Walnut and Brass Coffee Table by Harvey Probber, C. 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Harvey Probber (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 20.75 in (52.71 cm)Diameter: 45 in (114.3 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Refinished.
- Seller Location:Westport, CT
- Reference Number:
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 the 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 simple lines 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 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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Westport, CT
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- Executive Walnut Desk by Harvey Probber, C. 1950sBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Westport, CTA large-scale desk executed in walnut, designed by Harvey Probber, circa 1950-1959. Completely restored to its original finish and functionality, featuring a con-cave top and nickel ...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsNickel
- Sculptural Walnut Boomerang Coffee Table, 1950sLocated in Westport, CTWalnut coffee table featuring a boomerang-shaped top, circa 1950-1959. Fully restored to its original espresso finish. Talk about a conversation piece! Other designers from this p...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
- Set of Low-Profile Swivel Chairs by Harvey Probber, C. 1950sBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Westport, CTA timeless pair of swivel chairs, designed by the iconic Harvey Probber in the 1950s and brought back to life by Stamford Modern through a comprehensive restoration process. These ch...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
MaterialsTwill, Oak
- Brass Accented Coffee Table in Black Ceruse, C. 1950sLocated in Westport, CTA captivating Mid-Century Modern 42-inch Oak Coffee Table, a true masterpiece that seamlessly blends iconic design with meticulous craftsmanship. Crafted to perfection, this coffee t...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Teak Coffee Table by Grete Jalk, Denmark, C. 1950sBy Grete JalkLocated in Westport, CTIndulge in the enduring charm of mid-century modern design with our meticulously restored Teak Coffee/End Table, a 1950s masterpiece by Danish designer Grete Jalk for Mobelfabrik, im...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsTeak
- Connoisseur Collection Coffee Table by Paul McCobb, C. 1950sBy Stamford ModernLocated in Westport, CTAn Exceptional Vintage Connoisseur Collection Coffee Table by Paul McCobb, crafted in the 1950s. Meticulously fashioned from luxurious mahogany and...Category
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail T...
MaterialsBrass
- Sculptural Walnut and Terrazzo Coffee Table by Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Brooklyn, NYIconic sculptural coffee table by American design master Harvey Probber. A substantial terrazzo stone top resists even the toughest coffee stains while Persian inspired cutouts help ...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsTerrazzo, Wood, Hardwood, Walnut
- Harvey Probber Rare Etched Pewter Top Coffee Table 1950sBy Harvey ProbberLocated in New York, NYRare and exceptional coffee table No. 1322 with etched pewter top on a mahogany base by Harvey Probber, American 1950's. This coffee table was only in production for a short time; it is shown in the catalog from the 1950’s. The etched metal top was made by artist Arpad Rosti with whom Probber collaborated on several designs. The intricate pattern on the top is stunning. This coffee table was part of the retrospective at the New York School...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsPewter
- Harvey Probber Coffee TableBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Atlanta, GAHarvey Probber coffee table, American, circa 1960s. Executed in mahogany, cane, and brass.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Walnut Coffee Table with Stone Insert by Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Atlanta, GAA circular coffee or center table by Harvey Probber for Harvey Probber, Inc. circa 1958. The walnut top feature a central insert and two stone discs are available: one terrazzo and t...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsMarble, Brass
- Nuclear Coffee Table by Harvey ProbberBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Dallas, TX“Nuclear” coffee table, model number 201 designed by Harvey Probber in 1949 and manufactured by Harvey Probber Inc, NY. The table is in excellent ...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
- Harvey Probber Brass Square Stock and Coquina Marble Cocktail Table Circa 1950sBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Chicago, ILHarvey Probber, coquina and brass coffee table, c. 1950s, USA, round stone top, architectural polished brass base with square tube legs joined by stretchers, model 917B, 20"h x 30"di...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsMarble, Brass