Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Take a medal from the King of Sweden, a splash of the roaring twenties, and a series of talented designers and you get Johnson Furniture Co.’s elegant Art Deco and period-revival furnishings as well as a taste for why the Johnson name prevailed for over a century in American furniture manufacturing.
A wealth of forests rendered Grand Rapids, Michigan, a logging center during the 1800s. It eventually gained recognition for its furniture industry. The city became a destination for woodworkers who hailed from all over the United States as well as Europe, and Johnson Furniture Co. cofounder Carl Johnson, who had been recognized for cabinetmaking by the head of the royal family in his native Sweden, brought his royally acknowledged talents to America with his two brothers, Hjalmar and Axel in 1887. Together, they established Cabinetmakers Co. in Grand Rapids. In 1908, the brothers sold their start-up and founded Johnson Furniture Co.
Tom Handley, of the well-respected English furniture company Waring and Gillow, became an in-house designer with Johnson Furniture Co. in its early days. Handley would stay on as part of both the Johnson label and of Johnson-Handley-Johnson — a companion company that spun off from Johnson in 1922 — until his death in 1926. At the time, archaeological discoveries were all the rage. The greatest influence on Art Deco jewelry, for example, was the excavation of the tomb of King Tut in 1922, and some vintage Tom Handley designs were adaptations of Egyptian furniture. The brand specialized in a range of styles that included Art Deco, Chippendale, Queen Anne and more.
Acclaimed designer David Robertson Smith, who had made furniture in the Arts and Crafts style for the likes of Gustav Stickley, carried the Johnson Furniture Co. creative team into the early 1930s. Grand Rapids had by then become a thriving hub with respect to the mass production of furniture, and Smith’s sophisticated Dynamique line — a collection of coffee tables, cabinets and more in alluring woods such as walnut and mahogany and based on French furniture — was among the first mass-produced modern furniture made in America.
Johnson hired Lorenzo Rutili, a Carnegie Institute graduate who studied design in Europe, to lead the brand’s design division. Rutili oversaw 30 years of successful Johnson Furniture Co. collaborations with other notable designers including Paul Frankl, Eliel Saarinen, Bert England, J. Robert F. Swanson and Pipsam Saarinen Swanson. After wrapping up his tenure at Johnson, Rutili moved on to design furniture at Tomlinson in North Carolina.
During the 1960s, Kipp Stewart and Milo Baughman designed residential furnishings for Directional — a favorite of mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — and Johnson produced these pieces, becoming the sole manufacturer for the North Carolina brand.
After a merger with Timberline Inc., Johnson Furniture Co. secured contracts for hotels, motels and university dormitories. In 1983, Johnson and Rose Manufacturing became RoseJohnson Inc. It was later purchased by La-Z-Boy.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Johnson Furniture Co. case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and other furniture.
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s North American Art Deco Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Teak, Wenge, Plywood
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Cork
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1920s Charles II Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Elm, Oak
Mid-20th Century French Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s American Art Deco Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Johnson Furniture Co. Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Johnson Furniture Co. desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Johnson Furniture Co.
- 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 19, 2025Johnson Carper furniture was made during the 20th century. The company began manufacturing furniture in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1927. It remained in operation until 1979. During the intervening years, Johnson Carper became widely known for its Art Deco and mid-century modern designs. Some of its most famous lines include the Ronda, the Delray and the Brentwood. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Johnson Carper furniture.