A Brief History of George Nakashima

George Nakashima was born in 1905 in Spokane, Washington and is widely considered one of the top furniture designers and maker of the 20th Century. After attending the University of Washington and later receiving a Masters degree from M.I.T., Nakashima traveled to France and later to Japan. It was there that he met Antonin Raymond, who is well known for his collaborations with Frank Lloyd Wright and under his tutelage became engaged in the study of Japanese design. After returning to the U.S. in 1940 however, Nakashima’s life took a detour when during World War II, he was put in a Japanese internment camp.

Some would argue that the detour in the camp was not all bad, as this is where Nakashima was first introduced to making furniture and where his passion grew full fledged. While in the camp he studied the art of making furniture with traditional Japanese tools and the techniques used by the grand masters. In 1943, Antonin Raymond came into his life again, he was released from the camp and moved to New Hope, Pennsylvania where he opened his first studio. Nakashima was one of the finest craftsmen of his time and today his works go at auction for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Although he passed away, his work continues through his daughter, Mira Nakashima-Yarnall, who now runs the studio, still situated in New Hope.

Charles Rohlfs – Arts & Crafts Movement

I was reading an old article the other day about a chair that was sold by Cottone Auctions, near Rochester, New York. According to the article the chair which was expected to bring in about $30,000 at auction was actually sold for close to $200,000. Normally, this would not have been unusual if it had been a chair made by Stickley, Wright or Morris, but the maker of the chair was Charles Rohlfs. What intrigued me more was that the article said that Rohlfs was originally from the west side of Buffalo, in the same area where I grew up. I had never heard of him, so I started doing a little research and found an interesting story.

Charles Rohlfs (1853-1936) was born in Brooklyn and studied at Cooper Union and after graduation did some acting. According to some published reports, his acting was awful and he received horrifying reviews from the press. However as a result he met Anna Katherine Green, at the time a best selling crime novelist who was seven years his senior. Before his father in law agreed to their marriage, Rohlfs first had to give up acting. We don’t know how true that may be, but they married in 1884, moved to Buffalo, New York and soon thereafter Rohlfs began designing furniture.

Being one of the most creative craftsmen of the Art & Crafts movement, Rohlfs designs were a bit off when compared to the works of other famous makers of that movement. While others were using simple lines, Rohlfs was using simple lines ornamented with carvings and a mix of styles that set him apart from the rest. Working in the attic of his home at 26 Highland Avenue, Rohlfs created some of the most sophisticated yet creative furniture of the time. Rohlfs then built a mission style home at 156 Park Street in Buffalo, opened a furniture design studio and became world renowned for his abilities. In the early 1900’s, Rohlfs was made a member of the Royal Society of the Arts in London, and later commissioned to provide chairs for Buckingham Palace.

Charles Rohlfs artistic flair and individualistic design can be seen at his mission style home in Buffalo as well as an upcoming 2009 exhibition that will be traveling around the country.

Clarice Cliff Pottery Designer

Many of you who love Art Deco will know a piece of Clarice Cliff ceramic from a mile away. The Artist was born in 1899 in Staffordshire and started in meager beginnings as a painter of pottery, as many women of that time, in that area of the world. However, that is where the similarities with other women of the time ended.

Clarice had much ambition to become a designer and in 1928 launched the Bizarre line of pottery. The pottery resembled its name, with its bold and exuberant designs, but they were stamped with her name and quickly became popular. Now collectors clamor to discover one of her works. One of her decorative platters recently sold at auction $72,000. The Designer, Clarice Cliff, passed away in 1972.

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archives - September 1, 2005 . . . .