The Baker Sofa

There is a great story behind this sofa, which looks like an upholstered Henry Moore sculpture set on a wooden pedestal. 

It started with a profile of Danish furniture designer Finn Juhl in Interiors magazine by department store impresario Edgar Kaufmann Jr.

The article was read by Hollis S. Baker, CEO of Baker Furniture in Grand Rapids, MI who was looking to supplement his period furniture line.

Baker went to Denmark to seek out Juhl at his studio in Nyhavn, but Juhl was deeply skeptical about entering into a contract with an American furniture "factory". 

Juhl had very high production standards and believed that only Danish cabinetmakers were skilled and meticulous enough for the job. 

But after a visit to the factory in Grand Rapids, Juhl was convinced and production began. 

The Baker Sofa is a high-backed "coupe" style sofa, an extension of Juhl's other designs like the Poet Sofa and the Pelican Chair. 

The back is divided into upper and lower sections, which both lighten the design expression and provide an arm rest. 

The wing-back motif is recognizable from other designs by Juhl himself and his inspirations (vide, Henry Moore). 

Back to the story. 

Baker Furniture helped establish Juhl in America and paved the way for other Danish designers as well. And it only took three years from Kauffman's article (1948) to production (1951). 

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It benefits everyone - designer, maker, seller, consumer, blog-post writer. Maybe even you!

Although discontinued by Baker in 2001, "The Baker Sofa" is still in production by House of Finn Juhl. 

Thanks for reading.