Florence Knoll Mid-Century Modern Black Lacquered Chest of Drawers, Refinished
View Similar Items
Florence Knoll Mid-Century Modern Black Lacquered Chest of Drawers, Refinished
About the Item
- Creator:Knoll (Manufacturer),Florence Knoll (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 36.63 in (93.05 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)Depth: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1970s
- Condition:Refinished. Newly refinished. Excellent condition.
- Seller Location:South Bend, IN
- Reference Number:Seller: Liberty & 33rd Furniture Co. #66291stDibs: LU2745321838062
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 polished, efficient design and skillfully realized office plans.
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. Her main work came as head of the Knoll Planning Group, designing custom office interiors for clients such as IBM and CBS. The furniture Florence 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.
Knoll
As a company that produced many of the most famous and iconic furniture designs of the 20th century, Knoll was a chief influence in the rise of modern design in the United States. Led by Florence Knoll, the firm would draw stellar talents such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Eero Saarinen into its compass. Their work would help change the face of the American home and office.
The company was formed in 1938 by the German immigrant Hans Knoll. He first worked with his fellow ex-pat, the Danish designer Jens Risom, who created furniture with flowing lines made of wood. While Risom served in World War II, in 1943 Knoll met his future wife, Florence Schust. She had studied and worked with eminent emigré leaders of the Bauhaus, including Mies, Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer. She won Knoll over with Bauhaus notions of industrial arts, and an aesthetic that featured flat and tubular metal frames and angular forms. When Hans died in a car crash in 1955, Florence Knoll was appointed head of the company. It was as much through her holistic approach to design — a core division of the firm was dedicated to planning office systems — as Knoll's mid-century modern furnishings themselves that she brought about the sleek and efficient transformation of the American workplace.
Today, classic Knoll furnishings remain staples of modern design collections and decor. A history of modern design is written in pieces such as the elegant Barcelona chair — created by Mies and Lilly Reich — Saarinen’s pedestal Tulip chair, Breuer’s tubular steel Wassily lounge chair and the grid-patterned Diamond chair by Harry Bertoia.
As you can see from the collection of these designs and other vintage Knoll dining chairs, sofas and tables on 1stDibs, this manufacturer's offerings have become timeless emblems of the progressive spirit and sleek sophistication of the best of modernism.
- Florence Knoll Mid-Century Modern Black Lacquered Chest of Drawers, RefinishedBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in South Bend, INAn exceptional Mid-Century Modern black lacquered three-drawer dresser chest By Florence Knoll for Knoll Associates USA, Circa 1970s Black lacquered walnut, with original ch...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsChrome
- Century Furniture Chippendale White Lacquered Chest of Drawers, Newly RefinishedBy Century FurnitureLocated in South Bend, INAn exceptional Chippendale style three-drawer bachelor chest or dresser By Century Furniture, USA, circa 1980s White lacquered mahogany,...Category
Late 20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsBrass
- Henredon Hollywood Regency Campaign Blue Lacquered Chest of Drawers, RefinishedBy HenredonLocated in South Bend, INA gorgeous Mid-Century Modern Hollywood Regency Campaign style low dresser or chest of drawers By Henredon USA, Circa 1960s Blue lacquered walnut, with original brass hardwa...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsBrass
- Russel Wright for Conant Ball American Modern Black Lacquered Chest of DrawersBy Conant Ball, Russel WrightLocated in South Bend, INA gorgeous Mid-Century Modern black lacquered three-drawer dresser or chest of drawers By Russel Wright for Conant Ball USA, 1950s Solid birch, in black lacquered finish. Measur...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsBirch, Lacquer
- Edward Wormley for Drexel Precedent Black Lacquered Bachelor Chest, RefinishedBy Edward Wormley, DrexelLocated in South Bend, INAn exceptional Mid-Century Modern five-drawer dresser chest By Edward Wormley for Drexel, "Precedent" Collection USA, 1948 Black lacquered elm wood, with original brass hard...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsBrass
- Paul McCobb Irwin Collection Black Lacquered Gentleman's Chest, Newly RefinishedBy Paul McCobb, Calvin Furniture, DirectionalLocated in South Bend, INAn exceptional Mid-Century Modern gentleman's chest of drawers By Paul McCobb for Directional and produced by Calvin Furniture, "Irwin Collection" USA, 1950s Black lacquered...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMirror, Mahogany, Lacquer
- Mid-Century Pair of Florence Knoll Chests of DrawersBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Baltimore, MDRemarkably iconic rare pair of walnut Mid-Century cabinets/ dressers by Florence Knoll, for Knoll inc., ca. 1960's. A beautiful example of Mid-Century craftsmanship. Expertly crafted...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsLaminate, Walnut
- Mid-Century Pair of Florence Knoll Chests of DrawersBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Baltimore, MDRemarkably iconic rare pair of walnut Mid-Century cabinets/ dressers by Florence Knoll, for Knoll inc., ca. 1960’s. A beautiful example of Mid-Century craftsmanship. Expertly crafted...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsWalnut
- Mid-Century Modern Walnut Chest of DrawersLocated in Brooklyn, NYGorgeous Mid-Century Modern vintage chest of drawers in a stunning walnut grain. Five pull-out drawers provide ample storage and organization, whether in the home or office. Unique m...Category
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsMetal, Steel
$1,330 Sale Price30% Off - Mid-Century Modern Walnut Credenza / Chest of Drawers Att. to Florence KnollBy Florence KnollLocated in Kennesaw, GAThis is a walnut credenza on a chrome base with chrome pulls. It has dovetail construction. This mid-century modern piece is attributed to Florence Knoll. It’s iconic design with it’...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests...
MaterialsChrome
- Swedish Modern Mid-Century Chest of Drawers of BirchLocated in Atlanta, GAMid Century Modern Chest of Drawers made of Birch in Sweden. Chest of dawers has an espresso finish with chrome drawer pulls. There are three drawers with ample space. Perfectly scal...Category
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsBirch
$1,319 Sale Price37% Off - Mid-Century Modern Chest of Drawers Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in New York, NYMid-Century Modern Harvey Probber Chest of drawers. Low chest of drawers by Harvey Probber in bleached mahogany with three drawers set on plinth base. Top two drawers have white lami...Category
Vintage 1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of D...
MaterialsMahogany
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.