Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Stow & Davis made history when it introduced the first wood and steel framework desk in 1928. The American furniture company subsequently became a leader of mid-century modern office furniture production and design.
Before the company was Stow & Davis, it was the Stow and Haight Furniture Company, formed by the partnership of Russell Stow and Thomas Haight in 1880. It produced kitchen and dining extension tables from a workshop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1885, businessman George A. Davis purchased Haight’s interest in the firm, and its name was changed to Stow & Davis.
The company turned its attention to manufacturing office furniture, producing its first boardroom table in 1889. By the 1890s, Stow & Davis had established itself as a major supplier of furniture for libraries and offices. By 1916, it was supplying banks with furniture like its sturdy wood Colonial Revival style boardroom tables, leather-upholstered executive and swivel chairs and traditional desks in oak and mahogany.
The Great Depression forced the reorganization of Stow & Davis, and, during World War II, the company was commissioned to manufacture wooden desks, chairs and bunk beds for United States Navy vessels.
During the 1950s and ’60s, Stow & Davis explored innovative elements of mid-century modernism, collaborating with several notable designers to produce new series inspired by the emerging Art Moderne movement. Instead of solid, classic American designs, Stow & Davis furniture now incorporated curved lines, rounded edges and sleek finishes. These included pieces like American designer Bert England’s stainless steel frame office chairs, walnut and bronzed steel conference tables by Italian designer Osvaldo Borsani and sophisticated Florence Knoll-style credenzas by Giacomo Buzzitta.
In 1985, the Grand Rapids furniture company Steelcase acquired Stow & Davis, and, in 1992, it continued to produce furniture for offices, hotels and homes under a new name: Stow Davis.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Stow & Davis seating, case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and more.
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Thai Mid-Century Modern Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Walnut
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Teak
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Plywood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Rosewood
1890s French Napoleon III Antique Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Teak
1920s American Industrial Vintage Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Natural Fiber
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Metal, Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Wood, Walnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Stow & Davis Desk Sets
Aluminum
Stow & Davis desk sets for sale on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Stuart Davis's art style is largely Cubist. He used the hard-edge painting technique to create dramatic differences in color. Many of his works draw inspiration from jazz and swing music, and historians credit him with influencing the Pop artists that emerged later in the 20th century. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Stuart Davis art.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024The Davis Cabinet Company is more than 90 years old. The company, founded by Lipscomb "Lip" Davis in 1929, grew out of a lumber mill operation located on the Cumberland River in Tennessee. Owners of the mill opened the Standard Furniture Company to put leftover lumber to use. Davis worked for Standard Furniture for eight years before he bought out the company and reopened it as the Davis Cabinet Company. Find a diverse assortment of Davis Cabinet Company furniture on 1stDibs.