Kettelhut Chair | House of Finn Juhl

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Kettelhut Chair | Finn Juhl | 1951

The comfortable and distinctive chair with the broad, embracing armrest is known in the vintage marked as SW 86, named after its original manufacturer, Søren Willadsen Møbelfabrik in Vejen, Denmark. However, driven by international aspirations, Finn Juhl also sent the drawing of the chair to the American furniture manufacturer Baker Furniture, which in the early 1950s launched and relaunched several of Finn Juhl's designs. The new name ‘Kettelhut’ honours Mary Ellen Kettelhut, the former Vice President of Marketing at Baker Furniture and the current owner of the original watercolour drawing of the chair. The chair's frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut and is available upholstered in leather or textile.

Wood Type
Upholstery
Zero
Leather

Please note that the actual colours 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:

1951, relaunched in 2024

Materials:

Frame: Solid FSC® certified oak and American walnut

Upholstery:

Leather or textile

Model and Dimensions:

FJ 5186
W: 81 cm D: 74 cm H: 88 cm Seat heighte: 42 cm

The comfortable and distinctive chair with the broad, embracing armrest is known in the vintage marked as SW 86, named after its original manufacturer, Søren Willadsen Møbelfabrik in Vejen, Denmark. However, driven by international aspirations, Finn Juhl also sent the drawing of the chair to the American furniture manufacturer Baker Furniture, which in the early 1950s launched and relaunched several of Finn Juhl's designs. The new name ‘Kettelhut’ honours Mary Ellen Kettelhut, the former Vice President of Marketing at Baker Furniture and the current owner of the original watercolour drawing of the chair. The chair's frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut and is available upholstered in leather or textile.

Product details

Design:

Finn Juhl

Year:

1951, relaunched in 2024

Materials:

Frame: Solid FSC® certified oak and American walnut

Upholstery:

Leather or textile

Model and Dimensions:

FJ 5186
W: 81 cm D: 74 cm H: 88 cm Seat heighte: 42 cm

Background story

A Lounge Chair with International Appeal

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.

The Kettelhut Chair with the textile Zero from Kvadrat / Sahco in the colour '0001'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
SW 86 REVIVED WITH A NEW NAME

Kettelhut Today

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. With this newfound knowledge, it became clear that the chair, with its powerful and unpretentious design, deserved to be brought into the present and showcased to the world.

The Kettelhut Chair photographed with the textile Cifrado from Kvadrat / Sahco in the colour '0231'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
The Kettelhut Chair photographed with the textile Cifrado from Kvadrat / Sahco in the colour '0231'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
Detail of Kettelhut's distinctive wide armrest.
The Kettelhut Chair photographed with the textile Cifrado from Kvadrat / Sahco in the colour '0231' (right) and Zero from Kvadrat / Sahco in the colour '0001' (left). The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
The Kettelhut Chair with the leather type Elegance from Sørensen Leather in the colour 'Walnut'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
The Kettelhut Chair with the textile Zero from Kvadrat / Sahco in the colour '0001'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
The Kettelhut Chair with the leather type Elegance from Sørensen Leather in the colour 'Walnut'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
KETTELHUT

Specifications

Design: Finn Juhl
Name: Kettelhut
Year: 1951
Model: FJ 5186
Materials: Solid FSC® certified oak and American walnut
Dimensions: W: 81 cm x D: 74 cm x H: 88 cm x Sh: 42 cm

The Kettelhut Chair with the leather type Terra from Sørensen Leather in the colour 'Lime'. The wooden frame consists of a combination of solid oak and walnut.
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