Handsome Paul Frankl Polished Mahogany Bookcase
View Similar Items
Handsome Paul Frankl Polished Mahogany Bookcase
About the Item
- Creator:Paul Frankl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 90 in (228.6 cm)Width: 53 in (134.62 cm)Depth: 22 in (55.88 cm)
- Style:Hollywood Regency (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Mint-restored.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: U09080479554635
Paul Frankl
Born in Vienna, Paul Frankl came to the United States in 1914 as part of a wave of Central European design luminaries — among them Kem Weber, Rudolph Schindler, and Richard Neutra — who were drawn by the energy and optimism of the American scene. Prolific and protean, Frankl would go on to design furnishings that are emblematic of nearly every key stylistic chord in American modernism, from the streamlined Art Deco to free-form organic shapes.
Frankl's Skyscraper cabinets, bookcases and more — introduced in 1924 — are his earliest and best-known designs (and the work by which he is most often represented in institutions, such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art). Tall and narrow, the pieces have staggered shelves meant to mimic the setbacks of Manhattan office towers. A later visually expressive line — the Speed chairs and sofas, which have a raked profile suggesting motion — links Frankl to Donald Deskey, Raymond Loewy and other creators of Streamline Moderne design.
Frankl moved to Los Angeles in 1934 and luxuriated in the climate and lifestyle. His designs became lighter and simpler and found an audience among the Hollywood élite. (Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Fred Astaire were clients.) Fascinated by Asian arts, Frankl produced numerous pieces — tabletops with edges that curve upward; sofas, chairs and other seating with rattan frames — inspired by Chinese and Japanese forms and materials. In the 1940s, Frankl became one of the first designers to incorporate free-form, biomorphic shapes in his work, as well as novel upholstery fabrics such as denim and nubby wool.
Frankl biographer Christopher Long argues that the designer’s easy, elegant aesthetic had an enormous influence on movie set design. As the furniture below attests, Paul Frankl’s work is ready for its close-up.
Find vintage Paul Frankl tables, dining chairs, case pieces and storage cabinets on 1stDibs.
- Paul Frankl BookcaseBy Paul FranklLocated in New York, NYRare custom bookcase/ storage cabinet designed by Paul Frankl. Orange and black lacquered wood, with gold painted face in a snaking geometric motif & thick...Category
Vintage 1930s American Bookcases
MaterialsGlass, Wood
$16,500 - Paul Frankl, Cabinet, Mahogany, Brass, Cork, USA, 1950sBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture CompanyLocated in High Point, NCA dark-stained mahogany, brass and cork cabinet, designed by Paul Frankl and produced by Johnson Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, c. 1950s.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl, Cabinet, Mahogany, Cork, Brass, USA, 1950sBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture CompanyLocated in High Point, NCA stained mahogany, brass and beige-lacquered cork cabinet, designed by Paul Frankl and produced by Johnson Furniture Company, Grand Rapids Michigan, USA, 1950s.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl, Cabinet, Mahogany, Brass, Cork, USA, 1940sBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture CompanyLocated in High Point, NCA stained mahogany and beige lacquered cork cabinet, designed by Paul Frankl and produced by Johnson Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1940s.Category
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl small display cabinetBy Paul FranklLocated in Westport, CTPaul Frankl creme Cork Mahogany Display CabinetCategory
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
- Art Deco Walnut Skyscraper Cabinet / Bookcase in the Manner of Paul T.FranklBy Paul FranklLocated in Köln, NWArt Deco bookcase / cabinet in the style of Paul T. Frankl. The surface was completely restored, burl wood. Black ebonized feet. Original polished fittings. New keys. The green la...Category
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Bookcases
MaterialsBrass