Pelican Chair

Design  Finn Juhl
Manufacturer  House of Finn Juhl
Made in  Denmark
Dimensions  H 68cm x W 85cm x D 76cm
Colour & Materiality Legs: Walnut, oak, black stained; Upholstery: Textile, Sheepskin or leather

In no other design of his is Finn Juhl’s fascination for surrealism more apparent than in the Pelican Chair. Out of all of his many designs, the Pelican Chair was probably the one furthest ahead of its time. When it was presented at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1940, it stood out with its unusual shape and sturdy legs.

Finn Juhl normally named his furniture numbers after the year in which they were designed, but over time the nickname "Pelican" stuck to the chair. Very few were manufactured and the chair was almost forgotten until we rediscovered and relaunched the chair in 2001.

The characteristic soft and organic shape is almost like a body holding a body. When you sit down, the chair practically gives you a friendly hug. Like many of Finn Juhl’s later designs, the chair offers several comfortable ways to sit.

The Pelican Chair is produced in two versions - with or without buttons. It is manufactured with a cushion and upholstered by hand in fabric or leather. The legs are available in oak, walnut and black painted.

As one of the leading figures in twentieth century furniture design, Finn Juhl is responsible for introducing North America to the Danish Modern movement through his work on the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Originally trained as an architect, he began creating furniture for himself in the 1930's and soon gained widespread recognition for his organic forms and expressive treatment of wood, often taking the material past the limits of what was thought possible. Thinking with the mindset of a sculptor, his ambition was to design furniture with movement and life.