Unique Florence Knoll Desk Gift from Hans Knoll RESTORED (MR3811)
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Knoll International
Florence Knoll
Trained as an architect, Florence Knoll`s own pieces for Knoll are simple, architectural designs that stand the test of time. Her lounge seating, sofas, tables, and storage adapt flawlessly to any environment, with their clean, linear design and incredibly durable, high-quality construction. These pieces are built to last a lifetime - or several lifetimes. Not flashy pieces at all, Knoll said that her own work "filled in the gaps" for star pieces by Bertoia and Saarinen, but today we know that they stand in a class all by themselves.
Unique Florence Knoll Desk Gift from President Hans Knoll
The Story
We acquired this piece as well as many others through the hands of Dee Dechert the son of Cornell Dechert.
Cornell Dechert was president of Knoll from 1960 to 1971 after the death of Hans Knoll. Many in the profession thought that Knoll without Hans Knoll was unthinkable. Cornell Dechert, who soon thereafter became general manager of Knoll and from 1960 to1971 was its president. Records say that on the day Hans`s obituary appeared in The New York Times, Dechert has a steady stream of phone calls from people who assumed that the company would liquidate. "I found it very hard to be polite,"he has said, "and thought people had no conception of what Knoll had become, the commercial enterprise quite apart from its artistic accomplishments...Knoll`s importance is out of all proportion to its size. Knoll is more than just a company."
After Hans Knoll died, Florence Knoll was president a few weeks, she called Cornell Dechert who was CFO in Allentown, PA. and asked him to take over in 1960. His apartment was designed and set up by Florence Knoll and the Planning Group.
The Gift:
This piece is especially unique, it was the desk given to Dee Dechert
by Hans Knoll before he left for college.
"L" shaped secretarial desk Features Return side-three blind drawers Desk side-file drawer and drawer with built in slide-out cubbied shelves
Desk: 60"L x 28"W x 29.5"H Return: 36"L x 17"W x 24.5"H
