Image source: Herman Miller — George Nelson Collection
© Herman Miller and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
Collection Story
Origin
Herman Miller's timeline says that after D. J. De Pree saw a Life magazine article on George Nelson and his Storage Wall design, he hired Nelson as the company's first design director in 1945. In 1948 the company published and sold a hardcover catalog written by Nelson and designed by the Nelson Office.
Design Language
A history article on the Platform Bench places the first official Nelson collection in 1948 and describes cases and benches planned as scalable elements that could work together rather than as suites of furniture. The store groups the collection into smaller families such as Platform, Pedestal, Swag, Thin Edge, Cane and Marshmallow.
Key Pieces
The timeline dates the Bubble Lamps to 1952, the Pedestal Tables to 1954, the Coconut Lounge Chair to 1955 and the Marshmallow Sofa to 1956. The Platform Bench returned in 1994 after being discontinued in 1967, and the Cube Sofa Group and Cane Bench were reissued in 2022.
Pieces in this collection
Nelson Marshmallow Sofa
George Nelson's 1956 sofa of 18 round cushions floating on a brushed steel frame.
Nelson Cane Bench
George Nelson's 1952 bench with a natural cane top and solid wood frame
Nelson Swag Leg Desk and Tables
A compact desk and table family shaped by pressure-formed tubular legs
Nelson Pedestal Table Outdoor
A George Nelson pedestal side table updated for outdoors, with honed North American stone tops.
Nelson Platform Bench
George Nelson's slatted bench of 1947, a seat, a low table or a base for the Basic Cabinet Series.
Nelson X-Leg Table
George Nelson's rectangular table on crossed steel legs, for dining as well as work.
Nelson Coconut Lounge Chair
George Nelson's triangular lounge chair of 1955, a polymer shell on a three-legged steel base.
Nelson Pedestal Table
George Nelson's 1954 round pedestal table, in five sizes with laminate, veneer or stone tops.
Nelson Daybed
George Nelson's 1949 daybed with removable bolsters, a sofa by day and a bed at night.
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