George Nakashima Seating
American, 1905-1990
A master woodworker and M.I.T.-trained architect, George Nakashima was the leading light of the American Studio furniture movement. Along with Wharton Esherick, Sam Maloof and Wendell Castle, Nakashima was an artisan who disdained industrial methods and materials in favor of a personal, craft-based approach to the design. What sets Nakashima apart is the poetic style of his work, his reverence for wood and the belief that his furniture could evince — as he put it in the title of his 1981 memoir — The Soul of a Tree.
Born in Spokane, Washington, to Japanese immigrants, Nakashima traveled widely after college, working and studying in Paris, Japan and India, and at every stop he absorbed both modernist and traditional design influences. The turning point in Nakashima’s career development came in the United States in 1942, when he was placed in an internment camp for Asian-Americans in Idaho. There, Nakashima met a master woodcarver who tutored him in Japanese crafting techniques. A former employer won Nakashima’s release and brought him to bucolic New Hope, Pennsylvania, where Nakashima set up a studio and worked for the rest of his life.
Nakashima’s singular aesthetic is best captured in his custom-made tables and benches — pieces that show off the grain, burls and whorls in a plank of wood. He left the “free edge,” or natural contour, of the slab un-planed, and reinforced fissures in the wood with “butterfly” joints. Almost all Nakashima seating pieces have smooth, milled edges. Nakashima also contracted with large-scale manufacturers to produce carefully supervised editions of his designs. Knoll has offered his Straight chair — a modern take on the spindle-backed Windsor chair — since 1946; the now-defunct firm Widdicomb-Mueller issued the Shaker-inspired Origins collection in the 1950s.
Nelson Rockefeller in 1973 gave Nakashima his single largest commission: a 200-piece suite for his suburban New York estate. Today, Nakashima furniture is collected by both the staid and the fashionable: his work sits in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as in the homes of Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt, Diane von Furstenberg and the late Steve Jobs.
Color: Brown
Creator: George Nakashima
George Nakashima Straight Chair for Knoll
By Knoll, George Nakashima
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designed by master craftsman George Nakashima for Knoll in 1946, the N19 chair was intended as a mass-produced counterpoint to the Nakashima Studio’s popular “Straight Chair...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Mira Nakashima Conoid Lounge Chair
By George Nakashima
Located in New York, NY
Designed by George Nakashima and executed by Mira Nakashima. The chair is signed underneath the seat. A digital receipt is also available after completion of the sale.
A truly gorg...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
George Nakashima Grass Seat Stool
By George Nakashima
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
George Nakashima Grass Seat Stool
Re-oiled surface and Sea Grass seat Redone at Nakashima studio.
Category
1960s American Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Rare Pair of George Nakashima Conoid lounge chairs, 1983
By George Nakashima
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Rare pair of George Nakashima Conoid lounge chairs, 1983.
American black walnut.
Signed ‘George Nakashima’, Oct 1983.
Introduced in 1961, th...
Category
Mid-20th Century American George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Concordia Chair by Mira Nakashima based on a George Nakashima design, USA
By George Nakashima, George Nakashima Studio
Located in Berlin, DE
Mira Nakashima Concordia Chair based on a design by George Nakashima. Outstanding grain on the seat, can be signed. Important: Please consider the prod...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Mira Nakashima 4 legged high chair based on a design by George Nakashima, USA
By George Nakashima, George Nakashima Studio
Located in Berlin, DE
Mira Nakashima 4 legged high chair based on a design by George Nakashima, new. One of the chairs is in stock, for more chairs: Please consider the production lead time of about 18 mo...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Conoid Lounge Chair by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima
By Mira Nakashima, George Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Conoid lounge chair in American black walnut with hickory spindles by Mira Nakashima. Based on a design by George Nakashima.
Newly upholstered in Mark Alexander...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
George Nakashima, Rare Sculptural Pair of Conoid Chairs in Walnut, Signed, 1989
By George Nakashima
Located in New York, NY
George Nakashima (1905–1990)
An exceptional pair of Conoid chairs by Pennsylvania studio craft movement patriarch George Nakashima, among the last he sculpted before his death. In ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Hickory, Walnut
George Nakashima Slab-Arm Rocker
By George Nakashima
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine example of this form.
The family requested an extra wide slab -arm.
Signed with the clients name.
Category
1960s American Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Wood
Modern George Nakashima Armless Settee
By George Nakashima
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-century George Nakashima sofa featuring no arms, angled slat back, matching throw pillows and cushions.
This item includes a letter of authentific...
Category
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Mira Nakashima Chaise Lounge or Long Chair after a design by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima, Mira Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Mira Nakashima chaise lounge or long chair based on a design by George Nakashima. The Chaise is made in black walnut with sea grass details and woven webbing. Due to the unique wood ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Wood, Walnut
Pair of Mira Chairs by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima, Mira Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Mira Chairs by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima. The chairs are in black walnut and can be signed. Production lead time is ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Wood, Walnut
Pair of Mira Nakashima Mira Bar Stools in Walnut, USA
By George Nakashima, Mira Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Mira Nakashima "Mira bar stools" in walnut, USA. The chairs are in black walnut. Please consider the production lead time of around 18 months.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Solid Oiled Walnut George Nakashima Slab-Arm Lounge Chair
By George Nakashima
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modernsolid oiled walnut George Nakashima slab-arm lounge chair.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
George Nakashima Studio Conoid Bench
By George Nakashima, George Nakashima Studio
Located in Chicago, IL
George Nakashima Studio Conoid bench, 84" long. Strongly figured American black walnut with hickory spindles.
Sold with a certificate of authenticity
Measure: seat height 12.50".
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Hickory, Walnut
8 Grass Seated Dining Chairs by Mira Nakashima based on a G. Nakashima design
By Mira Nakashima, George Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of 8 grass-seated chairs by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima, USA. The square seat typically found in walnut and woven sea-gras...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Seagrass, Walnut
George Nakashima Studio Conoid Bench Signed Mira Nakashima, 1992
By George Nakashima, Mira Nakashima
Located in New York, NY
George Nakashima Studio Conoid bench signed Mira Nakashima 1992. The bench is walnut has hickory spindles and rosewood butterfly joints. This bench was commissioned for a private col...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Hickory, Walnut
New Chair by Mira Nakashima after a Geoge Nakashima design, USA
By George Nakashima, George Nakashima Studio
Located in Berlin, DE
"New Chair" in black walnut with hickory spindled back by Mira Nakashima after a design by George Nakashima. Please consider the production lead time of about 18 months.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Set of 6 Oiled Walnut Spindle Back Dining Chairs by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Set of 6 Oiled Walnut Spindle Back Dining Chairs by George Nakashima
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Conoid Bench by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima, USA
By George Nakashima, Mira Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Conoid bench in walnut, US 2021, by Mira Nakashima based on a George Nakashima design. The Bench is made in black walnut with hickory spindles and is s...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Wood, Walnut
Four Mira Nakashima 4-Legged High Chairs based on a design by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima Studio, George Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of four Mira Nakashima 4-Legged High Chairs based on a design by George Nakashima, USA. The chairs can be signed. Please consider that this is an on-order product, the production...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
George Nakashima Dining Armchair for Widdicomb
By Widdicomb Furniture Co., George Nakashima
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Black walnut dining armchair by George Nakashima for Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company Widdicomb, c.1960s for their "Origins" collection. This rare dining chair, is one of the few...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Upholstery, Walnut
George Nakashima Slab-Arm Lounge Chair
By George Nakashima
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine example of this form.
The client requested an extra wide slab-arm, as is noted by the artist.
Signed with the clients name.
Category
1960s American Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
8 Conoid Dining Chairs by Mira Nakashima based on a George Nakashima design
By George Nakashima Woodworkers, George Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of 8 Conoid Dining chairs by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima. All chairs can be signed (just an example on the photo). Importa...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Pair of Conoid Lounge Chairs by Mira Nakashima after a George Nakashima design
By George Nakashima Studio, George Nakashima
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of Conoid lounge chairs in American black walnut with hickory spindles by Mira Nakashima based on a design by George Nakashima. Photo is just an e...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
1940s Straight Chair by George Nakashima
By Knoll, George Nakashima
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An early production straight chair with spindles and a shaped seat on four splayed, tapered dowel legs.
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Hickory
Rare Early Pair of George Nakashima "New Chairs"
By George Nakashima
Located in Hopewell, NJ
An iconic pair of early circa 1952 George Nakashima "New Chairs" masterfully constructed out of walnut. Letter of authenticity included.
Category
1950s American American Craftsman Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
1960s Walnut Stool by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A walnut barstool designed by American Craftsman Master George Nakashima with hand-hewn spindles supporting a thin backrest, a shaped seat on four spl...
Category
1960s American American Craftsman Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Set of Four Captain Chairs by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima
Located in Atlanta, GA
A wonderful set of four American black Walnut 'Captain" chairs handcrafted by George Nakashima in his New Hope Studio in 1976. These chairs were designed with creative exposed joints...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
George Nakashima Conoid Low Chairs
By George Nakashima
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
George Nakashima Conoid low chairs. A rarely seen design from the studio.
Category
1980s American Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Early George Nakashima Conoid Bench c. 1964
By George Nakashima
Located in Brooklyn, NY
George Nakashima Conoid Bench c. 1964.
Beautifully figured crotch grain American black walnut with Hickory spindles and rosewood butterflies.
Very unusual topographic shaped slab....
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Hickory, Rosewood, Walnut
Pair of George Nakashima New Chairs
By George Nakashima
Located in Miami, FL
A pair of rare and early model 271 or New Chairs, the iconic Windsor spindle back chairs reimagined by Japanese-American Master Woodworker, George Nakashima in 1956. East Indian Laurel wood...
Category
1950s American American Craftsman Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Hickory, Walnut
George Nakashima Set of 4 Chairs
By George Nakashima
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Set of 4 George Nakashima chairs
Matched Set
Cleaned and Re-Oiled surface.
Category
1960s American Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Walnut
Early Set of Six Mira Chairs by George Nakashima
By George Nakashima
Located in Atlanta, GA
An exceptional set of six Mira chairs custom made by George Nakashima in his New Hope Studio, circa 1959. Early work that was commissioned by using cherry wood. The Mira chair was na...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nakashima Seating
Materials
Cherry
George Nakashima seating for sale on 1stDibs.
George Nakashima seating are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of George Nakashima seating, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 54 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 13 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original seating by George Nakashima 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 seating by Henredon, Drexel, and Lawrence Peabody. Prices for George Nakashima seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,000 and can go as high as $89,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $17,750.
Creators Similar to George Nakashima
Questions About George Nakashima Seating
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022George Nakashima is perhaps best known for developing the butterfly joint. This construction method involves connecting pieces with a third piece of wood shaped like a butterfly. The joint forms a strong, sturdy connection and stabilizes pieces to fight the effects of wood expansion. On 1stDibs, shop a range of George Nakashima furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, George Nakashima didn’t usually sign the majority of his works. Instead, he normally added the name of the client to the timber selected to start the project. The writing usually appears in simple black marker. On 1stDibs, find a variety of George Nakashima furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To identify George Nakashima furniture, start by looking for the name of the original client written in black marker. He usually wrote the name on the underside of a piece of furniture. Order cards and shop drawings can also help authenticate his work. On 1stDibs, find a selection of expertly vetted George Nakashima furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To address wood expansion, George Nakashima pioneered the butterfly joint. This technique uses a butterfly-shaped piece of wood as an anchor. When wood expands, the butterfly joint prevents the pieces from splitting apart. Butterfly joints are strong and increase the overall durability of his wood furniture. On 1stDibs, find a collection of George Nakashima.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Which chair is best for a George Nakashima Origins for Widdicomb desk is largely a matter of preference. George Nakashima chairs with Shaker-inspired spindle backs like the Mira and Conoid tend to complement the lines of the desks in the collection. However, you can mix and match styles to create an eclectic look. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of George Nakashima desks and chairs.
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