattan Basket 1950s, Denmark.
Located in Hannover, DE
I present to you a side table with a Rattan Basket all the way from the 1950s. This table has its origin from europe but to be specific from Denmark. This table has a drawer and a p...
Rattan, Wood, Teak
Finn Juhl Dining Table and Chairs
By Baker Furniture Company, Finn Juhl
Located in Highland, IN
This exquisite dining set by Finn Juhl was designed in 1951 and is Classic Juhl. The sculptural frames of the model FJ 51 chairs support the curved seats and backs giving them the ap...
Walnut
$4,687
H 17.33 in W 39.38 in D 39.38 in
Finn Juhl FJ-57 Teak Coffee Table, Scandinavian Modern, Denmark
By Finn Juhl, Niels Vodder
Located in Paris, FR
Rare teak coffee model table FJ-57 designed by Finn Juhl in 1957. Top made from highly figured teak wood supported by a black lacquered metal X-base frame on turned teak wood feet. ...
Metal
$69,500
H 28.25 in W 114.5 in D 47.25 in
Outstanding Finn Juhl Rosewood and Silver Inlay "Judas" Dining Table, Restored
By Niels Vodder, Finn Juhl
Located in South Bend, IN
An extremely rare and exceptional mid-century Danish Modern "Judas" extension dining table. This iconic table was designed by Finn Juhl, expertly produced by cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, and retailed by Illums Bolighus of Copenhagen, Denmark. The table features an expandable oval top in stunning book-matched Brazilian rosewood, with round silver inlays, floating on a sculptural base with tapered solid rosewood legs. Made in Denmark, circa 1950s. Branded manufacturer’s mark to underside: "Cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, Copenhagen Denmark, Design: Finn Juhl." Measures: 71"W x 47.25"D x 28.25"H. Extends up to 114.5"W with two 21.75" leaves. Professionally restored. Excellent condition. Along with Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen and Børge Mogensen, Finn Juhl was one of the great masters of mid-20th-century Danish design. Juhl was the first among that group to have his work promoted overseas, bringing the character of the nation’s furnishings — and the inherent principles of grace, craftsmanship and utility on which they were based — to an international audience. A stylistic maverick, Juhl embraced expressive, free-flowing shapes in chair and sofa designs much earlier than his colleagues, yet even his quietest pieces incorporate supple, curving forms that are at once elegant and ergonomic. Juhl quickly won a following for such signature designs as the supremely comfortable Chieftan lounge chair, the biomorphic Baker sofa, and this Judas table, ornamented with stylish inlaid silver plaquettes.
Silver
Finn Juhl Coffee Table by Baker
By Baker Furniture Company, Finn Juhl
Located in Highland, IN
A sublime shape, a wonderful large scale, and delightful details all mark this coffee table by Danish master Finn Juhl. One of the designs that Juhl created in 1951 for American manu...
Sycamore, Walnut
$28,742
H 21.66 in W 35.04 in D 21.26 in
Vintage "Eye" Coffee Table by Finn Juhl, Carl Brørup, Denmark, 1950s
By Finn Juhl
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Rare early edition “Eye” coffee table by Finn Juhl, in a kidney shape on three sculpted legs. Excellent execution, smooth wood. This iconic design was originally designed for Carl Brørup...
Teak
Table by Finn Juhl for France & Søn, 1960s
By Finn Juhl, France & Søn
Located in Brescia, IT
Teak dining table with tapered legs and two 50-cm extension leaves. Designed by Finn Juhl, with the "FD" mark from France & Søn. Denmark, 1960s. Manufactured by France & Søn in Denm...
Teak
Judas Dining Table by Finn Juhl for Niels Vodder
By Finn Juhl, Niels Vodder
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rare and superb solid wood Judas dining table by Finn Juhl. Manufactured by Niels Vodder, the table features an expandable oval top (...
Silver
$38,085
H 27.96 in W 92.52 in D 49.22 in
Finn Juhl Dining Table Model NV-56 by Niels Vodder in Denmark
By Finn Juhl
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare dining table model NV-56 designed by Finn Juhl. Produced by cabinetmaker Niels Vodder in Denmark.
Teak
$4,078
H 28.75 in W 66.93 in D 33.47 in
Dining Table in Grey Linoleum Model "Nyhavn" by designer Finn Juhl
By Finn Juhl
Located in Lejre, DK
Nyhavn Dining table designed by Finn Juhl in 1953 and produced by House of Finn Juhl in 2015. The tabletop is finished in grey linoleum with oregon pine edges, supported by orange-la...
Steel
Finn Juhl Model 524 Drop-Leaf Coffee Table by Baker 1950s
By Finn Juhl, Baker Furniture Company
Located in Highland, IN
This terrific example of Finn Juhl's unique aesthetic is also a highly functional and versatile table. The walnut top has an asymmetrical shape and a drop leaf on one side. Exquisite...
Walnut
Finn Juhl Drop Leaf Table for Baker
By Baker Furniture Company, Finn Juhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Finn Juhl walnut drop leaf table for Baker Furniture, c.1950s, USA. The asymmetrical table is a perfect height for an entryway, behind a sofa or in front of the bed. The drop leaf op...
Walnut