While he may not be as well known as the designers who influenced him, master woodworker Michael Coffey creates tables, case pieces and other hand-carved furnishings that are wholly sculptural and characterized by striking, unexpected forms — they’re provocative statement pieces in any interior.
Born in 1928 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — where like-minded designers Paul Evans, George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell shared a studio — Coffey loved working with his hands as a child. However, a sense of youthful idealism led him to pursue a master’s degree in social group work before he endeavored to design on a full-time basis. It wasn't until 1966, at the age of 38, that he started teaching himself woodworking. Coffey was inspired by innovative artisans in the furniture-making field such as Nakashima, Wharton Esherick and Wendell Castle, all of whom are credited as pioneers in the world of art furniture.
In 1972, Coffey earned his first major design commission in the form of a collection for Directional Furniture, a manufacturer that forged an enduring partnership with Paul Evans and a favorite brand of mid-century modern enthusiasts. He continued to collaborate with Directional, working in mahogany and rare Mozambique woods, and integrating abstract carving motifs in his cabinet fronts and table pedestals. Soon afterward, Coffey established a woodworking school and apprenticeships at his Vermont farm. In 1986, he moved to Massachusetts, and, in 1991, he founded a second woodworking school, this one much larger.
Coffey sold his successful Massachusetts school to his staff in 1997 in order to focus on his furniture, as his reputation and client base had grown considerably. His profile reached greater heights in 2003, when a rocking chair called Aphrodite that Coffey had designed more than two decades earlier sold at auction for nearly $50,000. The sale sparked the interest of buyers and collectors worldwide and resulted in a slew of new commissions. Today Coffey continues to make sculptural furniture with a team of woodworkers in his Massachusetts studio.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Michael Coffey tables, seating, bookcases and more.
Michael Coffey, "Titan" Monumental Bar Cabinet, United States, 1978
By Michael Coffey
Located in New York, NY
This sculptural cabinet is carved from solid, 4-inch thick Mahogany, and weighs 900 lbs. It is divided in two halves. One half is a door, which swings out on hidden hinges and concealed casters. The other half contains revolving shelves...
Mahogany
Maison Leleu, Sideboard Cabinet, France, 1956
By Maison Leleu
Located in New York, NY
With original label dated: 9 Nov 1956 Numbered: 28261 At nearly twelve feet long, this magnificent sideboard is a marvel of unity and proportion. Made of mahogany and covered in...
Bronze
Maison Leleu, Four-Door Cabinet, France, 1961
By Maison Leleu
Located in New York, NY
This cabinet was specifically designed for the living room of Mr. Frilet, one of Leleu’s most important clients. This cabinet is recorded in Maison Leleu’s Livre des Cre´ations under: 5457 Grand Meuble - Salon de Mr Frilet in 1961. It is also mentioned in the document: Statement Lacquer Cabinets 03 -28-1962 Sm res, dated March 28...
Gold Leaf
Jules Leleu Cabinet, France, 1956
By Jules Leleu
Located in New York, NY
Vitrine by Jules Leleu in mahogany marquetry with glass sliding doors and gilt bronze legs Bears its original label dated Nov 9th 1956, and is numbered on the back: 28332 Prove...
Bronze
Zelouf & Bell, "Stella'd, " Contemporary Vertical Bar Cabinet, Ireland, 2018
By Zelouf + Bell
Located in New York, NY
Edition of 6 + 1 AP. Influenced heavily by the visionary artist Frank Stella's painting Six Mile Bottom, this cabinet draws the eye to its center with hypnotizing concentric lines. Its Eucalyptus doors are inlaid with ripple sycamore...
Brass
Jean-Luc Le Mounier, Vers le Large, Freestanding Cabinet, France, 2021
By Jean-Luc Le Mounier
Located in New York, NY
Jean-Luc Le Mounier believes that a project is only truly successful when his audience is able to explain to him what “it feels like to see [the] work and not the other way around.” ...
Bronze
Sculptural cabinet "Meanders"
By Jacques Jarrige
Located in New York, NY
This sideboard by Jacques Jarrige features sliding doors adorned with a sculptural relief that evokes the gentle, meandering flow of a river. Carved in rhythmic, fluid lines, the sur...
Laminate
Studio Craft Cabinet by Lawrence Ross, 1978
Located in Dallas, TX
A bench made cabinet with carved door panels by Lawrence Ross signed to the bottom 'LE Ross 1978'. The drawers were designed to be removable if your needs changed.
Cherry, Walnut
Sideboard by Andrew de Freitas
Located in São Paulo, BR
The objects on view in this collection extend through different forms of consciousness, intertwining layers of meaning and perception. Different modes of experiencing an object bleed...
Brass
Brok Cabinet by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Brok Cabinet by Pastform Dimensions: D 42,5 x W 190 x H 46 cm Materials: Stained and varnished wood. The furniture in the picture is made in Natura. Available in different wood colo...
Wood
Cabinet by Axel Einar Hjorth
By Axel Einar Hjorth
Located in Long Island City, NY
Very rare if not unique cabinet designed by Axel Einar Hjorth, from the "Caesar" series. Circa 1933. Stained birch. Rich decorated hand carved flamed birch doors panels. Original finish. Marked underneath with pencil on Swedish "Cabinet Lion". Presumably produced by AB Nordiska Kompaniet, Sweden. Cabinet dimensions : 51"W x 20"D x 63"H' The cabinet base : 58"W x 24"D. A similar example of the present model was included in the International Exposition, Barcelona, 1929. Designer authenticity was proved by Thomas Ekstrom...
Birch
Cabinet Madia Delle Colline Model by Officina Rivadossi Falegnameria, Italy
By Officina Rivadossi
Located in Asti, Piemonte
Large container cabinet model Madia delle colline in hand-worked lime wood. Single piece. Original signature. Designed and produced by Officina Rivadossi Falegnameria, Italy, 2008. ...
Wood
Drawing on both artistry and clever engineering, the master craftsman imbues his pieces with movement and drama.
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