Skip to main content

Automaton

Recognized
Platinum
5 / 5
Los Angeles, CA
THANKS!
Follow

About Automaton

We are Automaton and we're here to serve you. We know how much you love beautiful things, that's why you're here on 1stDibs and not shopping on eBay. So if you need a hold on something beautiful, that we have and that you want, please let us know. If you need expedited shipping to meet a deadline, simply message us and your urgency is ours. Follow us on 1stDibs as we add new items weekly. And since we truly love each item that we acquire to bestow to the next, we hope you will enjoy the visual inspiration of experiencing each item of our collection, here on 1stDibs.

Automaton

Established in 20121stDibs seller since 2015

Associations

20th Century Specialists

Featured Pieces

Paul Evans Sculptural Art Metal Cabinet Model 'PE-40A', Signed & Dated 1974
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exceptional and monumental cabinet, model PE-40A, designed by American sculptor and furniture master Paul Evans for Directional, signed and dated 1974. This important example repr...
Category

Vintage 1970s American Brutalist Cabinets

Materials

Slate, Steel

Documented 'Kono' Dining Table / Desk by Lella & Massimo Vignelli, 1984, Italy
By Massimo and Lella Vignelli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This exceptionally rare documented 'Kono' table, which works excellent as either a dining table or a desk, by Lella Vignelli and Massimo Vignelli was designed in 1984 and this example created in the mid-to-late 1980s by Casigliani in Pisa, Italy. This rare example of the 'Kono' design features a monumental Black Granite slab for the top, two thick slabs of Imperial Red Granite which connect together to form one of the bases, and the Vignellis signature Patinated Copper cone which forms the other base. The 'Kono' design was normally made as coffee tables so it is quite rare to find examples made scaled up in dining table size. In addition, typical Kono tables were made with glass tops and a single slab granite base. This example however, the Vignellis selected Black Granite instead of the typical glass tops. Also, rather than using a rectangular single-slab base, this example features an L-shaped base constructed with two slabs that connect together along one angled edge. It still employs the cone-shaped patinated copper base typical of Kono tables, however this example is much larger of course than cocktail table versions. The Vignelli Center for Design Studies, which houses the artists’ archive, confirmed this table to be one of two known drawings by the Vignellis (a copy of the Vignelli sketch, which they provided, is included in the photo gallery) though it is unknown if the other table was ever produced, making this table potentially an important one-of-a-kind. The Black Granite top in lower light settings is dark, deep and mysterious. With direct sunlight its luminosity is intense - see the photo gallery for images of the table in direct sunlight from our skylight above. It glows, shines and shimmers with incredible vibrancy, similar to diamonds - to see it in person is quite exquisite and remarkable. While we only had it set up under our skylight for a couple hours, I would describe the experience as recharging - I felt like I had just spent a couple hours meditating, this would be incredible to wake up to every day before leaving to work. The Vignellis described the 'Kono' table as: “This design exploits the relationship between geometrical figures and material finishes." Over the course of their four-decade-long design practice, Lella and Massimo Vignelli collaborated on projects that ranged from product design and brand identity to interior and furniture design. Whether designing New York City’s subway map...
Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Granite, Copper

Warren Platner Walnut and Leather Floating Case Sofa for Lehigh Leopold, c. 1970
By Warren Platner, Lehigh Leopold
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This exceptionally rare and highly sought-after collectors piece (with celebrity provenance) is a Warren Platner Executive Leather Case Sofa designed for Lehigh Leopold in circa 1970, and features a floating Walnut case with deep brown tufted leather upholstery and cushions, over a polished steel pedestal base. When comparing to the Milo Baughman case sofa, which is very popular and in-demand, this Warren Platner sofa...
Category

Vintage 1970s American Modern Sofas

Materials

Chrome

Important Adjustable 'Roll Back Day Bed' Sofa by Kagan-Dreyfuss, 1950s, Signed
By Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc., Vladimir Kagan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a very important piece of design history, and to understand why - it is all in the details, so to anyone interested in modern art and interior design, please keep reading. Vladimir Kagan’s 'Roll Back Day Bed' (model #6718) was originally conceived as a one-off design for a client in the 1950s. Valdimir Kagan selected Rosewood and Lucite, materials he had just started experimenting with at that time, blended it into a futuristic frame with a brass-capped cylindrical adjustable back cushion that can transform the sofa into a daybed and even into a double sided gallery seating system. All on top of Lucite legs giving the appearance the sofa is floating above ground. By all accounts - Vladimir Kagan advertisements, catalogues, the design community and even the team at Vladimir Kagan Designs had it documented that the design (model 6718 Roll Back Day Bed) was first put into production in 1967, however this one - this exact sofa in the photos and listed for sale, IS THE ONE that he created in the 1950s for a special one-off client. And it was later, in 1967 that he decided to bring the design into production, all based on this concept model which we have listed for sale. This is all documented with the Vladimir Kagan archives under registry 25073. They were thrilled to have found this surviving example and have added it into their archives, knowledge-base and timelines. They wrote: "We conducted a detailed review of the Kagan Archive, and we were puzzled to find that Vladimir consistently dated the release of the Roll Back Day Bed to 1967. Also based on Vladimir’s accounts, Hugo Dreyfuss retired in 1960, ending their partnership. This would mean that your example pre-dates the “earliest production date” we have on record for the Roll Back Day Bed or Roll Back Sofa...
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Brass

Karl Springer 'JMF' Lacquered Goatskin Console, Authenticated & Stamped 1974
By Karl Springer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exceptional and highly collectible early production 'JMF' console table by Karl Springer, executed in lacquered goatskin parchment, this example produced in 1974. This early produ...
Category

Vintage 1970s American Modern Console Tables

Materials

Goatskin, Wood, Lacquer

Oscar Niemeyer Rosewood 'ON' Lounge Chairs for Hotel SESC Rio de Janeiro, c 1980
By Oscar Niemeyer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exceptionally rare and historically important pair of 'ON' lounge chairs designed by Oscar Niemeyer for the Hotel SESC in Rio de Janeiro. This set comprises the pair of sculptural...
Category

Vintage 1980s Brazilian Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Rosewood

Finn Juhl 'Judas' Rosewood and Sterling Silver Dining Table, c 1950s, Signed
By Finn Juhl, Niels Vodder
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Exceptionally rare and sought after, this Finn Juhl for Niels Vodder 'Judas' dining table, 1950s Denmark, was professionally restored and features gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood with sterling silver inlaid medallions which assist in tableware placement and gives the table its infamous name. Signed underneath with Finn Juhl / Niels Vodder stamp which reads: "Niels Vodder Cabinetmaker Denmark Design Finn Juhl". The table is expandable, with a 22 inch leaf making the table just over 100" fully expanded. The Judas table...
Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Sterling Silver

'Mole' Brazilian Rosewood Sofa by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA Brazil, 1960s, Signed
By OCA Brazil, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare signed example of the 'Mole' sofa by Sergio Rodrigues, produced by OCA Brazil in the 1960s (see image gallery for a photo of the OCA stamp). This Mole sofa has an expansive am...
Category

Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Rosewood, Leather

Important Double Dresser by Vladimir Kagan for Kagan-Dreyfuss, 1950s, Signed
By Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc., Vladimir Kagan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This very rare and important sculptural double dresser was designed by Vladimir Kagan and handcrafted by Kagan-Dreyfuss Inc during the 1950s in New York. Each of the two chests are s...
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers

Materials

Walnut

Eames Three-Seat Sofa by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller, Signed
By Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An icon of American modernism and one of the most refined seating designs of the 20th century, this is the celebrated Eames Three-Seat Sofa designed by Ray and Charles Eames for Herm...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather, Walnut

'Tucroma' Leather Bed and Nightstands by Guido Faleschini for i4Mariani, Italy
By Guido Faleschini, i4 Mariani
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This famous 'Tucroma' bed design, as seen in the Lenny Kravitz Architectural Digest magazine photoshoot, was designed by Guido Faleschini in the 1970s and produced by i4Mariani (Italy). *NOTE, the bed we had in stock, which is shown in the photos, has sold, therefore any current order would include lead time for production and shipping from Italy. However custom colors, finishes and leathers can be selected. In addition, you can select from Full, Queen, King, Cal King, or even custom sizes. Please contact us with any questions. The Tucroma bed includes two leather wrapped bed...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Chrome

'PK-11' Armchairs by Poul Kjærholm for EKC, Set of Six, Denmark c. 1957, Signed
By E. Kold Christensen, Poul Kjærholm
Located in Los Angeles, CA
We often acquire incredible collectors pieces and once in a blue moon we can safely say we have a 'best in class' piece. This fine collector's set of six (6) original 'PK-11' armchai...
Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Steel

More About Automaton