Karl Springer Furniture Designer

The berlin born new york based designer karl springer brought a chic high fashion sensibility to furnishings.

Karl springer furniture designer.

Karl springer was the most influential american furniture stylist of the latter 20th century. Karl springer matthews parker ltd matthews parker ltd video bespoke re editions. Imagery by maxwell. At the age of twenty six he began styling windows at lord taylor in an effort to advance his career he started applying his bookbinding skills to making jewel boxes desk accessories and telephone tables which he expertly wrapped.

Karl springer was a designer and manufacturer of mid century luxury furniture and accessories. Matthews parker ltd. One can still sense his clear influence in the high end contemporary furniture offered today. Springer worked with novel materials such as shagreen lacquered parchment rare woods metals faux finishes and granite.

During his heyday in the 1970s springer s work was a favorite of the glamour set who enjoyed the novelty of pieces finished in rich and striking materials that ranged from exotic hides and skins to lacquer and chromed metal in a sense springer was a pre postmodernist. His signature styles were classical chinese and art deco the latter inspired by his predecessors ruhlmann and jean michel. Born in berlin in 1931 karl springer studied bookbinding and worked as a window dresser at a prominent clothier before leaving for new york in the late 1950s. American bench made furniture.

December 6 1991karl springer a designer and manufacturer of luxury furniture and a wide array of accessories died on wednesday at his home in manhattan. His unique blending of chic sophistication and crudeness made his work powerfully attractive and the most imitated during the 1960 s through the 1990 s. He was 60 years old.