The 44 Chair | Finn Juhl | 1944
Finn Juhl’s exclusive 44 Chair, also known as the Bone Chair, is a coveted collector’s item that has achieved cult status in the design world. Designed in collaboration with master cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, the chair was first presented at the Cabinetmakers’ Exhibition in 1944, where the duo pushed the boundaries of wood as a material. Produced exclusively in limited series using select wood types, each chair is individually numbered and accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity. Follow our channels to stay informed about potential future releases.
The 44 Chair | Finn Juhl | 1944
Finn Juhl’s exclusive 44 Chair, also known as the Bone Chair, is a coveted collector’s item that has achieved cult status in the design world. Designed in collaboration with master cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, the chair was first presented at the Cabinetmakers’ Exhibition in 1944, where the duo pushed the boundaries of wood as a material. Produced exclusively in limited series using select wood types, each chair is individually numbered and accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity. Follow our channels to stay informed about potential future releases.
Please note that the versions shown here represent only a selection of the many available options. For a complete overview of colors and materials, please explore the material page.
Wood Type
-
Walnut
-
Untreated Oak
Upholstery
Leather
-
Elegance Black
-
Vegetal Nature
Product information
- Design:
- Finn Juhl
- Year:
-
1944
- Materials:
-
Oak or walnut
- Upholstery:
- Leather
- Model and dimensions:
- FJ 4400
- W: 61 cm | D: 52 cm | H: 74 cm
- Seat height: 47 cm
Download files
The 44 Chair in walnut with 'Vegetal' leather upholstery in the colour '90'.
From Exhibition to Icon
The Complicated Favorite
Together with master cabinetmaker Niels Vodder, Finn Juhl presented the 44 Chair at the Cabinetmakers' Guild Exhibition in 1944. The pair pushed the boundaries of what was possible with wood as the primary material. The chair, later nicknamed the Bone Chair, was originally crafted from Cuban mahogany, with only 12 pieces produced.
Although Finn Juhl did not keep one for himself at the time, he remedied this 30 years later by acquiring two from an original buyer. Upon doing so, he remarked that the chair had become a classic – and, above all, his personal favorite.
With the 44 Chair, Finn Juhl shaped wood into a fluid, organic form that evoked the structure of bone, earning it its distinctive nickname. In 1944, he described the chair's appearance as having "an animalistic pleasing character."
Like nature's own constructions, the chair makes full use of the material's strength, distributing mass precisely where it is needed most. This becomes strikingly apparent when studying the chair up close.
" In 2023, 100 chairs were produced and sold exclusively through official Finn Juhl retailers worldwide. Following this release, no new series will be made available for at least three years. "
The 44 Chair in walnut with 'Vegetal' leather upholstery in the colour '90'.
Uncompromising Craftmanship
The Making of a Masterpiece
The frame for Finn Juhl's most complex design is crafted by House of Finn Juhl's Japanese partner and subsequently upholstered by hand in Denmark. At the joinery in Yamagata, Japan, the frame is produced by master cabinetmakers who possess an exceptional understanding of the wood's potential and limitations.
When working on the large, solid back piece of the chair, careful pauses and proper drying time are just as vital as the precise handwork. Shaping such a complex form demands uncompromising craftsmanship, where the tension and structural load of the material must be constantly monitored.
Although this exclusive chair has never been in continuous production, House of Finn Juhl has previously released limited series on special occasions. Today, these rare pieces command high prices at auctions around the world.
Finn Juhl's original drawing of the 44 Chair.
One of the original 44 Chairs photographed in Finn Juhl's own house in Ordrup, north of Copenhagen.
The original poster from the retrospective exhibition at what is now Designmuseum Danmark, known at the time as Kunstindustrimuseet. The exhibition highlighted, among Finn Juhl's other pieces, the sculptural chair from 1944.
