Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
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.
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Mahogany, Cork
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Metal, Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Teak
1950s Italian Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Glass, Beech
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Maple, Cork, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century French Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Dutch Industrial Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Iron
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Laminate, Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Marble
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Rattan, Mirror
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Mahogany
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Wood, Cork
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Oak, Cork
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Oak, Cork
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Wood, Cork
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Wood
1940s American Vintage Paul Frankl Sofa Tables
Wood