Finn Juhl’s Personal Favourite Sold for DKK 610,000

The evening's prestigious "Nordic Masters" design auction in Copenhagen became a true tribute to Finn Juhl since the auction’s top 3 were all designed by the world-famous architect. The highest hammer price was achieved by the architect’s own favourite – the extremely rare “FJ 44” armchair, which was sold for DKK 610,000 (€ 107,000 including buyer’s premium). Finn Juhl’s unique “Dream Table" went for DKK 580,000 (€ 100,000 including buyer’s premium), while a pair of elegant “FJ-45” armchairs were sold for DKK 300,000 (€ 52,000 including buyer’s premium).

"It's always great when a sale turns out the way you intended, which was certainly the case this evening. At the same time, it is completely fair that Finn Juhl ended up grabbing most of the attention since it is rare to see these types of early furniture pieces by the architect on the auction market", says Peter Kjelgaard, head of the department for design and decorative art from the 20th century.

Finn Juhl’s “FJ 44” armchair and one-of-a-kind “Dream Table” came from the same summerhouse in Denmark and gave the seller a combined hammer price of DKK 1,190,000 (€ 160,000). Two pieces of furniture that the seller had not considered to be of such a significant value.

Finn Juhl's Own Favourite

The incredibly rare "FJ 44" armchair is considered one of Juhl's most important chairs, and at the same time it also marks the start of his most productive period from the mid-1940s. It is the first wooden armchair that truly incorporates his distinctive idiom, and its design stretches the art of carpentry to its furthest limits. "FJ-44" was designed for the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Exhibition in 1944 and was made by cabinetmaker Niels Vodder in only 12 examples. The example sold here is one of the few left in existence today. The chair was a personal favourite of both Finn Juhl and his wife, and therefore it still has a permanent place in the couple’s home at Kratvænget in Ordrup, which today functions as part of the Ordrupgaard art museum north of Copenhagen.

The "Dream Table"

Finn Juhl's palette-shaped coffee table in Cuban mahogany, also known as the “Dream Table”, was presented at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Exhibition at Kunstindustrimuseet in 1945. The table is certainly also one of the most sculptural and eye-catching furniture pieces that our design expert Peter Kjelgaard has ever seen from the world-famous architect. Kjelgaard was aware of the making of the table, but he did not know whether or not it still existed.

In addition to its sculptural shape, the table is painted in blue and yellow colours and is equipped with a circular inlay, a canister with a circular lid of thick, clear glass and a yellow storage compartment with a tabour lid. Cabinetmaker Niels Vodder made the table on a special order in 1945, and it is a testimony to Juhl's unique sense of form and colour, showing his connection to modern art, such as the artist Jean Arp.

Top 3: Finn Juhl

• Finn Juhl: "FJ 44". Incredibly rare armchair of Cuban mahogany. Seat upholstered with natural leather. Designed 1944. Produced 1944-1945 by cabinetmaker Niels Vodder. Sold for: DKK 610,000 (€ 107,000 including buyer’s premium).
• Finn Juhl: The "Dream Table". One-of-a-kind sculptural unique coffee table with a teak frame. Made on a special order 1945 by cabinetmaker Niels Vodder. Sold for: DKK 580,000 (€ 100,000 including buyer’s premium).
• Finn Juhl: "FJ 45". A pair of armchairs of Brazilian Rosewood. Designed in 1945. Produced in 1959 by the cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, not stamped. Sold for: DKK 300,000 (€ 52,000 including buyer’s premium).

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