Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Mahogany Ten-Drawer Dresser with X Pulls
View Similar Items
Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Mahogany Ten-Drawer Dresser with X Pulls
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 72.5 in (184.15 cm)Depth: 22.25 in (56.52 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Very good original condition.
- Seller Location:Hudson, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU106282379032
Paul Frankl
Born in Vienna, Paul Frankl came to the United States in 1914 as part of a wave of Central European design luminaries — among them Kem Weber, Rudolph Schindler, and Richard Neutra — who were drawn by the energy and optimism of the American scene. Prolific and protean, Frankl would go on to design furnishings that are emblematic of nearly every key stylistic chord in American modernism, from the streamlined Art Deco to free-form organic shapes.
Frankl's Skyscraper cabinets, bookcases and more — introduced in 1924 — are his earliest and best-known designs (and the work by which he is most often represented in institutions, such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art). Tall and narrow, the pieces have staggered shelves meant to mimic the setbacks of Manhattan office towers. A later visually expressive line — the Speed chairs and sofas, which have a raked profile suggesting motion — links Frankl to Donald Deskey, Raymond Loewy and other creators of Streamline Moderne design.
Frankl moved to Los Angeles in 1934 and luxuriated in the climate and lifestyle. His designs became lighter and simpler and found an audience among the Hollywood élite. (Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Fred Astaire were clients.) Fascinated by Asian arts, Frankl produced numerous pieces — tabletops with edges that curve upward; sofas, chairs and other seating with rattan frames — inspired by Chinese and Japanese forms and materials. In the 1940s, Frankl became one of the first designers to incorporate free-form, biomorphic shapes in his work, as well as novel upholstery fabrics such as denim and nubby wool.
Frankl biographer Christopher Long argues that the designer’s easy, elegant aesthetic had an enormous influence on movie set design. As the furniture below attests, Paul Frankl’s work is ready for its close-up.
Find vintage Paul Frankl tables, dining chairs, case pieces and storage cabinets on 1stDibs.
Johnson Furniture Co.
Take a medal from the King of Sweden, a splash of the roaring twenties, and a series of talented designers and you get Johnson Furniture Co.’s elegant Art Deco and period-revival furnishings as well as a taste for why the Johnson name prevailed for over a century in American furniture manufacturing.
A wealth of forests rendered Grand Rapids, Michigan, a logging center during the 1800s. It eventually gained recognition for its furniture industry. The city became a destination for woodworkers who hailed from all over the United States as well as Europe, and Johnson Furniture Co. cofounder Carl Johnson, who had been recognized for cabinetmaking by the head of the royal family in his native Sweden, brought his royally acknowledged talents to America with his two brothers, Hjalmar and Axel in 1887. Together, they established Cabinetmakers Co. in Grand Rapids. In 1908, the brothers sold their start-up and founded Johnson Furniture Co.
Tom Handley, of the well-respected English furniture company Waring and Gillow, became an in-house designer with Johnson Furniture Co. in its early days. Handley would stay on as part of both the Johnson label and of Johnson-Handley-Johnson — a companion company that spun off from Johnson in 1922 — until his death in 1926. At the time, archaeological discoveries were all the rage. The greatest influence on Art Deco jewelry, for example, was the excavation of the tomb of King Tut in 1922, and some vintage Tom Handley designs were adaptations of Egyptian furniture. The brand specialized in a range of styles that included Art Deco, Chippendale, Queen Anne and more.
Acclaimed designer David Robertson Smith, who had made furniture in the Arts and Crafts style for the likes of Gustav Stickley, carried the Johnson Furniture Co. creative team into the early 1930s. Grand Rapids had by then become a thriving hub with respect to the mass production of furniture, and Smith’s sophisticated Dynamique line — a collection of coffee tables, cabinets and more in alluring woods such as walnut and mahogany and based on French furniture — was among the first mass-produced modern furniture made in America.
Johnson hired Lorenzo Rutili, a Carnegie Institute graduate who studied design in Europe, to lead the brand’s design division. Rutili oversaw 30 years of successful Johnson Furniture Co. collaborations with other notable designers including Paul Frankl, Eliel Saarinen, Bert England, J. Robert F. Swanson and Pipsam Saarinen Swanson. After wrapping up his tenure at Johnson, Rutili moved on to design furniture at Tomlinson in North Carolina.
During the 1960s, Kipp Stewart and Milo Baughman designed residential furnishings for Directional — a favorite of mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — and Johnson produced these pieces, becoming the sole manufacturer for the North Carolina brand.
After a merger with Timberline Inc., Johnson Furniture Co. secured contracts for hotels, motels and university dormitories. In 1983, Johnson and Rose Manufacturing became RoseJohnson Inc. It was later purchased by La-Z-Boy.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Johnson Furniture Co. case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and other furniture.
- Burled Blonde Mahogany Midcentury 6 Drawer Ring Pull Dresser Red Lion FurnitureLocated in Hudson, NYAll original 1950s dresser by Red Lion Firniture. Stunning burled mahogany drawer fronts with elegant brass ring pulls. Solid wood with mahogany case. Sculpted feet complete the look...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsBrass
$1,480 Sale Price20% Off - Pair of Michael Taylor for Baker Far East Collection Dresser Chests CommodesBy Michael Taylor, Baker Furniture Company, Baker Far East CollectionLocated in Hudson, NYExceptional pair of solid wood dressers designed by Michael Taylor for the very collectable "Far East Collection" by Baker Furniture. This pair has been expertly refinished by Columbia County's premier woodworker Michael Gregorio. This finish shows the action of the original wood which appears to be elm. The double ring door pulls which are the Michael Taylor signature complete the look. The design of these dressers are the definition of style meets function.Although elegantly styled- the pieces are solid and very usable. We are offering the pair in this listing as well as a second pair which you can find in our other listings. We also have available the companion "vanity" piece which can be added between any of the pieces as shown in the last few photographs. All dressers...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsWood, Elm
$7,840 Sale Price / set20% Off - Pair of Michael Taylor for Baker Far East Collection Dresser Chests CommodeBy Michael Taylor, Baker Furniture Company, Baker Far East CollectionLocated in Hudson, NYExceptional pair of solid wood dressers designed by Michael Taylor for the very collectable "Far East Collection" by Baker Furniture. This pair has been expertly refinished by Columbia County's premier woodworker Michael Gregorio. This finish shows the action or the original wood which appears to be elm. The double ring door pulls which are the Michael Taylor signature complete the look. The design of these dressers are the definition of style meets function.Although elegantly styled- the pieces are solid and very usable. We are offering the pair in this listing as well as a second pair which you can find in our other listings. We also have available the companion "vanity" piece which can be added between any of the pieces as shown in the last few photographs. All dressers...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsWood, Elm
$7,840 Sale Price / set20% Off - Pair of Grand Scale Edward Wormley for Dunbar Parsons Tables in Dark MahoganyBy Dunbar Furniture, Edward WormleyLocated in Hudson, NYBeautiful pair of Dunbar Parsons tables designed by Ed Wormley. Both tables retain the original Dunbar badge on the underside.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsMahogany
- Stunning & Rare John Hutton for Donghia 'Block Island' Sofa of Wicker & MahoganyBy Donghia, John HuttonLocated in Hudson, NYA very rare example from the limited production Block Island collection designed by John Hutton (1947-2006) for Donghia. The chocolate colored version is very rare- only a few were p...Category
20th Century American Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
MaterialsMahogany, Cane, Wicker
$14,800 Sale Price20% Off - Exquisite & Rare Harvey Probber Credenza Dresser w. Arpad Rasti Enameled DoorsBy Arpad Rosti, Harvey ProbberLocated in Hudson, NYStunning and rare collaboration between Harvey Probber and Arpad Rosti. This piece has been completely refinished to perfection including the matte white drawer fronts of the interio...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsMetal, Brass, Enamel
$19,200 Sale Price20% Off
- Paul Frankl Cork Dresser for Johnson Furniture Co.By Johnson Furniture Co., Paul FranklLocated in Los Angeles, CAPaul Frankl’s cork furniture pieces are among his longest-lasting contributions to American modernism and are highly sought after to this day. This example, a cork top waterfall edge...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl Cork Dresser for Johnson Furniture Co.By Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.Located in Los Angeles, CAPaul Frankl’s cork furniture pieces are among his longest-lasting contributions to American modernism and are highly sought after to this day. This example, a cork top waterfall edge...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture 10 Drawer Double Dresser Solid Brass X PullsBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture CompanyLocated in Rockaway, NJMid-Century Modern tan walnut finish double dresser credenza by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture.Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl Cork Highboy Dresser for Johnson Furniture Co.By Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.Located in Los Angeles, CAPaul Frankl’s cork furniture pieces are among his longest-lasting contributions to American modernism and are highly sought after to this day. This example, a cork top waterfall edge...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl Dresser and Nightstand for Johnson Furniture, 1950sBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Company, John StuartLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis fantastic 1950s ten-drawer double dresser and nightstand was designed by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture and retailed by John Stuart duri...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsMetal
$5,700 Sale Price / set39% Off - Ten Drawer Dresser by Paul Frankl, C. 1950sBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.Located in Westport, CTA meticulously restored Paul Frankl Dresser from Johnson Furniture, a mid-century masterpiece circa 1950s. This vintage gem, designed by the iconic Paul Frankl, features 10 drawers a...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsNickel