George Nakashima’s Exquisite ‘Slab’ Coffee Table

This George Nakashima American black walnut “Slab” Coffee Table with four East Indian rosewood butterfly keys was created in 1963, just after the publication of Nakashima’s manifesto. In his manifesto, Nakashima proclaimed “In proportion to the flood of consumer goods, we are probably at one of the lowest ebbs of design excellence the world has seen. It requires a genuine fight to produce one well-designed object of relatively permanent value.” A perfect example of such perfect design with lasting impact, the elegant silhouette of this table offers visual impact that far surpasses its refined proportions.