Automaton Cabinets

A rare collectors item, this fully restored Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern (c. 1955) display cabiinet / vitrine, features beautiful french polish with Parzinger's signature statement door handles. Signed with Charak Modern label on the backside of the upper cabinet. This refined and sophisticated Parzinger credenza with glass display hutch is perfect for those high-end luxury pads looking for an incredible and collectible statement piece, which Parzinger was known to create. The gorgeous color is close to the Hermès orange, but perhaps a little bit deeper and bolder - perhaps somewhere between Hermès orange and blood orange. Beauty in every detail, from the cross-cut glass panes, to the upper flared embellishments and the signature Parzinger door handles. Let's not skip one more aspect of this table that is equally important - the collectors appeal. Furniture by Tommi Parzinger is one of the most sought-after and cherished items of sophisticated collectors. This isn't for your typical Eames and George Nelson collector, it is much more for a refined collector, perhaps a connoisseur of fine rarities. The quality of the materials and craftsmanship and design details are something to be admired. Parzinger and Charak Modern designed and crafted some of the highest quality furniture of the early and mid 20th Century. That was at a time when US manufacturing was at its best. And now in this day and age of cheap products not meant to last - this table is your daily reminder that 'they don't make them like they used to.' We restored this incredible sideboard display cabinet with hand-applying a new French Polish lacquer. French Polish is the most laborious and expensive finish because it requires many repetitive coats and each one hand polished to a fine glass-like finish, and while it is very expensive, it is worth it for rare and valuable pieces like this Tommi Parzinger vitrine. The results are nothing short of spectacular - such a smooth, clear and deep finish - it looks almost like a sheet of glass (much more incredible in-person than you can see (or touch / feel) in the photos). And besides how incredible it looks - it will also protect your investment for the decades ahead. This Parzinger cabinet is an ideal example for the most discriminating interior designer client or collector. This french polish cabinet...

This 'much larger than it looks' collectors item is the 'Pompeiana' corner cabinet by Piero Fornasetti, completed in 1988, signed, dated and numbered 2 of 2. Fornasetti cabinets, es...

Stunning 'PE-32' copper clad bar cabinet on casters by Paul Evans for Directional, produced in 1968 per original receipt which we have a copy of...

A cute small cabinet with tons of personality, this Italian Modern goatskin and walnut petite cabinet can be used as a single nightstand, side or end table, or stand alone petite cre...

This very rare sculptural caned cabinet was designed by Vladimir Kagan and crafted by Grosfeld House during the 1950s in New York, documented in early Grosfeld House advertisements (see photos). Featuring sculpted legs, a caned door (with original unaltered caning in excellent vintage condition) with brass handle, and interior outfitted with two compartments, one side with an adjustable shelf. While the cabinet is small in size, it is huge in personality. Vladimir Kagan's works have been highly valued by collectors and art / design investors, and his earlier works in the 1950s for Grosfeld House and Kagan-Dreyfuss are among the most sought after by 'purist collectors' like myself. Why do I prize his 1950s works above all else? I can write a short book on this, but one easy to explain reason is that this was a period unlike the rest of his career, where items produced in this time are hallmarked within that period - a distinction that his later works lacked. Essentially, everything post the early 60s blended together with the decades thereafter. A novice Kagan collector is content with anything by Kagan, even items produced by Directional and American Leather Company...

This 1970s 'Alveo' cabinet, which works excellent as a sideboard or small credenza, designed by Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot. The modern design consists o...

Stunning 'PE-19' Deep Relief floating wall cabinet by Paul Evans for Directional, produced in 1964, signed and dated 'PE 64'. This incredible collectors piece is fabricated from patinated segments of enameled steel which have been welded with applied textures and patterns with a slate top and two cabinet doors which open to reveal a stained red wood interior with adjustable shelf. The fusion of these exterior materials formulates an exemplary piece which would be a welcome addition to any design connoisseurs collection. We also carry other Paul Evans designs, including Cityscape, Patchwork Copper and Sculpted Metal Collections. Contact us for more information or see our other listings for more details. This Paul Evans PE19...

Spectacular circa 1930s Art Deco fruitwood cabinet attributed to French designer and sculptor André Arbus. Featuring stunning gold leaf Verre Églomisé detail on the central panel whi...

This restored art deco cabinet features gold leaf double doors, trim and base detailing with lacquered burgundy exterior. Ideal for use as a dry bar for holding liquor and glassware or as an apothecary cabinet. Beautiful lacquered burgundy with gold leaf details, the interior is fitted with glassware shelves and a single pull out shelf. Working key is present. This circa 1930s restored storage cabinet in manner of Emile Jacques Ruhlmann would work great in an Art Deco, Hollywood Regency, Post-Modern or Mid-Century Modern home or penthouse apartment but could also look fantastic in a Contemporary, Space Age Mod, Scandanavian Modern, Danish Modern or Zen / Minimalist room. Also consider mixing it up in a Traditional, Transitional, or Classical room with a splash of juxtaposition. Would also be an apt choice in a commercial project such as a hotel lobby lounge or members club, creative design studio or high-rise executive office. Consider using as a dry bar, curio cabinet, towel and linen highboy, sideboard or cupboard for your kitchen or dining room, vitrine or entryway closet...

This gorgeously refinished Honduran Mahogany 'Taliesin' Model #2005 Special Cabinet on Stand was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Heritage-Henredon in 1955 and produced only for two years, therefore is now a highly sought-after and rare collectors item and this particular cabinet design being one of the most sought after of the entire collection. This example is signed with the red Taliesin symbol on the back along with its stamped model #2005. This rare Frank Lloyd Wright cabinet features the rare sought after architectural base with equally rare and sought after two door cabinet with concentric square designs on doors. Inside the cabinet is a removable shelf. The cabinet can be removed from the base as can be seen in the photos. Frank Lloyd Wright stated that one of his goals for this line was for the 'design to make the home more efficient as well as more beautiful'. Woven into each piece of this series was the chamfered wood edge with an abstracted Greek key motif, the signature detail of every Taliesin design, covering the edges of each item in the collection. All of the pieces were executed in Honduran Mahogany, a high-end luxury wood choice. His idea was to design ‘infinite adaptability to American living’, for example desks could double as dressing tables, small tables could be used as a chair or stool and bookcases had moveable tops transforming into room dividers. Decoration was limited to the greek key edges so that ‘is of the piece, not on it’ and the removal of elimination of any hardware door or drawer pulls in favor of cut out flush pulls which ‘catch light and shadow for interesting and changing patterns’. Wright pitched three separate concepts to Heritage Henredon: ‘Burberry’, ‘Honeycomb’ and ‘Four Square’ which was the one chosen to go into production and renamed ‘Taliesin’ after Wrights Wisconsin home. A distinguishing feature of the Taliesin line is that each piece is identified with a branded signature which was often accompanied by a red square. No other items from the rest of Wright's career is marked or identified which makes this line more desirable to collectors. This particular cabinet design recently broke auction records for its model - demonstrating the rarity and desirability of Frank Lloyd Wright's work along with the uniqueness of this cabinet design and demand from art and design collectors and investors, along with the interior design community. This beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright Taleisin cabinet would work great in a Craftsman, Farm House, Monterey, Spanish, Mission, Arts & Crafts, Mid-Century Modern, Scandanavian Modern or Danish Modern home or penthouse apartment but could also look fantastic in a Contemporary or Post-Modern room. Also consider mixing it up in a Traditional, Transitional, Classical or Art Deco room with a splash of juxtaposition. Would also be an apt choice in a commercial project such as a hotel lobby lounge or members club, creative design studio or high-rise executive office. Consider using as a small blanket chest, a dry bar for liquor...

This unique flip-top bar cabinet by Harvey Probber, circa 1950s, is packed full of useful features and is beautifully crafted from bleached Mahogany, doors with contrasting grain whi...

An incredibly beautiful studio case piece by New Hope craftsman Robert Whitley featuring solid sculptural walnut legs which extend upwards above the top of the cabinet giving this st...

An exquisite custom antique 19th century Qing Dynasty heavily carved Chinese rosewood and elm wooden cabinet with double-doors carved set with gilt and deep relief carved wood panels depicting scenes from historical legends and brass handles enclosing a cabinet set with four shelves. The elaborately carved Elmwood panels originally decorated a mid-19th century wedding bed then incorporated into the custom Rosewood frame around the late 1800s-early 1900s. This incredible collectors piece of Chinese history was owned by a European diplomat in Shanghai China during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Documented in a large photobook of their home in Shanghai and their travels, this cabinet was an important piece in their collection and remained with their heirs until our acquisition. Some photos including the one showing this cabinet in their main room is displayed in the photo gallery of this listing. Many pieces owned by the diplomat collector were discarded or sold off over the decades whereas this important cabinet was passed on from generation to generation until we acquired it from a descendant of the diplomat collector. This cabinet would work great as a cupboard, breakfront cabinet, buffet, sideboard, bookcase or bookshelf, vitrine, étagère, china or display cabinet and would work great in an Asian, chinoiserie, Traditional, Transitional, Classical or Art Deco room. Also consider mixing it up with a splash of juxtaposition in a Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern or Danish Modern, Contemporary or Postmodern home...

This incredible burled wood display cabinet, produced by Mastercraft in the 1970s, features incredibly exotic grained burl with arched glass displa...