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Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

American

Look closely at any vintage furniture designed by father-son duo Philip and Kelvin LaVerne and a cacophony of stylistic influences reveals itself.

The LaVernes’ position at the intersection of art and design was the result of their combined backgrounds: Philip (1907–87) studied painting with Ashcan School artist John Sloan at the Art Students League of New York, while his son, Kelvin (b. 1937), attended the Parsons School of Design, taking classes in art history, furniture design and metalwork. The resulting merge of stylistic elements and innovative processes make for singular designs that defy categorization, striking a balance between modern and traditional, intricate and minimal, art piece and functional item. Their work was also strikingly different from the modern furniture created by Philip’s brother Erwine and his wife, Estelle, of Laverne Originals.

The LaVernes began producing one-of-a-kind furniture and sculpture in the mid-1950s out of a studio on Wooster Street in New York City before opening a showroom on Manhattan’s East 57th Street. As their 1960s advertisements declared: “It’s not just functional and not just art, it’s an investment.”

The LaVernes married a stunning array of techniques and styles to achieve their singular, deeply layered look for one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces. Chinoiserie motifs abound on many of their acid-etched tables, but art from ancient Greece and Egypt also served as inspiration. The influence of figurative sculptors is evident in designs like coffee tables and side tables with bronze bodies serving as frames or bases; other pieces, meanwhile, have deeply detailed surfaces and strikingly simple silhouettes.

The duo developed their own unconventional methods — sometimes to an extreme — for finishing their pieces: Techniques employed by the LaVernes included acid washing and burying furniture underground in a mixture of soil and chemicals to achieve a desired patina through oxidation. While they sometimes used pewter and silver, bronze was one of their most commonly employed materials, either etched or cast and sometimes paired with glass tops. Their partnership ended when Philip died in 1987 and Kelvin shifted his practice to sculpture.

Find an extraordinary range of vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Dealer: Sputnik Modern
Philip and Kelvin Laverne 'Yielding' Side Table / Stool
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare and possibly unique work by Philip and Kelvin Laverne. Titled 'Yielding', this sculpted table sits on casters and is weighted so it can be used as a stool as well. Patinated ...
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip & Kelvin LaVerne "Michelangelo" Bronze Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A large incised and acid etched patinated bronze coffee table depicting the creation of man by Michelangelo . Supported by two fluted column bases. Signed Philip and Kelvin LaVerne.
Category

1960s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Related Items
“Bathers” Coffee Table by Philip & Kelvin LaVerne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in North Hollywood, CA
“Bathers” very rare acid etched brass and pewter coffee table by father and son duo Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. LaVerne's did a few design series which are very common like Chan, Ete...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

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Brass

Philip And Kelvin LaVerne CHIN YIN Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Coffee table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. The table, part of the Chin Yin collection, blending intricate etching, patination, and polychrome techniques on bronze and pewter. Featuri...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

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Bronze, Pewter

Philip And Kelvin Laverne Chan Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Philip and Kelvin Laverne 48" Chan Table The top is supported by a Torch-welded fin Base Unusual for a Chan Table Original Surface Signed on the Table Top
Category

1960s American Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Metal, Bronze

Acid-Etched and Patinated Bronze Coffee by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Montreal, QC
engraved and acid-etched, patinated and polychromed bronze, pewter and enamel by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. Signed "Philip & Kelvin Laverne".
Category

1970s American Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Distressed Midcentury Philip and Kelvin Laverne Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Classic midcentury cocktail table in acid etched patinated bronze, this one in an understated and undecorated mottled finish which is timeworn with signs of age. A square table with ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip & Kelvin LaVerne Chan Coffee Table 1960
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in New York, NY
From the Historical Civilization Series depicting the past civilizations of China, Greece, and Egypt, Chan is among the most recognized motifs in the artistry of Philip and Kelvin La...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

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Bronze, Enamel, Pewter

Philip & Kelvin Laverne Bronze Coffee Table Dogwood Floral
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Bradenton, FL
Philip & Kelvin Laverne Bronze Coffee Table, "Dogwood Floral". Philip Laverne (1907-1987) started his design studio in the 1940's, and became famous for creating luxurious pieces in ...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip and Kelvin Laverne, Mid-Century Modern, Chan Coffee Table, Bronze, 1960s
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Manhasset, NY
Philip and Kelvin Laverne, Mid-Century Modern, Chan Coffee or Cocktail Table, Bronze, 1960s Wonderful example of an engraved and patinated bronze-clad wood 'Chan' coffee table by Ph...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Phillip & Kelvin LaVerne, Muses Bronze Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in New York, NY
Great Mid-Century Phillip & Kelvin LaVerne Patinated Bronze Acid Etched Coffee Table. Overall great vintage condition with minor surface wear. There are two minor cracks in legs whe...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip Kelvin LaVerne Creation of Man Bronze Cocktail Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Stunning midcentury modern etched bronze veneered coffee cocktail table designed by father and son Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. The large table depicts Michelangelo's creation of man i...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip and Kelvin Laverne Ming side table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional Ming, low table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne in pewter and bronze circa 1960s . nicely patinated, and engraved with hand painted enamel in red and green… Signed PK Lav...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Pewter

Philip and Kelvin Laverne Spring Festival Console Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Acid-Etched and enameled bronze patinated surface. The console depicts multiple figures and structures. Signed. Clean original surface
Category

1960s American Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Previously Available Items
Pair of Chan Side Tables by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare pair of hexagonal 'Chan' side tables designed by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Rare Eternal Forest Side Table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare "Eternal Forest" hexagonal side table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Chan Coffee Table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A large and impressive bronze and pewter Chan coffee table designed by Philip and Kelvin Laverne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Chan Side Table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare hexagonal 'Chan' side table designed by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip and Kelvin Laverne Eternal Forest Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare and wonderful example. The 'Eternal Forest' coffee table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne. Signed to top and original label to bottom.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Large Chan Coffee Table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A large and impressive bronze and pewter Chan coffee table designed by Philip and Kelvin Laverne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Chan Side Table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare hexagonal 'Chan' side table designed by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip & Kelvin Laverne Cabinet
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare diminutive cabinet / bar designed by Philip & Kelvin Laverne.
Category

1960s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip & Kelvin Laverne Cabinet
Philip & Kelvin Laverne Cabinet
H 29 in W 25 in D 17 in
Philip and Kelvin Laverne Patinated Bronze Classical Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A patinated bronze Classical coffee table designed by Philip and Kelvin Laverne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Small Chan Side Table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare hexagonal 'Chan' side table designed by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne.
Category

1960s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip & Kelvin LaVerne "Persephone Enslaved" Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
Sculpted bronze “Persephone Enslaved” coffee table by Philip & Kelvin LaVerne. Signed on base.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip and Kelvin Laverne Violau Coffee Table
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Dallas, TX
A large and masterful Violau coffee table by Philip and Kelvin Laverne.
Category

1970s Vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Philip and Kelvin Laverne Violau Coffee Table
Philip and Kelvin Laverne Violau Coffee Table
H 16.75 in W 59.75 in D 42.25 in

Philip And Kelvin Laverne furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Philip and Kelvin LaVerne furniture 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 Philip and Kelvin LaVerne furniture, although gold editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Warren Platner, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Brown Saltman. Prices for Philip and Kelvin LaVerne furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,500 and can go as high as $225,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $19,500.

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