Paul Frankl

Acquired directly from Frankl Galleries, Los Angeles
Thence by descent

Paul T. Frankl, Space For Living: Creative Interior Decoration and Design, New York, 1938, pp. 25, 39, 43, 81 and 103
Christopher Long, Paul T. Frankl and Modern American Design, New Haven, 2007, pp. 111, 119 and 138

Overall in very good original condition. No restoration or re-upholstery has been undertaken on this work, which previously had been stored away since 1972. The leather with some very minor shallow surface scratches, none of which perforate the surface of the leather. The fabric upholstery showing signs of wear and some soiling. The top surface of the seat cushion and top surface of the ottoman with some losses and wearing to the fabric. The top surface of the ottoman showing greater losses to the fabric, to the extent where the fluffy surface has been worn down to the base fabric. This is visible in the catalogue illustration. The white upholstered portions would benefit from a sensitive cleaning. There is small section at the base of the ottoman where the upholstery has pulled away from the frame, with about an inch x 4 inches of the wooden frame exposed. Considering the age of these pieces, they are in remarkably good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Paul T. Frankl produced this iconic "Speed" chair and ottoman, remarkable sectional sofa, and accompanying pieces in response to a commission from a well-to-do West Coast couple. The original upholstery tag on the underside of one of the sofa cushions reads: Frankl Galleries, 3281 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, Calif. 6/11/1936. The whole ensemble, which features a matching color scheme, was undoubtedly made at this time and intended for a single room.

Frankl had only recently relocated to Los Angeles from New York, and the pieces in this group are an early example of his emerging California idiom. The design of  the "Speed" chair and matching ottoman dates from his last period in New York, and the sectional sofa (lot 49) is closely related to a similar but smaller unit Frankl made for his own apartment there around 1933.  Other details, such as the red and black lacquer finish, first appeared in his work even earlier, in the late 1920s. On the other hand, the large coffee table (lot 51), with its vaguely East Asian forms, is a harbinger of Frankl's later California designs, which drew on both Japanese and Chinese models, and the sofa's simple, straightforward construction, crisp detailing, and streamlined corners and edges are emblematic of the sophisticated and elegant interiors Frankl fashioned for his many Hollywood clients in this period. Although the chair and ottoman were by this time standard items at Frankl's Wilshire Boulevard gallery, the monumental sofa, equally large table, and a much smaller low table (lot 50) almost certainly represent custom pieces, made specifically to meet his clients' needs.

A 1949 invoice from the family's collection for a hassock (now lost) and a console (lot 54), which Frankl designed for the Johnson Furniture Company, shows that his relationship with the family continued for more than a decade and a half.

Christopher Long
Associate Professor of Architecture and Design History, School of Architecture, University of Texas at Austin