Vladimir Kagan Executive Desk
View Similar Items
Vladimir Kagan Executive Desk
About the Item
- Creator:Vladimir Kagan (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 84 in (213.36 cm)Depth: 38.5 in (97.79 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1975
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:Seller: 0011581stDibs: LU84746916243
Vladimir Kagan
The pioneers of modern furniture design in America in the mid-20th century all had their moments of flamboyance: Charles and Ray Eames produced the startling, biomorphic La Chaise; George Nelson’s firm created the Marshmallow sofa; Edward Wormley had his decadent Listen to Me chaise. But no designer of the day steadily offered works with more verve and dynamism than Vladimir Kagan. While others, it seems, designed with suburban households in mind, Kagan aimed to suit the tastes of young, sophisticated city-dwellers. With signature designs that feature sleekly curved frames and others that have dramatic out-thrust legs, Kagan made furniture sexy.
Kagan’s father was a Russian master cabinetmaker who took his family first to Germany (where Vladimir was born) and then to New York in 1938. After studying architecture at Columbia University, Kagan opened a design firm at age 22 and immediately made a splash with his long, low and sinuous Serpentine sofa. Furniture lines such as the Tri-symmetric group of glass-topped, three-legged tables and the vivacious Contours chairs soon followed.
Kagan’s choices of form and materials evolved through subsequent decades, embracing lucite, aluminum and burl-wood veneers. By the late 1960s, Kagan was designing austere, asymmetrical cabinets and his Omnibus group of modular sofas and chairs. For all his aesthetic élan, Kagan said that throughout his career, his touchstone was comfort. “A lot of modern furniture was not comfortable. And so comfort is: form follows function. The function was to make it comfortable,” he once commented. “I created what I called vessels for the human body.”
A diverse group of bodies have made themselves at home with Kagan designs. Among the famous names who commissioned and collected his designs are Marilyn Monroe, Gary Cooper, Andy Warhol, David Lynch, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and firms such as Gucci and Giorgio Armani. His work is in numerous museum collections, including those of the Victoria & Albert and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Because of its idiosyncrasy, Kagan’s work did not lend itself to mass-production. Kagan never signed on with any of the major furniture-making corporations, and examples of his designs are relatively rare. As you will see from the offerings on 1stDibs, even decades after their conception, Kagan pieces still command the eye, with their freshness, energy, sensuality and wit.
- Vladimir Kagan Style ChaiseBy Vladimir Kagan, DirectionalLocated in Chicago, ILVladimir Kagan Style Chaise, Long Chaise with asymmetric arm design detail and lumbar support. Reupholstered with Great Plains Boucle, solid waln...Category
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Vladimir Kagan Bench, from Kagan's Park Avenue ApartmentBy Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc., Vladimir KaganLocated in Chicago, ILVladimir Kagan Bench, from Kagan's Park Avenue Apartment, Tufted burnt orange suede with an acrylic plinth base. By Vladimir Kagan Designs, Inc. 1...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsSuede, Acrylic
- Vladimir Kagan Sectional for DirectionalBy Vladimir Kagan, DirectionalLocated in Chicago, ILVladimir Kagan Sectional for Directional, with Great Plains boucle, new hand-cut foam, and wood legs. Depth 37" Back Height 30" Seat...Category
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery
- Cloud Sofa in the Style of Vladimir KaganBy Preview, Vladimir KaganLocated in Chicago, ILCloud sofa in the style of Vladimir Kagan. Expertly reupholstered in white Italian Boucle with new foam hand-cut process to original Kag...Category
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsUpholstery, Bouclé
- Florence Knoll DeskBy Florence KnollLocated in Chicago, ILKnoll International Planed Office Group double pedestal desk with modesty panel model 1503. Features five drawers one for files. Modesty panel shows steel reveal details. (Ten mor...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsMetal
$5,198 - Florence Knoll DeskBy Florence KnollLocated in Chicago, ILKnoll International Planed Office Group double pedestal desk with modesty panel model 1503. Features five drawers one for files. Modesty panel shows st...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsMetal
$5,198
- Vladimir Kagan Style Gianni Walnut and Lucite Executive DeskBy Gianni Furniture Co.Located in Countryside, ILVladimir Kagan Style Gianni Walnut and Lucite Executive Desk This desk measures: 77.5 wide x 38 deep x 29.25 high, with a chair clearance of 27 inches All pieces of furniture can b...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsLucite, Walnut
- Early Vladimir Kagan Custom Order Desk with Drawers. Walnut and Cane.By Vladimir KaganLocated in Kansas City, MOEarly, one of a kind, Vladimir Kagan Desk. Walnut case with cane modesty panel. Super cool and sleek design. Classic Kagan sculptural tripod legs support each side. We believe th...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsCane, Walnut
- Ernst Schwadron, a Vladimir Kagan Made Unique Desk, circa 1945By Ernst SchwadronLocated in Sharon, CTWhen showing this desk at a 'Modernism Show', Vladimir Kagan related to me that this desk was executed by him as a teenager in his father's New York City workshop, for the Austrian/A...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsPoplar
- 1968 Executive DeskBy Warren PlatnerLocated in Hanover, MAExecutive desk formerly belonging to noted architect George M. Notter, (1933–2007) of the Boston firm Anderson Notter Finegold (now known as Finegold Alexander Architects). Current institutional memory at the firm suggests it was a special order from Herman Miller for the then new New York offices of MGM, however Herman Miller's archivist was unable to confirm. Styling, particularly the distinctive slim milled aluminum tracks through which the entire drawer carriage glides is clearly similar to Warren Platner's designs for Lehigh-Leopold which were then among the most costly of executive office furnishings. The bent flat bar chromed steel base with its distinctive pigeon toe splay is somewhat similar to a table base in Stow Davis' Electa Series, designed by Alexis Yermakov circa 1971. Walnut laminate top is very clean with no issues. One one corner edge shows a small separation. The only identifying markings are within the milled aluminum channel: G.P. F.I. 2 And the date Dec. 20, 1968. See image 18. Between the rectangular laminate top and the chrome base is a heavy blackened steel plate. Underneath the bent chrome pigeon toe feet are bars of a thick phenolic material which act as floor protector. We can have keys made to fit the two locking drawers. Tim Anderson...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsAluminum, Steel, Chrome
$6,500 - Midcentury Executive Boomerang DeskLocated in Esperance, NYFor sale is this very unique large executive boomerang desk. The top is made out of laminate and the bottom is solid wood.Category
Vintage 1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsWalnut
- Mahogany Executive DeskLocated in Annville, PAIdeal for use either at work or in a home office the Niagara Furniture Mahogany Executive Desk with a tooled leather top is both beautiful and functional. Built in three sections for...Category
2010s Renaissance Desks
MaterialsMahogany
$4,110 / item