Florence Knoll Teak Sideboard Knoll International 1960s Leather Handles Vintage
View Similar Items
Florence Knoll Teak Sideboard Knoll International 1960s Leather Handles Vintage
About the Item
- Creator:Florence Knoll (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 26.78 in (68 cm)Width: 17.72 in (45 cm)Length: 26.78 in (68 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Berlin, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2208314201422
Florence Knoll
Architect, furniture designer, interior designer, entrepreneur — Florence Knoll had a subtle but profound influence on the course of mid-century American modernism. Dedicated to functionality and organization, and never flamboyant, Knoll shaped the ethos of the postwar business world with her skillfully realized office plans and polished, efficient designs for sofas, credenzas, desks and other furnishings.
Knoll had perhaps the most thorough design education of any of her peers. Florence Schust was orphaned at age 12, and her guardian sent her to Kingswood, a girl’s boarding school that is part of the Cranbrook Educational Community in suburban Detroit. Her interest in design brought her to the attention of Eliel Saarinen, the Finnish architect and head of the Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Saarinen and his wife took the talented child under their wing, and she became close to their son, the future architect Eero Saarinen. While a student at the academy, Florence befriended artist-designer Harry Bertoia and Charles and Ray Eames. Later, she studied under three of the Bauhaus masters who emigrated to the United States. She worked as an apprentice in the Boston architectural offices of Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer; Ludwig Mies van der Rohe taught her at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
In 1941, she met Hans Knoll, whose eponymous furniture company was just getting off the ground. They married in 1946, and her design sense and his business skills soon made Knoll Inc. a leading firm in its field. Florence signed up the younger Saarinen as a designer, and would develop pieces by Bertoia, Mies and the artist Isamu Noguchi.
Florence Knoll's main work came as head of the Knoll Planning Group, designing custom office interiors for clients such as IBM and CBS. The furniture she created for these spaces reflects her Bauhaus training: the pieces are pure functional design, exactingly built; their only ornament from the materials, such as wood and marble. Her innovations — the oval conference table, for example, conceived as a way to ensure clear sightlines among all seated at a meeting — were always in the service of practicality.
Since her retirement in 1965, Knoll received the National Medal of Arts, among other awards; in 2004 the Philadelphia Museum of Art mounted the exhibition “Florence Knoll: Defining Modern” — well deserved accolades for a strong, successful design and business pioneer. As demonstrated on these pages, the simplicity of Knoll’s furniture is her work’s great virtue: they fit into any interior design scheme.
Find vintage Florence Knoll sofas, benches, armchairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Midcentury Walnut Coffee Table, Knoll International 1960s, Rare Boat ShapeBy Abel SorensonLocated in Berlin, DERare coffee table with walnut top and beech legs. Short production period. Design Abel Sorensen, produced by Knoll International. Wonderful details. Labe...Category
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBeech, Walnut
- Hans J. Wegner JH 513 Chair Denmark Teak LeatherBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Berlin, DEWonderful set of eight Hans J. Wegner JH 513 chairs made by Johannes Hansen. Beautiful grained teak frame with original black leather upholstery. Normal / mini...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
$2,396 / item - Børge Mogensen Teak Chest of DrawersBy Børge MogensenLocated in Berlin, DEBeautiful teak cabinet with eight drawers and brass handles. Designed by Børge Mogensen in the 1960s, produced by FDB Møbler. Model 234, stamped by FDB on the backside. Light wear c...Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Preben Fabricius Jorgen Kastholm Side Coffee Table Wengé Wood Steel Modern Bo-ExBy Jørgen Kastholm & Preben FabriciusLocated in Berlin, DEPreben Fabricius Jorgen Kastholm side / coffee table produced by Bo-Ex / Denmark in the 1960s. Tabletop made of highly grained Wengé wood. Base made of matte chromed steel. A wonderf...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsSteel
- Simon Henningsen Kassablanka Pendant LampBy Simon Poul HenningsenLocated in Berlin, DEThe Kassablanka pendant, design Simon Henningsen for Lyfa 1964. Simon Henningsen, son of famous designer Poul Henningsen, only designed a few lamps during his lifetime. Most of them ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal, Brass
$3,275 / item - Midcentury Scandinavian Two Seater Sofa by Hans WegnerBy Hans J. WegnerLocated in Berlin, DEDesigned by Hans Wegner for Getama in 1953, the GE 290 sofa is one of Hans Wegner's timeless pieces. The solid oak frame has angled, diagonal legs. The armrests are flat and wide, thus giving this sofa it's nickname: the plank sofa...Category
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Oak
- Florence Knoll Hanging Cabinet for Knoll InternationalBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Chicago, ILFlorence Knoll Hanging Cabinet for Knoll International, Model 121 Birch case with drop front doors. Inside pull-out drawer with flatwar...Category
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsLeather, Birch
- Florence Knoll for Knoll International Sideboard in TeakBy Florence KnollLocated in Waalwijk, NLFlorence Knoll for Knoll International, sideboard, teak, steel, walnut, United States, 1961 This minimalistic sideboard was made with the aim of creating office furniture that woul...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsSteel
- Small Modernist Sideboard by Florence Knoll for Knoll International, 1960sBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Antwerpen, VANSmall modernist sideboard designed by Florence Knoll Basset during the 1950s. This model is made of teak wood with leather handles and black metal square legs. Florence Knoll is know...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsMetal
- Four Drawer Chest by Florence Knoll for Knoll InternationalBy Knoll & Drake, Florence KnollLocated in Dallas, TXPair of four drawer chests designed by Florence Knoll, 1948 for Knoll International.Category
Mid-20th Century North American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMaple
- Florence Knoll Sideboard Wall Mounted 1952 Seagrass Teak by Knoll InternationalBy Florence Knoll, KnollLocated in Munster, NRWExtremely rare wall-hung sideboard (Mod°123) from 1952, designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll International - this version was produced in 1952 in a small edition by Knoll in Stuttgar...Category
Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsSeagrass, Teak
- Florence Knoll Sideboard Wall Bar Unit Teak 1954 Knoll International Mid CenturyBy Florence Knoll, KnollLocated in Munster, NRWWall mounted sideboard unit by Florence Knoll, made by Knoll International, Stuttgart in 1954. Rare opportunity to acquire an original Knoll Internat...Category
Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
10 Trailblazing Female Designers
From pioneering visionaries to contemporary talents, get to know some of the most important women in design.
Remembering Design Visionary Florence Knoll Bassett (1917-2019)
A loving look back at the life and career of a doyenne of mid-century-modern style, who died last week at the age of 101.