John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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.
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Creator: John Keal
1960s Smokey Glass and Walnut Coffee Table by John Keal Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Hawthorne, CA
Classic 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 John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Smoked Glass, Wood, Walnut
John Keal Expanding Coffee Table for Brown Saltman, 1970
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage expandable walnut coffee table. Designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Original black poufs included for seating. Signed with the original tags on the poufs.
Killer design...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
John Keal Mid-Century Modern Walnut Expanding Coffee Table by Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in St. Louis, MO
John 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
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Mid Century Modern Brown Saltman Extendable Coffee Table by John Keal
By John Keal
Located in Tulsa, OK
Mid Century Modern Brown Saltman Extendable Coffee Table by John Keal
Above average vintage condition and structurally sound. Very little scratching or finish wear. Outdoor listing...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Expertly Restored -John Keal "Outrigger" Two-Tone Coffee Table for Brown Saltman
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precision. With over 17 years of artisanal exper...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Wood, Mahogany, Walnut
Modernist John Keal for Brown Saltman Checkerboard Coffee Table /Storage
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Buffalo, NY
Coffee table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman with internal storage
Walnut table with black and white checked formica surface opens to reveal storage space
Manufactured by Brown-Saltman of California in the 1950s whose company motto was "Live in the Modern Mode"
Classic Mid-Century Modern design with two sides functioning as book cradles...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Laminate, Walnut
John Keal Expanding Coffee Table by Brown Saltman
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 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
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut, Formica
Expanding Coffee Table in Walnut & Formica by John Keal for Brown Saltman, 1960s
By John Keal
Located in Deland, FL
An 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
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
John Keal for Brown Saltman Set of Three Walnut and Burl Cocktail Tables, 1970s
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Dallas, TX
Set of three hexagonal shape side tables design by John Keal for Brown Saltman in the 1970’s.
Constructed of walnut with a burl wood circle on the top.
In beautiful vintage conditi...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Wood
Brown and Saltman Set of Three End Side Tables in Dark Oiled Walnut Art Tile Top
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Set of 3 Brown and Saltman end coffee side occasional tables stands in dark oiled walnut with art tile top.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Art Glass, Walnut
John Keal Walnut Coffee Table with Three Folding Side Tables
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Chicago, IL
Rare coffee table with internal folding snack tables by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Bleached walnut wood square top coffee table with three intern...
Category
1950s American Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Laminate, Walnut
John Keal for Brown Saltman Walnut and Smoke Glass Coffee Table
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A beautiful and elegant one drawer coffee table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Crafted out of walnut the piece has a smoked glass top. The dimensions are 60x24 inches and ...
Category
20th Century American John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Newly Refinished- Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table by John Keal for Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Expertly Refinished, New Smoke Glass Top
With over 15 years of experience, our workshop has followed a careful process of restoration, showcasing our passion and creativity for vint...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Smoked Glass, Walnut
Related Items
John Keal for Brown Saltman Constellation End Tables
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of walnut with enamel copper tile tables titled ‘Constellation’ produced by high-end Californian furniture manufacturer, Brown Saltman. These two solid walnut wood tables each fe...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Ceramic, Walnut
California Modern Smoked Glass Walnut End Table by John Keal for Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in San Diego, CA
Single smoked glass end / accent table with walnut frame designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman, circa 1970s. The table is in very good vintage condition, measures 18" x 18" x 15.5"...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Smoked Glass, Walnut
H 15.5 in W 18 in D 18 in
John Keal Expanding Coffee Table by Brown Saltman
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 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
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut, Formica
Expertly Restored - John Keal Side Table with Magazine Holder for Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stylish Mid-Century Modern side table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman in the United States circa 1960s. This modern side table is crafted in sturdy walnut-stained mahogany wi...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 19 in W 23.5 in D 30 in
John Keal for Brown Saltman Hexagonal End Tables
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of two hexagonal John Keal for Brown Saltman tables. Frames are walnut with enameled textured design under glass tops. Price per table.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Enamel
Mid Century Brown Saltman Walnut and Copper Enamel End Table by John Keal
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in San Jose, CA
Vintage walnut side table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman of California. This piece showcases an enameled glazed orange tile insert made out of copper. Perfect to use as a dr...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Copper
End Table by John Keal for Brown Saltman of California
By John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nice end table/nightstand by John Keal for Brown Saltman of California. The piece features two large drawers with spade shaped pulls and dovetailed construction. The Brown Saltman lo...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
John Keal for Brown Saltman End Tables
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A pair of square walnut tables with a tile top on a square pedestal base, by John Keal for Brown Saltman. American, circa 1950.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Art Glass, Walnut
John Keal Midcentury Walnut Magazine Rack Coffee Table for Brown Saltman, 1960s
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Roma, IT
This mid-century walnut coffee table can be used as a magazine rack. This fantastic item is attributed to John Keal and was produced in 1960s.
An astonishing piece that has a Clas...
Category
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
H 16.54 in W 27.56 in D 27.56 in
Pair Mid Century John Keal Brown Saltman Walnut & Glass End Side Tables 1950s
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Troy, MI
Unique pair of side tables designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman circa 1950s
Square walnut pedestal bases with decorative reverse painted glass surfaces in mottled gold tones
Both ...
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Glass, Walnut
H 15.5 in W 17.25 in D 17.25 in
Magazine Wedge Table by John Keal for Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Hanover, MA
John Keal for Brown Saltman mahogany side table with trapezoid wedge-shaped top flanking a magazine rack, on tapering dowel leg frame with brass-capped feet. Brown-Saltman decal on u...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
Newly Refinished - Mid-Century Modern Side Table by John Keal for Brown Saltman
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 15 years of experience, our workshop has followed a careful process of restoration, showcasing our passion and creativity for vintage designs that can seamlessly be incorpo...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Mahogany
H 17.5 in W 28 in D 20 in
Previously Available Items
John Keal for Brown Saltman Walnut and Smoke Glass Coffee Table
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A beautiful and elegant one drawer coffee table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Crafted out of walnut the piece has a smoked glass top. The dimensions are 60x24 inches and ...
Category
20th Century American John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Newly Refinished- Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table by John Keal for Brown Saltman
By Brown Saltman, John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Expertly Refinished, New Smoke Glass Top
With over 15 years of experience, our workshop has followed a careful process of restoration, showcasing our passion and creativity for vint...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Smoked Glass, Walnut
H 16.5 in W 60 in D 24 in
Mid Century Modern Expandable Slatted Coffee Table/Bench by John Keal
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Soquel, CA
Beautiful and versatile expandable mid century minimalist walnut slat bench designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman, circa 1960. This California modern piece features an expandable sliding top with eight support legs. Perfect to use as a living room coffee table, entryway or bedroom seating bench. Size: 55.5" expands to 98" long, 18"W x 12"H.
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...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
John Keal for Brown-Saltman Expanding Coffee Table
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Fulton, CA
A Mid-Century Modern expanding coffee table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman of California. Table adjusts between 66 inches to 95 inches...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Newly Refinished Mid-Century Modern Walnut Coffee Table John Keal, Brown Saltman
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Newly Refinished Mid-Century Modern Walnut Coffee Table John Keal, Brown Saltman
Year: c.1950’s
With over 15 years of experience, our workshop has followed a careful process of res...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
H 15.5 in W 60 in D 24 in
1950s Mid Century Walnut & Glass Coffee Table Designed John Keal for Brown Saltm
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-century walnut & glass coffee table designed by John Keal and manufactured by Brown Saltman in the United States circa 1950s. This stunning coffee table features a smoke glass to...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Glass, Walnut
H 16.5 in W 75 in D 24 in
John Keal Cork Top Coffee Table for Brown Saltman
By John Keal
Located in Dallas, TX
A boomerang shaped mahogany coffee table with lacquered cork / particle board top. Model 92 designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman.
Category
1950s Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Cork
John Keal Mahogany Biomorphic Outrigger Coffee Table for Brown Saltman, ca 1950s
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Cathedral City, CA
Large and unique biomorphic coffee table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman of California in the 1950s. This is one of those iconic tables that many people consider among their ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
H 14.5 in W 65.75 in D 29 in
Biomorphic Floating Coffee Table, John Keal for Brown Saltman, Mahogany, 1950s
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Round Rock, TX
Offered is a unique coffee or cocktail table designed by John Keal for Brown Saltman. Dubbed the "Outrigger" table. Signed to underside.
The top is made from beautiful ribbon maho...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Mahogany
H 15 in W 66 in D 29 in
John Keal for Brown Saltman Coffee Table with Glass Top
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rectangular coffee table by John Keal for Brown Saltman, c.1950s, USA. The table features a mix of textured glass and mahogany. The mahogany side of the table slides open to reveal h...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
John Keal Slatted Bench for Brown Saltman
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Low profile bench by John Keal for Brown Saltman, circa1950s, USA. The bench features a mix of mahogany and beech wood that offers texture and depth ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Beech, Mahogany
1950s John Keal Brown Saltman Calif Modern Low Profile Coffee Table + Storage
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1950s John Keal for Brown Saltman Calif Modern Low Profile Coffee Table + Storage
Mahogany Wood with White Formica and Glass.
Restored and Re...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage John Keal Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Mahogany, Glass, Formica
H 16 in W 48 in D 32 in
John Keal coffee and cocktail tables for sale on 1stDibs.
John Keal coffee and cocktail tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of John Keal coffee and cocktail tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original coffee and cocktail tables by John Keal were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider coffee and cocktail tables by Michael Taylor, Heywood-Wakefield Co., and Tomlinson. Prices for John Keal coffee and cocktail tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,590 and can go as high as $4,600, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,048.