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Vladimir Kagan Capricorn Dining Set for Kagan-Dreyfuss, 1950's

About the Item

Ever seen that iconic Slim Aaron's photo? You know, the one Poolside Glamour-- if you look right in the center of the photograph, underneath the yellow umbrella, you'll see this iconic Vladimir Kagan Capricorn set. This incredible and rare original Vladimir Kagan Capricorn set just oozes old Hollywood glamour. Vladimir Kagan's take on wire chairs and patio furniture is no different than his other pieces he's known for-- there's absolutely nothing ordinary about this set. The chairs all feature 3 legs, as well as the table and everything is curvy and form fitting just like the serpentine and cloud sofas he's known for. This set is an original 1950's set from the Kagan Dreyfuss era-- which is important to note as there was a reissue of certain pieces of the Capricorn set in the 2010's by Oasiq. This set is in vintage condition and has plenty of wear consistent with age and use, including evidence of being repainted several times as well as chipping to the paint and overall tons of patina and character. True story, our gallery was in the process of loading this set up to get stripped and freshly powder-coated and restored; we posted a boomerang on instagram and when a valued friend and fellow modernism dealer saw it, he immediately called me to ask if I was insane. I wasn't aware there were newer reissues of lesser pedigree and value, and the only way to age these pieces is by the patina, as the original Kagan-Dreyfuss patio pieces beared no marking. At the customer's request, we can strip and powder-coat free of charge if desired. Glass has pebbled base texture and a couple small chips along the outer edge-- only to the surface on the bottom, therefore not visible once the glass is placed on the table base. A wonderful patio set that can be used indoor or outdoor. This set really belongs with a true collector. We've had plenty of Woodard, Salterini, Brown Jordan and Walter Lamb, and I assure you-- this set blows them all away! The only things missing from this tableau are a wine spritzer, a good book and Slim Aarons to snap the photos.

Creator:

Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc. (Manufacturer),Vladimir Kagan (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 48 in (121.92 cm)Depth: 48 in (121.92 cm)

Sold As:

Set of 5

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Iron,Steel

Period:

1950-1959

Date of Manufacture:

1950s

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading. Please see description.

Seller Location:

Culver City, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1139228442632

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Shop All Vladimir Kagan

Vladimir Kagan

The pioneers of modern furniture design in America in the mid-20th century all had their moments of flamboyance: Charles and Ray Eames produced the startling, biomorphic La Chaise; George Nelson’s firm created the Marshmallow sofa; Edward Wormley had his decadent Listen to Me chaise. But no designer of the day steadily offered works with more verve and dynamism than Vladimir Kagan. While others, it seems, designed with suburban households in mind, Kagan aimed to suit the tastes of young, sophisticated city-dwellers. With signature designs that feature sleekly curved frames and others that have dramatic out-thrust legs, Kagan made furniture sexy.

Kagan’s father was a Russian master cabinetmaker who took his family first to Germany (where Vladimir was born) and then to New York in 1938. After studying architecture at Columbia University, Kagan opened a design firm at age 22 and immediately made a splash with his long, low and sinuous Serpentine sofa. Furniture lines such as the Tri-symmetric group of glass-topped, three-legged tables and the vivacious Contours chairs soon followed.

Kagan’s choices of form and materials evolved through subsequent decades, embracing lucite, aluminum and burl-wood veneers. By the late 1960s, Kagan was designing austere, asymmetrical cabinets and his Omnibus group of modular sofas and chairs. For all his aesthetic élan, Kagan said that throughout his career, his touchstone was comfort. “A lot of modern furniture was not comfortable. And so comfort is: form follows function. The function was to make it comfortable,” he once commented. “I created what I called vessels for the human body.”

A diverse group of bodies have made themselves at home with Kagan designs. Among the famous names who commissioned and collected his designs are Marilyn Monroe, Gary Cooper, Andy Warhol, David Lynch, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and firms such as Gucci and Giorgio Armani. His work is in numerous museum collections, including those of the Victoria & Albert and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Because of its idiosyncrasy, Kagan’s work did not lend itself to mass-production. Kagan never signed on with any of the major furniture-making corporations, and examples of his designs are relatively rare. As you will see from the offerings on 1stDibs, even decades after their conception, Kagan pieces still command the eye, with their freshness, energy, sensuality and wit.