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Paul Frankl Decorative Objects

Austrian, American, 1886-1958

Born in Vienna, Paul Frankl came to the United States in 1914 as part of a wave of Central European design luminaries — among them Kem Weber, Rudolph Schindler, and Richard Neutra — who were drawn by the energy and optimism of the American scene. Prolific and protean, Frankl would go on to design furnishings that are emblematic of nearly every key stylistic chord in American modernism, from the streamlined Art Deco to free-form organic shapes.

Frankl's Skyscraper cabinets, bookcases and more — introduced in 1924 — are his earliest and best-known designs (and the work by which he is most often represented in institutions, such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art). Tall and narrow, the pieces have staggered shelves meant to mimic the setbacks of Manhattan office towers. A later visually expressive line — the Speed chairs and sofas, which have a raked profile suggesting motion — links Frankl to Donald Deskey, Raymond Loewy and other creators of Streamline Moderne design.

Frankl moved to Los Angeles in 1934 and luxuriated in the climate and lifestyle. His designs became lighter and simpler and found an audience among the Hollywood élite. (Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Fred Astaire were clients.) Fascinated by Asian arts, Frankl produced numerous pieces — tabletops with edges that curve upward; sofas, chairs and other seating with rattan frames — inspired by Chinese and Japanese forms and materials. In the 1940s, Frankl became one of the first designers to incorporate free-form, biomorphic shapes in his work, as well as novel upholstery fabrics such as denim and nubby wool.

Frankl biographer Christopher Long argues that the designer’s easy, elegant aesthetic had an enormous influence on movie set design. As the furniture below attests, Paul Frankl’s work is ready for its close-up.

Find vintage Paul Frankl tables, dining chairs, case pieces and storage cabinets on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Paul Frankl
Returnable Items Only
Modernique Clock by Paul Frankl Art Deco Skyscraper Telechron Clock 1928 Gold
By Paul Frankl
Located in Oakland, CA
Art Deco Skyscraper Warren Telechron Clock 431Modernique by Paul Frankl, 1928. This very rare two-tone gold model with a bakelite base and rear panel includes a blue chapter ring dia...
Category

1920s American Art Deco Vintage Paul Frankl Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal

Paul Frankl Telechron American Moderne Deco Clock, 1928
By Paul Frankl
Located in Sharon, CT
The iconic American Deco Frankl 'Skyscraper' mantel clock. Polished silver over brass with black bakelite base. This rare 'top of line' deco item retains the original bevelled glass ...
Category

1920s American Machine Age Vintage Paul Frankl Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

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Previously Available Items
Modernique Clock by Paul Frankl Art Deco Skyscraper Telechron Clock, 1928
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Located in Oakland, CA
Art Deco Skyscraper Warren Telechron Clock 431Modernique by Paul Frankl, 1928. This very rare two-tone gold model with a bakelite base and rear panel includes a blue chapter ring dial with a black logo and numbers. This radio has just been recently restored on the outside as well as the inside. The standard M1 rotor movement with a detachable cord. It is inscribed “Telechron” in the center of the dial. This rare iconic clock was designed during a time when the majority of electric clocks sold for around 5.00, this clock retailed for $50.00, earning it the nickname “the fifty dollar clock.” The stock market crash and Great Depression struck shortly after an introduction and, as a result very few were produced and few sold. This one is also accompanied by a new cloth chord and a period-correct plug switch. It has a metal plate on the back inscribed “Warren Telechron Co. Ashland, Mass. USA”. Exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, because of its high original cost...
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Metal

Modernique Clock by Paul Frankl Art Deco Skyscraper Telechron Clock 1928
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Art Deco Skyscraper Warren Telechron Clock 431Modernique by Paul Frankl, 1928. This very rare two-tone gold model with a bakelite base and rear panel ...
Category

1920s American Art Deco Vintage Paul Frankl Decorative Objects

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Metal

Art Deco Skyscraper Warren Telechron Clock Modernique by Paul Frankl, 1928
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Art Deco Skyscraper Warren Telechron Clock Modernique by Paul Frankl, 1928
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Paul Frankl decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Paul Frankl decorative objects are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Paul Frankl decorative objects, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original decorative objects by Paul Frankl were created in the Art Deco style in united states during the 1920s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider decorative objects by Shreve & Co., Fostoria Glass Company, and T. G. Hawkes & Comapny. Prices for Paul Frankl decorative objects can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,600 and can go as high as $4,600, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,100.

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