Milo Baughman Desk for Glenn of California, circa 1955
About the Item
- Creator:Milo Baughman (Designer),Glenn of California (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 29.75 in (75.57 cm)Width: 57.75 in (146.69 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1955
- Condition:Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. This piece has been professionally restored.
- Seller Location:San Juan Capistrano, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU922032302372
Milo Baughman
Milo Baughman was one of the most agile and adept modern American furniture designers of the late 20th century. A prolific lecturer and writer on the benefits of good design — he taught for years at Brigham Young University — Baughman (whose often-scrambled surname is pronounced BAWF-man) focused almost exclusively on residential furnishings, such as chairs, sofas and benches. He had a particular talent for lounge chairs, perhaps the most sociable piece of furniture.
Like his fellow adoptive Californians Charles and Ray Eames, Baughman’s furniture has a relaxed and breezy air. He was famously opposed to ostentatious and idiosyncratic designs that were made to excite attention. While many of his chair designs are enlivened by such effects as tufted upholstery, Baughman tended to let his materials carry the aesthetic weight, most often relying on seating and table frames made of sturdy and sleek flat-bar chromed metal, and chairs, tables and cabinets finished with highly-figured wood veneers.
Like his colleagues Karl Springer and the multifarious Pierre Cardin, Baughman’s designs are emblematic of the 1970s: sleek, sure and scintillating.
As you will see from the furniture presented on 1stDibs, Milo Baughman’s designs for the likes of Drexel Furniture, Glenn of California and — for five decades — Thayer Coggin are ably employed as either the heart of a décor or its focal point.
Glenn of California
Credited for being at the forefront of the West Coast modernist design movement, Glenn of California introduced a relaxed, breezy and elegant style to postwar America. The company was based in Arcadia, California, a city situated near Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It specialized in the production of easily accessible and reasonably affordable furnishings that included credenzas, chairs, cabinets, tables and more.
However, it wasn’t until Glenn of California hired the prolific American furniture designer Milo Baughman that the company made a name for itself in the annals of American mid-century modern design. Baughman prioritized function — he worked with simple forms and often used sleek, flat-bar chromed metal and natural materials such as walnut in his pieces.
Glenn of California marketed Baughman’s designs along with those of unsung Swedish architect and designer Greta Magnusson Grossman in their successful California Modern collection. The first woman to receive an award from the Swedish Society of Industrial Design, Magnusson Grossman drew on her Scandinavian heritage to create iconic homes as well as furnishings for Glenn and other companies that helped define mid-century-era Southern California. The furniture she and Baughman designed became known for its laid-back Los Angeles style and thoughtful integration of walnut, iron and Formica.
In addition to employing the talents of Baughman and Magnusson Grossman, Glenn of California collaborated with several other notable and influential designers. These included Stanley Young, Kipp Stewart, John Kapel and Paul Laszlo. Laszlo, an American-Hungarian architect, interior designer and furniture designer, was well-regarded among Hollywood’s elite and designed pieces for Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck and Elizabeth Taylor.
While the company is no longer in business, vintage Glenn of California furniture remains highly sought-after by collectors and enthusiasts.
Discover a range of vintage Glenn of California dressers, dining tables, chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Birch, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Aluminum
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Wood
More From This Seller
View All21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Vases
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Vases
Ceramic
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Wood, Teak
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Vases
Ceramic
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Serving Pieces
Resin, Wood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Wood, Oak
