Pair of Harvey Probber Dressers/Chest
View Similar Items
Pair of Harvey Probber Dressers/Chest
About the Item
- Creator:Harvey Probber (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Each has some wear, scratches to the finish, mostly to the tops.
- Seller Location:Tarrytown, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU107823532672
Harvey Probber
A popular designer who had his heyday from the late 1940s into the 1970s, Harvey Probber is one of the post-war American creative spirits whose work has been recently rediscovered by collectors. His designs are by-and-large simple and elegant, but his signal achievement was to pioneer one of the key innovations of mid-20th century furniture: sectional, or modular, seating.
Even as a teenager, the Brooklyn-born Probber was making sketches of furniture designs — and selling them to Manhattan furniture companies. He began working as a designer for an upholsterer once he finished high school and, apart from a few evening classes he took as an adult at Pratt Institute, he was self-taught about design and furniture making.
After wartime service — and a stint as a lounge singer — Probber founded his own company in the late 1940s. A lifelong familiarity with the needs of New York–apartment dwellers doubtless sparked his most noteworthy creation: a line of seating pieces in basic geometric shapes — wedges, squares, half-circles — that could be arranged and combined as needed. Modular furniture remained the core idea of Probber’s business throughout his career.
As a self-trained designer, Probber was never wed to any particular aesthetic. He preferred the simple lines now associated with mid-century modernism for their inherent practicality, but often used hardware to enliven the look of his pieces, or added elements — such as a ceramic insert in the center of a round dining table — that was visually interesting and could serve as a trivet. He gravitated toward bright fabrics with attractive, touchable textures that might be satin-like or nubbly. Above all, Probber insisted that the sofas, case goods and other products that came out of his Fall River, Massachusetts, factory be built to last.
“The quality of aging gracefully,” Probber once told an interviewer, is “design's fourth dimension.” This quality he realized: Probber furniture is just as useful and alluring now as it was when made — and maybe even more stylish.
Find a collection of vintage Harvey Probber side tables, sectional sofas, chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1840s French Provincial Louis XV Chest of DrawersLocated in Tarrytown, NY1840s French Provincial Louis XV chest of drawers. Very heavy. Bought in Italy, acquired from a Southampton, NY estate.Category
Antique 1840s Dressers
MaterialsWood
- 1950s Custom Made Rosewood And Black Lacquer Chinoiserie DresserLocated in Tarrytown, NY1950s Custom made rosewood dresser with lacquer chinoiserie doors.Scratch on top that was filled in, as seen in last picture. One drawer mis...Category
Vintage 1950s Dressers
MaterialsRosewood
- Bonnet top maple highboy chest of drawersLocated in Tarrytown, NYMaple wood highboy chest of drawers featuring a turned wood bonnet top, patinated brass hardware and carved shell detail.Category
Vintage 1940s American Rustic Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMaple
- 1860s Korean ChestLocated in Tarrytown, NY1860s Korean chest, adorned with fish, birds and flowers. 2 shelves.Category
Antique 1860s Cabinets
MaterialsWood
$3,950 - Vintage Pair of Nautically Themed SconcesLocated in Tarrytown, NYPair of cast bronze "ship's wheel" sconces with original cast glass shades.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBronze
$2,400 / set - Pair of Teardrop Mercury Glass LampsLocated in Tarrytown, NYPair of teardrop mercury glass lamps with faceted pattern.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
$4,800 / set
- Harvey Probber Chest of DrawersBy Harvey ProbberLocated in New York, NYMid-Century Modern chest of drawers by Harvey Probber. Harvey Probber chest of drawers in bleached mahogany with four drawers brass sabots to the feet. Inside two top drawers have wh...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsWood, Mahogany
- Pair of Rosewood and Mahogany Chests by Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in New York, NYPair of tailored chests designed by Harvey Probber, having rosewood drawer fronts, tops and sides with dark mahogany trim, and legs, with brass feet. Both are in good, original condition, showing some cosmetic signs of age and use. Each dresser has three drawers, each drawer front is 7.75 inch H. Originally designed as dressers, these would also function well as large night tables...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMahogany, Rosewood
- Vintage Harvey Probber Dresser or CredenzaBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Brooklyn, NYThis unique side by side storage piece by Harvey Probber features spacious drawers for storage in any room. Perfect Mid-Century Modern piece for use as a credenza or bedroom dresser....Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsMahogany, Rosewood
$4,760 Sale Price26% 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
- Mid-Century Dresser Designed by Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Brooklyn, NYHandsome Mid-Century Modern highboy dresser designed by Harvey Probber. Dark mahogany exterior throughout. The cabinet doors show an interesting woven pattern with vertical brass acc...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsBrass
- Rosewood and Mahogany Triple Dresser by Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Miami, FLStunning Harvey Probber large dresser or cabinet. The triple dresser features a mahogany case with contrasting Brazilian rosewood sliding doors and sculpted handles. The doors open t...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsMahogany, Rosewood