Paul Evans Sofas
American, 1931-1987
A designer and sculptor, Paul Evans was a wild card of late 20th century modernism. A leading light of the American Studio Furniture movement, Evans’s sideboards, credenzas, coffee tables and other work manifests a singular aesthetic sense, as well as a seemingly contradictory appreciation for both folk art forms and for new materials and technologies.
Evans’s primary material was metal, not wood, which was favored by his fellow studio designers, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, neighbors George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell. He trained in metallurgy and studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, the famed crucible of modern design and art in suburban Detroit. For a time early in his career, Evans also worked at Sturbridge Village, a historical “living museum” in Massachusetts, where he gave demonstrations as a costumed silversmith.
Evans’s earliest work unites these influences. The pieces that made his reputation are known as “sculpted-front” cabinets: wood cases faced with box-like high-relief patinated steel mounts laid out in a grid pattern. Each mount contains a metal emblem, or glyph, and the effect is that of a brawny quilt.
Evans’s later work falls into three distinct style groups. His sculpted-bronze pieces, begun in the mid-1960s, show Evans at his most expressive. He employed a technique in which resin is hand-shaped, and later sprayed with a metal coating, allowing for artistic nuance in the making of chairs, tables and case pieces. Later in the decade and into the 1970s, Evans produced his Argente series for celebrated manufacturer Directional (a brand known to vintage mid-century modern furniture collectors everywhere): consoles and other furniture forms that feature aluminum and pigment-infused metal surfaces welded into abstract organic forms and patterns.
Last, Evans's Cityscape design series — a milestone in the history of brutalist design — meshed perfectly with the sleek, “high tech” sensibility of the later ’70s. Evans constructed boxy forms and faced them with irregular mosaic patterns that mixed rectangular plaques of chromed steel, bronze or burlwood veneer. These, like all of Paul Evans’s designs, are both useful and eye-catching. But their appeal has another, more visceral quality: these pieces have clearly been touched by an artist’s hand.
Find a collection of authentic Paul Evans furniture today on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Paul Evans
Paul Evans Sofa. Bronzed Resin Case, Bronze Base. New Gold Upholstery
By Paul Evans
Located in Kansas City, MO
Fine and rare sofa by Paul Evans. Bronzed resin case with bronze base. Expertly reupholstered in a gold velvet fabric. This sofa is in top condition and ready to place.
Category
1970s American Vintage Paul Evans Sofas
Materials
Bronze, Wrought Iron
Paul Evans Biscuit Tufted Cityscape Sofas, Signed
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
An exceptional pair of Paul Evans biscuit tufted Cityscape sofas, signed and in near mint condition. Finding one is hard, but a pair in this pristine st...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Sofas
Materials
Chrome
$160,000 / set
Important Paul Evans Studio Sculpted Bronze and Resin Sofa, Signed, 1971
By Paul Evans
Located in Culver City, CA
This sofa is strikingly gorgeous! A rare, one of one-- one of a kind sofa designed and executed by Paul Evans. This sofa features an almost sleigh like craftsman base that is very George Nakashima - esque, and is completely clad in Evans sculpted resin and bronze. The sofa has been upholstered in a fine, butter-creamy colored mohair and is not only easy on the eyes, but is incredibly comfortable.
This piece is triple signed, featuring Paul Evans initials and date on the bottom of the sofa's shell, another Evans signature and date on the base of the sofa, and a G singed above for (George Fry).
One of the most recognizable and important names in the American studio craft movement of the 1960's and 70's, Paul Evans was a groundbreaking pioneer in brutalism. Collaborating as well as sharing a showroom with Phillip Lloyd Powell until 1964 when Evans met the owner of Directional Furniture and created a line of 6 coffee tables to go into the Directional High Point, NC booth for the spring Market. As the story has been recounted by Dorsey Reading, the tables never even made it to the showroom floor. Evans soon found out the tables never even had the opportunity to be sold; obviously disappointed, the `owner of Directional, BG agreed to put the tables out on the showroom floor in New York City to placate Paul Evans. What happened can probably best be compared today with "going viral."
The coffee tables started flying off the floor, and the orders came rolling in. This fervor led to Evans creating many designs with Directional in years long partnership-- with the very first series being the "Sculptured Metal" Collection which was publicized in 1968.
This piece specifically was not a Directional piece. This piece was created in Paul Evans Studio and ended up being sold directly through the studio. This Sculpted Bronze and Resin sofa is an incredibly rare example of Paul Evans Sculpted bronze technique, which involves hand sculpting using an epoxy resin and coating in an atomized cold cast bronze.
Paul Evans used to be labeled kind of a "bad boy" of design-- with an an affinity for sculpted brutalism and pieces that epitomize maximalism, his pieces were collected by rock stars, artists and creatives. Evans, now widely recognized as a pioneer in the American craft movement has solidified his place in design history and is highly collectable.
This sofa would look excellent in any mid century modern, brutalist or even contemporary or boho chic environment. While brutalist in nature, this piece can be styled up or down to blend into almost any environment. We currently have this sofa in our gallery paired with a Jean Royere coffee table...
Category
1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Sofas
Materials
Bronze
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This is a very important piece of design history, and to understand why - it is all in the details, so to anyone interested in modern art and interior design, please keep reading.
Vladimir Kagan’s 'Roll Back Day Bed' (model #6718) was originally conceived as a one-off design for a client in the 1950s. Valdimir Kagan selected Rosewood and Lucite, materials he had just started experimenting with at that time, blended it into a futuristic frame with a brass-capped cylindrical adjustable back cushion that can transform the sofa into a daybed and even into a double sided gallery seating system. All on top of Lucite legs giving the appearance the sofa is floating above ground.
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Previously Available Items
Paul Evans Cityscape Sofa/Settee
By Paul Evans
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Paul Evans Cityscape sofa from the 200 series.
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Paul Evans, Tufted Floating Sofa, USA, 1975
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
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Paul Evans Sofa
By Paul Evans
Located in Chicago, IL
Evans Studio "Sculpted Bronze" One of a kind.
Incised signature and date to underside: [PE 71].
Reupholstered with shaggy fabric.
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Paul Evans Sofa
By Paul Evans
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Paul Evans Patchwork Sofa
Copper,Bronze and Pewter over wood
Upholstered in red velvet
Copper,Bronze and Pewter over wood
Upholstered in red velvet
Category
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Paul Evans sofas for sale on 1stDibs.
Paul Evans sofas 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 Paul Evans sofas, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original sofas by Paul Evans were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider sofas by Widdicomb Furniture Co., Metropolitan Furniture, and Century Furniture. Prices for Paul Evans sofas can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $48,000 and can go as high as $175,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $160,000.
Creators Similar to Paul Evans
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Paul Evans Tables
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Paul Evans Lighting
Paul Evans Decorative Objects
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Paul Evans Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass
Paul Evans Abstract Sculptures