Today’s design world carries with it well known names and studios which are celebrated for their work or notable contributions. With the internet and social media, it is commonplace for design work to become ubiquitous in a moment’s time, such is surprisingly true of the design world 100 years ago. In the early 1900’s there existed a collective of designers and their respective firms who served as momentous forces in changing how the world understood architecture, industrial design, art, and furniture. A star member of this group was a man by the name of Gilbert Rohde whose work for Herman Miller transcended the divide of surrealist art and home furnishings.

A native New Yorker, Gilbert Rohde studied art after his secondary education at Stuyvesant High School. His education in the arts served as a foundation for his later work in furniture. Frequent trips to Europe in the 1920’s introduced Rohde to the then-popular design movements such as the Bauhaus School, Streamline Art-Deco, and most importantly Surrealism. Rohde was one of the first to pair modern day materials with extravagant exotic woods such as Filipino Paldao, for which his most notable collection “The Paldao Group” for Herman Miller was named. This dining table is an example from the 80-piece collection with which Rohde explored ideas of surrealism with organic forms and voluptuous curves. He coined the term “Ectoplastic” for this defining motif of the Paldao Group.

This Dining Table is easily one of the most elegant pieces in Rohde’s Paldao Collection. Simplicity is the star with this design, rich materials and a graceful form come together harmoniously. Brilliantly restored exotic Paldao wood is book-matched to showcase the rich zebra-like grain and natural fluidity. Reflecting the scalloped design of the matching Cabinet and Sideboard in our Collection, each end of this Dining Table gently curves inward as if bringing the heads-of-table closer to their surrounding guests. This piece features an under-mounted extension mechanism and includes (2) matching Paldao Wood leaves which each add an additional 14” of length; the range of length for this table is 68” - 96”. Rohde called for each leg on this piece to be finished with leather, the Object Refinery team maintained this detail by selecting a handsome Italian Leather for use and meticulously replacing each nailhead in the exact position of the originals. Lastly, Rohde included two elegant serpentine inlay details on both ends of this table, enhanced by the expert refinishing. Overall this is an excellent preserved example of early 1940’s Herman Miller design by the great Gilbert Rohde, a household name once celebrated in newspapers and magazines such as House Beautiful and whose work lives in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many more.

This Dining Table is a part of a large collection of Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller pieces we’ve acquired. We have a matching Cabinet available, a Sideboard, and a set of 6 Dining Chairs. Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding this collection.

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Creator
Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller, c. 1940

Materials
Paldao Wood, Italian Leather, & Antique Brass

Dimensions
68-96"W x 37.75"D x 29.5"H (two leaves at 14"W)

Condition
Excellent. New restoration by Object Refinery

Shipping
Domestic & International Delivery Available (request a quote)