Pair of Late 1970s Plaster "Twig" Mirrors by John Dickinson
About the Item
- Creator:John Dickinson (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 59 in (149.86 cm)Width: 34 in (86.36 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Late 1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Bridgeport, CT
- Reference Number:
John Dickinson
Playful, sculptural, unexpected: Illustrious designer and decorator John Dickinson created interiors, lighting fixtures, seating and other furnishings that were wholly peculiar and unlike anything seen before. The Berkeley, California, native mined design movements of bygone eras for elements he would later integrate into what would become his signature anthropomorphic work.
Dickinson was inspired by Art Deco designers such as Jean-Michel Frank, who similarly drew on the past for his extravagant pieces, and found appeal in the claw-foot tables and seating that Georgian-era furniture makers produced.
Although Dickinson attended the Parsons School of Design in New York, he returned to the West Coast following graduation. He worked for decorating firms and furniture stores, and, in 1956, he set up his own practice in San Francisco, where he reinterpreted heritage in his sculptural lamps, stools and chairs with legs that terminate in hooves or resemble bones and tree branches.
Dickinson’s spare but sophisticated furniture is often associated with a “golden age” of San Francisco decorating that includes the work of designers Charles Pfister and Michael Taylor. Wider recognition over the years owes to collectors’ interest and exhibits such as “Fantasy and Function: The Furniture of John Dickinson,” which opened at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2003.
Despite his irreverent approach, Dickinson’s pieces were luxury items. He crafted lamps of unpolished brass and tables in chalky white plaster with a resin coating. His most iconic works are his Etruscan tables with legs resembling hooved animal feet and his Three-Legged African table, which was inspired by an artifact he discovered in an import shop. Dickinson took on only handpicked, young, well-to-do clients who were willing to give him free rein to experiment with these unusual forms and industrial materials. Leading department stores like Lord & Taylor, however, were also among his clientele. In 1977, Dickinson was commissioned to design a furniture collection for Macy’s. It featured white lacquered bookcases that drew on urban architecture and table lamps with bodies that mimicked animal bones.
Owing to his untimely death, and the fact that he worked in plaster, a highly breakable material, few of Dickinson’s original pieces exist to this day. Their scarcity renders every remaining Dickinson design a valuable heirloom guaranteed to make a statement in any room.
Find vintage John Dickinson furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Bridgeport, CT
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Lacquer And Mixed Metal Mirror By Alain Delon For Maison Jansen 1970’sBy Alain DelonLocated in Bridgeport, CTIconic and striking Mirror by French designer Alain Delon. Finely made with a brass, chrome and copper frame and inner black lacquered surround with projecting square corners. The in...Category
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsBrass, Copper, Chrome
- Very Fine R & Y Augousti Shagreen MirrorBy R & Y AugoustiLocated in Bridgeport, CTBy Iconic designers Aria and Yiouri Augousti, and emblematic of their rich use of Shagreen and other rare and exotic materials. In a pale greenish-gray Shagreen with natural shading ...Category
20th Century Hollywood Regency Wall Mirrors
MaterialsShagreen
- Massive Contemporary Faux Shagreen MirrorBy R & Y AugoustiLocated in Bridgeport, CTStylish and very well made Faux Shagreen mirror in the manner of R & Y Augousti. A large scale round mirror with narrow pale wood frames on the o...Category
20th Century Hollywood Regency Wall Mirrors
MaterialsMirror
- Vintage Etched and Sectioned Wall MirrorLocated in Bridgeport, CTIntricate and spectacular etched mirror with a sectioned and graduated bridge-like design. Each section with bevel cut edges, etched floral designs, accentuated by crystal rosettes...Category
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Mantel Mirrors and Fireplace Mir...
MaterialsMirror, Wood
- Antique Gilt And Ebonized Italian MirrorLocated in Bridgeport, CTThe rectangular glass having a carved, gesso and gilt moulded surround with alternating black painted decoration. The inner banding comprised of intertwining ribbon. Condition is ...Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Wall Mirrors
MaterialsMirror, Wood
- 19th Century American Empire Mahogany MirrorLocated in Bridgeport, CTA Classic Empire mirror with bold square form and having a triple surround with darker reeded moldings. The mirror glass has a most appealing age-related mercury oxidation resulting ...Category
Antique 19th Century American American Empire Wall Mirrors
MaterialsMercury Glass, Wood
- Gold Plaster Frame Wall Mirror, Italy, 1970sLocated in Chicago, ILA Mid-Century Italian wall mirror featuring a rectangular textured plaster frame with a gold finish. This mirror has a wooden backing and hardware for hanging. Sourced in Italy, 1970...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsPlaster, Mirror
- Pair Of Brass Faux Bamboo Mirrors by Mastercraft 1970By William Doezema, MastercraftLocated in Hudson, NYA rare to find, matched pair of brass mirrors by mastercraft. Designed by William Doezema for Mastercraft, and produced in the 1970's. This pair is in excellent condition and has a ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsBrass
- 1970s XL Gilded Wall Mirror by Deknudt, BelgiumBy DeknudtLocated in Antwerp, BEStylish XL wall mirror by Deknudt Belgium. Deknudt Luxury High Quality mirrors Made in Belgium. This XL gilded mirror dates from the 1970s. It's a l...Category
Late 20th Century Belgian Hollywood Regency Wall Mirrors
MaterialsMirror, Wood
- Mosaic Octagonal Mirror by Roger Vanhevel, Belgium, 1970sBy Roger VanhevelLocated in Antwerp, BEOctagonal mirror featuring a stunning horn mosaic inlay, crafted by Belgian designer Roger Vanhevel in the 1970s. This chic mirror embodies high-end elegance, perfect for luxurious a...Category
Vintage 1970s Belgian Hollywood Regency Wall Mirrors
MaterialsBone, Wood
- Fracture Mirror by Simon JohnsBy Simon JohnsLocated in East-Bolton, QuebecMade of glass and smashed gypsum cement, the Fracture Mirror references the striations and accidental geometries of sedimentary stone. This statement m...Category
2010s Canadian Post-Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsCement
- 1970s Octagonal Brass and Ivory Lacquer Mirror by Jean Claude MaheyBy Jean Claude MaheyLocated in London, GBA lovely 1970s octagonal brass and ivory lacquer mirror by Jean Claude Mahey.Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsBrass