1934 Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller Furniture Co. Mod Drum Vanity With Mirror

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A modern “Vanity Stool or Base, Model 4140” designed by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller, circa 1939. Maple wood and … Read more A modern “Vanity Stool or Base, Model 4140” designed by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller, circa 1939. Maple wood and brown leatherette upholstery with metal studs. The subtle taper of the legs angled cross-supports, and flowing lines signal Rohde’s move toward more sculptural forms in his later Herman Miller pieces, while still maintaining the designer’s hallmark of simplicity and purpose. Designed to pair with his celebrated vanities of the mid-1930s, this piece reflects the designer’s belief in harmonizing comfort, utility, and progressive aesthetics. Examples of this model have been featured in exhibitions on American design evolution and Herman Miller’s early modernist legacy. Provenance: From a private estate in Southeast Michigan.

Dimensions: 22.5”h x 19”w x 19”d x 16”seat height x 14”seat depth x 7”back height. In very good condition. Full condition reports are available upon request.

Gilbert Rohde (1894-1944) was a pioneering American industrial designer who played a crucial role in shaping modern furniture design in the United States. Best known for his transformative work with Herman Miller in the 1930s and early 1940s, Rohde moved American design away from traditional revival styles toward streamlined, functional modernism influenced by the Bauhaus and European avant-garde. Rohde’s work has since been exhibited at major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and the Wolfsonian–FIU, which holds a significant collection of his furnishings. See less