Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft Etched Brass Demilune Console Cabinet
View Similar Items
Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft Etched Brass Demilune Console Cabinet
About the Item
- Creator:Mastercraft (Manufacturer),Bernhard Rohne (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)Width: 54 in (137.16 cm)Depth: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Brass,Etched
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Small dings to edges and small loss to top (see pictures).
- Seller Location:Dallas, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU188536529843
Bernhard Rohne
Widely acclaimed for the range of case pieces he designed for Michigan manufacturer Mastercraft during the 1970s, metal artist and furniture designer Bernhard Rohne has been creating distinctive acid-etched brutalist furnishings, home accessories, sculptures and other works for decades. The German-born Vancouver-based designer’s cabinets, coffee tables, credenzas and more are statement pieces in any interior and can introduce contrast and vigor into living rooms and dining rooms.
Born in Peine, Rohne attended the WKS Hanover art school. It was in his material science class that Rohne immersed a small painted copper plate into a container of acid. After some time, he couldn’t detect whether or not any kind of chemical reaction had taken place, so he left the plate in the acid and went to lunch.
When Rohne returned, yellow clouds had filled the room and the school had to be evacuated. However, when he was able to retrieve the copper plate, Rohne saw that there had indeed been a reaction between the metal and the chemical. The incident, while most definitely dangerous, sparked his interest and set him on a path of material exploration and design that collectors and art enthusiasts continue to celebrate to this day.
Rohne moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1967. During the 1970s, Grand Rapids-based furniture manufacturer Mastercraft — known to collectors of mid-century modern and Hollywood Regency design — partnered with Rohne and produced a large group of case pieces featuring applied brass plaques and panels, acid-etched with forms and patterns that are marked by the influence of Abstract Expressionism and Geometric Abstraction.
For his best known pieces, Rohne worked with brass, aluminum, copper and zinc metal sheets, which he oxidized and etched in order to create fascinating surface panels for his walnut console cabinets and sideboards that, with their patinated bronze and black lacquer doors, are sculptural attention-grabbing works in today’s interiors.
Rohne’s work, like many pieces of brutalist furniture and sculptures designed by him or like-minded metalworker Paul Evans, remains popular with interior designers and can lend unique, eccentric, human notes to an art and design collection in any home.
Find vintage Bernhard Rohne tables, storage pieces and wall decor on 1stDibs.
Mastercraft
Compared to that other furniture-makers in historically minded Grand Rapids, Michigan, the work of Mastercraft seems positively flamboyant. The company was founded in 1947 by brothers Charles and William Doezema, who hailed from a long line of cabinetmakers. They went overseas during their service in World War II, and returned home with a plan to make furniture with cosmopolitan flair. Their firm specialized in chairs and case pieces that have modernized traditional forms, finished in exotic wood veneers such as amboyna, yew, burl and fruitwood, and trimmed in brass. Bureaus and credenzas often feature cabinet fronts with decorative brass details such as silhouettes of flowers and birds, or figures that resemble Chinese characters.
In later years, Mastercraft created chairs and glass-topped coffee tables with brass frames. Some pieces included touches like the Greek key — a motif that appears in the decorative arts of both Asian and European antiquity. After Mastercraft was acquired by industry giant Baker Furniture in 1974, the company produced a large group of case pieces featuring applied brass plaques, acid-etched with semi-abstract forms by the German-born, Vancouver-based artist Bernhard Rohne.
The latter are some of the most popular Mastercraft pieces, and like all the company’s wares range in price from about $2,000 to $12,000 depending on size, condition and the amount of decorative trim. As you will see on 1stDibs, Mastercraft furnishings made a bold but artful statement — perfect for lending a bit of dash and brawn to a contemporary decor.
- Stunning Mastercraft Demilune Console Cabinet by Bernhard RohneBy Mastercraft, Bernhard RohneLocated in Brooklyn, NYThis unique Mid-Century cabinet features an artistic acid-etched floral designs on it's unique brass finish. Center door opens to access fixed shelf cabinet, unique style and shape m...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsMetal
- Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft Acid Etched Brass Credenza, 1970sBy Mastercraft, Bernhard RohneLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis mesmerizing acid etched brass console cabinet was designed by Bernhard Rohne and produced by Mastercraft in the 1970s. Exquisite acid-etched artwork on the top, sides and front ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Credenzas
MaterialsBrass
$11,700 Sale Price22% Off - Bernhard Rohne Acid Etched Brass Buffet by MastercraftBy Mastercraft, Bernhard RohneLocated in Hanover, MASophisticated artistic metal craft sideboard credenza by Bernard Rohne for Mastercraft circa 1974 with a most beautiful patina reminiscent of the work of Philip & Kelvin Laverne. Pat...Category
Vintage 1970s American Hollywood Regency Sideboards
MaterialsBrass
- Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft Brass Tree of Life Credenza CabinetBy Mastercraft, Bernhard RohneLocated in Philadelphia, PABernhard Rohne for Mastercraft brass tree of life credenza cabinet. Item features acid etched "tree of life" design to cabinet doors, brass trim and...Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Mastercraft "Tree of Life" Cabinet by Bernhard RohneBy Mastercraft, Bernhard RohneLocated in Brooklyn, NYThis elegant vintage modern cabinet by Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft features Tree of Life design, brass finish, and spacious storage cabinets....Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsBrass
$2,240 Sale Price56% Off - 1970s Mastercraft Burlwood Nightstands Bernhard Rohne MichiganBy Mastercraft, Bernhard RohneLocated in Chula Vista, CA1970s Mastercraft Bernhard Rohne Flamboyant Nightstand Chests Sensational burlwood lacquer & brass Grand Rapids, Michigan cosmopolitan flair exotic wood with acid etched brass. Made ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsBrass
$3,040 Sale Price / set20% Off