Chair Collector Noritsugu Oda

Chair Collector Noritsugu Oda

Noritsugu Oda has one of the world’s most remarkable collections of 20th century vintage chairs. He fell in love with the furniture designs of northern Europe and has collected more than 700 Danish chairs, in which many are rare and one-of-a-kind pieces. The designers he craves most are hans Wegner and Finn Juhl. I would share these likes.

All in All his collection counts over 1,400 chairs. Probably the biggest single collection of chairs.

I the timeline about Finn Juhl at the House of Finn Juhl website I came across Noritsuga Oda.


In his Chieftain chair is Finn Juhl and left of him a much younger Noritsugu Oda.

In the early-80s Finn Juhl also meets the Japanse illustrator, furniture collector and professor, Noritsugu Oda. The two hit it off immediately and become friends.

Oda has published multiple works about Danish furniture design as well as amassed a unique collection of furniture tallying more than 1,200 chairs, predominantly Danish. After the meeting Oda always visits Finn Juhl whenever he travels to Denmark.

Professor Noritsugu Oda is once again visiting Denmark. He has arranged a meeting with his friend Finn Juhl but is met with sad news as he steps off the plane. Hanne Wilhelm Hansen calls him to share the news of Finn Juhl’s passing earlier in the day. Finn Juhl passes away on May 17th, 1989. Despite the passing, Hanne Wilhelm Hansen invites Oda to the residence at Kratvænget.

This visit will prove vital to the spread of awareness regarding Finn Juhl’s furniture and accomplishments. Noritsugu Oda decides to host a commemorative exhibition in Finn Juhl’s honor the following year in Japan. The exhibition receives donations from around the globe and Oda succeeds in putting together a collection of pieces that represents Finn Juhl’s life’s work.

The exhibition is on display in Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo and Asahikawa. It is met with immense interest from the Japanese audience.

Finn Juhl lives just long enough to experience the early rejuvenation of interest that many of his pieces have enjoyed since.

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Chairs!
gje