While he may not be as well known as the designers who influenced him, master woodworker Michael Coffey creates tables, case pieces and other hand-carved furnishings that are wholly sculptural and characterized by striking, unexpected forms — they’re provocative statement pieces in any interior.
Born in 1928 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — where like-minded designers Paul Evans, George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell shared a studio — Coffey loved working with his hands as a child. However, a sense of youthful idealism led him to pursue a master’s degree in social group work before he endeavored to design on a full-time basis. It wasn't until 1966, at the age of 38, that he started teaching himself woodworking. Coffey was inspired by innovative artisans in the furniture-making field such as Nakashima, Wharton Esherick and Wendell Castle, all of whom are credited as pioneers in the world of art furniture.
In 1972, Coffey earned his first major design commission in the form of a collection for Directional Furniture, a manufacturer that forged an enduring partnership with Paul Evans and a favorite brand of mid-century modern enthusiasts. He continued to collaborate with Directional, working in mahogany and rare Mozambique woods, and integrating abstract carving motifs in his cabinet fronts and table pedestals. Soon afterward, Coffey established a woodworking school and apprenticeships at his Vermont farm. In 1986, he moved to Massachusetts, and, in 1991, he founded a second woodworking school, this one much larger.
Coffey sold his successful Massachusetts school to his staff in 1997 in order to focus on his furniture, as his reputation and client base had grown considerably. His profile reached greater heights in 2003, when a rocking chair called Aphrodite that Coffey had designed more than two decades earlier sold at auction for nearly $50,000. The sale sparked the interest of buyers and collectors worldwide and resulted in a slew of new commissions. Today Coffey continues to make sculptural furniture with a team of woodworkers in his Massachusetts studio.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Michael Coffey tables, seating, bookcases and more.
Michael Coffey, "Megalith, " Round Coffee Table, United States, 2017
By Michael Coffey
Located in New York, NY
This sculptural table is carved into a flowing arrangement from solid, three and a half inch walnut, and features double doors that open up onto an interior cabinet with a revolving ...
Glass, Walnut
Aline Hazarian, Arpi Red, Circular Coffee Table, Bronze & Wood, Lebanon, 2021
By Aline Hazarian
Located in New York, NY
With its monumental legs supporting an equally dominating tabletop, this table’s forms and materiality hearken back to a time when the elemental reigned. The generously sized tableto...
Bronze
Carol Egan, Sculptural Hand-Carved Walnut Coffee Table, USA, 2013
By Carol Egan
Located in New York, NY
This sculptural hand-carved table is part of a line of contemporary furniture designed by blending digital technology with fine traditional craftsmanship. Carved of walnut, the piece...
Walnut
Michael Coffey Studio , Satan's Tongue, Side Table, United States, Designed 1982
By Michael Coffey
Located in New York, NY
Michael Coffey blurred the line between carpenter and sculptor. A self-taught master with a career of over sixty years, Coffey consistently broke the boundaries of style and functionality in the decorative arts. Born and raised in New York City, Coffey initially served as a social worker before pursuing art seriously in 1972. He taught himself theory and practice, and took inspiration from icons like Wendell Castle, Walker Reed, George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, and others. In 1978, Coffey first presented his Aphrodite rocking chair, a monumental curved wood form that excited the market and launched his reputation for creativity and skill on a grand scale. That piece, like all of his work, stresses the relationship shared by people with their furniture. Coffey considered himself an artist, but drew a distinction between impersonal visual arts and furnishings. It was important for him that his creations be used. For Coffey, defying expectations has been an important aspect of producing work. Eschewing symmetry in his designs, he preferred to carve hollows and rounded shapes which people can fill. To Coffey’s eye, a piece which is perfectly symmetrical is overly “quiet,” and does nothing to arouse questions or feelings in the mind of the viewer. Michael Coffey passed away in 2024. His works are in museum and private collections worldwide, and his legacy in the annals of American studio craft furniture...
Wood, Padouk
Jean-Luc Le Mounier, Moon, Bronze & Oak Round Coffee Table, France, 2021
By Jean-Luc Le Mounier
Located in New York, NY
Breton artist Jean-Luc Le Mounier’s Moon table is as extraordinary for its bold evocation of an idea, as its precise and expert execution. This particul...
Bronze
Sandra Nunnerley, Aurora, Contemporary Coffee Table, United States, 2021
By Sandra Nunnerley
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by the beauty of the sun’s various interactions with its surrounding environments , the Aurora coffee table is characterized by the visual and material interaction of its li...
Bronze
Artistic Round Coffee Table Solace 46: Unique Design in Solid Walnut
By Joel Escalona
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Coffee Table Made of Solid Wood, Center Table Solace S46 by Joel Escalona The Solace table series, designed by Joel Escalona, is a furniture collection that exudes balan...
Hardwood
Designer Round Coffee Table Solace 33: Organic Shapes in Solid Wood
By Joel Escalona
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Coffee Table Made of Solid Wood, Center Table Solace S33 by Joel Escalona The Solace table series, designed by Joel Escalona, is a furniture collection that exudes balan...
Hardwood
Joel Escalona's Round Coffee Table Solace 50: Solid Parota Wood
By Joel Escalona
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Coffee Table Made of Solid Wood, Center Table Solace S50 by Joel Escalona The Solace table series, designed by Joel Escalona, is a furniture collection that exudes bal...
Hardwood
Arc Round Coffee Table by Ana Volante Studio
By Ana Volante
Located in Geneve, CH
Arc round coffee table by Ana Volante Studio The Moon Collection Dimensions: Ø 90 x H 75 cm Materials: Oakwood, rose wood, stainless steel and brass Ana Volante, founder of Ana Volante Studio, is a Venezuelan designer specialized in interior environments, furniture design and art proposals. Ana grew up admiring her grandfather’s painting...
Brass, Steel
Circular Table Top Solace 48: Solid Walnut, Organic Shape
By Joel Escalona
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Coffee Table Made of Solid Wood, Center Table Solace S48 by Joel Escalona The Solace table series, designed by Joel Escalona, is a furniture collection that exudes bala...
Hardwood
Unique Circular Table Solace 41: Artisan Craftsmanship in Solid Walnut
By Joel Escalona
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Coffee Table Made of Solid Wood, Center Table Solace S41 by Joel Escalona The Solace table series, designed by Joel Escalona, is a furniture collection that exudes balan...
Hardwood
Drawing on both artistry and clever engineering, the master craftsman imbues his pieces with movement and drama.
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