Noguchi Coffee Table: Reproductions vs. Originals, Quality, Specifications, Copyright.

[Douglas]

Renos turned out very well, and we're very happy. I've considered posting pics, but have withheld thus far for two major reasons:

a) We're nowhere near properly decorated. It's actually kind of embarrassing right now. The couch we're using is a pretty awful hand-me-down until we unload the old place and feel comfortable buying real furniture. And

b) SF is a mean place. I like my house and I enjoy it and letting a bunch of a-holes in to tear it to shreds is just not something I feel I need to do. Maybe I need a thicker skin, who knows.

Anyways, maybe I'll eventually post something, but for now, I'll just tell you what we're doing. We have a large-ish 15x30 main "salon" that's actually 2 stories tall, with a balcony running all the way around the room. We've sort of split the room into two halves, with a large dining table on one side and a formal seating area on the other side, in front of the fireplace. Because the room is so dark and heavy with wood paneling all around, we're trying to counter some of that with some lighter and airier elements to contrast some of the heavier ones. We bought a flokati to sit right in front of the fireplace, with a sofa (the hand me down) on one side and we'd like to put a chair or two on the other (not room to put another sofa for a few reasons, a grand piano being one of them) with a coffee table in between. I thought the Noguchi would look great on the flokati as the glass top would maintain a sense of openness and let the flokati be what it is, while the wood would pick up well with the rest of the room.

 

[Douglas]

Here's the space, without any furnishing and before renovation. The space looks pretty much the same now only the floors have been refinished and the chandelier replaced:

Anyways, my vision is a clubby tufted leather chesterfield on the left, flokati in the middle in front of the fireplace, gooch on the flokati, with a chair or two on the right facing back towards the sofa. Probably only have room for one chair as you need to be able to get into the library opening you see on the right and there's already a grand piano on the right wall just this side of that opening.

 

[lefty]

Honestly, you have one of the nicer places here. I wouldn't sweat any comments. That said, those ******* spindles!

The space is rustic and clubby, so I would embrace it. Don't fear heavy and dark. I think the flokati can work as it fits the rustic vibe but not seeing the noguchi table.

lefty

 

[Renault78law]



Thanks to all for the varied and thoughtful advice. Lefty, I also appreciate your slightly contrarian point of view. Like ithasbeenandwillbematt, I've struggled a bit with this because I haven't always loved the Noguchi table but the more I look at it and the more I consider my space I really think the design works. Sounds like going for the real thing is the way to go though... Decorating a new house is expensive enough without having to go whole-hog on everything. Oh, well.
Looks like these come up on Craigslist every once in a while - in fact there's one in NYC right now in the finish I want. Maybe that's a way to go cheap.
I guess now my only qualm is the size of the thing. I think I didn't realize until I laid it out in my space last night just how big the thing actually is. It's 3x4 feet! I'm sure it reads smaller on account of the glass but there are practical considerations here.
Thanks again to everyone who weighed in.

Yes, I had the same reaction to the sheer size of this table - it definitely requires a larger space than most may might think.

I have the Moderica version of this table. Like you, I was considering the licensed version at the time of purchase, but I don't regret my purchase at all. I think the Moderica version strikes a good compromise in price and quality. To answer one of your questions above, it's my understanding that only the licensed version has the signature on the side of the glass.

Getting the licensed version on Craigslist is a great way to go, IMO. It's going to hold its value forever.

 

[Douglas]



Honestly, you have one of the nicer places here. I wouldn't sweat any comments. That said, those ******* spindles!

The space is rustic and clubby, so I would embrace it.  Don't fear heavy and dark. I think the flokati can work as it fits the rustic vibe but not seeing the noguchi table.

Haha, thanks, I forgot you had hated those spindles!

 

[NorCal]

Dude, your place is awesome. My only advice is don't try to shoehorn something into the space b/c it is "good." Noguchi is cool and all but I'm not sure it fits the vibe. If you want to get away from the heavy/cluby feeling I might throw in some Oriental Shabby Romantic vibe. Think Label King meets Alister Crowley.

 

[Lucky Strike]

I remember this room from an earlier post you made - it's going to look splendid. The gallery/balcony space is just made for hanging paintings.

I think the Noguchi table will work well, a bit of classic modernism can break up any "igent's library" associations. On that note - are you sure about the chesterfield sofa? Check out the Kubus series, designed by Hoffmann. Same funcion and comfort as a trad chesterfield, but slightly more modern-looking and less bulbuous. I think Wittmann makes the "originals" at about $12K for a three-seater, but the copyright has certainly expired, and I've seen some very good Kubus models from other makers.

The Kubus is my holy grail of sofas, so far I've missed out on two Wittmann Kubuses at auction, one by being too slow, and the other one went far beyond my budget and what's reasonable. We ended up with this "Vanity Fair" thing from Poltrona Frau (photo from the auction site):

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I like the chesterfield, but I'm not seeing the rug or the table.

I think the setting sets a tone that the piano works well with ( black or rosewood?). I would be tempted to put a black leather LC3 armchair on the right, with a Barcelona coffee table and a slim armed, metal leg sofa. Alternatively I think it's a nice space for an Eames Lounge and Ottoman if you want an iconic peice. I would face the sofa to the fireplace.

Awesome space Douglas.

Just my opinion...

 

[Arthur PE]

it's really not that big, in fact in your space (aside from the architectural style) it would be too small of scale imho
imo you'ld be better served by something larger and more style compatible


my home is a mid-century modern design built by a local architect for himself, my Noguchi (white ash) fits right in with a Jetsons atomic ranch theme, lol

your place is great, immense potential
buy carefully and slowly, no rush...sometimes people go overboard with too much stuff and it looks cluttered
quality > quantity

buy something, live with it, and then determine what fits next
you will make some bad choices (like clothes at the back of the closet) that you will re-do, it's 1/2 the fun, enjoy

Thanks to all for the varied and thoughtful advice. Lefty, I also appreciate your slightly contrarian point of view. Like ithasbeenandwillbematt, I've struggled a bit with this because I haven't always loved the Noguchi table but the more I look at it and the more I consider my space I really think the design works. Sounds like going for the real thing is the way to go though...

Decorating a new house is expensive enough without having to go whole-hog on everything. Oh, well.
Looks like these come up on Craigslist every once in a while - in fact there's one in NYC right now in the finish I want. Maybe that's a way to go cheap.
I guess now my only qualm is the size of the thing. I think I didn't realize until I laid it out in my space last night just how big the thing actually is. It's 3x4 feet! I'm sure it reads smaller on account of the glass but there are practical considerations here.
Thanks again to everyone who weighed in.

 

[veleta]

Original Noguchi table has the signature on the glass plus a medallion on the base with his initials. I read that reproductions often have trouble with breakage and I have just broken one belonging to a friend! Can anyone tell me the difference with how the original's glass is made vs a copy's?