Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern, Two-Piece Tall Cabinet
About the Item
- Creator:Tommi Parzinger (Designer),Charak Furniture Company (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 72 in (182.88 cm)Width: 46 in (116.84 cm)Depth: 17.75 in (45.09 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1950s
- Condition:Excellent restored condition with slight color variations.
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU84192281862
Tommi Parzinger
German furniture designer Tommi Parzinger brought high-style modernism to the forefront. Taking a vivid, stylized approach to mid-century furniture, many of his works feature boldly colored lacquers and offbeat finishes that make his pieces stand out among the works of his peers. Despite his uniquely progressive vision, Parzinger showed equal expertise in producing fine, traditional furnishings.
Born in Munich, Parzinger moved to New York City in 1932. He began his practice in the United States by designing for the Manhattan style trailblazer Rena Rosenthal. In 1939, he established his first company, which split its focus between handcrafted silver household items — such as tea sets and barware — and home furnishings, like dining tables and cabinets. In his first year in business, Parzinger exhibited several pieces of furniture at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
A master craftsman, Parzinger sought out the most exceptional materials for his furniture, employing the finest woods — like mahogany and walnut — as well as including custom brass hardware and pewter inlays.
His silver works presented an elevated level of style and grace. A November 1939 article in LIFE magazine described Parzinger as “the most creative original designer of silverware in the United States.”
While he was still running his own business — creating 12 to 30 new designs each year — Charak Furniture Company appointed Parzinger as its head of modern furniture design. He modernized Charak’s design approach from a more traditional form to a mid-century modern style.
In the mid-1960s, Parzinger stopped designing furniture, turning his company over to his friend Donald Cameron. He shifted his attention to paintings, which he created until his death in 1981.
On 1stDibs, find a broad selection of vintage Tommi Panzinger tables, lighting, storage pieces and more.
Charak Furniture Company
Over the course of nearly seven decades, Charak Furniture Company produced exemplary reproductions of 18th-century-era furniture, including works created in the American colonial and Georgian styles, as well as sophisticated mid-century modern pieces made by the likes of German furniture designer and painter Tommi Parzinger.
Charak was established in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1919. It earned a reputation for exceptional design and durability, and the 1920s were a period of high production for the brand. Charak was a leading manufacturer of reproductions of early American furniture that was influenced by Queen Anne– and Georgian–era design, including secretaries, dressers and cabinets with exquisite details like accented moldings, carved finials, recessed door panels, claw feet and other embellishments.
While the Great Depression put many furniture manufacturers out of business, Charak Furniture Company weathered the era’s difficulties. In fact, during the 1930s, it introduced one of its most enduringly popular dining tables: the drop leaf Danbury table. The solid mahogany table, which features four leaves to comfortably accommodate larger dining parties as necessary, is supported by four slender and elegantly curving legs, a wonderful example of the company's furniture from this era.
In the 1950s, Charak Furniture Company continued to thrive by shifting production to suit modern tastes. It worked with designers like Donald Deskey and Tommi Parzinger to develop collections that boast the clean lines and sleek silhouettes that characterized many of the period’s designs. The collaborations proved fruitful and prolific. The company’s rare revival and mid-century modern pieces have considerable appeal for today’s collectors.
In its heyday, Charak Furniture Company had showrooms in Chicago and New York City. Today, a 1958 desk designed by Deskey is part of the permanent collection at the Carnegie Museum of Art.
On 1stDibs, find an array of vintage Charak Furniture Company tables, storage cabinets, seating and more.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Chicago, IL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Rare Tommi Parzinger Parquetry Top Mahogany Dining TableBy Tommi Parzinger, Charak Furniture CompanyLocated in Chicago, ILRare example of a fine dining table by Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern. This table was restored from very poor condition to the excellent condition...Category
Vintage 1950s American Dining Room Tables
MaterialsMetal
- Tommi Parzinger For Dorlyn Brass Footed Compote.By Dorlyn Silversmiths, Tommi ParzingerLocated in Chicago, ILBrass plated brass footed compote by Tommi Parzinger for Dorlyn-Silversmiths. Square pedestal base with a three ring incised stem and shallow bowl with three incised rings and a deli...Category
20th Century American Centerpieces
- Large Tommi Parzinger Brass Candelabra for DorlynBy Dorlyn Silversmiths, Tommi ParzingerLocated in Chicago, ILAt two-and-a-half feet tall, this stately four-arm candelabrum is one of Parzinger's larger designs for Dorlyn. Measures: 30".Category
Vintage 1950s American Candle Holders
MaterialsBrass
- Edward Wormley Walnut and Olive Ash Burl Tall Cabinet for DunbarBy Edward Wormley, Dunbar FurnitureLocated in Chicago, ILDescribed in Dunbar catalogs as "#6027 High Piece" this incredible curved front cabinet is constructed of walnut with olive ash burled lower cabin...Category
Vintage 1950s American Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Keller Colonnade-Top Walnut and Glass Tall CabinetBy Keller Furniture 1Located in Chicago, ILBefore financial strife forced its merger into Keller Williams Furniture, Keller Furniture was the dream of a Tulsa, OK designer. An example of Keller'...Category
Vintage 1960s American Sideboards
MaterialsGlass, Walnut
- Curly Maple Nightstand in the Style of Tommi ParzingerBy Tommi ParzingerLocated in Chicago, ILA beautiful and unusual side table in curly maple. Many design points evoke Tommi Parzinger's Originals. Restored from the floor up, without losing the character of age, this side ta...Category
Vintage 1950s American Night Stands
MaterialsBrass
- Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern Two Door CabinetBy Tommi Parzinger, Charak Furniture CompanyLocated in Hanover, MAClassic mahogany cabinet with tooled and gilt diamond pattern green leather door panels and distinctive polished brass door pulls. Features a single adjustable interior shelf. De...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Tommi Parzinger Tall Chest or Dresser for Charak ModernBy Tommi Parzinger, Charak Furniture CompanyLocated in St.Petersburg, FLA tall chest of drawers designed by Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern. Two piece cabinet with lower portion consisting of three generous sized drawers. Above sits a cabinet with door...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern Display Cabinet, c 1955, SignedBy Tommi Parzinger, Charak Furniture CompanyLocated in Los Angeles, CAA rare collectors item, this fully restored Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern (c. 1955) display cabiinet / vitrine, features beautiful french polish with Parzinger's signature statement door handles. Signed with Charak Modern label on the backside of the upper cabinet. This refined and sophisticated Parzinger credenza with glass display hutch is perfect for those high-end luxury pads looking for an incredible and collectible statement piece, which Parzinger was known to create. The gorgeous color is close to the Hermès orange, but perhaps a little bit deeper and bolder - perhaps somewhere between Hermès orange and blood orange. Beauty in every detail, from the cross-cut glass panes, to the upper flared embellishments and the signature Parzinger door handles. Let's not skip one more aspect of this table that is equally important - the collectors appeal. Furniture by Tommi Parzinger is one of the most sought-after and cherished items of sophisticated collectors. This isn't for your typical Eames and George Nelson collector, it is much more for a refined collector, perhaps a connoisseur of fine rarities. The quality of the materials and craftsmanship and design details are something to be admired. Parzinger and Charak Modern designed and crafted some of the highest quality furniture of the early and mid 20th Century. That was at a time when US manufacturing was at its best. And now in this day and age of cheap products not meant to last - this table is your daily reminder that 'they don't make them like they used to.' We restored this incredible sideboard display cabinet with hand-applying a new French Polish lacquer. French Polish is the most laborious and expensive finish because it requires many repetitive coats and each one hand polished to a fine glass-like finish, and while it is very expensive, it is worth it for rare and valuable pieces like this Tommi Parzinger vitrine. The results are nothing short of spectacular - such a smooth, clear and deep finish - it looks almost like a sheet of glass (much more incredible in-person than you can see (or touch / feel) in the photos). And besides how incredible it looks - it will also protect your investment for the decades ahead. This Parzinger cabinet is an ideal example for the most discriminating interior designer client or collector. This french polish cabinet...Category
Vintage 1950s American Hollywood Regency Vitrines
MaterialsBrass
- Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern China BreakfrontBy Tommi Parzinger, Charak Furniture CompanyLocated in Hanover, MATwo piece mahogany breakfront and buffet designed by Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern circa 1952. Signed Charak Modern. Retains three original solid brass sculptural keys and all working locks. The base cabinet has three doors with distinctive diamond pattern inlay in satinwood. Each door has a custom Parzinger solid brass pull. Behind the bottom left and right doors is an open white cabinet with three original number-stamped shelves which are adjustable and removable. Behind the center door are five pull-out drawers. The upper cabinet has three doors with astonishingly beautiful glass panels which have been deeply wheel cut repeating the diamond pattern as below. The interior of the upper cabinet is painted white, backed by mirror and holds nine adjustable thick glass shelves each with plate grooves. Top left and right have signature Parzinger 'wings' a design element frequently repeated in his career. Beautifully restored by our expert refinisher. See our separate listings for the companion Parzinger dining table, dining chairs and leather front cabinet...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Buffets
MaterialsBrass
- Tommi Parzinger Credenza/ Sideboard for Charak ModernBy Charak Furniture Company, Tommi ParzingerLocated in St.Petersburg, FLA rare long credenza designed by Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern. Features three sections each revealed by a door. Left section containing a drawer and shelf, middle section housin...Category
Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsOak
- Tommi Parzinger Chests for Charak Modern- A PairBy Tommi Parzinger, Charak Furniture CompanyLocated in St.Petersburg, FLAn elegant and rare pair of chests/ commodes designed by Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern. Each chest features two large drawers and two half drawers, finished in an elegant mahogan...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
MaterialsMahogany