These Midcentury Reissues Are Crafted to Be True Collector’s Items
A new collection brings legendary works by midcentury designers to a wider audience for the first time in decades.
A new collection brings legendary works by midcentury designers to a wider audience for the first time in decades.
Coveting midcentury furniture is practically a prerequisite for reading Dwell—yet for many of us, the reality of owning an original piece remains firmly out of reach, both financially and logistically.
That’s a big reason why each piece in CB2’s Design Legends collection feels like a once-in-a-lifetime estate sale discovery. The new line from the high-design furniture brand is a meticulously curated revival, one that’s democratizing access to some of the 20th century's most significant design works.
Let’s be clear: these aren’t mere "inspired by" pieces. They are authentic reissues of work by Gianfranco Frattini, Paul McCobb, Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman, and Bill Curry that are crafted to the exacting standards of the originals.
What makes this collection particularly noteworthy is the unprecedented access to archives and original specifications. By working directly with the designers’ estates and families, CB2 has created pieces that capture not just the aesthetic but the intent behind these midcentury masterworks.
Bill Curry’s Pill High Gloss Oxblood Red Iron table lamp captures the optimistic futurism of Space Age design.
Photo: CB2
Designer Bill Curry’s sketches from the late 1960s were used for the Design Legends collection. Here, you can see early iterations of Space Age-inspired pieces like his mushroom-style lamp that would become part of his legacy.
Photo: CB2
Shop the Collection
Pill High Gloss Oxblood Red Iron Table Lamp with Glass Shade by Bill Curry
Minimalist mushroom-style table lamp from the archive of midcentury American designer Bill Curry embodies the essence of his iconic Space Age-inspired designs. In this late-1960s design, an opaline glass shade contrasts with an oxblood cylindrical base in an elegant juxtaposition of geometric shapes and materials. CB2 exclusive.
Irwin 72" White Marble and Natural Oak Coffee Table Model C7806 by Paul McCobb
Coffee table by Paul McCobb displays the genius of his straightforward design philosophy. Designed in 1952 as part of his Irwin collection for Calvin furniture, this reintroduction retains the unadorned form and function of the original piece. The white oak frame, certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council ®, holds two drawers and a fixed shelf, all supported by a slim bronze-finish base. A top of Arabescato marble, sourced from an Italian quarry and polished to a semi-gloss, weaves its dark grey veining across a background of white. Made to the highest standards of quality, this classic midcentury piece is a strong example of McCobb's enduring style. CB2 exclusive.
Marconi 81.5" Tufted Saddle Leather Sofa by Gianfranco Frattini
This sleek, low sofa was originally created by iconic Italian designer Gianfranco Frattini for the fashionable Restaurant St. Andrews in the heart of old Milan. Now, a modern classic returns with the same spirit of the original design, reimagined in full-grain saddle leather. Semi-aniline cowhide is gently polished for a smooth hand that showcases its natural markings. Period-authentic details include hand-pulled button tufts on the interior sides and cushions, along with the inset American black walnut legs that are characteristic of the designer's signature style. CB2 exclusive.
The Portofino desk by Gianfranco Frattini, for example, is a design so rare that even the designer’s children, Marco Frattini and Emanuela Frattini Magnusson, believe it may never have entered production beyond a private commission for an architect to store rolls of drafting paper. Preserving their father’s legacy and archival materials has been a deeply important project for them, and they worked closely with the CB2 design team and Form Portfolios to ensure each piece stayed true to their father’s original vision. The CB2 exclusive is now out in the world for all to enjoy, recreated from a black-and-white archival photo with richly grained walnut, black powdercoated iron legs, and a champagne brass crossbar. It’s design archaeology made tangible.
Based on a Gianfranco Frattini design from 1961, the Memoria lamp remains an eyecatching piece today with its visible telephone-style cord and glass shade.
Photo: CB2
See the full story on Dwell.com: These Midcentury Reissues Are Crafted to Be True Collector’s Items
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