Midcentury American Arm Chair, Done by W. Platner
View Similar Items
Midcentury American Arm Chair, Done by W. Platner
About the Item
- Creator:Warren Platner (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 32 in (81.28 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Houston, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1503216111141
Warren Platner
Though vintage Warren Platner chairs, sofas and interiors are icons of mid-century modernism, the architect and furniture designer took his stylistic inspiration from as far back as 18th-century France, once saying about his seminal collection for Knoll that his design intent was to evoke “the kind of decorative, gentle, graceful kind of design that appeared in period style like Louis XV.”
Indeed, the marriage of modern sensibility and classical grace is a marker of Platner’s style across furnishings and interiors — both genres in which he left an enduring legacy.
Born in 1919 in Baltimore, Maryland, Platner studied architecture at Cornell before cutting his teeth working for design icons like Eero Saarinen and Kevin Roche, eventually serving as head of interior design in the latter’s office. In 1965, Platner opened his own office, in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he continued to hone his particular brand of graceful modernism.
Knoll released the Platner Collection of seating and tables in 1966. (Originally designed in 1962, the suite took nearly four years of development to bring to life.)
The decorative bent-metal-and-glass pieces — an armchair, a dining table and more — make certain nods to the trademarks of his former employers, but also to the shapes of historic European furniture. The sculptural elegance of his line recalls Saarinen’s iconic Tulip collection, which includes armchairs and dining tables, while his materiality aligns with Roche’s cutting-edge use of glass and metal for the headquarters of the Ford Foundation in New York.
Many of Platner’s Knoll pieces would go on to find homes in a certain fabled locale: the Windows on the World restaurant at the original World Trade Center, whose interiors Platner was tapped to outfit in the mid-1970s. Upon the opening of the restaurant in 1976, New York Times architecture critic Paul Goldberger dubbed its style “sensuous modernism” — an apt tagline for Platner’s oeuvre as a whole.
Platner died in 2006 at the age of 86. His furniture is still produced by Knoll, and original examples — along with idiosyncratic custom works he created for interior design clients — are coveted by collectors today.
Find vintage Warren Platner furniture on 1stDibs.
- American Midcentury Sofa Done by W. PlatnerBy Warren PlatnerLocated in Houston, TXWarren Platner (June 18, 1919 – April 17, 2006) was an American architect and interior designer. Platner produced a furniture collection that has proved to be a continuing icon of 19...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Zebra Wood
- Mid-Century American Armchair by Warren PlatnerLocated in Houston, TXPair of mid-century American armchairs done by W. Platner Warren Platner (June 18, 1919 – April 17, 2006) was an American architect and interior designer. Platner produced a furnitur...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Zebra Wood
$7,100 / item - Mid-century American Desk in Zebra Wood By Warren PlatnerBy Warren PlatnerLocated in Houston, TXDesk is made out of zebra wood. Table top is reupholstered with brown cowhide. There is wide drawer for files on the left side and smaller drawer on the right. Desk is elevated by wi...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Midcentury French Leather and Palisander ArmchairLocated in Houston, TXVery comfortable chairs are newly re-upholstered in cow hide. Arm rests sides are covered in palisander wood. Back is adjustable with a chrome bar. Condition is perfect. Restored. ...Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Armchairs
MaterialsChrome
$4,200 / item - Art Deco Hungarian Office Chair in WalnutLocated in Houston, TXArt Deco Hungarian office chair in walnut Office chair is done in a fine walnut wood, newly re-upholstered in brown leather. It has 2 armrests and elevated by the 4 elongated wooden...Category
Vintage 1930s Hungarian Art Deco Armchairs
MaterialsWalnut
- Art Deco French Arm Chair in WalnutLocated in Houston, TXComfortable desk chair is from Art deco period France. Newly re-upholstered in dark grey fabric and re-polished. Chair has leather piping on the edges of the chair. Two front legs ti...Category
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Walnut
- Warren Platner for Knoll Arm Chairs/ PairBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAWarren Platner for Knoll Pair of Armchairs. In like new condition! Chairs are not even 2 years old! Beautiful chairs in great condition! 1966 Design that still looks current! Ni...Category
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsNickel
$5,500 / set - Vintage Warren Platner Arm Chairs, Set of Six for KnollBy Knoll, Warren PlatnerLocated in Lambertville, NJA stunning example of the 1966 Warren Platner arm chair for Knoll, these chairs are timeless and integrate beautifully with many style tables. They f...Category
Vintage 1980s Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- 1960s Pair of Warren Platner for Knoll Dining Arm Chairs with Bronze FramesBy Knoll, Warren PlatnerLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a pair of Platner Armchairs, designed by Warren Platner for Knoll in 1966. These are early examples, dating to the late 1960s. The frames of these chairs are composed of pati...Category
Vintage 1960s American Modern Armchairs
MaterialsSteel
- Lounge Chair and Footstool by Warren Platner, 1966By Warren PlatnerLocated in Berlin, BerlinVINTAGE Easy chair and footstool designed by Warren Platner. U.S.A, Knoll International, 1966. The lounge chair, model number 1725. Welded curved steel and wool upholstery. Beautifu...Category
Vintage 1960s American Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
$11,865 / set - Warren Platner Easy Lounge Chair and OttomanBy Knoll, Warren PlatnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYLuxurious model 1705 easy lounge chair and ottoman, designed by Warren Platner for Knoll. Zinc steel wire rods are bent and welded to form a graceful...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsZinc
- Vintage Modern Pair of Knoll Warren Platner ChairsBy Knoll, Warren PlatnerLocated in Brooklyn, NYA set of beautiful mid-century modern wired steel chairs. The frame features wire rods that are perfectly bent to create the structure of a beautifully sculpted chair. A seat cushion...Category
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsSteel