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.
Mid Century Paul Evans Cityscape Floating Shelf or Console Table Chrome & Brass
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An incredible design, a cityscape wall shelf designed by Paul Evans in the 1970's. The set features Fine heavy construction with brass & chrome clad patchwork design. Includes two L ...
Brass, Chrome
Signed Paul Evans 'Cityscape' Patchwork Wall Console
By Paul Evans
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This unique vintage wall mount console makes a unique display shelf in a variety of interiors. Cityscape design makes this patchwork chrome wall shelf...
Chrome
Mid Century Paul Evans Cityscape Floating Shelf or Console Table Glass & Chrome
By Paul Evans
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An incredible design, a cityscape wall shelf designed by Paul Evans in the 1970's. The set features fine heavy construction with chrome clad patchwork design. Includes two L shaped w...
Chrome
Paul Evans Console for Directional Brutalist Sculpted Bronze & Glass Wall Mount
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
1960s sculpted bronze wall mount console designed by Paul Evans and produced by Directional. New glass top. Original wall mount brackets.
Steel
Pair Paul Evans Bracket Shape Burl Walnut Polished Chrome Hanging Shelves Mint
By Paul Evans
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Pair of signed Paul Evans bracket shape burl walnut polished chrome hanging shelves Mint!
Chrome
Paul Evans "Cityscape" Display Shelf in Chrome and Glass
By Paul Evans
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The "Cityscape" style of Paul Evans makes this elegant three-shelf unit a beautiful storage or display piece in any setting. Freestanding Mid-C...
Chrome
Exceptional Large Signed Paul Evans 1969 Directional Sclupted Bronze Wall Unit
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed by Paul Evans in the 1960s for the prestigious manufacturer Directional, this incredible piece is very likely one of a kind. While others exist, none have as many bays (4) o...
Bronze
Biomorphic Wall Console by Jacques Jarrige
By Jacques Jarrige
Located in New York, NY
This biomorphic wall-mounted console from Jacques Jarrige’s Carnac series distills the artist’s sculptural vocabulary into a compact, functional form. Hand-carved from layered MDF, i...
Wood
$3,900 / set
H 40 in W 48 in D 12 in
Mid Century Paul Evans Wall Mirror & Console Table Shelf in Brass & Chrome
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An incredible design combination, a cityscape wall shelf and mirror designed by Paul Evans in the 1970's. The set features fine heavy construction with brass & chrome clad patchwork ...
Brass, Chrome
$1,001
H 9.85 in W 18.51 in D 11.82 in
Midcentury Rattan and Bamboo Wall Shelf, Franco Albini, Italy, 1960s
By Franco Albini
Located in Roma, IT
Extraordinary Mid-Century wall shelf in curved rattan, bamboo and wicker. This marvellous object was made in Italy in the 1960s and is attributed to the mastery of Franco Albini. Th...
Bamboo, Wicker, Cane, Rattan
$2,550Sale Price|45% Off
H 30.5 in W 39.5 in D 2 in
Brutalist Bronzed Resin Wall Relief Sculpture, Style of Paul Evans, c 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This unique brutalist wall relief was sculpted with bronzed resin over wood, in the style of Paul Evans, circa 1970s. Incredible textures and col...
Resin, Wood
$8,250
H 16 in W 49 in D 10 in
Plump Floating Wall Console in Mantis Green, Translucent Resin, by Ian Cochran
By Ian Cochran
Located in New York, NY
Plump Resin Floating Wall Console, Ian Cochran This resin console by Ian Cochran is mounted into the wall to give the piece an overall floating effect. A continuation of the Plump s...
Resin
$678
H 9.45 in W 24.02 in D 8.86 in
French Riviera Style Shelf in Bamboo, Rattan and Wicker, Italy 1970s
By Vivai del Sud
Located in Roma, IT
Delightful Mid-Century French Riviera–style wall shelf entirely made of bamboo, rattan, and hand-woven wicker. This stunning organic piece was likely designed in Italy during the 197...
Bamboo, Wicker, Cane, Rattan
Paul McCobb Wall-Mounted Floating Console
By Paul McCobb
Located in Culver City, CA
Introducing an extraordinary mid-century wall-mounted floating three-tier console, a sought-after piece designed by the esteemed Paul McCobb for Bryce Originals in the 1950s. With it...
Steel, Cut Steel
$12,298
H 84.26 in W 48.04 in D 16.93 in
Rare signed Paul Evans Cityscape large etagere freestanding shelves USA 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Hastings, GB
A rare signed iconic Paul Evans 'Cityscape' large freestanding etagere, USA 1970s. Chrome & brass (or gold plated metal) clad patchwork design- e...
Brass, Chrome
Paul Evans Cityscape Wall Unit in Chrome & Glass
By Paul Evans
Located in Greensboro, NC
An exceptional “Cityscape” wall unit by Paul Evans. Four wall mounted supports with attached desk and single drawer & smoked glass shelving. Good vintage condition with some s...
Chrome
$14,500
H 68 in W 45 in D 12 in
Paul Evans Console with Mirror, Mid Century Modern, 1978, Hollywood Regency
By Paul Evans
Located in Manhasset, NY
Paul Evans console and mirror, Mid-Century Modern. A rare model PE 881 marquetry inlaid mirror and console by Paul Evans. Purchased from Paul E...
Boxwood
$2,240Sale Price|30% Off
H 19 in W 54 in D 25 in
Paul Evans Cityscape Mid Century Modern Cantilever Floating Gold Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Dayton, OH
An intriguing Mid Century Modern Floating Cocktail Table by 'Paul Evans'. Part of the Cityscape Collection, Circa 1970. The coffee table is made from Polished/Brushed Metal & G...
Metal
$6,750 / set
H 8 in W 3 in D 12 in
Set Paul Evans for Directional Chrome Brass Cityscape Shelf Brackets Console
By Paul Evans
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Stunning set signed Paul Evans for Directional shelf brackets or console tables. The glass is not pictured but is included and is 12" w x 48" l and is brand new. This set is truly fa...
Brass, Chrome
Sold
H 30 in W 30 in D 4.5 in
Welded Steel, Polychrome, Gilt and Patinated Wall Sculpture by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Montreal, QC
Welded steel, polychrome, gilt and patinated wall sculpture by Paul Evans Signed “Paul Evans 72” USA, 1972 Provenance: Purchased directly from the artist Thence by descent Property f...
Steel
Sold
H 36.5 in W 72 in D 3 in
Vintage Paul Evans Goop style Disc Bar Door - brutalist headboard wall art
By Paul Evans
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
We are not sure how this door from the Paul Evans disc bar became orphaned from its unit, but this is an excellent opportunity to get the Paul Evans cus...
Resin, Plywood, Paint
Wall Mounted Cabinet Model PE-19 by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Wall-mounted cabinet model PE-19 designed by Paul Evans for Directional, 1965. Cabinet is in very good condition with welded steel exterior panels with slate top. The cabinet has nev...
Slate, Steel
Sold
H 78.5 in W 54 in D 15 in
Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Wall-Mounted Shelving Unit, First Year of Production
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Paul Evans 'Sculpted Bronze Series' wall unit acquired from the original owner who acquired it from the Directional showroom in NYC. This unit is signed PE and is dated from the very first year of production, 1969. It is in very good original condition with bronze glass shelves...
Bronze
Paul Evans Brutalist Bronze Shelving Unit
By Paul Evans
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Sculpted bronze resin shelving unit with 4 smoke-colored glass shelves by American designer Paul Evans. Signed PE 70.
Bronze
Wall Mounted Headboard in Chrome and Brass by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Rare and unusual wall mounted headboard by Paul Evans Brass and chrome mosaic patchwork, Cityscape Collection for Directional 1975 Mounts with tw...
Brass, Chrome
Sold
H 6.5 in W 60.25 in D 13 in
Floating Paul Evans for Directional Metal Patchwork Console with Slate Shelf
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Hudson, NY
Paul Evans patchwork metal shelf with slate.
Slate, Metal, Brass, Bronze
Iconic Paul Evans Studio Sculpted Bronze Wall-Mount Disc Bar for Directional
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Iconic disc bar by Paul Evans Studio for Directional. Approximately, only 200 of these were ever created. This piece is an extremely exceptional example. It is dated 1969 from the fi...
Bronze
Paul Evans Brutalist Sculpted Bronze Wall Mounted Disc Bar
By Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Paul Evans Brutalist Sculpted Bronze Wall Mounted Disc Bar Iconic Paul Evans brutalist sculpted bronze wall-mounted disc bar cabinet, model PE-122. I...
Resin
Sold
H 6 in W 24 in D 13 in
Paul Evans for Directional "Argente" Aluminium & Slate Wall Mount Console Shelf
By Directional, Paul Evans
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Paul Evans for Directional Argente Wall Mount Console Table in Aluminium with Dark Charcoal Grey slate surface. Featuring flowing hand welded Aluminium patterns. Limited production p...
Slate, Aluminum
Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Wall Unit with Smoke Glass Shelves, 1972
By Paul Evans
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Wall unit in sculpted bronze resin with smoke glass shelves by Paul Evans, American 1972 (signed on the bottom of the middle frame "PE 72").
Smoked Glass, Resin
Paul Evans Wall-Mounted Burl Wood City Scape Shelving Unit
By Paul Evans
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine example from the PE 400 series, manufactured by Directional.
Brass