As with many of Finn Juhl’s designs, this year’s relaunch is surrounded by a certain mystique. The chair, designed by Finn Juhl in 1951, is known in the vintage market as SW 86, named after its original Danish manufacturer, Søren Willadsen Møbelfabrik. However, driven by international aspirations, Finn Juhl also sent the drawing of the chair to the American furniture manufacturer Baker Furniture. The company launched and relaunched several of his designs in the early 1950s, but for unknown reasons, this particular chair never made it into their collection.
Now, the chair is being relaunched by House of Finn Juhl under the new name ‘Kettelhut’ at the design festival 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen. The new name honours Mary Ellen Kettelhut, the former Vice President of Marketing at Baker Furniture, who owns the original watercolour drawing that Finn Juhl sent to Baker Furniture in 1951.
When Finn Juhl sketched the chair with the characteristic, broad, and embracing armrests, he already knew it was one of the pieces he wanted to reach beyond Denmark’s borders. The chair has a distinctive design, and he explicitly noted on the drawing: “Production and sales rights abroad reserved for Finn Juhl.” This allowed him to confidently put the chair into production in Denmark while also sending the drawing of the design to Baker Furniture in Michigan, USA.
At the Danish workshop, Søren Willadsen Møbelfabrik, where Finn Juhl originally had the chair manufactured, there was a proud tradition of craftsmanship. Throughout the ’40s and ’50s, Finn Juhl had a range of furniture produced here. The SW 86 was designed during the peak of his career, a time when his work was gaining attention in Denmark, Europe, and particularly the USA, inspiring audiences with his sculptural shapes and unique approach to design. In the USA, this interest led to notable works such as the interior of the Trusteeship Council Chamber at the United Nations in New York, inaugurated in 1952, and furniture pieces like the Baker Sofa and the Cocktail Table, both inspired by American high-society parties.
In 2021, House of Finn Juhl was contacted by Mary Ellen Kettelhut, who wrote that she owned an original Finn Juhl watercolour drawing. The drawing of the SW 86 immediately captured the interest of House of Finn Juhl. Mary Ellen Kettelhut is the former Vice President of Marketing at Baker Furniture and she received the watercolour as a gift from her former employer.
Hans Henrik Sørensen, co-founder of House of Finn Juhl, recounts:
“Mary Ellen Kettelhut asked if we were interested in the watercolour as she had retired from a long career in furniture, most recently with Herman Miller. After several pleasant conversations, she decided to keep the drawing, and I promised that if we put the chair into production, we would name it after her.”
Mary Ellen Kettelhut also mentioned that there were several pieces of furniture in the pipeline at Baker Furniture that were never realised. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that House of Finn Juhl now relaunches the chair with the commanding presence and powerful, yet unpretentious expression. The chair is available to order from the official Finn Juhl retailers worldwide starting today.
The chair’s frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut and is available upholstered in leather or textile.
Design: Finn Juhl
Name: Ke2elhut
Year: 1951
Model: FJ 5186
Materials: Solid FSC® cerBfied oak and American walnut
Dimensions: W: 81 cm x D: 74 cm x H: 88 cm x Sh: 42 cm
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