France Chair | House of Finn Juhl

Connect

Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to receive the latest on our products, upcoming events, and what is happening in the world of Finn Juhl.

Subscribe

The France Chair | Finn Juhl | 1956

The France Chair from 1956 was designed for the Danish company France & Son and was aimed at the American market. While understated in its expression, it is recognized for its fine details, such as the seat and back being subtly lifted from the frame, while the armrests are adorned with the iconic paper-knife detail. The chair is available in oak, smoked oak, black painted oak, or walnut with hand sewn upholstery in textile or leather.

Wood Type
Upholstery
Leather
Watercolour
Remix
321
Vidar
Hallingdal
Hallingdal beskrivelse

Please note that the actual colors and materials may vary due to image editing and differences in screen balances and settings. The versions shown are intended to serve only as examples. We kindly encourage you to view the physical material samples at our official retailers. Learn more about our materials here: material page.

Product details

Design:

Finn Juhl

Year:

1956, relaunched in 2016

Materials:

Frame: Oak, black painted oak, smoked oak or walnut

Upholstery:

Textile or leather

Model and Dimensions:

FJ 1360
W: 80 cm | D: 72 cm | H: 81 cm
Seat height: 38 cm

The France Chair from 1956 was designed for the Danish company France & Son and was aimed at the American market. While understated in its expression, it is recognized for its fine details, such as the seat and back being subtly lifted from the frame, while the armrests are adorned with the iconic paper-knife detail. The chair is available in oak, smoked oak, black painted oak, or walnut with hand sewn upholstery in textile or leather.

Product details

Design:

Finn Juhl

Year:

1956, relaunched in 2016

Materials:

Frame: Oak, black painted oak, smoked oak or walnut

Upholstery:

Textile or leather

Model and Dimensions:

FJ 1360
W: 80 cm | D: 72 cm | H: 81 cm
Seat height: 38 cm

A wave of international success

The Partnership with France & Son

Finn Juhl rode a wave of international success during the 1950s, partly due to his collaboration with the Danish furniture manufacturer France & Son. C.W.F. France, an English businessman, had moved to Denmark in 1936 to run a small mattress factory in partnership with cabinetmaker Eric Daverkosen, who passed away the following year. The company went on to achieve remarkable success during the 1950s.

By 1954, France & Daverkosen accounted for 60% of all Danish furniture exports, and at its peak, the factory employed 350 people. In 1957, the company was renamed France & Son when C.W.F. France’s son, James France, joined the business. In 1966, the company was sold to Poul Cadovius.

The France Chair in walnut with 'Prestige' leather in the colour 'Cognac’.
Designed for success

Comfortable Yet Elegant

The France Chair was designed for the American market in the late 1950s and originally delivered flat-packed as knock-down furniture – a core part of France’s successful business model in the US. Today, however, the chair is delivered fully assembled.

Though one of the few Finn Juhl chairs made for industrial production, it retains fine detailing. The seat and backrest are lifted from the frame, and the armrests feature the iconic paper knife detail found on the 45 Chair.

With its striking organic wooden frame and hand-upholstered leather or textile seat and back, the France Chair has a timeless elegance. Whether in a home office, living room, or lobby, it embodies the perfect balance of organic design and exceptional comfort.

The France Chair in walnut with 'Prestige' leather in the colour 'Cognac’.
The France Chair in smoked oak with 'Watercolour' upholstery in the colour 'Cast Iron'.
Two France Chairs as part of Finn Juhl's interior of the residence of the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington D.C. Photo: Designmuseum Danmark.
Follow us on Instagram
@houseoffinnjuhl