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Friso Kramer Tables

Dutch, 1922-2019

Through both his bold furniture designs and his teaching and administrative positions within the architecture and design industries, the solution-oriented Friso Kramer helped elevate industrial design to a venerated place in the modernist canon.

While the mid-century years saw no shortage of function-minded modernists, Kramer may have been the most extreme of them. “If form does not contribute to the function, it has no right to exist,” the Dutch designer once said. Born in Amsterdam in 1922 to the pioneering architect Piet Kramer, Friso studied architecture, industrial design, electrical engineering and interior design. He cut his teeth in the studios of architect Jan Piet Kloos and interior designer Frans Paulussen, then, in 1948, went to work as a designer at the steel furniture manufacturer De Cirkel (part of the Ahrend group), where he would design some of his best-known work.

The 1953 Revolt chair, which is among his most celebrated seating and a darling of Dutch mid-century modernism, embodied Kramer’s function-first design; its skeletal, industrial form provides for maximum comfort and ergonomic support with minimal material. He joined forces with Wim Rietveld, son of celebrated Dutch modernist Gerrit Rietveld, for the 1958 Result chair, which married elements of the Revolt with forms from Rietveld’s Pyramid series. Kramer found numerous ways to riff on and perfect his brand of minimalism: The 1960 Resort and Repose armchairs demonstrate how he slightly tweaked the skeletal frames for different postures and uses.

In 1963, Kramer left Ahrend to found Total Design Studio with Wim Crouwel, Benno Wissing and Paul and Dick Schwartz. The firm grouped graphic, industrial and spatial design under one roof with the shared belief in functionalism. Though Total Design Studio is still in business today, Kramer left the company to return to Ahrend in 1971, serving as art director until 1983. Following Kramer’s death in 2019, Ahrend teamed up with Danish design brand HAY to relaunch the Result and Revolt chairs.

Find vintage Friso Kramer chairs, sofas, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Friso Kramer
Recognized Seller Listings
Friso Kramer for Ahrend De Cirkel Dining Table or Desk in Grey
By Friso Kramer, Ahrend de Cirkel
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel, table, lacquered steel, melamine-coated wood, aluminum, The Netherlands, design 1955 Designed by Dutch designer Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel ...
Category

1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Related Items
Reply Architect Drafting Table Friso Kramer, Wim Rietveld Ahrend Cirkel, 1959
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Wim Rietveld, Friso Kramer
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Reply Dutch Design Architect drawing table designed by Wim Rietveld and Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Circel in 1959. Design Classic, awarded with the "Signe d’Or". The table top is fully adjustable by two rotary knobs, this table is in very good condition seen its age. Dark Brown coated...
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1970s Dutch Industrial Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Friso Kramer "Reform" Industrial Dining or Work Table
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Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sleek, mid century, Reform Table designed by Friso Kramer for Ahrend Circle in 1955. Industrial enameled grey metal frame with faux teak wood formica top...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Very Rare Reiger Drafting Table Friso Kramer Ahrend de Cirkel, 1963
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Very rare drafting table "Reiger" designed by Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel in 1963. The tabletop is original and has a minor chip as you can see on the close-up. Overall in v...
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Duotone Ahrend De Cirkel Metal Desk With Two Drawers
By Ahrend de Cirkel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Duotone Ahrend De Cirkel metal desk. The desk has a formica top, blue legs and one side cabinet with two blue drawers. In original condition with visible wear, rust, dents and scratc...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Friso Kramer Reform Table Small Ahrend de Cirkel, 1963
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Nice small and rare sized industrial 'Reform' table designed by Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel, Holland 1955. This dining table was a part of the Reform table program that was designed by Friso Kramer in 1955. The Reform series contained a lot of variety of tables in different sizes and editions to the client’s needs. One thing was always the same, the structure of the base, applied in several different sized and shaped tables. This base was a folded metal frame which was light but also very strong. The tops varied from hardcore, linoleum, Formica and wood. Whatever the client wanted. This has a rectangular shaped top, finished with white formica and an aluminum edge. The table has a grey painted frame in good condition with normal wear and losses. This table comes from TH Delft...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Rare Large Friso Kramer "Reform" Table with Black Linoleum Top and Gray Legs
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare Friso Kramer 'Reform' Table for Ahrend de Cirkel. Industrial Enameled Metal Frame with Black Linoleum Top and Aluminum Accent Trim In Original Condition with Visible Scratching ...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Friso Kramer Round Coffee Table Ahrend, 1962
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Super rare coffee table designed by Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel. This table from technical university Eindhoven, stamped on the bottom 1964. With original tags from TH Eindhove...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Metal

Friso Kramer Round Coffee Table Ahrend, 1962
Friso Kramer Round Coffee Table Ahrend, 1962
H 18.12 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Friso Kramer 'REFORM" Industrial Dining or Work Table with Teak Veneered Top
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Friso Kramer "REFORM" Industrial Dining or Work Table with New Veneered Teak Top and Grey Enameled Metal Frame. Frame in Very Original Condition with Visible Wear. Shot with Wild Ind...
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Mid Century Italian Post Modern Dining Table or Desk in Grey Tone Granite Marble
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A simple form design dining table that would also make a fabulous desk. It features solid slab speckled granite construction. In very good ready to use condition.
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1990s Italian Post-Modern Friso Kramer Tables

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Dutch Industrial Design Desk by Wim Rietveld for Ahrend De Cirkel, 1960's
By Wim Rietveld
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Dutch Industrial Design Desk by Wim Rietveld and Friso Kramer for Ahrend De Cirkel. Made in the Netherlands, late 1950's, early 1960's. A RARE and hard to find des...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Unusual Modernist Childs Desk Attributed to Friso Kramer
By Friso Kramer, Jean Prouvé
Located in Buffalo, NY
Unusual modernist Childs desk attributed to Friso Kramer, amazing design reminescent of French designs of Jean Prouve, retains original finish, patina.
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1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Dutch Industrial Design Desk by Wim Rietveld for Ahrend De Cirkel, 1960's
By Wim Rietveld
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Dutch Industrial Design Desk by Wim Rietveld and Friso Kramer for Ahrend De Cirkel. Made in the Netherlands, late 1950's, early 1960's. A RARE and hard to find des...
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1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

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Previously Available Items
Dutch Work Table in Metal by Friso Kramer
By Friso Kramer
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Friso Kramer for TH delft , conference table, metal, The Netherlands, 1940s. This work table is designed by Friso Kramer in the 1940s. The table features a ...
Category

1940s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Tables

Materials

Metal

Dutch Work Table in Metal by Friso Kramer
Dutch Work Table in Metal by Friso Kramer
H 29.73 in W 78.75 in L 29.73 in

Friso Kramer tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Friso Kramer tables 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 Friso Kramer tables, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original tables by Friso Kramer were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider tables by Ahrend de Cirkel, Artifort, and Martin Visser. Prices for Friso Kramer tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $550 and can go as high as $8,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,595.

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