Michael Coffey Dry Bars
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.
Late 20th Century American Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Brass, Copper
Late 20th Century Bohemian Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Rattan
1970s Space Age Vintage Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Metal
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Mahogany
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Walnut
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Wood
2010s Modern Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Marble, Metal
20th Century American Adirondack Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Wood
2010s Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Oak, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Modern Michael Coffey Dry Bars
Marble, Metal
