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Josef Frank Furniture

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.

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Creator: Josef Frank
Josef Frank Silk Pendant
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Vienna, AT
New silk shade, designed by Josef Frank for Firma Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1930s-1940s. One still unrestored and another shade color on requst possible.
Category

1950s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Table Lamp Model 2468 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Brass with cotton shades. Stamped. Model 2468 is a delightful brass table lamp with three small shades in green, yellow, and red. The lamp has an elegant brass base with three stems that hold the shades at different heights. Because of its tricolour shades, it is known as the “traffic light lamp”. Designed by Josef Frank in the 1950s, this lamp has become a timeless Svenskt Tenn collectable. Read our article “Josef Frank – Modernism Undone” for further information about this pioneer of 20th-century Swedish design. H: 54 cm W: 42 cm Shade D: 15 cm Josef Frank was a true European, he was also a pioneer of what would become classic 20th century Swedish design and the “Scandinavian Design Style”. Austrian- born Frank started his design career as an architect after having trained at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna between 1903 and 1910. After his training he went on to teach at Kunstgewerbeschule (The Viennese School of Arts and crafts) where he developed and espoused the new school of modernist thinking towards Architecture and Design that was coming to fruition in Vienna at the time. He also went on to lead the Vienna Werkbund throughout the 1920s. This was a truly progressive group of Architects and Designers who set about improving the daily lives of Austrian people through modernist design and architecture in partnership with Arts and Crafts ideals and construction. Frank’s leadership of the Werkbund had already cemented his place at the forefront of European design. Frank’s time in Vienna was typified by his design for the “Die Wohnung” exhibition of the Deutscher Werkbund in Stuttgart, 1927 where he exhibited along side his contemporaries at the forefront of design, such as the likes of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Here he showed a specially designed pair of flat-roofed reinforced concrete houses in what is now seen as a typical modernist style. What separated Frank’s house from the other 32 houses of the exhibition was the interior and furniture inside the building. It was described as “Neo-Classical” and filled with an eclectic mix of period pieces, modern design and pieces designed by Frank himself that seemed to cross the two worlds. This was a complete opposite direction to that which his fellow Architects were travelling in with their pared back and angular aesthetics. Frank said of his own work: “The house is not a work of art, simply a place where one lives,” and by this reasoning Frank rejected the regimental mechanisation of the living space that his contemporaries believed in, instead he set about creating congenial and spontaneous interiors. Frank’s practice saw him placing the bright colours and the soft forms of nature back into the furnishings and interiors that he thought modernism sorely mist. Frank, along with Oskar Walch set up Haus und Garten in Vienna in 1925. This was Frank’s first commercial foray into furniture and home furnishings and the company went on to become the most influential furnishing house in Vienna with a riotous depth of colour and interesting shapes becoming the trademark of their design. However this success was to come to an end with rise of Nazism in Vienna in the early 1930’s. Frank was Jewish, and he and his wife Anna decided they would leave Vienna for her motherland: Sweden, in 1933. Frank continued to design for Haus and Garten, visiting Vienna occasionally and designing the pieces that would continue to be the company’s best sellers long after Frank was forced to hand the company over in 1938 after the Third Reich annexation of Austria. When Josef and Anna had moved to Sweden Frank had struck up a working relationship with Design shop owner Estrid Ericson. Ericson was the proprietor of Svenskt Tenn that at this point was a successful interiors shop in Stockholm with the royal warrant of appointment to the Swedish Royal Household. In 1935 Frank had become the chief designer for Svenskt Tenn and had set about putting all of his creative effort into his designs for the company. At the World Expositions in Paris in 1937 and New York in 1939 the world saw for the first time the wealth of products that Frank had been working on, ranging from candlesticks to cabinets, there was not a domestic object that Frank had not subjected to his colourful, comfortable and organic style of Modernism. Frank’s new school of Modernism championed ideas such as chairs having a freeing, open back and that “If one desires the room to be comfortable…all pieces of furniture should allow for a free view of the separating line between the floor and the wall. A cabinet without legs breaks this line and thus reduces the feeling of space.” A world-wide audience tired of classic Modernism’s furniture with solid planes and aggressive forms leapt upon these ideas and Franks natural and bright designs for Svenskt Tenn became internationally desired. Frank created over 2000 designs for Svenskt Tenn and his products continue to be the core of their brand. Frank’s rejections of tubular metal and heavy lacquers within his furniture have insured his unique light form of Modernism continues to influence and flourish today. His natural toned mahogany and walnut pieces along with his tactile leather covered and brightly shaded lighting still bring the forms of nature back into the home. Original Frank pieces are now increasingly rare, highly desirable and are the epitome of “Scandinavian Design”. Renowned Designer and Academic Isle Crawford...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Floor Lamp Model 1842 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1932
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Floor lamp model 1842 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1932. Brass. Measures: H: 102.5 cm W: 36 cm Shade diameter: 24 cm Base diamete...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank Coffee Table in Black Marble and Walnut, 1950
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Berlin, DE
Josef Frank coffee table in walnut and black marble. Manufactured by Svenskt Tenn in 1950, Sweden.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Marble

Josef Frank Coffe table model 1058 by Svenskt tenn
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank, Eriksson & Soner AB 1
Located in Valby, 84
Rare and important Coffe table model 1058 designed by Josef Frank and manufactured by Svenskt tenn. The table has a table top made in elm root and legs made of solid walnut with pr...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Elm, Walnut

Occasional Table Model U 601 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Occasional table model U 601 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1960s -1970s. Mahogany, glass, and brass. The map is a replica of the world map drawn by the Venetian monk and cartographer, Fra Mauro, ca 1450. The original map can be found in Doge's Palace H: 49.5 cm D: 127 cm Josef Frank was a true European, he was also a pioneer of what would become classic 20th century Swedish design and the “Scandinavian Design Style”. Austrian- born Frank started his design career as an architect after having trained at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna between 1903 and 1910. After his training he went on to teach at Kunstgewerbeschule (The Viennese School of Arts and crafts) where he developed and espoused the new school of modernist thinking towards Architecture and Design that was coming to fruition in Vienna at the time. He also went on to lead the Vienna Werkbund throughout the 1920s. This was a truly progressive group of Architects and Designers who set about improving the daily lives of Austrian people through modernist design and architecture in partnership with Arts and Crafts ideals and construction. Frank’s leadership of the Werkbund had already cemented his place at the forefront of European design. Frank’s time in Vienna was typified by his design for the “Die Wohnung” exhibition of the Deutscher Werkbund in Stuttgart, 1927 where he exhibited along side his contemporaries at the forefront of design, such as the likes of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Here he showed a specially designed pair of flat-roofed reinforced concrete houses in what is now seen as a typical modernist style. What separated Frank’s house from the other 32 houses of the exhibition was the interior and furniture inside the building. It was described as “Neo-Classical” and filled with an eclectic mix of period pieces, modern design and pieces designed by Frank himself that seemed to cross the two worlds. This was a complete opposite direction to that which his fellow Architects were travelling in with their pared back and angular aesthetics. Frank said of his own work: “The house is not a work of art, simply a place where one lives,” and by this reasoning Frank rejected the regimental mechanisation of the living space that his contemporaries believed in, instead he set about creating congenial and spontaneous interiors. Frank’s practice saw him placing the bright colours and the soft forms of nature back into the furnishings and interiors that he thought modernism sorely mist. Frank, along with Oskar Walch set up Haus und Garten in Vienna in 1925. This was Frank’s first commercial foray into furniture and home furnishings and the company went on to become the most influential furnishing house in Vienna with a riotous depth of colour and interesting shapes becoming the trademark of their design. However this success was to come to an end with rise of Nazism in Vienna in the early 1930’s. Frank was Jewish, and he and his wife Anna decided they would leave Vienna for her motherland: Sweden, in 1933. Frank continued to design for Haus and Garten, visiting Vienna occasionally and designing the pieces that would continue to be the company’s best sellers long after Frank was forced to hand the company over in 1938 after the Third Reich annexation of Austria. When Josef and Anna had moved to Sweden Frank had struck up a working relationship with Design shop owner Estrid Ericson. Ericson was the proprietor of Svenskt Tenn that at this point was a successful interiors shop in Stockholm with the royal warrant of appointment to the Swedish Royal Household. In 1935 Frank had become the chief designer for Svenskt Tenn and had set about putting all of his creative effort into his designs for the company. At the World Expositions in Paris in 1937 and New York in 1939 the world saw for the first time the wealth of products that Frank had been working on, ranging from candlesticks to cabinets, there was not a domestic object that Frank had not subjected to his colourful, comfortable and organic style of Modernism. Frank’s new school of Modernism championed ideas such as chairs having a freeing, open back and that “If one desires the room to be comfortable…all pieces of furniture should allow for a free view of the separating line between the floor and the wall. A cabinet without legs breaks this line and thus reduces the feeling of space.” A world-wide audience tired of classic Modernism’s furniture with solid planes and aggressive forms leapt upon these ideas and Franks natural and bright designs for Svenskt Tenn became internationally desired. Frank created over 2000 designs for Svenskt Tenn and his products continue to be the core of their brand. Frank’s rejections of tubular metal and heavy lacquers within his furniture have insured his unique light form of Modernism continues to influence and flourish today. His natural toned mahogany and walnut pieces along with his tactile leather covered and brightly shaded lighting still bring the forms of nature back into the home. Original Frank pieces are now increasingly rare, highly desirable and are the epitome of “Scandinavian Design”. Renowned Designer and Academic Isle Crawford...
Category

1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Danish Art Deco Stools, Reupholstered in Josef Frank Fabric from Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank
Located in Odense, DK
A wonderful pair of Danish Art Deco stools, upholstered in fine vintage fabric from Svenskt Tenn, model "Hawaii" from 2015. Designed in 1943 by Swedish Designer Josef Frank. An exclu...
Category

Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Midcentury Bentwood & Cane Cafe Chair by Joseph Hoffman for Stendig
By Josef Hoffmann, Stendig Co., Josef Frank
Located in Detroit, MI
This vintage midcentury Bentwood Prague Model 811 cafe dining chair was originally designed by Austrian architects Josef Hoffman & Josef Frank for Thonet in the 1920s. This chair was...
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Cane, Beech, Bentwood

Pair of 'Large Camel' Floor Lamps by Josef Frank, Sweden, 1960s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Designed by Josef Frank in 1939, this pair produced circa 1960s. New leather and new original Svenskt tenn lampshades.
Category

1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

20th Century Gold Swedish Svenskt Tenn Vintage Brass Floor Lamp by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold-black, vintage Mid-Century modern Swedish floor lamp made of hand crafted iron and polished brass, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn in good condition. Th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass, Iron

Midcentury Wall Mirror by Josef Frank Svenskt Tenn, Austria, Sweden Brass, 1950s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Nierstein am Rhein, DE
Sculptural and elegant midcentury wall mirror by Josef Frank Austria or Sweden for Svenskt Tenn, circa 1940s-1950s which is made of patinated brass metal, a beautiful brass loop-wire-decoration, original mirror glass, solid wood at the back and its original golden cord. The mirror is 48 cm / 18.90 inches tall, 37 cm / 14.57 inches wide and 2 cm / 0.79 inches deep. It stays in very good original vintage condition with minor typical characteristic wear consistent with age and use. For further matching midcentury lamps...
Category

1940s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass, Metal

Tallboy Cabinet by Josef Frank 'Model 955'
By Josef Frank
Located in Long Island City, NY
Tallboy Cabinet by Josef Frank ( Model 955 ) in mahogany with a brass key and joinery. About Josef Frank: Josef Frank was one of early Vienna mo...
Category

20th Century Austrian Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank, Wall Light, Brass, Rattan, Sweden, 1950s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in High Point, NC
A brass and rattan wall light designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Dimensions of Back Plate (inches) : 3.9 x 1.5 x 0.7 (Height x Width x Depth) ...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Vintage Convex Wall Mirror by Josef Frank, 1950s
By Josef Frank
Located in Saarburg, RP
Wall Mirror by Josef Frank - 1950s The designer of this extraordinary object succeeded in combining functionality, design, style and aesthetics. Even today, this convex mirror is ...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal

Swedish Rug by Josef Frank 'Flora' with Illustrations from the Book Svenskteam
By Josef Frank
Located in New York, NY
Swedish Rug by Josef Frank (Flora) Decorated with Illustrations from the Book Svenskteam Size: 12'10" × 16'5" (391 × 500 cm) Swedish rug designed ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Wool

Josef Frank, Floor Lamp, Metal, Brass, Fabric, Sweden, 1940s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in High Point, NC
A metal, brass and fabric table lamp designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s. Socket takes standard E-26 medium base bulb. There is no maximum watta...
Category

1940s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Josef Frank, Floor Lamp, Brass, Paper, Sweden, 1940s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in High Point, NC
A brass and paper floor lamp designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s. Socket takes standard E-26 medium base bulb. There is no maximum wattage state...
Category

1940s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Table Lamp Model 2466 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Table lamp model 2466 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Brass with fabric shade. Stamped. An understated and tim...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Large J.T. Kalmar Chandelier by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Vienna, AT
Large brass frame with nine arms in two tiers each fitted with E27 porcelain sockets each with silk shades. Designed by Josef Frank in the 1930s for J.T. Kalmar produced in the 1940s...
Category

1940s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Table Lamp Model 2468 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Table lamp model 2468 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Brass with cotton shades. Stamped. Model 2468 is a delightful brass table lamp with three small shades in green, yellow, and red. The lamp has an elegant brass base with three stems that hold the shades at different heights. Because of its tricolour shades, it is known as the “traffic light lamp”. Designed by Josef Frank in the 1950s, this lamp has become a timeless Svenskt Tenn collectable. H: 54 cm W: 42 cm Shade D: 15 cm Josef Frank was a true European, he was also a pioneer of what would become classic 20th century Swedish design and the “Scandinavian Design Style”. Austrian- born Frank started his design career as an architect after having trained at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna between 1903 and 1910. After his training he went on to teach at Kunstgewerbeschule (The Viennese School of Arts and crafts) where he developed and espoused the new school of modernist thinking towards Architecture and Design that was coming to fruition in Vienna at the time. He also went on to lead the Vienna Werkbund throughout the 1920s. This was a truly progressive group of Architects and Designers who set about improving the daily lives of Austrian people through modernist design and architecture in partnership with Arts and Crafts ideals and construction. Frank’s leadership of the Werkbund had already cemented his place at the forefront of European design. Frank’s time in Vienna was typified by his design for the “Die Wohnung” exhibition of the Deutscher Werkbund in Stuttgart, 1927 where he exhibited along side his contemporaries at the forefront of design, such as the likes of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Here he showed a specially designed pair of flat-roofed reinforced concrete houses in what is now seen as a typical modernist style. What separated Frank’s house from the other 32 houses of the exhibition was the interior and furniture inside the building. It was described as “Neo-Classical” and filled with an eclectic mix of period pieces, modern design and pieces designed by Frank himself that seemed to cross the two worlds. This was a complete opposite direction to that which his fellow Architects were travelling in with their pared back and angular aesthetics. Frank said of his own work: “The house is not a work of art, simply a place where one lives,” and by this reasoning Frank rejected the regimental mechanisation of the living space that his contemporaries believed in, instead he set about creating congenial and spontaneous interiors. Frank’s practice saw him placing the bright colours and the soft forms of nature back into the furnishings and interiors that he thought modernism sorely mist. Frank, along with Oskar Walch set up Haus und Garten in Vienna in 1925. This was Frank’s first commercial foray into furniture and home furnishings and the company went on to become the most influential furnishing house in Vienna with a riotous depth of colour and interesting shapes becoming the trademark of their design. However this success was to come to an end with rise of Nazism in Vienna in the early 1930’s. Frank was Jewish, and he and his wife Anna decided they would leave Vienna for her motherland: Sweden, in 1933. Frank continued to design for Haus and Garten, visiting Vienna occasionally and designing the pieces that would continue to be the company’s best sellers long after Frank was forced to hand the company over in 1938 after the Third Reich annexation of Austria. When Josef and Anna had moved to Sweden Frank had struck up a working relationship with Design shop owner Estrid Ericson. Ericson was the proprietor of Svenskt Tenn that at this point was a successful interiors shop in Stockholm with the royal warrant of appointment to the Swedish Royal Household. In 1935 Frank had become the chief designer for Svenskt Tenn and had set about putting all of his creative effort into his designs for the company. At the World Expositions in Paris in 1937 and New York in 1939 the world saw for the first time the wealth of products that Frank had been working on, ranging from candlesticks to cabinets, there was not a domestic object that Frank had not subjected to his colourful, comfortable and organic style of Modernism. Frank’s new school of Modernism championed ideas such as chairs having a freeing, open back and that “If one desires the room to be comfortable…all pieces of furniture should allow for a free view of the separating line between the floor and the wall. A cabinet without legs breaks this line and thus reduces the feeling of space.” A world-wide audience tired of classic Modernism’s furniture with solid planes and aggressive forms leapt upon these ideas and Franks natural and bright designs for Svenskt Tenn became internationally desired. Frank created over 2000 designs for Svenskt Tenn and his products continue to be the core of their brand. Frank’s rejections of tubular metal and heavy lacquers within his furniture have insured his unique light form of Modernism continues to influence and flourish today. His natural toned mahogany and walnut pieces along with his tactile leather covered and brightly shaded lighting still bring the forms of nature back into the home. Original Frank pieces are now increasingly rare, highly desirable and are the epitome of “Scandinavian Design”. Renowned Designer and Academic Isle Crawford...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

20th Century Swedish Svenskt Tenn Pair of Walnut Floor Lamps by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A light-brown, vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish pair of floor lamps with a new beige round shade, made of handcrafted polished Walnut, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svens...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Josef Frank Floor Lamps Model 1842 Produced by Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
A pair of height adjustable floor lamps model 1842 designed by Josef Frank. Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden. Height: 98.5-145 cm.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Set of 5 Josef Frank Prague Chairs Made in Czechoslovakia, circa 1970s
By Thonet, Josef Frank
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional set of five bentwood armchairs design attributed to Josef Frank, marked Made in Czechoslovakia. The chairs are constructed of steam bent wood, probably beech, and nylon, ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Vienna Secession Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Beech, Bentwood

Floor Lamp ‘San Francisco’ Model G2431 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Floor lamp ‘San Francisco’ model G2431 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1938. Early model with leather clad stem and fabric shades. Stamped. Exhibition: Model sho...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Leather, Fabric

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 Furniture

Materials

Brass

Midcentury Wall Mirror, Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1960s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Praha, CZ
- Very representative - Rare type.
Category

1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Hoffmann & Josef Frank & Wiener Werkstaette Ball Table Lamp, Re-Edition
By Josef Frank, Woka Lamps, Josef Hoffmann, Wiener Werkstätte
Located in Vienna, AT
1920 Designed Josef Hoffmann chased brass lamp base, different finishes available. Hand sewn Lamp Shade with a Josef Frank fabric, different patterns available. Sample book of the Wi...
Category

2010s Austrian Jugendstil Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Stool Model 927 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Stool model 927 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Mahogany and rattan. Measures: H: 43 cm W: 43 cm D: 28 cm Josef Frank was a true European, he was also a pioneer of what would become classic 20th century Swedish design and the “Scandinavian Design Style”. Austrian- born Frank started his design career as an architect after having trained at the Technische Hochschule in Vienna between 1903 and 1910. After his training he went on to teach at Kunstgewerbeschule (The Viennese School of Arts and crafts) where he developed and espoused the new school of modernist thinking towards Architecture and Design that was coming to fruition in Vienna at the time. He also went on to lead the Vienna Werkbund throughout the 1920s. This was a truly progressive group of Architects and Designers who set about improving the daily lives of Austrian people through modernist design and architecture in partnership with Arts and Crafts ideals and construction. Frank’s leadership of the Werkbund had already cemented his place at the forefront of European design. Frank’s time in Vienna was typified by his design for the “Die Wohnung” exhibition of the Deutscher Werkbund in Stuttgart, 1927 where he exhibited along side his contemporaries at the forefront of design, such as the likes of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Here he showed a specially designed pair of flat-roofed reinforced concrete houses in what is now seen as a typical modernist style. What separated Frank’s house from the other 32 houses of the exhibition was the interior and furniture inside the building. It was described as “Neo-Classical” and filled with an eclectic mix of period pieces, modern design and pieces designed by Frank himself that seemed to cross the two worlds. This was a complete opposite direction to that which his fellow Architects were travelling in with their pared back and angular aesthetics. Frank said of his own work: “The house is not a work of art, simply a place where one lives,” and by this reasoning Frank rejected the regimental mechanisation of the living space that his contemporaries believed in, instead he set about creating congenial and spontaneous interiors. Frank’s practice saw him placing the bright colours and the soft forms of nature back into the furnishings and interiors that he thought modernism sorely mist. Frank, along with Oskar Walch set up Haus und Garten in Vienna in 1925. This was Frank’s first commercial foray into furniture and home furnishings and the company went on to become the most influential furnishing house in Vienna with a riotous depth of colour and interesting shapes becoming the trademark of their design. However this success was to come to an end with rise of Nazism in Vienna in the early 1930’s. Frank was Jewish, and he and his wife Anna decided they would leave Vienna for her motherland: Sweden, in 1933. Frank continued to design for Haus and Garten, visiting Vienna occasionally and designing the pieces that would continue to be the company’s best sellers long after Frank was forced to hand the company over in 1938 after the Third Reich annexation of Austria. When Josef and Anna had moved to Sweden Frank had struck up a working relationship with Design shop owner Estrid Ericson. Ericson was the proprietor of Svenskt Tenn that at this point was a successful interiors shop in Stockholm with the royal warrant of appointment to the Swedish Royal Household. In 1935 Frank had become the chief designer for Svenskt Tenn and had set about putting all of his creative effort into his designs for the company. At the World Expositions in Paris in 1937 and New York in 1939 the world saw for the first time the wealth of products that Frank had been working on, ranging from candlesticks to cabinets, there was not a domestic object that Frank had not subjected to his colourful, comfortable and organic style of Modernism. Frank’s new school of Modernism championed ideas such as chairs having a freeing, open back and that “If one desires the room to be comfortable…all pieces of furniture should allow for a free view of the separating line between the floor and the wall. A cabinet without legs breaks this line and thus reduces the feeling of space.” A world-wide audience tired of classic Modernism’s furniture with solid planes and aggressive forms leapt upon these ideas and Franks natural and bright designs for Svenskt Tenn became internationally desired. Frank created over 2000 designs for Svenskt Tenn and his products continue to be the core of their brand. Frank’s rejections of tubular metal and heavy lacquers within his furniture have insured his unique light form of Modernism continues to influence and flourish today. His natural toned mahogany and walnut pieces along with his tactile leather covered and brightly shaded lighting still bring the forms of nature back into the home. Original Frank pieces are now increasingly rare, highly desirable and are the epitome of “Scandinavian Design”. Renowned Designer and Academic Isle Crawford...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Rattan, Mahogany

Set of Six Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Set of six dining chairs model 2027 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Mahogany, leather and brass. Josef Frank developed his characteristic style combining e...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn Vanity Mirror, Model 2214
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Rare large vanity mirror in brass by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn. Features an adjustable mirror which has close to 90 degrees of movement. Elegant and refined details throughout. Mo...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

20th Century Silver Swedish Svenskt Tenn Candle Holder by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A silver, vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish " Vänskapsknuten " candle holder made of handcrafted silvered metal, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn in good conditi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century Gold Swedish Svenskt Tenn Brass Candle Holder, Stick by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold, vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish " Vänskapsknuten " candle holder made of handcrafted polished brass, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn in good condition...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Josef Frank, 'Table Mirror' Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1934
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Berlin, DE
Josef Frank, 'Table Mirror' mod. 2214. Brass, mirror glass, backplate in mahogany, Design dating from 1934. This model is manufactured by Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm, circa 1940.
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Original Vintage Josef Frank Josef Hoffmann Bentwood Beech Prague Armchair
By Josef Hoffmann, Josef Frank
Located in Basel, BS
Mid-Century original bentwood beech Prague Armchair model 811 designed in the 1920's by Austrian architect Josef Frank and Josef Hoffman for Thonet. The chair is stamped made in Pola...
Category

20th Century Polish Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Beech

Josef Frank, Floor Lamp, 1950s, Sweden
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Los Gatos, CA
Josef Frank, floor lamp, model 2564, Firma Svenskt Tenn. Mahogany feet. Brass with a white lacquered stem. Textile-covered screen. Height 150 cm.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank, Candelabra, Brass, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in High Point, NC
A brass candelabra, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, c. 1940s.
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Platter in Brass, Candle Holder, Gold Color, by Josef Frank, 1940
By Josef Frank
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
It is a tray from the Art Deco period, in brass with geometric patterns. It is equipped with two candle holders. It was made in Sweden around the 1940s. It is gold in color. The manu...
Category

1940s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Set of Four No.811 Josef Frank and Josef Hoffmann
By Josef Hoffmann, Josef Frank
Located in London, GB
A set of 4 birch model 811 chairs designed in the mid- to late-1920s. The chairs feature handwoven cane seats and backs which provide comfort and give lightness to the design. The No.811 is attributed to Austrian architects Josef Hoffman and Josef Frank. All chairs...
Category

1920s Polish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Cane, Birch

Dining Table Model 1197 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Dining table model 1197 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s. Mahogany. This simple yet elegant dining table is an excellent example of how Josef Frank combined...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Mahogany

20th Century Gold Swedish Svenskt Tenn Brass Candle Holder by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold, vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish " Vänskapsknuten " candle holder made of handcrafted polished brass, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn in good condition...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass, Metal

Table Mirror, Leather and Brass, Josef Frank for Firma Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Mirror in brass and leather, designed by Josef Frank for Firma Svenskt Tenn. Sweden, mid1900s.  
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

20th Century Swedish Svenskt Tenn Brass Lamp, Scandinavian Light by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish floor lamp made of handcrafted polished brass, designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn in good condition. The height of the Scandinavian light is adjustable, composed with a new white small round shade...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Josef Frank "The Knot of Friendship" Brass Candelabra, Sweden 1940s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Utrecht, NL
Josef Frank designed Vänskapsknuten (the Knot of Friendship) as a symbol of friendship and peace at a time when Europe was filled with turmoil. The very first sketch of the candelabr...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank, Wall Light, Brass, Paper, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank
Located in High Point, NC
A brass and blue and white paper wall light designed and produced by Josef Frank, Sweden, 1950s. Sold with lampshade. Stated dimensions refer to the Sconce with the Shade. S...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

20th Century Gold Swedish Svenskt Tenn Brass Dressing Table Lamp by Josef Frank
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold, vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish dressing table lamp with a new white round shade made of hand crafted polished brass, designed by Jos...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Brass Metal Round Mirror by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1960s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: mirror Origin: Sweden Design: Josef Frank Producer: Svenskt Tenn Age: 1960s Description: This original vintage mirror was designed by Josef Frank and produced in the 1960s by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden. The mirror glass is surrounded by brass looped metal ring elements, in total the mirror has a diameter of 40cm and a depth of 4,5cm. The backside is in original white tone with the original little metal hanger...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank Oval Brass Mirror 1950s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Munich, DE
A beautiful mirror with a nice oval brass frame and a decorative brass ring from the 1950s. Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden.
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank, Sconce, Brass, Metal, White Paper, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in High Point, NC
A brass, metal and white paper sconce designed by Josef Frank and produced by Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1940s. Dimensions variable, measured as illustrated in first image. Dimensio...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Brass and Glass Table Lamp 1819 by Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in Hägersten, SE
Table lamp model 1819 designed by Josef Frank. Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden during the 1950-60s. Made from blown clear glass and brass. New linen lamp shade...
Category

1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank Bench in Mahogany and Brass Nails, Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1960s
By Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Josef Frank & SCANDINAVIAN MODERN A beautiful bench by Josef Frank, for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1960s. The frame is made of mahogany, upholstered seat with brass nails. The feet are elegantly sculpted and the bench can also be used as a table, end of bed stool...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Mahogany

Table Lamp Model 2467/2, Josef Frank for Firma Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Table lamp model 2467/2 designed by Josef Frank for Firma Svenskt Tenn, Sweden, 1950s. Brass with fabric shade (the shade is most likely original...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Set of Four Dining Chairs Model 2027 Designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank
Located in Stockholm, SE
Set of four dining chairs model 2027 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn. Sweden, 1950s. Mahogany and leather. Together with Estrid Ericson and her furnishing company, Svenskt...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Sculptural Bronzed Wall Mirror by Josef Frank Svenskt Tenn, 1950s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Nümbrecht, NRW
This beautiful sculptural loop wall mirror was designed in Sweden by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn in the 1950s. The bronzed frame with nice warm vintage patina. The original mirror...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Alf Svensson G34 Floor Lamp in Teak, Josef Frank Shade, Bergboms, Sweden, 1960s
By Svenskt Tenn, Alf Svensson, Bergboms, Josef Frank
Located in The Hague, NL
This elegant floor lamp was designed by Alf Svensson and produced by Bergboms in Sweden in the 1960s. This three-legged design is numbered G34. The design is marked by the three legged base leading to the central tube, all in solid teak wood with a beautiful grain. A brass stem and the light fitting are mounted on top of the teak wood base. The cylinder shade is a custom design in a beautiful linen Svenskt Tenn fabric...
Category

1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank Bar Cabinet Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden
By Josef Frank
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare freestanding bar cabinet designed by Josef Frank. Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Mahogany, Glass, Mirror

Josef Frank Brass Adjustable Candelabra for Svenskt Tenn, Sweden 1950s
By Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn
Located in Utrecht, NL
Although electricity has relegated candleholders to decorative use, interior designers continue to favour candelabra for their cosy light and eye-catching appearance. Josef Frank modernized the classic...
Category

1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Josef Frank Dining Chairs Model 695 Produced by Svenskt Tenn
By Josef Frank
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare set of 10 dining chairs model 695 designed by Josef Frank. Produced by Svenskt Tenn in Sweden.
Category

1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Walnut Brown Vintage Coffee Table Side Table Josef Frank, 1930s, Vienna
By Josef Frank
Located in Vienna, AT
Art Deco vintage coffee table or side table from walnut in brown color by Josef Frank 1930s Vienna. A stunning coffee table or side table by Josef Frank 1930s Vienna in beautiful wa...
Category

1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Josef Frank Furniture

Materials

Walnut, Spruce

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 273 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 6 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 Bergboms, Svenskt Tenn, and ASEA. Prices for Josef Frank furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at £371 and can go as high as £118,586, while a piece like these, on average, fetch £3,686.

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