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George Nelson Furniture

American, 1908-1986

Architect, designer, and writer George Nelson was a central figure in the mid-century American modernist design movement; and his thoughts influenced not only the furniture we live with, but also how we live.

Nelson came to design via journalism and literature. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Yale in 1931, he won the Prix de Rome fellowship, and spent his time in Europe writing magazine articles that helped bring stateside recognition to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Gio Ponti, Le Corbusier and other canonical modernist architects.

In the 1940s, Nelson wrote texts that suggested such now-commonplace ideas as open-plan houses, storage walls and family rooms. D.J. De Pree, the owner of the furniture maker Herman Miller, was so impressed by Nelson that in 1944 — following the sudden death of Gilbert Rohde, who had introduced the firm to modern design in the 1930s — he invited Nelson to join the company as its design director. There Nelson’s curatorial design talents came to the fore.

To Herman Miller he brought such eminent creators as Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, and the textile and furniture designer Alexander Girard. Thanks to a clever contract, at the same time as he directed Herman Miller he formed a New York design company, George Nelson & Associates, that sold furniture designs to the Michigan firm. Nelson's studio also sold designs for clocks to the Howard Miller Clock Company, a manufacturer that was initially part of Herman Miller before it became an offshoot that was helmed by Howard Miller, D.J. De Pree's brother-in-law.

Nelson’s New York team of designers (who were rarely individually credited) would create such iconic pieces as the Marshmallow sofa, the Coconut chair, the Ball clock, the Bubble lamp series and the many cabinets and beds that comprise the sleek Thin-Edge line.

For dedicated collectors, as well as for interior designers who look beyond “the look,” there is a “cool factor” inherent to vintage pieces from George Nelson and others. Nelson was in on it from the start, and it’s valuable to have a piece that was there with him.

But still, as is evident from the offerings from dealers on 1stDibs, in any of the designs, in any iteration whose manufacture Nelson oversaw and encouraged, there are shining elements of lightness, elegance, sophistication — and a little bit of swagger. George Nelson felt confident in his ideas about design and didn’t mind letting the world know.

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Period: 1940s
Creator: George Nelson
George Nelson, Rare Coffee Table, Walnut, USA, 1946
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in High Point, NC
A very rare modular walnut coffee table, Model 4651, designed by George Nelson and produced by Herman Miller in 1946.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Walnut

George Nelson, Platform Bench, for Herman Miller, late 1940s
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
George Nelson, Platform Bench, for Herman Miller, late 1940s Black painted birch frame, the slatted top on three curved supports, 235cm wide, 47cm deep, 36cm high This is an origin...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Birch, Paint

George Nelson, Rare Lounge Chair, Fabric, USA, 1940s
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in High Point, NC
A rare wood and beige grey bouclé fabric model 4688 lounge chair designed by George Nelson and produced by Herman Miller, USA, c. 1940s. Seat height: 18.5”
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Mid Century Modern George Nelson for Herman Miller Dining Chairs in Beech #4669
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous set of 4 beech dining chairs by George Nelson for Herman Miller # 4669 with caned backs and period fabric for seat covers. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Cane, Beech

1977 George Nelson Half-Nelson Reflector Table Lamp by Koch & Lowy in Brass
By Koch & Lowy, George Nelson
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an uncommonly seen Half-Nelson reflector table lamp, designed by George Nelson and manufactured by Koch & Lowy in the late 1970s. This design was initially created ca. 1949-1...
Category

1940s American Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

George Nelson Early Model '4688' Wingback Lounge Chairs for Herman Miller, 1940s
By George Nelson
Located in Coronado, CA
A stunning and exceptionally uncommon pair of George Nelson model '4688' wingback lounge chairs designed for Herman Miller in the 1940s. These petite lounge chairs embody understated...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood

Vintage 1940s George Nelson Side Chair for Herman Miller Model 4671
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in San Francisco, CA
Offered here is a vintage George Nelson side chair For Herman Miller it's a Model 4671, first designed in 1948.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Metal

George Nelson Vanity Stool Model 4672 for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Hanover, MA
George Nelson vanity bench stool model N° 4672 for Herman Miller, designed 1946. Aluminum rods, foam, original fabric covering. Original Herman Miller label present. Produced by Herman Miller from 1946 to 1956. One owner. Cushion dimensions ~3 inches high by 19 inches wide by 15 inches deep.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

George Nelson for Herman Miller Platform Bench with Four Drawer Chest
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Chicago, IL
George Nelson for Herman Miller Platform bench with four drawer chest. 4690 Platform bench 68" in lenght painted black bench. and 4701 Four rawer chest with wire pulls. The case, not connected, can be moved to desired position on bench. Case is the same depth as bench 18...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Oak

George Nelson Bubble Table Lamp
By George Nelson
Located in Barcelona, ES
Bubble table lamp designed by George Nelson in 1947-50, USA. Polished steel base and metal and vinyl shade. This is a Modernica edition.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Steel

George Nelson Herman Miller Walnut Planter Lamp Table Model 4634-L
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Baltimore, MD
Unique and rare Mid-Century Modern Model 4634-L side table with lamp and planters designed by George Nelson for Herman Miller, circa 1940s. Featuring a ha...
Category

1940s American Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

George Nelson Home Desk for Herman Miller
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Hudson, NY
Walnut with original custom white leather writing surface and sliding floating doors, small drawers in maple. Storage and drop down typing table with original perforated aluminum fil...
Category

1940s American Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Steel

Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Lafayette, IN
This remarkable piece is a one-off desk/wardrobe/bar/bookcase/storage cabinet custom-designed by George Nelson in 1949 to match his Basic Cabinet Series (BCS) for Herman Miller. The desk was made specifically for a client in the Promontory Apartment Building in Chicago designed by Nelson's associate, and world-renowned architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The entire apartment was outfitted in pieces from George Nelson's Basic Cabinet Series for Herman Miller that sat, untouched for nearly 70 years in their original setting! In addition to two aluminium sconces, this piece also features hidden, fluorescent lighting mounted in the upper canopy as a clever solution to Mies van der Rohe's lack of ceiling fixtures. This is a gorgeous, grandiose, and extremely rare piece of design history that will instantly outfit an entire office in striking style! Features: Desk: - Book-matched walnut veneer - Built-in Bar - Built in coat closet/wardrobe - Dual aluminum sconces - Hidden, indirect fluorescent lighting - Silver-plated Herman Miller hardware - Dual "floating" book shelves - Tapered, cantilevered peninsula desk...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Mid Century George Nelson Dresser for Herman Miller, Walnut, Silver Pulls, Rare
By George Nelson
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Early production of George Nelson walnut highboy dresser for Herman Miller, very rare silver plated drawer pulls. All original finish with beautiful patina.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Silver

George Nelson Bench or Stool
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Chicago, IL
Nelson for Herman Miller bench or vanity stool, model 4698 Solid black lacquer legs with ergonomic curved seat reupholstered with great plains boucle.   
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

George Nelson for Herman Miller Office Desk, Rare Black Leather Writing Surface
By George Nelson
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Rare black leather top desk in original condition, acquired from NYC architect's estate. This color combination is part of the permanent collection at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City. Designed by George Nelson and Associates and manufactured by Herman Miller Furniture Company. It is dated 1946. Its medium is walnut veneer on pine, tubular steel, leather, perforated sheet aluminum. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department. Few designers contributed as many objects and ideas relating to the modern office as did George Nelson. His designs for office furniture resonate as deeply today as they did in the mid-twentieth century; his modular, interchangeable desk and storage solutions forever changed the conventional work stations, and his Action Office of the 1960s, designed in collaboration with Herman Miller cohort Robert Propst, was the genesis of the office cubicle. Although created for the home office rather than a corporate setting, the Model 4658...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Related Items
Set of Six George Nelson for Herman Miller Walnut Dining Chairs
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
George Nelson for Herman Miller teak and upholstered dining chairs. We also have the matching dining table, please inquire for details. All items ar...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Teak

George Nelson "Half Nelson" Mid Century Table Lamp Produced by Koch & Lowy 1960s
By George Nelson
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare table / desk mid century lamp mode "Half Nelson" in enameled aluminum designed by George Nelson and produced by Koch & Lowy, USA 1960s. In good vintage and original conditi...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Pair of Koch and Lowy Chrome Table/Reading Lamps
By Koch & Lowy
Located in Water Mill, NY
Midcentury pair of Koch and Lowy table/reading lamps with adjustable shades and dimmer switches-signed.
Category

1970s American Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Chrome

George Nelson for Koch & Lowy Lamp
By George Nelson
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
This floor lamp by George Nelson for Koch & Lowy, was Nelson's last lamp design. It culminated many design features developed by Nelson over his career. The...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

George Nelson Stool for Herman Miller, USA, 1960s
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Berlin, DE
George Nelson Stool for Herman Miller, USA - 1960s in all original condition with the rare brown base George Nelson (1908-1986) was an American industrial designer and architect who...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Metal

George Nelson - Pedestal Extension Dining Table, 1956 for Herman Miller, USA
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Munster, NRW
George Nelson - Extendable dining table with base 1956 for Herman Miller, USA The large Dining table consists of a white coated aluminum frame with a white laminated wooden top (For...
Category

1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Mid Century Slatted Wood Bench Coffee Table George Nelson Style
By George Nelson
Located in Baltimore, MD
Amazing Mid-Century Modern George Nelson style slat bench coffee table. Classic slat wood coffee table bench. This table is exceptionally well made. Features clean lines and legs that taper down as they reach the floor. An Iconic retro slatted bench...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Wood

Mid Century Modern Sculptural Teak Cocktail Table style of George Nelson
By George Nelson
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic slatted cocktail table in teak wood in the style of George Nelsons iconic design. Rare to find in Teak. Turned legs with brass sabots. In excellent vintage condition with m...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Brass

Mid Century George Nelson for Herman Miller Slatted Bench Maple Blonde
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Beautiful mid century George Nelson Herman Miller slatted bench with Amazing Patina. This bench is 72.25" Long Slatted coffee table or bench. Blonde bench...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Maple, Lacquer

Vintage 1940s George Nelson Side Chair for Herman Miller Model 4671
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in San Francisco, CA
Offered here is a vintage George Nelson side chair For Herman Miller it's a Model 4671, first designed in 1948.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Metal

George Nelson Coconut Lounge Chair in Maharam Mode Goldenrod Fabrics
By George Nelson
Located in Seattle, WA
This is a late 2010s production of the Coconut Chair, Designed by George Nelson's design studio. Introduced in 1956, the Coconut Lounge Chair is one artifact of the burst of crea...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Fabric

Vintage MCM George Nelson 5476 Lounge Chair for Herman Miller Fuchsia Fabric
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome vintage MCM (a.k.a.) Mid-Century Modern 5476 lounge chair designed by George Nelson for Herman Miller. Comprised of a walnut frame and fuchsia fabric. Beautiful condition, k...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

Previously Available Items
George Nelson for Herman Miller BCS Dresser on Hairpin Legs
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Kalamazoo, MI
This iconic dresser comes from George Nelson's first collection for Herman Miller in 1948. The impressive, tall dresser boasts chrome pulls and highly dought-after hairpin legs. The ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Oak

Early George Nelson for H. Miller Desk '4658', Rare Black Lacquer /Green Leather
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
George Nelson for Herman Miller, desk model '4658', walnut, steel, leather, United States, 1946 Rare Color Configuration... Early example,, Unmolested,, all original condition... ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Steel

Extremely Rare and Early Ebonized Slat Bench, George Nelson / Herman Miller
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
Extremely rare and early 36" ebonized slat bench designed by, George Nelson for Herman Miller,, 40 years in the business. I have only seen this size once. Purchased from an employee ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Wood

George Nelson for Herman Miller Basic Series Walnut Two Door Cabinet
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Handsome and distinctive walnut cabinet designed by George Nelson and manufactured by Herman Miller. Part of the Basic Cabinet Series, this cabinet has two doors and an interior adju...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Metal

George Nelson for Herman Miller Office Desk, Rare Black Leather Writing Surface
By George Nelson
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Rare black leather top desk in original condition, acquired from NYC architect's estate. This color combination is part of the permanent collection at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City. Designed by George Nelson and Associates and manufactured by Herman Miller Furniture Company. It is dated 1946. Its medium is walnut veneer on pine, tubular steel, leather, perforated sheet aluminum. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department. Few designers contributed as many objects and ideas relating to the modern office as did George Nelson. His designs for office furniture resonate as deeply today as they did in the mid-twentieth century; his modular, interchangeable desk and storage solutions forever changed the conventional work stations, and his Action Office of the 1960s, designed in collaboration with Herman Miller cohort Robert Propst, was the genesis of the office cubicle. Although created for the home office rather than a corporate setting, the Model 4658...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Pair of George Nelson Primavera Dressers for Herman Miller
By George Nelson
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Original pair of George Nelson 'Basic Cabinet Series' dressers for Herman Miller. Primavera veneer with black painted legs and stainless M-pulls. Both retain their foil Herman Miller...
Category

1940s Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Steel

Vintage George Nelson Slat Bench for Herman Miller
By George Nelson
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage slat bench or coffee table by George Nelson for Herman Miller. Excellent patina to the original black lacquer paint.
Category

1940s Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Maple

George Nelson for Howard Miller 4759 Clock
By Howard Miller, George Nelson
Located in Palm Springs, CA
An early Howard Miller clock by George Nelson. It is model 4759 and is running order. It came to us with a plug attached to the back for a direct plug into the wall. We added a cord ...
Category

1940s American Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

George Nelson Black ‘Platform’ Bench or Side Table
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Waalwijk, NL
George Nelson for Herman Miller, ‘platform’ bench, black lacquered wood, United States, design 1946. The ‘platform’ bench was part of the first collection that George Nelson designe...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Wood

Early Production George Nelson Natural Wood Ball Clock #4755, Howard Miller
By Howard Miller, George Nelson
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early production George Nelson natural wood ball clock #4755, Howard Miller, designed in 1947, Estate fresh. Purchased in 1949, wonderful example, retains original second hand and or...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Brass, Steel

Herman Miller Multi-Color Lacquered and Walnut Chest of Drawers by George Nelson
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A rare vintage chest of drawers designed by iconic designer George Nelson for Herman Miller, circa 1940s. Features five multi-color dovetailed drawers, all integrated with signature ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Steel

George Nelson & Associates Large '4492' Bench in Birch
By George Nelson
Located in Waalwijk, NL
George Nelson & Associates for Herman Miller, slat bench model 4492, birch and lacquered wood, United States, 1946. The Slat Bench was part of the first collection that George Nelso...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage George Nelson Furniture

Materials

Birch, Wood

George Nelson furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

George Nelson furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of George Nelson furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by George Nelson were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Drexel, Widdicomb Furniture Co., and John Widdicomb. Prices for George Nelson furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $155 and can go as high as $48,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,411.
Questions About George Nelson Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    George Nelson was a furniture designer central to the mid-century modern design movement. His best-known creations are the marshmallow sofa, coconut chair, ball clock and bubble lamp series. His style included sleek, thin-edge lines on a variety of furniture still available today. Shop a range of George Nelson furniture designs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    George Nelson was an American designer, and for a time the lead designer for the famed Herman Miller furniture company. Nelson is often referred to as the founder of American modernist design and often associated with his more inspired pieces such as the Coconut Chair, Marshmallow Sofa and the Ball Clock. Shop a collection of George Nelson furniture designs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Modern George Nelson clocks are made in Poland. The company Vitra Designs manufactures the timepieces based on the original designs of the American designer who lived from 1908 to 1986. On 1stDibs, you can shop a selection of George Nelson clocks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    George Nelson Bubble Lamps are made of steel wires, which form a durable framework for the lamp. A plastic polymer material spread over the wires forms the shade which is translucent to give the lamp a soft glow. Inspired by Swedish lamps, these mid-century modern light fixtures are still made by the legendary furniture manufacturer Herman Miller today. Shop a range of George Nelson Bubble Lamps on 1stDibs.

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