Harvey Probber Armchairs
View Similar Items
Harvey Probber Armchairs
About the Item
- Creator:Harvey Probber (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 24 in (60.96 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960's
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:Seller: 6791stDibs: 1402049187757
Harvey Probber
A popular designer who had his heyday from the late 1940s into the 1970s, Harvey Probber is one of the post-war American creative spirits whose work has been recently rediscovered by collectors. His designs are by-and-large simple and elegant, but his signal achievement was to pioneer one of the key innovations of mid-20th century furniture: sectional, or modular, seating.
Even as a teenager, the Brooklyn-born Probber was making sketches of furniture designs — and selling them to Manhattan furniture companies. He began working as a designer for an upholsterer once he finished high school and, apart from a few evening classes he took as an adult at the Pratt Institute, he was self-taught about design and furniture making.
After wartime service — and a stint as a lounge singer — Probber founded his own company in the late 1940s. A lifelong familiarity with the needs of New York–apartment dwellers doubtless sparked his most noteworthy creation: a line of seating pieces in basic geometric shapes — wedges, squares, half-circles — that could be arranged and combined as needed. Modular furniture remained the core idea of Probber’s business throughout his career.
As a self-trained designer, Probber was never wed to any particular aesthetic. He preferred simple lines for their inherent practicality, but often used hardware to enliven the look of his pieces, or added elements — such as a ceramic insert in the center of a round dining table — that was visually interesting and could serve as a trivet. He gravitated toward bright fabrics with attractive, touchable textures that might be satin-like or nubbly. Above all, Probber insisted that the products that came out of his Fall River, Massachusetts, factory be built to last.
“The quality of aging gracefully,” Probber once told an interviewer, is “design's fourth dimension.” This quality he realized: Probber furniture is just as useful and alluring now as it was when made — and maybe even more stylish.
Find a collection of vintage Harvey Probber side tables, sectional sofas, chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Open Frame Lounge Chairs, Attributed to Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Chicago, ILOpen frame lounge chairs, attributed to Harvey Probber. Chairs have been fully restored and upholstered in leather.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLacquer, Leather
- Harvey Probber Tuxedo Lounge ChairBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Chicago, ILTuxedo club chair by Harvey Probber. Reupholstered in teal fabric in the 1990s, which is in good condition.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- Harvey Probber Brass Frame Bench, 1960By Harvey ProbberLocated in Chicago, ILBeautiful brass frame bench by Harvey Probber circa 1960s. Fully restored, and reupholstered.Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsBrass
- Mies van der Rohe MR20 Armchairs for KnollBy Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, KnollLocated in Chicago, ILPair of 1960s MR20 armchairs designed by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll. Original leather and stainless steel frames are in great shape. Chairs have early K...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
$3,600 / set - Eero Saarinen Tulip Armchairs for Knoll, 1960By Knoll, Eero SaarinenLocated in Chicago, ILEarly pair of tulip dining arm chairs by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, circa 1960. Cushions upholstered in Jack Lenor Larsen velvet with new foam.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Fiberglass
$2,400 / set - Saporiti Italia Vittorio Introini P60 Lounge Chair by Proposals, Italy, 1970Located in Chicago, ILSaporiti Italia Vittorio Introini P60 Lounge chair by Proposals, Italy 1970. Gray leather beautiful patina.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Harvey Probber ArmchairsBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Highland, INThese light, lithe and elegant armchairs by Harvey Probber are scaled perfectly to serve as part of a larger seating group or on their own as occasional ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Mahogany
$3,000 - Harvey Probber Set of Three ArmchairsBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Highland, INThese light, lithe and elegant armchairs by Harvey Probber are scaled perfectly to serve as part of a larger seating group or on their own as occasional chairs. Their proportions and profile make them beautiful from every angle and their intermediate seat height makes them ideal as conversational chairs.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Mahogany
$9,000 / set - Cane Armchair Attributed to Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Dallas, TXA mahogany and cane armchair attributed to Harvey Probber.Category
Vintage 1950s Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
MaterialsMahogany
- Harvey Probber Architectural Series Armchair, Chair 249By Harvey ProbberLocated in Trenton, NJThis unique design from the Harvey Probber architectural line is titled Chair 249. The mirrored polish stainless steel legs and solid wood...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsStainless Steel
- Harvey Probber, Caning, and Striped Upholstery ArmchairBy Harvey ProbberLocated in New York, NYAmerican mid-century armchair with a curved wood frame, caned sides and back, and a multi-colored striped seat cushion, resting on four tapered wooden legs. (HARVEY PROBBER)(Similar chair...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood, Fabric
- Harvey Probber Oversized Blue Patterned Upholstered Lounge / ArmchairBy Harvey ProbberLocated in New York, NYAmerican Mid-Century oversized lounge / armchair upholstered in a bright. and dark blue geometric patterned fabric with matching bolster/back pillow. (HARV...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Upholstery