Paul Frankl Shelves
Born in Vienna, Paul Frankl came to the United States in 1914 as part of a wave of Central European design luminaries — among them Kem Weber, Rudolph Schindler, and Richard Neutra — who were drawn by the energy and optimism of the American scene. Prolific and protean, Frankl would go on to design furnishings that are emblematic of nearly every key stylistic chord in American modernism, from the streamlined Art Deco to free-form organic shapes.
Frankl's Skyscraper cabinets, bookcases and more — introduced in 1924 — are his earliest and best-known designs (and the work by which he is most often represented in institutions, such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art). Tall and narrow, the pieces have staggered shelves meant to mimic the setbacks of Manhattan office towers. A later visually expressive line — the Speed chairs and sofas, which have a raked profile suggesting motion — links Frankl to Donald Deskey, Raymond Loewy and other creators of Streamline Moderne design.
Frankl moved to Los Angeles in 1934 and luxuriated in the climate and lifestyle. His designs became lighter and simpler and found an audience among the Hollywood élite. (Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Fred Astaire were clients.) Fascinated by Asian arts, Frankl produced numerous pieces — tabletops with edges that curve upward; sofas, chairs and other seating with rattan frames — inspired by Chinese and Japanese forms and materials. In the 1940s, Frankl became one of the first designers to incorporate free-form, biomorphic shapes in his work, as well as novel upholstery fabrics such as denim and nubby wool.
Frankl biographer Christopher Long argues that the designer’s easy, elegant aesthetic had an enormous influence on movie set design. As the furniture below attests, Paul Frankl’s work is ready for its close-up.
Find vintage Paul Frankl tables, dining chairs, case pieces and storage cabinets on 1stDibs.
1920s American Art Deco Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Wood
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Wood
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Paul Frankl Shelves
Mahogany
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Bamboo, Rattan, Glass, Wicker
2010s Saudi Arabian Post-Modern Paul Frankl Shelves
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Paul Frankl Shelves
Brass, Bronze
1930s American Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Glass, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Paul Frankl Shelves
Steel, Iron
2010s American Modern Paul Frankl Shelves
Wood
Late 19th Century English Edwardian Antique Paul Frankl Shelves
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Paul Frankl Shelves
Walnut
1920s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Wood
1940s Art Deco Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Paul Frankl Shelves
Mahogany
1950s American Vintage Paul Frankl Shelves
Cork, Glass, Mahogany