With magnificent buildings such as the Guggenheim Bilbao, Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the new Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris, Frank Gehry changed the nature and spirit of contemporary architecture. The architect has also enjoyed a prolific career as a designer of artful and functional objects, ranging from furniture to jewelry, that even at smaller scale are as lively and captivating as his architectural designs.
Gehry was born in Toronto and moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1947. He received a degree in architecture from the University of Southern California in 1954 and — after several years of casting about that included a stint in the U.S. Army and studies at Harvard — Gehry opened his architectural practice in L.A. in 1962.
Idiosyncratic renovations to his small, traditional house in Santa Monica — such as cladding portions of the exterior in chain-link fencing and corrugated metal — drew attention to Gehry in architectural circles. Corporate and institutional commissions added to his reputation, culminating in the global acclaim that greeted the opening of the Guggenheim Bilbao in 1997. But the combination of visual dynamism and structural integrity expressed by that building had been evident for decades in Gehry’s designs. In 1972 he introduced a much-admired line of furniture he called Easy Edges. The curves and flowing lines of the pieces, which include the Wiggle chair, seem antithetical to the material are made from: cardboard — a presumably flimsy material that, when stacked, laminated and folded, is actually extraordinarily sturdy.
Many of Gehry’s designs feature an abstracted fish motif. For the architect, it was a symbol of vitality, strength and flexibility. The fish appears in a group of 1982 plastic lamps created for Formica (and exhibited by the Jewish Museum in New York in 2010). Gehry used the motif in crystal goblets for Swid Powell (1990), his Pito kettle for Alessi (1992) and as earrings for a 2006 jewelry collection for Tiffany that also includes torqued rings, necklaces and bangles.
Gehry returned to furniture design in 1992 with a remarkably energetic line of furniture for Knoll with frames and seating made of bent, lightweight wooden strops. (The pieces' names, such as Power Play and Cross Check, derive from ice hockey.) In 2004, Heller released a group of twisted, faceted furnishings in molded polyethylene meant to evoke Gehry’s architecture. But — whether its tableware, jewelry or furniture — all Gehry’s designs do that--sharing an animated aesthetic built on a solid foundational core. To possess a piece of Gehry design is to own one of his buildings, in miniature.
Find vintage Frank Gehry chairs, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
| Average Sold Price |
| $3,564 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
Frank Gehry for Knoll "Hat Trick" Armchair
By Frank Gehry, Knoll
Located in Skokie, IL
Frank Gehry for Knoll "Hat Trick" Armchair The iconic "Hat Trick" chair was designed by Frank Gehry for Knoll International. Constructed of hard white maple veneers in 5cm wide, 1mm...
Maple, Plywood
$6,950 / set
H 33.5 in W 20 in D 22.5 in
Set of 4 Frank Gehry for Knoll "Hat Trick" Bentwood Dining Chairs, Smoked Gray
By Knoll, Frank Gehry
Located in San Diego, CA
Designed by Frank Gehry for Knoll and produced in the United States in 1997, this exceptional set of four "Hat Trick" dining chairs represents one of the most important furniture designs of the late twentieth century. Part of the celebrated Gehry Collection, these sculptural chairs demonstrate the designer's groundbreaking exploration of bent laminated wood, transforming a humble material into a sophisticated work of functional art. The design is composed of gracefully curving maple ribbons that flow continuously from the legs through the seat and into the dramatic open backrest. The resulting form appears almost woven, creating a striking interplay of positive and negative space while maintaining exceptional strength and stability. Gehry's innovative approach challenged traditional assumptions about furniture construction, producing a chair that is at once architectural, sculptural, and remarkably comfortable. This set retains an uncommon smoked gray maple finish that beautifully accentuates the layered bentwood construction and fluid contours of the design. The finish highlights the natural grain of the maple veneers while lending the chairs a refined contemporary presence. Original production stamps, factory markings, and 1997 manufacturing dates remain present to the undersides, further confirming their authenticity and early production status. The Hat Trick chair is among the most recognizable and collectible designs from the Gehry Collection and is represented in important public and private collections worldwide. Equally suited for use as dining, conference, or accent seating, these chairs function as both practical furnishings and sculptural design statements. A rare opportunity to acquire a matching set of four early production Frank Gehry for Knoll Hat Trick...
Wood, Maple, Bentwood
$9,850 / set
H 33 in W 31.5 in D 30 in
Frank Gehry Power Play Chair and Ottoman for Knoll, Signed, Great Condition
By Frank Gehry, Knoll
Located in Kansas City, MO
Power play chair and ottoman designed by Frank Gehry for Knoll in very close to new condition. There are no chips, cracks or repairs to the wood slats...
Maple
Jay Chiat's 'Grandpa Beaver' Chair by Frank Gehry
By Frank Gehry
Located in Long Island City, NY
Perhaps the most voluptuous of Frank Gehry’s corrugated cardboard furniture designs, this Grandpa Beaver chair was in the personal collection of...
Paper
$6,500 / set
H 28.75 in Dm 36 in
Iconic Knoll Hat Trick Table & Chairs Dining Set by Frank Gehry Stamped & Dated
By Frank Gehry, Knoll
Located in San Diego, CA
Iconic Knoll Hat Trick Table & Chairs Dining Set by Frank Gehry Stamped & Dated, circa 1992. An exquisite and collectible Frank Gehry sculptural design...
Wood, Maple, Bentwood
Frank Gehry Wiggle Chair forVitra. Switzerland, late 20th C.
By Frank Gehry, Vitra
Located in London, GB
Simple yet subtly futuristic, the design of this famous chair was Frank Gehry’s answer to a unique challenge: quickly creating furniture for a meeting of artists and NASA scientists ...
Paper
$4,914
H 33.08 in W 14.18 in D 23.63 in
Mid Century Modern Vintage Cardboard Wiggle Side Chair by Frank O. Gehry, 1972
By Frank Gehry
Located in Vienna, AT
A mid century modern vintage cardboard wiggle chair, which is a great design side chair by Frank O. Gehry, 1972 for Jack Brogan, USA 1972-1973. Reissued by Vitra from 1992 as Wiggle side chair...
Paper
$7,900
H 39 in W 28.25 in D 31 in
Frank Gehry, "Skinny Beaver" Lounge Chair, laminated cardboard, USA, 1987
By Frank Gehry
Located in High Point, NC
A laminated cardboard and plywood "Skinny Beaver" lounge chair, designed by Frank Gehry, produced by New City Editions, Venice, California, USA 1987. Seat Height (inches): 19” Arm...
Paper
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| $3,564 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $534-$8,798 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
The Grandpa Beaver lounge chair was commissioned by advertising guru Jay Chiat.
The off-site collection comprises more than 215,000 pieces.
From Brooklyn townhouses to Maine campgrounds, Trattie Davies and Jonathan Toews relish a challenge, like transforming a former warehouse space into the new 1stdibs Gallery.
