Adrian Pearsall Style
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Wrought Iron
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Wood
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Mohair, Chenille, Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Fabric
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Chairs
Fabric
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Porcelain
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut, Glass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Ceramic, Glass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Oak, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Bouclé, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1960s Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Walnut
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
Teak
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Steel
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Walnut, Upholstery
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1980s American Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Lucite
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Benches
Chenille, Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Sofas
Velvet, Foam, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Brutalist Sofas
Fabric, Acrylic
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Glass, Resin, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
Wool, Oak
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
Upholstery
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Glass, Resin, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Walnut
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Adrian Pearsall Style For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Adrian Pearsall Style?
A Close Look at Mid-century Modern Furniture
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To pronounce Adrian Pearsall, say "A-dree-an PEER-sall." Pearsall was an American architect and furniture designer. He was born on September 18, 1925, in Trumansburg, New York, and he died on September 6, 2011, in Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania. You'll find a collection of Adrian Pearsall furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022One way to identify an Adrian Pearsall is to consider the materials used. A genuine Adrian Pearsall will feature real wood, glass and metal, while imitations often use cheaper materials like composites and plastics. Pearsall didn't sign his work, so items that show his signature are unlikely to be authentic. On 1stDibs, find a selection of expertly vetted Adrian Pearsall furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Most Adrian Pearsall furniture was handmade. Although wood composites and plastics gained popularity during the period, Pearsall preferred to build his pieces from genuine wood, glass and metal. Walnut wood was one of his most commonly used materials. Shop a range of Adrian Pearsall furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To begin to authenticate an Adrian Pearsall table, closely examine the materials. Authentic pieces will contain no plastics or composite woods, as Pearsall only worked with genuine wood, metal and glass. Also, you won't find a signature or mark on a real Adrian Pearsall table. On 1stDibs, find a collection of expertly vetted Adrian Pearsall tables.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Adrian Pearsall did not usually sign his work. One way to identify his work is to examine the materials. Pearsall only used genuine wood, glass and metal. Pieces that feature wood composites or plastics aren't genuine. His pieces reflect characteristics of the atomic style, often flaunting smooth lines, graceful curves and asymmetrical details. On 1stDibs, find a variety of expertly vetted Adrian Pearsall furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, Adrian Pearsall did work for Bassett, designing tables and seating. He also manufactured his own designs through his company Craft Associates. He founded his workshop in 1952 in Pennsylvania. The company exists today but no longer has an affiliation with Pearsall. Find a selection of Adrian Pearsall on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To authenticate an Adrian Pearsall sofa, focus on the frame. A genuine Pearsall piece will have a solid wood frame because the designer never used wood composites. Original upholstery tends to show off bright, solid colors. However, many authentic Adrian Pearsall sofas come reupholstered. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of expertly vetted Adrian Pearsall sofas.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2024Yes, Adrian Pearsall designed lamps. Most of his lighting designs were floor lamps produced by the manufacturer Modeline during the 1960s. Many have not survived the years.
Pearsall is a revered mid-century modern designer. He gave his imagination free rein, and his flamboyant, eye-catching styles are icons of what has become known as “Atomic Age” design.
Find vintage mid-century modern lighting on 1stDibs. - 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Like other designers working in the atomic style, Adrian Pearsall typically used fabric upholstery. Generally, the upholstery was a bright color, and solids were more common than patterns. Often, Adrian Pearsall sofas and chairs being sold today do not feature original upholstery because the fabric tends to wear out before the frame. You'll find a selection of Adrian Pearsall furniture on 1stDibs.
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