Vintage Walnut "Surfboard" Coffee Table by John Keal
View Similar Items
Vintage Walnut "Surfboard" Coffee Table by John Keal
About the Item
- Creator:John Keal (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 12.5 in (31.75 cm)Width: 60.25 in (153.04 cm)Depth: 20 in (50.8 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Brass,Walnut
- Place of Origin:United States
- Period:1950-1959
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:North Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU127026833483
John Keal
At a time when many furniture makers were turning to cheaper materials for mass production, mid-century modern designer John Keal didn't shy away from utilizing quality woods in his work, like mahogany and walnut to create his coffee tables, cabinets and benches.
While little is known about Keal, he was part of a powerhouse group that collaborated with Los Angeles furniture manufacturer Brown-Saltman in the 1940s and ‘50s. Other designers who had partnered with the firm during the mid-20th century included Greta Magnusson Grossman, Paul Frankl, Paul Laszlo, and Gilbert Rohde, a New York City-born designer who would help legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer Herman Miller avert financial disaster during the Great Depression.
Brown-Saltman was established in 1923 and initially specialized in reproductions of furniture in period styles. When cofounder David Saltman met Frankl, the firm had discontinued its Early California collection and was producing modern furniture.
The Austrian-born Frankl was already a big name in decorating in California in the late 1930s — his clients were Hollywood movie stars who were drawn to pieces such as his Art Deco-style Skyscraper series and other biomorphically shaped designs that showed the influence of Chinese and Japanese forms (Brown-Saltman’s offerings were frequently demonstrative of Asian influences). Frankl had become interested in producing inexpensive furniture for middle-class consumers, and his 1940s-era collaboration with Brown-Saltman was a success — print advertisements touted his name as well as the fact that these furnishings, which drew on the clean lines of chrome-framed Bauhaus pieces but instead integrated organic materials, were intended for modern homes.
Keal’s work also fit snugly into what we now call California modernism, which derived from the Bauhaus and International Style movements, and revolutionized the way we build homes today, not only in the Golden State but across the globe. Keal created sleek end tables in walnut and topped with enameled copper and upholstered low-profile dining chairs framed in bleached mahogany for Brown-Saltman as well as other West Coast mid-century brands such as Glenn of California and Modeline.
Find vintage John Keal seating, storage pieces and tables on 1stDibs.
- Vintage Walnut Magazine Coffee Table by Milo Baughman for Glenn of CaliforniaBy Milo Baughman, Glenn of CaliforniaLocated in North Hollywood, CAExceptional vintage walnut magazine coffee table designed by Milo Baughman for Glenn of California in the United States, circa 1950s. This table has a conservative but highly versati...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
- Vintage Brass "Bonsai" Coffee Table by Willy DaroBy Willy DaroLocated in North Hollywood, CABeautiful vintage brass “Bonsai” coffee table designed by Willy Daro and manufactured in Belgium, circa 1970s. This table has a solid brass base sh...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Vintage "Swirl" Glass Coffee Table by Daniel GluckBy Daniel GluckLocated in North Hollywood, CAFabulous vintage “Swirl” glass coffee table designed by California artist Daniel Gluck in United States, circa 1960s. This beautiful piece has a bold and avant-garde design, features...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsMetal
$3,275 Sale Price40% Off - Vintage Sculptural Bronze "Starburst" Coffee Table by Daniel GluckBy Daniel GluckLocated in North Hollywood, CABeautiful vintage sculptural bronze “Starburst” coffee table by Daniel Gluck and manufactured in the United States, circa 1970s. This table has ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBronze, Steel
- Vintage Acid Etched Brass Coffee Table by Bernard Rohne for MastercraftBy Bernhard Rohne, MastercraftLocated in North Hollywood, CAWonderful vintage acid etched brass coffee table designed by Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft in United States, circa 1970s. This coffee table presents a unique aesthetic throughout it...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
$3,099 Sale Price20% Off - Vintage Stainless Steel Cantilevered Coffee Table Attributed to BruetonBy J. Wade Beam, BruetonLocated in North Hollywood, CAMonumental vintage burl wood and stainless-steel cantilevered coffee table attributed to J. Wade Beam for Brueton in the United States. This exceptional table features a thick glass ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsStainless Steel
- John Keal Expanding Coffee Table by Brown SaltmanBy John Keal, Brown SaltmanLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis expanding coffee table by John Keal is both handsome and versatile. When closed the rectilinear top sits on a pair of cube bases for a sim...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut, Formica
- John Keal Walnut Coffee Table with Three Folding Side TablesBy John Keal, Brown SaltmanLocated in Chicago, ILRare coffee table with internal folding snack tables by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Bleached walnut wood square top coffee table with three intern...Category
Vintage 1950s American Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsLaminate, Walnut
- Mid Century Modern John Keal Style Walnut Expanding Coffee TableBy John KealLocated in Chicago, ILMid Century Modern John Keal Style Walnut Expanding Coffee Table Mid century modern unique rectangular expanding walnut coffee table styled after John Keal is both handsome and vers...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
- John Keal Mid-Century Modern Walnut Expanding Coffee Table by Brown SaltmanBy Brown Saltman, John KealLocated in St. Louis, MOJohn Keal for Brown Saltman Mid-Century Modern rectangular walnut expanding cocktail table, with vinyl laminate center on block pedestals expands from 66" to 95" long. Top to be refi...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
- 1960s Smokey Glass and Walnut Coffee Table by John Keal Brown SaltmanBy Brown Saltman, John KealLocated in Hawthorne, CAClassic mid-century modern walnut wood and smokey glass coffee table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Contrasting platform black base. Features one drawer with original label...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsSmoked Glass, Wood, Walnut
- Expanding Coffee Table in Walnut & Formica by John Keal for Brown Saltman, 1960sBy John KealLocated in Deland, FLAn exquisite design by John Keal for Brown Saltman. The expanding table design allows for additional surface use and storage. This design element is great for when you have drinks or...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
