1970s Custom Three, Piece Pedestal Dining Table Designed by Acclaimed Modernist Architect Paul Rudolph

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Description

A trio of one-of-a-kind tables designed to be used as a single dining table by famed Modernist architect Paul Rudolph. … Read more A trio of one-of-a-kind tables designed to be used as a single dining table by famed Modernist architect Paul Rudolph. Rudolph designed the table in the mid-1970s for the renovation of a lovely estate along Connecticut’s gold coast—a house recently featured in Dwell Magazine. The table was designed to compliment the architect’s aim of bringing the outdoors inside by exploiting the home’s natural qualities with generous floor-to-ceiling windows, multilayered spaces and structural materials as visible artistic elements.

Rudolph designed the table using Zebra wood—an exotic, heavy textured hardwood with a wavy grain that is quarter-sawn to show the wood’s brilliant alternating color pattern and Zebra stripe-like appearance. The surface of each table top and base is arranged in triangular quarter sections book-matched to create continuous rectangles. The table’s top is flat but the base is gradually beveled and the two are conjoined by a heavy iron pedestal, which adds weight, rigidity and stability.

From a design perspective, the table fires on all cylinders: it is symmetrically balanced and well-proportioned; the grain arrangement creates visually appealing patterns of repetition and contrast; and the top and base work together harmoniously to create a masterful expression of modernism. Photo 12 is Rudolph’s hand-colored rendering of the table in its space.

Rudolph is considered one of America’s greatest Modernist architects. He studied at Harvard under Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius and later became a leader of what was known as the Sarasota School—innovative spaces with open floor plans and tons of natural light. He was Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, where he completed his most iconic masterpiece, The Yale Art and Architecture Building (renamed the Rudolph Building). He left to start his own 30-year practice in NYC, where he created some of Modernism's most powerful architecture and inspired generations of Modernist architects.

It was not uncommon for well-known architects to design furniture for their buildings. Rudolph’s NYC duplex, which is open to the public and shows his mastery of architectural interiors, is also furnished with his unique designs.

Product Information:

Dimensions: 120” W x 36” D x 30” H (each separate table: 40” W x 36” D x 30” H)
Materials: Zebra Wood, Iron
Style: Mid-Century Modern
Condition: Very good condition consistent with age and use. Minor surface wear.
Shipping: $1,500 (to continental U.S.)

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