Meet the Forbes Desk.
Future Histories
Back in the day, decorators were also intermittent designers. They blurred the lines in practice while holding titles that were often gendered. The truth of the matter was that the decorators were doing a lot of design work. Eleanor Forbes was one of these exceptional designers who worked as a decorator, at the time, in San Francisco’s design district at Gump’s. She shares this unique historical slice with Elsie de Wolfe and the legendary Dorothy Draper.
She had an extraordinary 50-year career at Gumps as a designer and decorator. This desk was one of the key pieces that she created during her tenure. We are proud to bring this one into production, while others, like her campaign chair, co-designed with Johnathan Tapp, resides at the Met.
We are honored to bring Eleanor's futurist design back into present time.
DETAILS
Length: 63.5", expanding to 91.5"
Width: 42"
Height: 30"
Depth: 28"
Lead time: 3 months
The undulations of this piece are unspeakably elegant. We call it a desk, but it’s more than that - it can and does function as a spectacular desk. However, with its blind drawers on both sides, it makes a perfect partner and collaboration desk. It can convert into a dining table, as you can sit at either end, or within the undulation, and see everyone gathering around. That’s why we love it so much. It stands alone, but allows us to witness what is actually happening around us. It’s also expandable, with one folding leaf (or two), ideal for today’s necessity of adaptability at a moment’s notice.
This one was done in Cerused Oak, a minimalist grain unusual in the 1940’s and perfect for today. Subtle details, like the ⅛” overhang of the apron, the ⅛” taper in the leg, yields a sophistication that can break the hearts of all mid-century seekers, knowing that these ideas came before then, and perhaps have always been there.
