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Paul Evans Center Tables

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
Brutalist Paul Evans Patinated Patchwork Coffee Table with Slate Top
By Paul Evans
Located in Queens, NY
Brutalist American Modern 1970s Paul Evans for Directional patinated patchwork metal coffee table with riveted copper, brass, and pewter sheet...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Slate, Copper, Pewter

Signed Paul Evans Octagonal Cityscape Burl Wood and Chrome Dining Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Signed Paul Evans octagonal cityscape burl wood and chrome dining table.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Metal

Paul Evans Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Paul Evans coffee table signed and dated Measure: Base is 24" round.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Metal

Cityscape Dining Table Base Only by Paul Evans Published Model
By Paul Evans
Located in Atlanta, GA
An unusual table as part of the cityscape series by Paul Evans for Directional. Constructed with chrome plated cubes and lacquered surface and it is currently shown with a 42 by 84 glass top and functions as a dining table. However, it is in a very versatile size to accommodate glass tops of a wide range of sizes and shapes so it can also functions as a striking center table, or a console table. Table base only...
Category

1970s American Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Chrome

Signed Paul Evans Octagonal Cityscape Pedestal Dining Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Signed Paul Evans octagonal cityscape pedestal dining table  Table is showing reflection from floor.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Metal

Paul Evans Patchwork Brutalist Center, Coffee or Cocktail Table for Directional
By Paul Evans
Located in Plainview, NY
Mid-Century Modern iconic patchwork design table by Paul Evans (American 1931-1987). The modern brutalist table base is made of welded and patinat...
Category

Mid-20th Century Brutalist Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Bronze, Copper, Steel

Related Items
Paul Evans PE 131 Coffee Table, 1973
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
The PE-131 coffee table, designed by Paul Evans, is an impressive piece within the line he created for Directional Furniture. It belongs to the popular bronze series PE100-200, intro...
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20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Center Tables

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Paul Evans Dining Table in Burl and Brass
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
An unusual asymmetrical cantilevered dining table with book matched burl top and patinated brass base. Designed by Paul Evans for Directional.
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Paul Evans Dining Table in Burl and Brass
Paul Evans Dining Table in Burl and Brass
H 29.5 in W 75.5 in D 58.5 in
Brutalist Paul Evans Style Etched Copper Square Coffee Table c. 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Glowing 1970s etched copper coffee table is an immediate Brutalist injection of Paul Evans style in depth, tone and shape. Etched black forms dance over a glowing copper backdrop. The table top floats atop a black square symmetrical base keeping your attention on that intricate and inviting copper top. The copper tone captures light in a more subtle way than brass or chrome adding a sultry warmth. Want to see more beautiful things? Scroll down below and click "View All From Seller" or favorite our shop to get your 1stDibs on our new inventory. Photographed along with and also currently available in our shop - 1970s Architectural Mid Century Modern Club Chairs in Cognac Leather Custom Marble and Brass Geometric Screen from Viceroy Miami Karl Springer Style Tessellated Travertine and Brass Gazelle Sculpture Milo Baughman Style Mid Century Parsons Chair...
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1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Metal, Copper

Paul Evans Style Cityscape Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Paul Evans Style Cityscape Coffee table in brass and chrome patchwork, some patina to metal finish. Very presentable with some flaws to finish. (Photos show mostly reflection from fl...
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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Brass, Chrome

Paul Evans Style Cityscape Coffee Table
Paul Evans Style Cityscape Coffee Table
H 15 in W 35.5 in D 35.5 in
Paul Evans Cityscape Patchwork Coffee Table, Signed
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Paul Evans cityscape patchwork coffee table. The table is burl wood with a brass base. Signed Paul Evans.
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1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Brass

Paul Evans Style Vintage Brutalist Metal Coffee or Cocktail Table
By Paul Evans
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
In the style of Paul Evans heavy cast metal bronze coffee table. This weighs an absolute ton! Glass top not included.
Category

20th Century American Brutalist Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Metal, Bronze

'Cityscape' by Paul Evans Dining Table with Leaf
By Paul Evans
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Polished chrome patchwork table by Paul Evans for his Cityscape line. Comes with a 15" leaf. (Please confirm item location - NY or NJ - with dealer).  
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1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Metal

Paul Evans Cityscape Coffee Table Signed
By Paul Evans
Located in Sayreville, NJ
Signed Paul Evans Cityscape Series Patchwork Brass and chrome coffee table. Renowned designer piece in great original condition. Only minor flaws ( see pics ) 48” x 48” x 15”
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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Glass, Plywood

Mid Century Italian Modern Mixed Wood Octagonal Center Table or Dining Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A gorgeous well made table with many possible uses. The table features a geometric design with exotic wood veneers.
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Wood

Paul Evans Patchwork Coffee Table With Slate Top, 1970's
By Paul Evans
Located in Culver City, CA
Looking for a coffee table that’s more than just furniture-- well this is a functional work of art. This Paul Evans original is a stunning example of mid-century artistry with a flair for the unconventional. Handcrafted from a mesmerizing patchwork of patinated copper, enameled steel, and pewter sheeting, this table brings together materials and textures in ways that no two tables are alike. And then there’s the slate top—thick, heavy, and sitting flush in its groove like it was meant to be there from the beginning of time. While there are other examples of this coffee table floating around the collector's universe, let me tell you: they’re not all created equal. Many show signs of over-polishing or even sanding, stripping away that rich, sought-after patina that true collectors drool over. But this example? It’s the gold standard. The patina has aged to perfection, offering a rich variety of tones, textures, and colors that dance across the surface. Every corner reveals a new surprise. Yes, the slate top has a few rough edges, but let’s be real—that only adds to its character. And the best part? The slate fits so perfectly into its base so snug you'd be hard pressed to squeeze a sheet of paper between them. Now, let’s talk about the man behind the magic—Paul Evans. Born in 1931 and passing away in 1987, Evans was a driving force in the American Craft Movement. He pushed the boundaries of furniture design, turning traditional techniques on their head and creating pieces that were part sculpture, part functional art. His use of metal, especially in his iconic Cityscape and Sculpted Bronze series, made him a trailblazer of mid-century modernism and brutalist design. Evans started his career working with metal in a tiny shop in New Hope, Pennsylvania with his pal Phillip Lloyd Powell—just down the road from fellow American Craft legends like George Nakashima. But Evans didn’t stop with wood and craft traditions. Instead, he worked with metal in ways no one else was doing, blending industrial and handmade aesthetics. Every piece was unique, handmade, and bursting with Evans' signature rough-hewn, heavily textured style. His work, especially these patchwork metal tables...
Category

1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Slate, Brass, Copper, Steel, Pewter

Paul Evans Bronze Stalagmite Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Hudson, NY
A sculpted bronze and glass “Stalagmite” coffee table, the thick round glass top sits on top of a bronze base, decorated with thick impasto like application of bronze over an iron fr...
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1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Bronze, Iron

Cityscape Coffee Table Attributed to Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage cityscape coffee table with glass top attributed to Paul Evans. Has black accent detail on the base. Great style and amazing look. Mid-Cen...
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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Chrome

Previously Available Items
Paul Evans PE-Brutalist Bowtie Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Paul Evans Brutalist Welded Bowtie coffee table with painted body and glass top. Marked PE 68. Made in 1968. In original condition with visible wea...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Metal

Paul Evans Brutalist Model PE-11 Zig Zag Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Los Angeles, CA
After Paul Evans Brutalist Zig Zag coffee table Model PE-11 with Welded and Painted Body and Glass Top. Glass measures 47.875 x 20 x 0.375. Base measures 38.75 x 13.25 x 15.875. In o...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Steel

Paul Evans for Directional Brutalist Sculptured Bronzed Resin Console Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Unusual Paul Evans for Directional brutalist sculptured bronzed resin console with rectangular glass top, signed 'PE 69' inside near bo...
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Resin

Paul Evans Cityscape Hex-Octagonal Breakfast Table
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Hanover, MA
Hexagonal smoked black glass top on a signed Paul Evans brass and chrome patchwork tiled octagonal pedestal drum base. From his Cityscape Collection f...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Brass, Chrome

Paul Evans for Directional #PE-114 Sculpted Bronze Cafe Dining Table, circa 1968
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A stunning and incredibly rare Model PE-114 Paul Evans sculpted bronze cafe dining table (also works excellent as a game table or center table) which was part of the "Sculptured Metals Collection" for Directional in the 1960s and 1970s, this particular rare design was featured in their 'Sculptured Metals' catalogue in 1968 as shown in the photos of this listing. This dramatic Paul Evans brutalist...
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1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Bronze

Paul Evans Brutalist Patchwork Coffee Table, Circa 1970
By Paul Evans
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
A late 20th century Brutalist coffee table by Paul Evans (American, 1931-1987) for Directional Furniture, of his signature patchwork style employed in the 1970s, of square shape, patched burl...
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1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Steel, Chrome

Paul Evans Crescent Table Bases, Pair
By Paul Evans
Located in Southampton, NJ
I adore these bases and am amazed at the craftsmanship it took to create them. Each one is in wonderful condition with normal wear as expected with these pieces. I cannot locate a si...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Steel

Paul Evans Sculpted Steel Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Paul Evans sculpted steel coffee table.
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20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Center Tables

Paul Evans Dining Table Brass Steel Glass Crown of Thorns, USA, 1960s
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Paul Evans dining table brass steel glass signed, USA, 1960s. Paul Evans welded steel "Crown of Thorns" dining table, PE 146, in very good original condition. Base retains original p...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

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Steel

Sculptured Steel Dining Table Bases Paul Evans Directional
By Paul Evans
Located in Atlanta, GA
Model PE-24 dining table belongs to the sculptured steel series, which Paul Evans designed and produced for Directional dating back to late 1960s. The ...
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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Paul Evans for Directional Center or Dining Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Paul Evans for Directional Model PE 46 welded steel geometric center or dining table with thick round clear glass top. Signed and dated PE 68 on the lower base. Nice patina and color...
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1960s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Steel

Paul Evans "Crown of Thorns" Dining Table, 1968, Signed
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
"Crown of Thorns" dining table base in welded steel with multichrome patination by Paul Evans, American, 1968 (signed "Paul Evans 68"). This amazing dining table base is oval and the...
Category

1960s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Center Tables

Materials

Steel

Paul Evans center tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Paul Evans center tables 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 center tables, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original center tables 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 center tables by Charles Hollis Jones, Dunbar, and T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings. Prices for Paul Evans center tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $910 and can go as high as $21,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $7,500.

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