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Josef Frank

Austrian, 1885-1967

Austrian architect and furniture and fabric designer Josef Frank was a leading voice for a gentle, humane modernism. His advocacy of warm, comfortable, eclectically styled environments was highly influential in his adopted country of Sweden, and it’s now widely regarded as a harbinger of the backlash against doctrinaire modernism and the embrace of the homespun that occurred in the late 1960s.

The son of a successful Viennese textile manufacturer, Frank studied architecture at Vienna University of Technology, graduating in 1910. From the first years of his practice, he marched counter to the orderly, symmetrical architectural layouts and decors prescribed by contemporaries such as Adolf Loos.

Frank drafted rooms of varying shapes and called for flexible interior-design arrangements. His furniture pieces are light and easy to move — and his chairs are always made of wood, most often with lushly curved steam-bent arms and slatted backs. Frank openly loathed the tubular steel furnishings and “machine for living” aesthetic promoted by Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and other Bauhaus principals. “The home must not be a mere efficient machine,” Frank once said. “It must offer comfort, rest and coziness…. There are no puritan principles in good interior decoration.”

Frank — who was Jewish — sensed the dire implications of the rise of Nazism in Germany and Austria, and in 1933 he moved to Stockholm with his Swedish wife, Anna. He became the design chief for the furnishings maker Svenskt Tenn and found a perfect match culturally for his brand of simple, relaxed and bright creations. Like many modernists — notably Charles and Ray Eames and Alexander Girard — Frank had a deep love of folk art, which influenced his designs for a wide array of colorful, richly patterned upholstery fabrics, many based on the classic “Tree of Life” motif.

In all his designs, Frank took inspiration from a broad variety of sources. In his furniture, one can discern traces of Asian patterns, Rococo, Italian Renaissance, Scandinavian handicrafts and even Chippendale pieces. As such, the work of Frank — the friendly modernist — is at home in any type of décor.

Find vintage Josef Frank pillows, armchairs, floor lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$3,378
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Josef Frank
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Floor Lamp Model 1842
Floor Lamp Model 1842
Floor Lamp Model 2148
Floor Lamp Model 2148
Table Lamp Model 2388
Table Lamp Model 2388
Floor Lamp Model G2431
Floor Lamp Model G2431
Rare Freestanding Bookcase in Mahogany by Josef Frank, 1940's
By Josef Frank
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare Freestanding Bookcase in Mahogany by Josef Frank, 1940's Additional Information: Material: Mahogany Style: Mid century, Scandinavia Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden Dimension...
Category

20th Century Swedish Josef Frank

Materials

Mahogany

Josef Frank Art Deco Walnut Circular Side Table Haus & Garten circa 1928 Austria
By Josef Frank
Located in Vienna, AT
Art Deco vintage coffee table or side table by Josef Frank for Haus & Garten circa 1928 Austria. A stunning and sleek Josef Frank coffee table from the Viennese Art Deco period circa...
Category

1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank

Materials

Walnut, Spruce

Pair of Side Table in Mahogany by Josef Frank, 1939
By Josef Frank
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Pair of Side Table in Mahogany by Josef Frank, 1939 Additional Information: Material: Mahogany Style: Mid century, Scandinavia Rare pair of side table model 961 / San Francisco Prod...
Category

20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank

Materials

Mahogany

Josef Hoffmann Bentwood Beech Prague Model 811 Chairs in Black and Leather Weave
By Stendig Co., Josef Frank, Josef Hoffmann
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In the 1920s, Michael Thonet's company crafted the iconic No. 811 Bentwood Chair. Josef Hoffmann is commonly credited with creating the "Prague chair," the design is also attribute...
Category

1960s European Modern Vintage Josef Frank

Materials

Bentwood, Cane

Counterweight Pendant Light 'Jo-Jo Zug' Kalmar, Josef Frank, Brass Wicker, 1950s
By J.T. Kalmar, Josef Frank, Haus & Garten, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
A rare and fantastic height adjustable brass counter balance pendant lamp with wicker lampshade model 'Jo-Jo Zug' no. 2505 by J.T. Kalmar manufactured in midcentury in 1950s. The lig...
Category

1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank easy chair 891 for Firma Svenskt Tenn, Sweden
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Forserum, SE
Easy chair 891 designed by Josef Frank for Firma Svenskt Tenn in 1937. Made from solid mahogany, reupholstered in a striking zebra-striped textile. The Austrian architect Josef Frank...
Category

1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank

Materials

Textile, Mahogany

Josef Frank Table Mirror Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden
By Josef Frank
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare table mirror designed by Josef Frank. Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank

Materials

Brass

Midcentury Modern Wall light by Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare, beautiful wall light by Josef Frank, made from brass with a slender stem suspending a voluminous lamp shade. Adjustable height.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank

Materials

Brass

Browse all Furniture from Josef Frank
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Creators Similar to Josef Frank

More Josef Frank Designs
Floor Lamp Model 1842
Floor Lamp Model 1842
Average Price
$5,487
Number Available
6
Floor Lamp Model 1842
By Josef Frank
Materials
Brass, Metal
Styles
Mid Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern
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Floor Lamp Model 2148
Floor Lamp Model 2148
Average Price
$3,023
Number Available
3
Floor Lamp Model 2148
By Josef Frank
Materials
Brass, Metal, Fabric
Styles
Scandinavian Modern, Mid Century Modern
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Table Lamp Model 2388
Table Lamp Model 2388
Average Price
$3,125
Number Available
1
Table Lamp Model 2388
By Josef Frank
Materials
Animal Skin, Brass, Leather, Metal
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All
Floor Lamp Model G2431
Floor Lamp Model G2431
Average Price
$10,400
Number Available
1
Floor Lamp Model G2431
By Josef Frank
Materials
Brass, Iron, Metal
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All

Josef Frank furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Josef Frank furniture 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 Josef Frank furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 292 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 7 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Josef Frank 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 furniture by Svenskt Tenn, Bergboms, and Hans Bergström. Prices for Josef Frank furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $223 and can go as high as $164,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,600.

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