Florence Knoll Walnut and Marble Credenza / Sideboard, by Nordiska Sweden, 1966
View Similar Items
Florence Knoll Walnut and Marble Credenza / Sideboard, by Nordiska Sweden, 1966
About the Item
- Creator:NK (Nordiska Kompaniet) (Manufacturer),Florence Knoll (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25.6 in (65 cm)Width: 74.81 in (190 cm)Depth: 18.12 in (46 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1966
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Madrid, ES
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2754323735472
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.
NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Since its inception, luxury retailer Nordiska Kompaniet, known affectionately to its customers as “NK,” has offered an influential platform for innovators in furniture design. Its department stores in Stockholm and Gothenburg, Sweden, have been home to many of the top names in mid-century modern design and in Scandinavian modernism. Admired for its production of high-quality pieces, it continues to support forward-looking designers.
Nordiska Kompaniet was founded in 1902 through the merger of the companies K.M. Lundberg and Joseph Leja. Its founder, Josef Sachs, envisioned a department store as a cultural arena that would rival the luxury stores of Paris. He opened a flagship store in Stockholm in 1915. Early on, the brand set its sights on quality furniture making, bringing on master cabinetmaker Axel Einar Hjorth, who headed its production from 1927 to 1938.
The Stockholm Exhibition of 1930 was pivotal for both Nordiska Kompaniet and the world of design as a whole. NK’s installation, designed by Sven Markelius, positioned the artist as a key influencer and force majeure of Swedish functionalism.
Nordiska Kompaniet has continued to hire renowned designers throughout its operations, including such luminaries as Carl Bergsten, David Rosen and Gio Ponti. Many iconic sofas, lounge chairs, bookcases and dining room tables from the mid-century modern period originated in its furniture shop. The brand has also been at the forefront of textile, ceramic and wallpaper design, with artists Berndt Friberg, Josef Frank, Stig Lindberg and Elsa Gullberg among those who have contributed to NK’s brand legacy.
To cater to its growing customer base, Nordiska Kompaniet opened a second store in Gothenburg in 1971. Today, NK continues to provide patronage to top designers, remaining a leader in high-end furniture production.
Find antique and vintage Nordiska Kompaniet tables, seating, mirrors, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Florence Knoll Rosewood and Marble Credenza or Sideboard, 1960sBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Dallas, TXFlorence Knoll's iconic sideboard/credenza in rosewood with marble top. The sideboard features 4 bays with internal shelving in one bay and file drawers and smaller drawers in three ...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsMarble, Steel
- Marble & Rosewood Credenza / Sideboard by Florence Knoll ca. 1960sBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Geneva, CHMarble and Rosewood Credenza or Sideboard by Florence Knoll produced by Knoll International ca. 1960 Very good condition. No keys for the moment. 5 drawers. Adjustable steel glides.Category
Vintage 1960s American Credenzas
MaterialsCarrara Marble, Steel
- Florence Knoll Marble-Top Rosewood CredenzaBy Florence KnollLocated in San Francisco, CAFlorence Knoll rosewood and marble two door credenza on a matte brush steel base. Rare smaller size with a finished back side, no key.Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsCarrara Marble
- Oak Credenza with Marble Top by Florence Knoll for KnollBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Dorchester, MADesigned by Florence Knoll in 1961, this handsome credenza comprises a light oak case on a chrome base with a marble top in "white extra." Four doors with inset handles conceal adju...Category
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsMarble, Chrome
- 1960s Florence Knoll Rosewood and Marble 4 Position CredenzaBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Houston, TXStunning Florence Knoll marble-top rosewood credenza, c.1960s. Polished chrome base, rosewood veneer, and Olympus Calacatta marble top make this piece drop dead gorgeous, while the 4...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsCarrara Marble, Chrome
- Vintage Calacatta Marble and Rosewood Florence Knoll CredenzaBy Knoll, Florence KnollLocated in Miami, FLA vintage and timeless rosewood credenza with original white Calacatta marble top on chrome legs with chromed pulls and finished back. A very versatile piece, perfect for any home or...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsSteel, Chrome
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.