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Florence Knoll Benches

American, 1917-2019

Architect, furniture designer, interior designer, entrepreneur — Florence Knoll had a subtle but profound influence on the course of mid-century American modernism. Dedicated to functionality and organization, and never flamboyant, Knoll shaped the ethos of the postwar business world with her skillfully realized office plans and polished, efficient designs for sofas, credenzas, desks and other furnishings.

Knoll had perhaps the most thorough design education of any of her peers. Florence Schust was orphaned at age 12, and her guardian sent her to Kingswood, a girl’s boarding school that is part of the Cranbrook Educational Community in suburban Detroit. Her interest in design brought her to the attention of Eliel Saarinen, the Finnish architect and head of the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Saarinen and his wife took the talented child under their wing, and she became close to their son, the future architect Eero Saarinen. While a student at the academy, Florence befriended artist-designer Harry Bertoia and Charles and Ray Eames. Later, she studied under three of the Bauhaus masters who emigrated to the United States. She worked as an apprentice in the Boston architectural offices of Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer; Ludwig Mies van der Rohe taught her at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

In 1941, she met Hans Knoll, whose eponymous furniture company was just getting off the ground. They married in 1946, and her design sense and his business skills soon made Knoll Inc. a leading firm in its field. Florence signed up the younger Saarinen as a designer, and would develop pieces by Bertoia, Mies and the artist Isamu Noguchi.

Florence Knoll's main work came as head of the Knoll Planning Group, designing custom office interiors for clients such as IBM and CBS. The furniture she created for these spaces reflects her Bauhaus training: the pieces are pure functional design, exactingly built; their only ornament from the materials, such as wood and marble. Her innovations — the oval conference table, for example, conceived as a way to ensure clear sightlines among all seated at a meeting — were always in the service of practicality.

Since her retirement in 1965, Knoll received the National Medal of Arts, among other awards; in 2004 the Philadelphia Museum of Art mounted the exhibition “Florence Knoll: Defining Modern” — well deserved accolades for a strong, successful design and business pioneer. As demonstrated on these pages, the simplicity of Knoll’s furniture is her work’s great virtue: they fit into any interior design scheme.

Find vintage Florence Knoll sofas, benches, armchairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Florence Knoll
Relax 3-seater leather bench by Florence Knoll for Knoll International 2000s
By Florence Knoll
Located in Stavenisse, NL
Classic design by Florence Knoll, a Relax three-seat bench by Knoll studio finished in Volo leather parchment color, fully quilted and on a chrome base. Stamped Florence Knoll, Knol...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Florence Knoll Leather Bench, Knoll Associates Inc.
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Florence Knoll bench with early label Knoll Associates, Inc. Madison Ave, NY. We had the bench redone in brown leather. Bench measures 80" wide, 20" deep and 17.5" high. The bench...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Florence Knoll Leather Bench
By Florence Knoll
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Florence Knoll Dark Brown Button Tufted Bench Good original surface Manufacturers label present
Category

1960s American Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Leather

A Pair Of Florence Knoll Angle Iron Tables Or Benches In Walnut
By Florence Knoll
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A pair of classic Florence Knoll for Knoll angle iron coffee tables or benches with bookmatched walnut tops. Beautiful veneer, quality early Knoll product...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Wrought Iron

Florence Knoll Bench
By Florence Knoll
Located in Miami, FL
Very long Florence Knoll bench designed for Knoll, brown upholstery and chrome base, 8 legs, unusual size.
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

Rare 9 Foot Tufted Leather Bench by Florence Knoll for Knoll.early label
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare 9 Foot Tufted Leather and Chrome bench by Florence Knoll for Knoll.. Salvaged from Albright Knox aRT gALLERY,,,Buffalo NY..Most likely a custom order from Knoll.,,,have never se...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Stainless Steel

Bench or Coffee Table by Florence Knoll, Walnut and Black Angle Iron, Stunning
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Kansas City, MO
Florence Knoll architectural bench / coffee table. Three walnut panels on a black angle iron frame. Expertly refinished. No signs of use. Beautiful.
Category

1960s Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Iron

Custom Florence Knoll Bench
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Houston, TX
Florence Knoll Bench USA 2017 leather, steel Measures: 48 W x 19.5 D x 16.75 H inches. Custom sized Florence Knoll bench in a custom flat steel finish with leather upholster...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Rare No. 33 Sofa by Florence Knoll
By Florence Knoll
Located in Munich, DE
Seldom seen 3-seat version of an iconic design by Florence Knoll.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Velvet

Vintage Florence Knoll Bench
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A vintage Florence Knoll bench purchased out of a local Palm Springs estate. It had been nicely reupholstered and we liked the fabric and left i...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Set of custom ordered Florence Knoll Benches
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Houston, TX
Florence Knoll Pair of benches USA 1954 leather, steel Measures: 48 W x 19.5 D x 16.75 H inches Pair of custom-sized Florence Knoll benches in a custom flat steel finish wit...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

2 Florence Knoll Upholstered Benches
By Florence Knoll
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
2 Florence Knoll benches Original red upholstery. Labeled Sold individually, price is for 1 bench.
Category

1970s North American Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Rare Midcentury Ottoman or Stool for Knoll
By Knoll, Vincent Cafiero, Florence Knoll
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
For your consideration is this wonderful and seldom seen ottoman, bench or stool by Vincent Cafiero for knoll. Featuring a tufted seat in newly recovered Spinneybeck leather. Having ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Florence Knoll Sofa Model #32
By Florence Knoll
Located in San Francisco, CA
Florence Knoll sofa model #32. An armless sofa model #32 by Florence Knoll for Knoll Associates. The frame is black enameled steel and the cushions have been restored in a luxurious...
Category

20th Century American Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Architectural Florence Knoll T-Angle Table Bench
By Florence Knoll
Located in Dallas, TX
Early Florence Knoll 'T-Angle' table bench with original black laminate tops. Would serve well and an oversized coffee table or cocktail table but it is built in a way that would eas...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

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Vintage Italian Wicker Works Benches in Knoll Leather
By Wicker Works
Located in Los Angeles, CA
These are original wicker works of Italy benches, circa 1980. Upholstered in brown Knoll leather. Price per item.  
Category

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Midcentury Low Long Coffee Table or Bench, Walnut + Brass - Gordon's
By Gordons Inc.
Located in Decatur, GA
Long and low cocktail table or bench in walnut by Gordon's fine Furniture circa 1950s. Perfect for an entryway. Brass sabots. This table has been attended to and restored by our te...
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

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Brass

Knoll Style Mid Century Chrome Upholstered Bench
By Knoll
Located in Countryside, IL
Knoll Style mid century chrome upholstered bench The bench measures: 60 wide x 18 deep x 19 high, with a seat height of 19 inches All pieces of furniture can be had in what we...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

Classic Hannah Morrison Knoll Bench, 1970s
By Bruce Hannah & Andrew Morrison
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A Classic off-white and original orange upholstery bench by Hannah Morrison for Knoll, circa 1970s. The three-seat is 81" long.   
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Florence Knoll Tan Leather Button Tufted Lounge Chair, 1970s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in PAU, FR
Florence Knoll lounge chair in tan leather with button tufted seat and back on a chrome-plated steel base. Labeled Art Metal - Knoll Corp., June 9 1971 The chair has some losses to ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Very Long Slatted Ash Bench by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
A beautiful modernist ash wood slatted bench with an iron base from the 1950s. Designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll. Restored, in very good condition. The sofa also makes a grea...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Iron

Pristine Florence Knoll Sofa for Knoll International
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pristine Florence Knoll Sofa for Knoll International. Upholstered in gorgeous Sina Pearson fabric. Florence Knoll was a pioneering designer and entrepreneur who created the modern look and feel of America’s postwar corporate office with sleek furniture, artistic textiles and an uncluttered, free-flowing workplace environment. To connoisseurs of Modernism, the mid-20th-century designs of Florence Knoll, were — and still are — the essence of the genre’s clean, functional forms. Transcending design fads, they are still influential, still contemporary, still common in offices, homes and public spaces, still found in dealers’ showrooms and represented in museum collections. Ms. Knoll learned her art at the side of Modernist masters. She was a protégé of the German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Eliel Saarinen, the Finnish architect and teacher and the father of the architect Eero Saarinen. And she worked with the renowned Bauhaus architects Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer. Throughout her career, influenced by the German Bauhaus school of design, she promoted the Modernist merger of architecture, art and utility in her furnishings and interiors, especially — although not exclusively — for offices. In the 1940s, she married and became a business partner of the German-born furniture maker Hans Knoll, and over 20 years she was instrumental in building Knoll Associates into the largest and most prestigious high-end design firm of its kind, with 35 showrooms in the United States and around the world. While her husband handled business affairs, Ms. Knoll was the design force of Knoll Associates. It grew to become the leading innovator of modern interiors and furnishings in the 1950s and ’60s, transforming the CBS, Seagram and Look magazine headquarters in Manhattan, the H. J. Heinz headquarters in Pittsburgh and properties across the United States, Europe, Asia and South America, including American embassies. Her “total design” favored open work spaces over private offices, and furniture grouped for informal discussions. It integrated lighting, vibrant colors, acoustical fabrics, chairs molded like tulip petals, sofas and desks with chrome legs...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Stainless Steel

Knoll 3 Seater Relax Sofa by Florence Knoll Mid Brown Cognac 1970s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Aachen, NW
This timeless iconic sofa was designed in 1954 by Florence Knoll and produced by Knoll in the 1970s. The sofa is upholstered in an amazing Mid Brown Cognac leatherand has been rest...
Category

1970s American Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Stainless Steel

Milo Baughman Low Walnut Long Bench or Coffee Table
By Thayer Coggin, Milo Baughman
Located in Brooklyn, NY
C. 1960, simple architectural design energized with exaggerated proportion, in a modern interpretation of a classic Japanese chabudai. Retains paper Thayer Coggin label to underside.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Walnut

Florence Knoll 3-Seat Sofa
By Florence Knoll
Located in Munich, DE
Florence Knoll 3-seat sofa. Nice original condition.
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Fabric

  • Florence Knoll 3-Seat Sofa
  • Florence Knoll 3-Seat Sofa
  • Florence Knoll 3-Seat Sofa
  • Florence Knoll 3-Seat Sofa
H 31.5 in W 80.71 in D 29.53 in
Florence Knoll Sofa
By Florence Knoll
Located in Dallas, TX
Very early Florence Knoll sofa circa 1950 completely restored including all new 8 way hand tied springs, all new high grade foam cushions and new ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Maple, Textile

  • Florence Knoll Sofa
  • Florence Knoll Sofa
  • Florence Knoll Sofa
  • Florence Knoll Sofa
H 33 in W 92 in D 32 in
Mid-Century Modern Long Bench or Coffee Table by Showpieces Inc. in Walnut
By Showpieces Inc
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A simple and gorgeous coffee table by Showpieces Inc. in the 1960s. It features all wood construction with a beautifully grained walnut finish. Table has been recently restored. Can be used as bench or long cocktail table.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Walnut

Previously Available Items
Early Production T-Angle Walnut / Iron / Leather Bench, Table by Florence Knoll
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early production T-angle walnut / iron / leather bench, table by Florence Knoll. Beautifully grained walnut, Amazing original condition, finish, patina. Retains original Black Leathe...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Iron

Florence Knoll Walnut and Steel Extra Long Coffee Table or Bench, Refinished
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in South Bend, IN
A rare and exceptional Mid-Century Modern extra long coffee table or bench By Florence Knoll, "T-Angle" Series USA, 1960s Gorgeous wal...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Steel

Six Foot Bench by Florence Knoll, Red Fabric, Chrome Frame, Signed
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Kansas City, MO
Three or four seat Florence Knoll Bench in red knoll fabric and heavy chromed steel frame. Produced in 2009, this bench has seen very little use. Very good condition with no stains o...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

Three Foot Bench by Florence Knoll, Red Knoll Fabric, Chrome Frame, Signed
By Florence Knoll
Located in Kansas City, MO
Two seat Florence Knoll Bench in red knoll fabric and heavy chromed steel frame. Produced in 2009, this bench has seen very little use. Very good condition with no stains or tears to...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

Florence Knoll Designed Leather Bench for Knoll
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Florence Knoll leather bench, retains original labels and signature on one of the chrome legs. Design dates to the 1950's although this Be...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

Clean Lined Walnut and Iron Coffee Table or Bench by Florence Knoll
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Atlanta, GA
Clean lined "T Angle" model walnut and iron mid century coffee table or bench, designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll, American, circa 1950s.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Iron

Bronze Florence Knoll Museum Bench
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Dallas, TX
An early and rare bronze museum bench designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll. This 12 foot bench is wider than the standard Knoll benches as well.
Category

1950s Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Bronze

  • Bronze Florence Knoll Museum Bench
  • Bronze Florence Knoll Museum Bench
  • Bronze Florence Knoll Museum Bench
  • Bronze Florence Knoll Museum Bench
H 17 in W 144 in L 17 in
Bench or Coffee Table by Florence Knoll, Walnut and Black Angle Iron, Stunning
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Kansas City, MO
Florence Knoll architectural bench / coffee table. Four walnut panels on a black angle iron frame. Expertly refinished. Beautiful. Signed with Knoll label on the underside.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Iron

Florence Knoll Blue Leather Bench
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Florence Knoll 72" newly re-upholstered blue leather bench. Classic design, great size and scale! Chrome in nice original condition. Bench retains o...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

  • Florence Knoll Blue Leather Bench
  • Florence Knoll Blue Leather Bench
  • Florence Knoll Blue Leather Bench
  • Florence Knoll Blue Leather Bench
H 17 in W 72 in D 18.5 in
Pair of Contemporary Florence Knoll Three-Seat Benches in Red Leather
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Norwalk, CT
Since its inception in 1954, the Florence Knoll bench has become an icon of rational modernist design. Its spare, geometric profile and modular design makes it adaptable to infinite ...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Chrome

Knoll Coffee Table / Bench T Angled Framed in Walnut
By Florence Knoll
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A satin black metal T - angled framed low coffee table / bench with four segmented black walnut squares , this well made piece is from the T - Angle Series designed by Florence Knoll...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Walnut

Florence Knoll Large T-Angle Bench in Teak
By Florence Knoll
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Florence Knoll for Knoll, T-angle bench, teak and metal, United States, 1950s Large early production Florence Knoll angle iron and teak table or benc...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll Benches

Materials

Teak

  • Florence Knoll Large T-Angle Bench in Teak
  • Florence Knoll Large T-Angle Bench in Teak
  • Florence Knoll Large T-Angle Bench in Teak
  • Florence Knoll Large T-Angle Bench in Teak
H 15.75 in W 80.52 in D 19.69 in

Florence Knoll benches for sale on 1stDibs.

Florence Knoll benches 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 Florence Knoll benches, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original benches by Florence Knoll 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 benches by George Nelson, Milo Baughman, and Arthur Umanoff. Prices for Florence Knoll benches can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at £2,235 and can go as high as £6,386, while a piece like these, on average, fetch £3,592.
Questions About Florence Knoll Benches
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Florence Knoll was an architect and furniture designer who greatly influenced mid-century design. She established the furniture company Knoll, Inc., which continues to manufacture pieces inspired by her designs. Knoll died on January 25, 2019, at the age of 101. Find a collection of Florence Knoll furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To pronounce Florence Knoll, say "FLO-rens Noll." The "K" in the designer's last name is silent. Florence Knoll's maiden name was Florence Marguerite Schust, pronounced "shusht." She changed her name after marrying Hans Knoll in 1946. Find a range of Florence Knoll furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Florence Knoll lived in the U.S. throughout her life. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 24, 1917, and she died in Coral Gables, Florida, on January 25, 2019. From 1940 to 1941, she attended the Chicago Armour Institute in Chicago, Illinois. After that, she lived and worked in New York City for many years. On 1stDibs, find a range of Florence Knoll furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Florence Knoll made a number of well-known furniture designs and founded the company Knoll, Inc. Some of her most acclaimed pieces include the Florence Knoll lounge chair, the Florence Knoll sofa, the Florence Knoll bench and the Florence Knoll settee. Shop a variety of Florence Knoll furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    No, Florence Knoll didn't usually put a number on her pieces. To identify Florence Knoll furniture, look for a tag or mark that bears the name "Knoll" or "Knoll, Inc." On chairs, the labels are usually on the bottom cushion. On 1stDibs, find a collection of expertly vetted Florence Knoll furniture.

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