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Paul Evans Furniture

American, 1931-1987

A designer and sculptor, Paul Evans was a wild card of late 20th century modernism. A leading light of the American Studio Furniture movement, Evans’s sideboards, credenzas, coffee tables and other work manifests a singular aesthetic sense, as well as a seemingly contradictory appreciation for both folk art forms and for new materials and technologies.

Evans’s primary material was metal, not wood, which was favored by his fellow studio designers, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, neighbors George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell. He trained in metallurgy and studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, the famed crucible of modern design and art in suburban Detroit. For a time early in his career, Evans also worked at Sturbridge Village, a historical “living museum” in Massachusetts, where he gave demonstrations as a costumed silversmith.

Evans’s earliest work unites these influences. The pieces that made his reputation are known as “sculpted-front” cabinets: wood cases faced with box-like high-relief patinated steel mounts laid out in a grid pattern. Each mount contains a metal emblem, or glyph, and the effect is that of a brawny quilt.

Evans’s later work falls into three distinct style groups. His sculpted-bronze pieces, begun in the mid-1960s, show Evans at his most expressive. He employed a technique in which resin is hand-shaped, and later sprayed with a metal coating, allowing for artistic nuance in the making of chairs, tables and case pieces. Later in the decade and into the 1970s, Evans produced his Argente series for celebrated manufacturer Directional (​​a brand known to vintage mid-century modern furniture collectors everywhere): consoles and other furniture forms that feature aluminum and pigment-infused metal surfaces welded into abstract organic forms and patterns.

Last, Evans's Cityscape design series — a milestone in the history of brutalist design — meshed perfectly with the sleek, “high tech” sensibility of the later ’70s. Evans constructed boxy forms and faced them with irregular mosaic patterns that mixed rectangular plaques of chromed steel, bronze or burlwood veneer. These, like all of Paul Evans’s designs, are both useful and eye-catching. But their appeal has another, more visceral quality: these pieces have clearly been touched by an artist’s hand.

Find a collection of authentic Paul Evans furniture today on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Paul Evans
Dealer: 20CDesign.com
Paul Evans Studio Coffee Table for Directional
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Dallas, TX
Welded and patinated steel coffee table by Paul Evans Studio for Directional. Table is in excellent condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Cut Steel

Paul Evans Console for Directional Brutalist Sculpted Bronze & Glass Wall Mount
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Dallas, TX
1960s sculpted bronze wall mount console designed by Paul Evans and produced by Directional. New glass top. Original wall mount brackets.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Steel

Wall Mounted Cabinet Model PE-19 by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Wall-mounted cabinet model PE-19 designed by Paul Evans for Directional, 1965. Cabinet is in very good condition with welded steel exterior panels with slate top. The cabinet has nev...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Slate, Steel

Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Wall-Mounted Shelving Unit, First Year of Production
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Dallas, TX
Paul Evans 'Sculpted Bronze Series' wall unit acquired from the original owner who acquired it from the Directional showroom in NYC. This unit is signed PE and is dated from the very first year of production, 1969. It is in very good original condition with bronze glass shelves...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Paul Evans and Phillip Lloyd Powell Gold Leaf and Walnut Studio Cabinet, 1963
By Paul Evans, Phillip Lloyd Powell
Located in Dallas, TX
This early studio craft 23 Karat gold leafed cabinet was made as a collaboration between Paul Evans and Phillip Lloyd Powell in the mid 1960s. The upper storage compartment unlatches to reveal two adjustable felt-lined shelves. The center compartment conceals a vanity complete with three mirrors embellished with torch-cut brazed discs flanked by two vertical rows of lightbulbs. Behind the mirror is a secret hidden storage compartment. Below this feature is a drop-front laminated tray and an open storage compartment. The bottom of the cabinet boasts a bank of five hand-carved solid walnut drawers and the left side has a cut-out with a hidden outlet and a slate surface which would provide a convenient smartphone charging station...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Slate, Brass, Gold Leaf

Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Brutalist Glass Top Coffee Table for Directional 1969
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Rare and unusual coffee table from the Paul Evans "Sculpted Bronze" Series produced in the late 60s and sold through the directional showroom. The base alone measures approximate...
Category

Mid-20th Century Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Steel, Bronze

Model PE-11 Coffee Table by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Welded and patinated steel PE-11 coffee table by Paul Evans Studio for Directional, 1966. Table is in excellent original condition with a beautiful patina.
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Steel

Related Items
Cityscape coffee table by Paul Evans for Directional, circa 1970
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in View Park, CA
A « cityscape » coffee table by Paul Evans for Directional in gold, early 1970s. Glass is original and in good vintage condition w...
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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

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Metal

Paul Evans Flip Top Cityscape Bar Cabinet
By Paul Evans
Located in Chino Hills, CA
Step back in time with this authentic, vintage Paul Evans Cityscape bar cabinet from the 1970s. This striking piece combines the distinct aesthetic of Paul Evans with the practicalit...
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

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Burl

Alexander Girard & George Nelson Inc. Wall Mounted Vanity, Model 1030
By Alexander Girard, George Nelson
Located in Seattle, WA
An unusual and rare wall mounted vanity from the 1964 Herman Miller accessory line to the CSS storage system. A collaborative design by Alexander Girard...
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1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

William Watting for Fristho Wall Unit, the Netherlands 1950's
By Fristho, William Watting
Located in Amsterdam, NL
High quality wooden wall unit with brass hooks. Three cabinets and seven shelves. 7 x shelves: x cm 1x cabinet glass doors: cm (LxDxH) 1 x des...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

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Brass

Paul Evans Brutalist Sculpted Bronze Wall Mounted Disc Bar
By Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Iconic Paul Evans Brutalist sculpted bronze wall-mounted disc bar cabinet, model PE-122. Bar features two doors concealing one drawer, one cabinet wi...
Category

1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

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Bronze

Contemporary Asymmetrical Bookcase with Teak Wall Panel and Aluminum Shelving
By Tisettanta
Located in Chicago, IL
Bookcase unit to be horizontally or vertically positioned. Shelves in aluminium varnished folded sheet metal. Back panel in teak wood. Designed by Giuseppe Vigano for Tisettanta ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Plump Resin Floating Wall Console, Ian Cochran, Represented by Tuleste Factory
By Ian Cochran
Located in New York, NY
This resin console by Ian Cochran is mounted into the wall to give the piece an overall floating effect. A continuation of the Plump series of sculptural furniture. The shapes play u...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Resin

Metal Wall Mounted Shelving Unit by NVF, the Netherlands 1960's
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This stunning metal shelving unit was made by the Dutch manufacturer NVF in the 1960's. It is made out of 2 grey lacquered metal wall fixtures and 3 adjustable metal shelves in red, ...
Category

1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Metal

Mid Century Paul Evans Cityscape Floating Shelf or Console Table Chrome & Brass
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An incredible design, a cityscape wall shelf designed by Paul Evans in the 1970's. The set features Fine heavy construction with brass & chrome clad patchwork design. Includes two L ...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Brass, Chrome

1970s, Paul Evans Studio for Directional Cityscape Executive Desk
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage 1970s Paul Evans Studio for Directional, Cityscape executive desk in maple burl veneer, chrome plated steel and a rare bullno...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Paul Evans Monumental Sculpted Bronze and Glass Coffee Table, Signed, 1974
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Paul Evans (1931–1987) A sculptural brutalist coffee table by Studio Craft Movement leader Paul Evans, in bronze. The architectural base —comprised of textural interlocking facets v...
Category

1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Danish Mid Century Wall Unit with 8 Shelves, circa 1950 - 1960s
By Cado, Poul Cadovius
Located in New York, NY
Chic architectural wall unit having eight shelves, 5 smaller ( 36 W x 10 D inches ) and 2 wider ( 48 W x 10 D inches ). The shelves rest in metal brackets, which attach to the vertic...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Metal

Previously Available Items
Paul Evans Dining Set in Sculpted Bronze, 1969
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Dining set designed by Paul Evans, 1969. Set consists of the rare wall-mounted bar cabinet model PE-122, signed and dated 1969. Stalagmite dining table model PE-102, signed and dated 1969 with the original glass top. Two rare wide and low sculpted bronze chairs model PE-117, and four bronze sculpted side chairs...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Iconic Paul Evans Studio Sculpted Bronze Wall-Mount Disc Bar for Directional
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Iconic disc bar by Paul Evans Studio for Directional. Approximately, only 200 of these were ever created. This piece is an extremely exceptional example. It is dated 1969 from the fi...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Paul Evans Studio for Directional Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Welded and patinated steel coffee table by Paul Evans Studio for Directional. Table is in excellent condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Steel

Paul Evans Studio for Directional PE-400 Series Wall-Mount Cityscape Cabinet
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Dallas, TX
Extraordinary brass and walnut burl wood wall-mount cityscape cabinet designed and built by Paul Evans Studio for Directional. Book-matched walnut burl wood top and four hinged doors...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Brass

Paul Evans Brutalist Mixed Metals Patchwork Coffee Table with Exotic Slate Top
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
1960s Paul Evans patchwork coffee table for Directional. The slate top on this example has a honed finish and a very subtle veining.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Furniture

Bronze Stalagmite Coffee Table Designed by Paul Evans, circa 1972
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Bronze 'Stalagmite' coffee table designed Paul Evans for Directional, circa 1972. Incised signature 'PE 72'. Table is comprised of bronze resin over steel with 3/4" glass top. Beauti...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Pair of "Cityscape" Settees Designed by Paul Evans for Directional
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Pair of outstanding "Cityscape" settees designed by Paul Evans for Directional, circa 1970. Sofas are in very good condition with new foam and deep button-tufted Casamance upholstery...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Upholstery

Paul Evans "Stalagmite" Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Signed Stalagmite Coffee Table in sculpted bronze by Paul Evans.
Category

1970s American Vintage Paul Evans Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Paul Evans furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Paul Evans furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Paul Evans furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Paul Evans were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Widdicomb Furniture Co., Mastercraft, and Harvey Probber. Prices for Paul Evans furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $713 and can go as high as $220,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $11,832.

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