Philip and LaVern Chair Single Edition
View Similar Items
Philip and LaVern Chair Single Edition
About the Item
- Creator:Philip and Kelvin LaVerne (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.75 in (83.19 cm)Width: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)Depth: 16.5 in (41.91 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1834318145282
Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
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.
- Steel and Tile Chiaroscuro Chairs by Pedro BarrailBy Pedro BarrailLocated in New York, NYPedro Barrail's chiaroscuro chairs were created in 2014 as part of his first solo exhibition at Cristina Grajales gallery titled welcome to the jungle. The chairs, which are made of ...Category
2010s Paraguayan Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$7,000 / item - Bent ChairBy HechizooLocated in New York, NYIntroducing a masterful creation by the visionary artist Jorge Lizarazo, this exceptional wooden chair seamlessly marries artistry with functionality. Crafted with precision and a ke...Category
2010s South American Chairs
MaterialsWood
$25,000 - Alpaca ChairBy HechizooLocated in New York, NYThis rounded chair by visionary artist Jorge Lizarazo exemplifies the studio's commitment to transcending design boundaries with Colombian flair. Drawing inspiration from the iconic ...Category
2010s South American Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Copper
$32,000 - Ron Rael and Virginia San Fratello Loopy Vase 'Black'Located in New York, NYRon Rael and Virginia San Fratello "Loopy Vase" Black porcelain, 2020 Measures: 7" Height x 5" Diameter $3,500.00 San Fra...Category
2010s Ceramics
MaterialsPorcelain
- Ceramic and Carrara Marble Bouquet de Tables by Sam BaronBy Sam BaronLocated in New York, NYThis set of four small tables are made of hand-glazed ceramic and Carrara marble. The overall dimensions of the four tables when placed together measure approximately 20” H x 28 3/4”...Category
2010s Italian Tables
MaterialsCarrara Marble
- Christophe Côme Set of Firetools in Iron and Glazed Lava StoneBy Christophe CômeLocated in New York, NYChristophe Côme's set of firetools from 2016 is made of iron and hand-glazed lava stone tiles. Côme works in Paris, France. Raised in an artistic fam...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Abstract Sculptures
MaterialsStone, Lava, Iron
- Single Brass Occasional ChairLocated in Brooklyn, NYBeautifully sculptural solid brass side chair, with scroll detailing and original turquoise silk upholstery. Stamped "Made in Italy".Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Copy and Paste Chair, Limited EditionBy KällemoLocated in Courbevoie, FROak, red, black, white and natural with poly carbonate plates. Limited edition of 99 pcs.Category
2010s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsOak
$9,078 / item - 19th Century Single Chair in Black and YellowLocated in Weiningen, CH19th century single chair in black and yellow.Category
Antique 1890s Austrian Art Nouveau Chairs
MaterialsSatin, Wood
- Single faux-bamboo and wicker Chiavarina chair, Italy 1950sLocated in Milan, ITSplendid single faux-bamboo and wicker Chiavarina chair, Italy 1950sCategory
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsWicker, Wood
- Single Bistro Style Folding ChairLocated in Peekskill, NYIt is difficult to bind a folding chair with any style. With the rolled iron and ball feet his ichair has a unique and light Bistro look to it. We only have the one chair but sometim...Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Industrial Chairs
MaterialsIron
- Italian 1950s Sculptural Single ChairBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Milan, ITItalian 1950s beautifully sculpted single chair.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Hechizoo’s Original Sin Rug Tempts with Shimmering Copper, Tin and Bronze
Embroidered with snakes, turtles, birds and vines, it celebrates a dazzling natural world before the arrival of Adam and Eve.
At Cristina Grajales, Two Artists Contemplate Universes Large and Small
The otherworldly work of Paula Hayes and Randy Polumbo glitters, shines and glows in the exhibition “Via Lactea.”