Michael Coffey Furniture
While he may not be as well known as the designers who influenced him, master woodworker Michael Coffey creates tables, case pieces and other hand-carved furnishings that are wholly sculptural and characterized by striking, unexpected forms — they’re provocative statement pieces in any interior.
Born in 1928 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — where like-minded designers Paul Evans, George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell shared a studio — Coffey loved working with his hands as a child. However, a sense of youthful idealism led him to pursue a master’s degree in social group work before he endeavored to design on a full-time basis. It wasn't until 1966, at the age of 38, that he started teaching himself woodworking. Coffey was inspired by innovative artisans in the furniture-making field such as Nakashima, Wharton Esherick and Wendell Castle, all of whom are credited as pioneers in the world of art furniture.
In 1972, Coffey earned his first major design commission in the form of a collection for Directional Furniture, a manufacturer that forged an enduring partnership with Paul Evans and a favorite brand of mid-century modern enthusiasts. He continued to collaborate with Directional, working in mahogany and rare Mozambique woods, and integrating abstract carving motifs in his cabinet fronts and table pedestals. Soon afterward, Coffey established a woodworking school and apprenticeships at his Vermont farm. In 1986, he moved to Massachusetts, and, in 1991, he founded a second woodworking school, this one much larger.
Coffey sold his successful Massachusetts school to his staff in 1997 in order to focus on his furniture, as his reputation and client base had grown considerably. His profile reached greater heights in 2003, when a rocking chair called Aphrodite that Coffey had designed more than two decades earlier sold at auction for nearly $50,000. The sale sparked the interest of buyers and collectors worldwide and resulted in a slew of new commissions. Today Coffey continues to make sculptural furniture with a team of woodworkers in his Massachusetts studio.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Michael Coffey tables, seating, bookcases and more.
1980s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Padouk, Wood
1980s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Wood, Padouk
1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Michael Coffey Furniture
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
1980s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Wenge
1980s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Michael Coffey Furniture
Glass, Walnut
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
1970s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1980s German Brutalist Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Slate, Concrete, Limestone, Brass, Copper
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Wood
1980s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Concrete, Metal, Brass
1960s American Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Bronze, Pewter
1980s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Birch
19th Century French Renaissance Revival Antique Michael Coffey Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Michael Coffey Furniture
Copper, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Michael Coffey Furniture
Cotton, Muslin, Bamboo
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Brass
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Carrara Marble, Metal
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Michael Coffey Furniture
Marble, Brass, Bronze, Pewter
1970s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Wood, Glass
21st Century and Contemporary American Michael Coffey Furniture
Mirror, Walnut
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Late 20th Century American Michael Coffey Furniture
Lucite, Wood
1970s American Brutalist Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Brass, Steel
1970s American Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Plexiglass, Walnut
1970s American Organic Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Furniture
Glass, Wood