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Vladimir Kagan (1927-1988) Tufted Livid Velvet 'Unicorn" Sofa Model U522, 1960s

Name: Vladimir Kagan (1927-1988) Tufted Livid Velvet 'Unicorn" Sofa Model U522, 1960s
Brand: Vladimir Kagan
Price: 70900 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

A Iconic Vladimir Kagan (1927-1988) Tufted Livid Velvet Upholstered Cast Aluminum 'Unicorn' Sofa, Model U522, Introduced 1960, Late 1960'S. Vladimir Kagan began experimenting with Aluminum in the 1950s when he was partnered with Hugo Dreyfuss, first with the 'Tri-Symmetric' line then translating the 'Unicorn' table which was first designed in wood in 1957. In the early 1960s, after Kagan separated from Kagan-Dreyfuss, he developed the entire line of Unicorn seating which was inspired by Constantin Brancusi's 'Bird in Flight' sculpture exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The Unicorn line which includes a table, armless chair, armchair, sofa of different sizes ranging from loveseat to semi-circle / half-circle room sized couches remain as one of his most rare and coveted designs for collectors and art/design investors. But on top of all that - this sofa is incredible comfortable with leather that is so soft you might think you are actually sitting on an actual Unicorn. This tufted Livid Velvet and cast aluminum Model U522 Unicorn sofa by Vladimir Kagan for Vladimir Kagan Designs Inc would be ideal in a Mid-Century Modern, Scandanavian Modern or Danish Modern home or penthouse apartment but could also look fantastic in a Contemporary or Post-Modern 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 high-end entertainer's home, a luxury commercial project such as a boutique hotel lobby lounge or members club, a leading creative design studio or a high-rise executive office or suite. DOCUMENTATION: "The Complete Kagan, A Lifetime of Avant-Garde Design" by Vladimir Kagan MEASUREMENTS: H 31.5" x W 101" x D 29" / D 44" (overall due to curvature) Seat Height: 16 Provenance: Collection of a Kalorama Washington DC Collector. Vladimir Kagan person Vladimir Kagan 1927–2016 Vladimir Kagan was an illustrious American furniture designer whose historic career spanned nearly 65 years. Born in Germany in 1927, he immigrated with his family to the United States in 1938 fleeing from the rise of the Nazi regime. He studied architecture at Columbia and later apprenticed with his father, a master cabinetmaker, in his woodworking shop. In 1949, Kagan opened his own shop in New York, shortly thereafter releasing his first furniture collection, receiving the Museum of Modern Art, New York Good Design Award for his wrought-iron chair. His work is well-known for its avant-garde craftsmanship combined with comfort and functionality. The sensuous, organic forms take on human-like characteristics through exaggerated, curved lines. Kagan’s designs are produced with varying materials including brass, acrylic, aluminum and, most notably, wood. Over the course of his career, his work was highly sought after by celebrity clientele from Marilyn Monroe to Tom Ford, and he lent his design to projects such as Disneyland’s Monsanto House of the Future in 1964 and the Downtown Los Angeles Standard Hotel lobby redesign in 2002. Kagan lectured extensively on the history of modern furniture design at institutions including Parsons School of Design, Yale and Philadelphia University. A highly honored designer, he was elected president of the American Society of Interior Designers New York Chapter in 1990, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, and the American Society of Furniture Designers. In 2009, Kagan was inducted into the Interior Designer Hall of Fame. Vladimir Kagan died in 2016, leaving behind an artistic legacy and lifetime of creative achievement.

Creator:

Vladimir Kagan (Manufacturer, Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 31.5 in (80.01 cm)Width: 101 in (256.54 cm)Depth: 44 in (111.76 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Aluminum,Velvet,Other

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

1960-1969

Date of Manufacture:

1960s

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading. Some light scratches and abrasion to mount of one foot with minor scratching and abrasion, indentations to feet; minor wear to upholstery; other minor handling wear commensurate with normal use.

Seller Location:

Germantown, MD

Reference Number:

Seller: WC1stDibs: LU5751239286072

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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.