Rare Shield Back Chairs by Vladimir Kagan for Kagan-Dreyfuss, circa 1959, Signed

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Rare Shield Back Chairs by Vladimir Kagan for Kagan-Dreyfuss, circa 1959, Signed

About the Item

Attention those who want the absolute best of the best of the best, your chairs have arrived. This pair of very rare and highly sought-after model #VK-103 'Shield Back' chairs by Vladimir Kagan for Kagan-Dreyfuss is crafted from sculpted walnut and Edelman 'Cavallini' leather hides in 'Dusty Rose' color-way (which is some of the most expensive and quality leather you can buy) and is as much a sculpture of art as it is a piece of functional furniture. Both stunning chairs posses the Kagan-Dreyfuss signatures stamped underneath on the chairs front crossbar as seen in the photos. This not only helps to authenticate the chairs but also pinpoint when it was made - in the early years of Vladimir Kagan in his original partnership with Hugo Dreyfuss which started in 1950 and ended in 1960. The embossed stamp under each chair reads: Kagan-Dreyfuss New York, A Vladimir Kagan Design. These chairs are not only highly sought after by collectors and increasingly rare to find - this pair was also masterfully restored by a French restorer who specializes in French Art Deco and antiques. He is certified and has been a leading specialist in his field for over 20 years working on some of the most valuable and intricate of antiques. While he is not cheap - the results of his work is simple to see in these chairs - breathtaking! What is your favorite part of these chairs? While some, such as interior designers may say the gorgeous dusty rose (pink) Cavallini leather by Edelman due to the incredible on-trend color and high quality hair-on-hides, and others such as fine art collectors may say that the original Kagan-Dreyfuss embossed stamps under each chair frame which shows these are early originals of the design, and yet some other people such as investors may say the long term value is the best part as Kagan's designs are some of the most celebrated designs in the art and design community and these being amongst his rarest, most desirable pieces.... personally my favorite part of this design is the unique silhouette of the sculpted frame and shield shaped seat back. While the matching armchairs have such unique wing-shaped arms, these side chairs have a different look with its sleek shape and silhouette and is something to absolute love and cherish. If you are an interior designer who is shopping for the hardest-to-please client who wants only the best of the best, get these chairs before they sell to your competition. And if you are the end client shopping for yourself - take pride in acquiring this pair of art meets chair - these are some of the most sought after 20th century designs in the world today. While Kagan designed many sought after chairs - this is the rarest and most sought after of his dining chair designs. These incredible VK103 Shield Back dining chairs by Vladimir Kagan for Kagan Dreyfuss would work great in a Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern or Danish modern home or penthouse apartment but could also look fantastic in a Contemporary or Postmodern room. Also consider mixing it up in a Traditional, Transitional, Classical or Art Deco room with a splash of juxtaposition. Would also be an apt choice in a commercial project such as a hotel lobby lounge or members club, creative design studio or high-rise executive office. While these chairs would be ideal for guest chairs to sit across an executive desk in a CEO's office or in a lobby or living room / den, also consider using this pair as side or occasional chairs, dining, cafe or breakfast table chairs, bedside chairs, fireside chairs, dressing or changing room chairs, hallway chairs, entryway chairs, nursing or reading chairs, conference room chairs, office or desk chairs, easy chairs, lounge chairs or occasional chairs ideal in virtually any setting. Literature: The Complete Kagan: A Lifetime of Avant-Garde Design, Kagan, pg. 265 Vladimir Kagan Designs, Kagan, pg. 54 Measurements: H 36.5" x W 18.75" x D 24.5" Seat height 18.5" Seat depth 17.5" Condition: Excellent and expertly fully restored condition, showroom ready, sturdy and sound, incredible collectors examples ready to be used, and loved, immediately.

Creator:
Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc. (Maker),Vladimir Kagan (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 36.5 in (92.71 cm)Width: 18.75 in (47.63 cm)Depth: 24.5 in (62.23 cm)Seat Height: 18.5 in (46.99 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Leather,Walnut
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1950s
Condition:
Excellent and expertly fully restored condition, showroom ready, sturdy and sound, incredible collectors examples ready to be used, and loved, immediately.
Seller Location:
Los Angeles, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1330218510832

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.