Pair of Paul Frankl for John Stuart Lacquered Nightstands
About the Item
- Creator:John Stuart Inc. (Maker),Paul Frankl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 24 in (60.96 cm)Depth: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:20th Century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Beautifully crafted with solid joinery and construction. Good, well-preserved condition with age appropriate wear as seen in photos. Minor chips and scuffs which are difficult to see.
- Seller Location:Rio Vista, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1555245320962
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.
Erin Lane Estate is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and its team of furniture restorers, art curators, professional appraisers and Asia specialists sources prime vintage and antique furniture from the finest estates in Northern and Southern California. Erin Lane Estate specializes in Hollywood Regency, McGuire, Chinese and Japanese pieces.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Birch, Maple
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Bedroom Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
Vintage 1950s Night Stands
Mahogany, Lacquer
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
More From This Seller
View All20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Brass
20th Century American Regency Night Stands
Wood, Mahogany
20th Century American Organic Modern Night Stands
Brass
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze, Iron
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Beds and Bed Frames
Metal
Antique 19th Century Italian Baroque Bed Coronas
Gold Leaf
Still Thinking About These?
All Recently ViewedRead More
How to Work Rattan and Wicker Furniture into Any Space
Interior designers Celerie Kemble and Angie Hranowsky dish out their advice on artfully bringing these natural materials into today's homes.
Painter Ira Yeager Customized This Antique Table with His Trademark Speckled Finish
The bold piece blurs the line between furniture and contemporary art.