Isamo Noguchi: Table

Table - 427

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Isamo Noguchi


Table with base in cherry mahogany or black lacquered ashwood. Glass top 15 or 19 mm. History: Designed in 1944 by Isamu Noguchi. In 1939, Noguchi designed an "articulated table" for A. Conger Goodyear who was then president of the New York Museum of Modern Art. This large biomorphic table carved in rosewood is now owned by the New York Institute of Technology at Old Westbury, New York. In his autobiography, Noguchi tells us that he gave a model of the articulated table to Robsjohn - Gibbings with whom he had planned to work on a mass produced version. However, in 1945, while Noguchi was working as a volunteer in relocation camp for Japanese Americans interned during World War Second, Robsjohn - Gibbings published an antropomorphic table which he had developed for the Widdicomb Furniture Company. Noguchi felt that Robsjohn Gibbings had plagiarized his design. Noguchi began working on the design of this small, freeform table in 1944. It was put into production in the early 1950' s. It is one of the most characteristic and best known examples of "mid-century modern".