Look closely at any vintage furniture designed by father-son duo Philip and Kelvin LaVerne and a cacophony of stylistic influences reveals itself.
The LaVernes’ position at the intersection of art and design was the result of their combined backgrounds: Philip (1907–87) studied painting with Ashcan School artist John Sloan at the Art Students League of New York, while his son, Kelvin (b. 1937), attended the Parsons School of Design, taking classes in art history, furniture design and metalwork. The resulting merge of stylistic elements and innovative processes make for singular designs that defy categorization, striking a balance between modern and traditional, intricate and minimal, art piece and functional item. Their work was also strikingly different from the modern furniture created by Philip’s brother Erwine and his wife, Estelle, of Laverne Originals.
The LaVernes began producing one-of-a-kind furniture and sculpture in the mid-1950s out of a studio on Wooster Street in New York City before opening a showroom on Manhattan’s East 57th Street. As their 1960s advertisements declared: “It’s not just functional and not just art, it’s an investment.”
The LaVernes married a stunning array of techniques and styles to achieve their singular, deeply layered look for one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces. Chinoiserie motifs abound on many of their acid-etched tables, but art from ancient Greece and Egypt also served as inspiration. The influence of figurative sculptors is evident in designs like coffee tables and side tables with bronze bodies serving as frames or bases; other pieces, meanwhile, have deeply detailed surfaces and strikingly simple silhouettes.
The duo developed their own unconventional methods — sometimes to an extreme — for finishing their pieces: Techniques employed by the LaVernes included acid washing and burying furniture underground in a mixture of soil and chemicals to achieve a desired patina through oxidation. While they sometimes used pewter and silver, bronze was one of their most commonly employed materials, either etched or cast and sometimes paired with glass tops. Their partnership ended when Philip died in 1987 and Kelvin shifted his practice to sculpture.
Find an extraordinary range of vintage Philip and Kelvin LaVerne tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Dining Table from Sergio Asti, 1966
By Sergio Asti, Poggi
Located in Berlin, DE
This rare, beautifully crafted dining table made out of solid wood is lacquered black. The round top is made of rosewood veneered.
Wood, Rosewood
Elisse Dining Table by Claudio Salocchi for Sormani, 1960s
By Claudio Salocchi
Located in Brussels, BE
Elisse dining table by Claudio Salocchi for Sormani, 1960s.
Marble
Mid-Century Dining Table, circa 1970, France
Located in Girona, Spain
DESCRIPTION: Mid-Century Dining Table, circa 1970, France. Very decorative piece made with slate and stainless steel. CONDITION: Very good vintage condition. Wear consistent with a...
Slate, Stainless Steel
$29,586
H 29.73 in W 51.19 in D 31.5 in
Italian mid-century modern dining table by Angelo Mangiarotti, 1950s
By Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern dining table by Angelo Mangiarotti, 1950s Natural wood table with a rectangular top, supported by a beola stone structure and secured by a black painted me...
Stone
$240,000
H 30 in W 132.25 in D 47.375 in
Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, Rare and Important Dining Table, Bronze, USA, 1960s
By Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Stamford, CT
Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, Rare and Important 'Xiang Shi' Dining Table, Bronze, USA, 1960s A very rare and important 'Xiang Shi' dining table designed and produced by Philip (1907-1...
Bronze
$6,500
H 28 in W 60 in D 60 in
Mid 20th Century After Bernard Rohne for Mastercraft Faceted Dining Table
By Mastercraft
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning vintage MCM dining table. Made After the iconic Bernard Rohne for Mastercraft. A chic faceted Brass cylinder under a thick sheet of glass. ...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Italian Dining Table, Carlo de Carli, 1960s
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Italian Dining Table, Carlo de Carli, 1960s
Wood
Italian Mid-Century Dining Table Attr. to Paolo Buffa, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Rome, IT
Elegant dining table, Paolo Buffa, 1950s. The piece is really rare and important. The marble top is supported by a center column on four bronze finished feet. Available as well the ...
Walnut
$32,500
H 29 in W 67.5 in D 45.75 in
Mid-Century Modern Eva Dining Table by Vladimir Kagan, Labeled Full Dining Set
By Vladimir Kagan
Located in Stamford, CT
Vladimir Kagan (American, 1927-2016) Eva Dining Room Table, Vladimir Kagan Designs, Inc., USA, circa 1983. Labeled, Fully Refinished Investment grade Important Designer Dining Set -...
Birdseye Maple, Lacquer
$4,884Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.14 in Dm 47.25 in
Mid-Century Modern Dining Table by Romeo Rega, Italy, Circa 1974
By Romeo Rega
Located in bari, IT
70's table composed of an elegant mix of metals with polished brass and steel finish. The central base is made of full honey-colored plexiglass with a diameter of 20 cm. The smoked glass top in the image is 15 mm thick and can also be modified with a more generous size top up to 150 cm, designer Romeo Rega little chipping on the side of crystal plane. Romeo Rega is born in Rome on 10 October 1925, third of six children, born and raised in the Trastevere district, in the heart of Rome. THE FIRST BIG STEPS. He is 27 years old when, in 1957, he enrolls in the Albo provinciale delle imprese artigiane (Provincial Register of Craft Enterprises) and opens his first workshop in Vicolo della Frusta 6, where he collaborates with talented masters of wrought iron and forging. At this point arrives the first important order: the design and manufacturing for Cinecittà of the chariots for the American colossal film Ben-Hur, which will be published in 1959. He stays in Vicolo della Frusta until the end of the 1960s, a period in which he dedicated himself to his favorite activity: the design of his own pieces and the relations with people. Among his clients there are personalities from the world of cinema and entertainment, such as Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Rascel and his wife Giuditta Saltarini, Massimo Ranieri...
Crystal, Brass, Stainless Steel
Angelo Mangiarotti Travertine Pedestal Dining Table, Italy 1970
By Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Chicago, IL
Angelo Mangiarotti Travertine Pedestal Dining/Center Table, Italy 1970’s. Original Measures 28.5” tall 50.5” diameter
Travertine
Florence Knoll Style Stow Davis Knife Edge Dining Table w/Bronze Base, 1960
By Florence Knoll
Located in Chicago, IL
Florence Knoll Style Stow Davis Walnut Custom Knife Edge Dining/Conference Table w/Bronze Base, 1960 Measures Walnut top measures 8’ diameter 1” thick, Base 27.5” tall 61” long. Tota...
Bronze
Amadeus Granite Dining Table with Quatrefoil Shape Top, Brazil
Located in Chicago, IL
Amadeus Granite Dining Table with Quatrefoil Shape Top, Brazil
Granite
Italian Marble Dining Table, Stone International 1970
By Stone International
Located in Chicago, IL
Italian Travertine dining table, stone International 1970.
Marble
Laverne Marble Dining Table by William Katavolos, Ross Littell & Douglas Kelly
By Laverne International, William Katavolos
Located in Chicago, IL
Carrara Marble Dining Table with stainless steel legs. Designed by William Katavolos, Ross Littel, and Douglas Kelly. Manufactured by Lavern International.
Carrara Marble, Stainless Steel
Willy Rizzo for Jean Charles Italian Marble & Brass Dining Table, 1960
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Chicago, IL
Willy Rizzo for Jean Charles Italian Marble & Brass Dining Table, 1960’s. Measures 78.75” long 43.25” deep 29” tall
Marble, Brass
