1960s Mid Century Modern Sling Sofa by George Nelson

When it comes to modern designers, George Nelson ranks right up near the top in terms of contributions to furniture design. The Sling Sofa pictured here was manufactured in the 1960s by Herman Miller. The frame is constructed of chromed tubular steel. The seat contains black leather cushions over a leather and rubber sling seat. A piece like this is a modern classic that would fetch from $2,000-$4000 in the open market today based on its condition.

This Nelson sling is, indeed, a classic, and compared to what you might pay for a new, but ordinary overstuffed sofa, it seems like a bargain at 2K-4k.

Mid-Century Modern Freak

Nelson. And some Nelson. And some more Nelson.

Pushy Furniture

A Coconut Chair from 1955 designed by George Nelson Associates. As pleasurable to sit in as it is to look at.

All of the George Nelson things I have accumulated share a most interesting quality: They somehow seem more satisfying
every time I look at them.

I’ve noticed that, too. I’ve got that Nelson pendant lamp, a Nelson slat bench, a Nelson Ball Clock, and I’d love to have a Nelson thin edge bed. And I enjoy looking at all of them.

Of course, I have even more Eames stuff, and I love looking at that, too. So much of MCM styling has a sculptural, visual attraction to it, but Nelson, Eames, and Saarinen seemed to be especially gifted in that aspect of it.

MIDCENTURY MODERN FINDS

Vintage George Nelson Roll Top Action Desk

This vintage desk designed by George Nelson for Herman Miller has a wood roll top, aluminum frame and wood desk top. It has two slim drawers. This desk is in great condition with age appropriate wear.

This is a different piece of furniture than the usual Nelson swag leg desk we see, but still pretty cool.

george nelson bench cushion – hivemodern.com

George Nelson designed the first version of his Platform Bench to discourage visitors to his New York office from staying too long. He figured that having to sit on a slatted bench would be uncomfortable enough to drive people he didn’t want to see away. It didn’t work. People liked the bench, and they stayed. But if you want to make sure people sit on your Nelson Platform Bench, this handsome cushion will do the trick.

That’s an interesting little story. Not sure if it’s true or not, but it adds a human element to one of George Nelson’s best known creations.

BTW, the metal base version of the bench is much harder to find in vintage condition than is the wood base, so if you see one, grab it.

sling-sofa-by-george-nelson.jpg (JPEG Image, 403 × 403 pixels)

One of Nelson’s lesser known, but still stunningly beautiful, pieces.

Sneak Peek: My New Home — Mid-Century Modern Blog

My dream bookshelf, George Nelson CSS is finally installed on my wall!!! I could only get two columns but I am really content with this whole unit and got it in great condition. I had a tough time installing it since my ceiling was too high for the unit but I wil share the details next time.

See this shiny stuff dripping down my chin?

I’m drooling.

Nelson Swag Leg Desk and Tables – Products – Herman Miller

We decided to reintroduce the classic Nelson swag leg group because the distinctive group has the look, scale, and function just right for today, 50 years after George Nelson designed them. The size of the desk is perfect for a laptop and MP3 dock and makes efficient use of space in your home or office. The tables work well in offices and meeting spaces and in your dining area at home.

This is still a great looking desk, made even more relevant today by the move in home offices toward large laptops and all-in-one screen computers, both of which work perfectly with this setup.

bijou kaleidoscope: George Nelson Clock
One of my favorite design conceits is the Nelson Clock Wall. I’d love to try it, but I don’t have a spare couple thousand dollars with which to buy the necessary timepieces.

No, it’s not really that comfortable or practical, but is sure is one of the most fun confections of the MCM genre.