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Stow & Davis Desks

American

Stow & Davis made history when it introduced the first wood and steel framework desk in 1928. The American furniture company subsequently became a leader of mid-century modern office furniture production and design.     

Before the company was Stow & Davis, it was the Stow and Haight Furniture Company, formed by the partnership of Russell Stow and Thomas Haight in 1880. It produced kitchen and dining extension tables from a workshop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1885, businessman George A. Davis purchased Haight’s interest in the firm, and its name was changed to Stow & Davis.

The company turned its attention to manufacturing office furniture, producing its first boardroom table in 1889. By the 1890s, Stow & Davis had established itself as a major supplier of furniture for libraries and offices. By 1916, it was supplying banks with furniture like its sturdy wood Colonial Revival style boardroom tables, leather-upholstered executive and swivel chairs and traditional desks in oak and mahogany.

The Great Depression forced the reorganization of Stow & Davis, and, during World War II, the company was commissioned to manufacture wooden desks, chairs and bunk beds for United States Navy vessels. 

During the 1950s and ’60s, Stow & Davis explored innovative elements of mid-century modernism, collaborating with several notable designers to produce new series inspired by the emerging Art Moderne movement. Instead of solid, classic American designs, Stow & Davis furniture now incorporated curved lines, rounded edges and sleek finishes. These included pieces like American designer Bert England’s stainless steel frame office chairs, walnut and bronzed steel conference tables by Italian designer Osvaldo Borsani and sophisticated Florence Knoll-style credenzas by Giacomo Buzzitta.

In 1985, the Grand Rapids furniture company Steelcase acquired Stow & Davis, and, in 1992, it continued to produce furniture for offices, hotels and homes under a new name: Stow Davis.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Stow & Davis seating, case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and more.

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Creator: Stow & Davis
Stow Davis Kidney Shaped Executive Desk
By Stow Davis
Located in Hanover, MA
Handsome late 1940's American Art Deco kidney shaped desk designed by Giacomo "Jack" Buzzita for Stow Davis' Executive collection. Beautifully refinished bleached walnut large kidney shaped top overhangs ovoid shaped satin finished dark walnut case of drawers with cast bronze pulls and a crescent moon shaped pedestal support, both on a shaped ebonized plinth. Case appears like four drawers but is actually three as the middle is double height and fitted for files. Organizer vide poche in top drawer along with metal label "Stow & Davis Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan". Crescent moon pedestal can be reversed if preferred so the cove faces inside (see last two detail images). Stylistically similar to designs of Gilbert Rohde. Depth of top from center is 39 inches. This particular desk is unusual insofar as all the others I've seen are oriented the other way so that the ovoid case is on the left side and the crescent pedestal is on the right while the kidney top...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Stow & Davis Desks

Materials

Bronze

Walnut Executive Desk by Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis
By Alexis Yermakov, Stow Davis
Located in Cedar Falls, IA
Stunning walnut color and figure present on this expansive executive desk designed by Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis' "Electa" line. This desk features a large 36x70 work surface, f...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desks

Materials

Aluminum

1968 Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis Executive Office Suite
By Alexis Yermakov, Stow Davis
Located in Cedar Falls, IA
Matching executive office suite designed by Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis in 1968 as part of the Electa line. Stunning walnut color and figure present on this expansive executive d...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desks

Materials

Aluminum

Mid-Century Modern Walnut and Aluminium Desk by Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis
By Stow Davis, Alexis Yermakov
Located in Pasadena, TX
Mid-Century Modern Walnut and Aluminium Desk by Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis 1970s Clean lines with aluminium accents, this minimalist design features ample leg room, 4 drawers (o...
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Stow & Davis Desks

Materials

Walnut

Vintage Walnut Single Pedestal Desk by Stow Davis
By Stow Davis
Located in Pasadena, TX
This piece has three drawers, one of which is a filing drawer. A very distinctive desk with unique capped off point stainless steel legs.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desks

Materials

Chrome

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Alma Mid Century Walnut and Leather Executive Desk
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1960s Walnut Sideboard by Alexis Yermakov for Stow Davis
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If it appears this 1930s Art Moderne desk has a dashboard, that's by design... The design of renowned automotive designer/illustrator and 'master of streamlining', Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky. The count was famous for his wonderfully stylized Industrial designs and worked with major automakers of the day like Auburn, Cord, Packard, Tucker and the White Truck Co. With his design background and deep reverence for anything automotive, it is little surprise he would create a desk with a full car-like dashboard (complete with clock, barometer, thermometer, radio and glovebox!) In fact, the desk was patterned off of Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky's personal desk, which he designed for his office in New York. What makes this desk particularly significant, however, is the fact it is one of only two examples still known to exist and was first shown at Bloomingdale's 'Home of Tomorrow' display during the 1939 New York World's fair. The desk was manufactured in 1939 by the Red Lion Table Co. of Red Lion, PA. Interestingly, its sister company, Red Lion Cabinet Co, was responsible for the manufacture of all wooden Philco...
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Rare 1950s Mid-Century Modern Executive Series Kidney-Shaped Desk by Stow Davis
By Stow Davis
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Professional Midcentury Desk by Stow and Davis
By Stow Davis
Located in Oakland, CA
Executive midcentury era desk, extremely well made in America (Grand Rapids, Michigan) by Stow & Davis. Very nice walnut veneers and lots of drawers for just about everything: There are a total of 5 drawers; including the center desk drawer with lots of possibilities for separation, coins, etc. Great original hardware in painted black finish.which allows complete control over all the drawers. I’ve had a few of these over the years but never this asymmetrical shape relating to the bottom. Look how the right side is carved in a somewhat graceful way. It supports the top but does not have the typical double sided stack of drawers usually seen in this model. I know this desk very well as I had a similar model I used for about 12 years and sold it after we moved out from our San Francisco location. This one has been restored and we recently refinished to the top and appears to be in overall excellent condition. Along with being a gorgeous desk it also has a story. This is a similar desk to the one Thomas Francis developed the flu vaccine on and Jonas Salk...
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1960s Mid-Century Modern Walnut Executive Desk by George Reinoehl for Stow Davis
By Stow Davis, George Reinoehl
Located in Lafayette, IN
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1950s Mid-Century Modern Sigma Series Boomerang Executive Desk by Stow Davis
By Stow Davis
Located in Lafayette, IN
Stunning 1950s Sigma Series executive desk by Stow Davis. Desk features a massive 89" boomerang-shaped top, walnut veneer and brushed aluminum accen...
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Stow & Davis Kidney Shape Desk
By Stow Davis
Located in Palm Springs, CA
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Wood

Stow & Davis Kidney Shape Desk
Stow & Davis Kidney Shape Desk
H 29 in W 69 in L 29 in
72" Stow Davis Leather Top Wood Desk
By Stow Davis
Located in Pasadena, TX
Known for superb quality, this Stow Davis desk is fit for any office or home office. The desk features one pencil drawer, four standards drawers, one file drawer, and a black lined l...
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Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Burled-Top Walnut Executive Desk by Stow Davis
By Stow Davis
Located in Lafayette, IN
This wonderful Mid-Century Modern desk by Stow Davis is full of unique features. With its beautifully clean lines, Burled oak top, and touch of poli...
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Stow & Davis desks for sale on 1stDibs.

Stow & Davis desks are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Stow & Davis desks, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original desks by Stow & Davis 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 desks by John Stuart, Harvey Probber, and Leon Rosen. Prices for Stow & Davis desks can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,320 and can go as high as $19,495, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,900.
Questions About Stow & Davis Desks
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Stuart Davis's art style is largely Cubist. He used the hard-edge painting technique to create dramatic differences in color. Many of his works draw inspiration from jazz and swing music, and historians credit him with influencing the Pop artists that emerged later in the 20th century. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Stuart Davis art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
    The Davis Cabinet Company is more than 90 years old. The company, founded by Lipscomb "Lip" Davis in 1929, grew out of a lumber mill operation located on the Cumberland River in Tennessee. Owners of the mill opened the Standard Furniture Company to put leftover lumber to use. Davis worked for Standard Furniture for eight years before he bought out the company and reopened it as the Davis Cabinet Company. Find a diverse assortment of Davis Cabinet Company furniture on 1stDibs.

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