Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl for Johnson Cork Top Mahogany Credenza, 1950s
View Similar Items
Mid-Century Modern Paul Frankl for Johnson Cork Top Mahogany Credenza, 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Paul Frankl (Designer),Johnson Furniture Co. (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 72 in (182.88 cm)Depth: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1950s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Keego Harbor, MI
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU271538393183
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.
- Svend Aage Madsen for HP Hansen Mobelindustries Mid Century Modern Teak CredenzaBy Svend Åge Madsen, H.P. HansenLocated in Keego Harbor, MIA Danish teak wood credenza. This is an absolutely gorgeous piece designed by Svend Aage Madsen for H.P. Hansen Mobelindustries in the 1960s. This piece is a truly remarkable stateme...Category
Mid-20th Century Credenzas
MaterialsTeak
- Copenart by Morganton Mid Century Modern Walnut Wood CredenzaBy Morganton Furniture Co.Located in Keego Harbor, MIA Copenart by Morganton credenza. A stunning little mid century modern credenza. This piece features a variety of storage with 3 drawers, one drawer with dividers, and 2 cabinets wit...Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsWalnut
- Mid-Century Modern 3 Piece Walnut Chrome Tobocman Wall Hanging Floating CredenzaLocated in Keego Harbor, MIA gorgeous 3 piece walnut and chrome Tobocman hanging/floating credenza set. This stunning wall unit set features a walnut construction with a semi-glossy finish, and rectangular chrome drawer handles. This set of 3 comes unattached but can be hung together seamlessly. Each piece contains 6 large pull out drawers that pull out smoothly and sturdily. This shelving set also includes a glass top that is not pictured above. The glass is in very good condition, additional info and photos can be requested if interested. This whole set is in very good condition. Individually, this set measures...Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsWalnut
- Copenart by Morganton Mid Century Modern Walnut Wood 2 Piece Hutch CredenzaBy Morganton Furniture Co.Located in Keego Harbor, MIA Copenart by Morganton two piece hutch credenza. A lovely shelving cabinet featuring a beautiful walnut wood construction. This piece has an upper stack of 3 shelves leading down to...Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsWalnut
- Mid Century Modern Founders Walnut and Chrome Dresser Credenza and MirrorBy Founders Furniture CompanyLocated in Keego Harbor, MIA mid century modern Founders walnut and chrome dresser credenza and mirror. An absolutely jaw dropping piece of furniture from Founders fu...Category
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsWalnut
- Contemporary Modern Custom Made Curved White Lacquer CredenzaLocated in Keego Harbor, MIThis contemporary custom made curved white lacquer credenza is a stunning piece of furniture that will be the centerpiece of any room. Its unique curved de...Category
Late 20th Century Credenzas
MaterialsLacquer
- Art Deco Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Mahogany and Cork SideboardBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.Located in Chicago, ILArt Deco Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Mahogany and Cork sideboard An exquisite, iconic and truly timeless and unparalleled classic sideboard by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furnit...Category
Vintage 1940s Art Deco Sideboards
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Black Lacquered Mahogany Sideboard CredenzaBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture CompanyLocated in South Bend, INAn exceptional Mid-Century Modern sideboard, credenza, or bar cabinet By Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture USA, 1950s Black lacquered mahogany, with lacquered cork top and b...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
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 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
- Art Deco Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Mahogany and Cork Buffet CabinetBy Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.Located in Chicago, ILArt Deco Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Mahogany and Cork buffet cabinet An exquisite, iconic and truly timeless and unparalleled classic, complete buffet and display case by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture Co. The 2 door breakfront cabinet...Category
Vintage 1940s Art Deco Buffets
MaterialsBrass
- Paul Frankl Six Drawer Sideboard Cork Johnson Furniture 1950sBy Johnson Furniture Company, Paul FranklLocated in Camden, MEPaul Frankl sideboard with two side doors and six drawers manufactured by Johnson Furniture Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan from the 1950s. Cork topped cabinet of rosewood stained ...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
MaterialsMaple, Cork