1978 Pair of Warren Platner for Knoll Lounge Chairs in Red Velvet and Nickel
About the Item
- Creator:Warren Platner (Designer),Knoll (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30.25 in (76.84 cm)Width: 36.25 in (92.08 cm)Depth: 25.5 in (64.77 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1978
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Philadelphia, PA
- Reference Number:
Warren Platner
Though his vintage furniture and interiors are icons of mid-century modernism, architect and furniture designer Warren Platner 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.
Knoll
As a company that produced many of the most famous and iconic furniture designs of the 20th century, Knoll was a chief influence in the rise of modern design in the United States. Led by Florence Knoll, the firm would draw stellar talents such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Eero Saarinen into its compass. Their work would help change the face of the American home and office.
The company was formed in 1938 by the German immigrant Hans Knoll. He first worked with his fellow ex-pat, the Danish designer Jens Risom, who created furniture with flowing lines made of wood. While Risom served in World War II, in 1943 Knoll met his future wife, Florence Schust. She had studied and worked with eminent emigré leaders of the Bauhaus, including Mies, Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer. She won Knoll over with Bauhaus notions of industrial arts, and an aesthetic that featured flat and tubular metal frames and angular forms. When Hans died in a car crash in 1955, Florence Knoll was appointed head of the company. It was as much through her holistic approach to design — a core division of the firm was dedicated to planning office systems — as Knoll's mid-century modern furnishings themselves that she brought about the sleek and efficient transformation of the American workplace.
Today, classic Knoll furnishings remain staples of modern design collections and decor. A history of modern design is written in pieces such as the elegant Barcelona chair — created by Mies and Lilly Reich — Saarinen’s pedestal Tulip chair, Breuer’s tubular steel Wassily lounge chair and the grid-patterned Diamond chair by Harry Bertoia.
As you can see from the collection of these designs and other vintage Knoll dining chairs, sofas and tables on 1stDibs, this manufacturer's offerings have become timeless emblems of the progressive spirit and sleek sophistication of the best of modernism.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Lebanon, PA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- 2000s Warren Platner for Knoll Coffee Table in Polished Nickel and Glass, 42"By Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAThis is a Platner coffee table designed by Warren Platner, produced by Knoll, in the USA. The design dates to 1966, though this example is dates to the early 2000s. The condition ...Category
Early 2000s American Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsGlass
- 1960s Pair of Warren Platner for Knoll Dining Arm Chairs with Bronze FramesBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated 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
- C. 2009 Pair of Mies Van Der Rohe Knoll Krefeld Lounge Chairs in Red LeatherBy Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAListed for sale is a pair of Krefeld Lounge Chairs produced by Knoll and designed by Mies Van Der Rohe. These chairs were specified in red leather...Category
Early 2000s American Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- 1948 Pair of Pierre Jeanneret for Knoll Associates No. 92 Scissor Lounge ChairsBy Pierre Jeanneret, KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAWe present an original pair of very early production Scissor lounge chairs, No. 92, for Knoll Associates. These were produced circa 1948 and were also introduced in 1948. In dating the chairs, the 601 Madison Avenue label is notable, in that they moved from that showroom location...Category
Vintage 1940s American Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFoam, Wood
- 1973 Pair of Richard Schultz for Knoll 1966 Series Rare Armless Lounge ChairsBy Richard Schultz, KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAListed for sale is an original pair of rare 1966 series armless lounge chairs, designed by Richard Schultz and produced by Knoll International. This set was acquired from a the son o...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsAluminum
- 2021 David Adjaye for Knoll Washington Prism Lounge Chair and Ottoman in BlackBy KnollLocated in Philadelphia, PAWe present this rare and unusual Washington Prism lounge chair and ottoman, designed by Sir David Adjaye and produced by Knoll. First off, it should be noted that the set is free of ...Category
2010s American Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Acrylic, Wood
- Pair of Warren Platner Lounge Chairs for KnollBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Paris, FRPair of Warren Platner lounge chairs for Knoll.Category
Vintage 1960s American Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Warren Platner for Knoll Nickel Lounge Chair Reupholstered in Your FabricBy Knoll, Warren PlatnerLocated in Atlanta, GASculptural modern lounge chair in nickel finish, designed by Warren Platner for Knoll, circa 1980s. Signed with Knoll label. This chair is currently being reupholstered and can be co...Category
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Pair of Warren Platner Lounge Chairs for Knoll InternationalBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Little Burstead, EssexThis pair of Platner chairs are in great condition, the chrome rods are not at all rusty or bent and the upholstery has just been done in a Salm...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Warren Platner for Knoll Lounge Chair in Knoll Velvet with Bronze FinishBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Los Angeles, CAA beautiful Warren Platner for Knoll lounge chair (Model 1715L), upholstered in a gorgeous burgundy (wine) color velvet fabric over a bronze finish frame. The deep burgundy velvet is a luxurious upgrade over the standard knit fabric that is more commonly seen, the fabric is called "Knoll Velvet...Category
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Gray Velvet Lounge Chair by Warren Platner for Knoll InternationalBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Renens, CHOriginally designed by Warren Platner in 1966 for Knoll International, this design icon consists of steel rods curved and welded to a circular frame. The lounge chair is relativel...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Warren Platner for Knoll Mid Century Lounge Chairs – PairBy Warren Platner, KnollLocated in Countryside, ILWarren Platner for Knoll Mid Century Lounge Chairs – Pair Each chair measures: 36 wide x 27 deep x 30.5 high, with a seat height of 20 ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Chrome