Known to collectors for his strict adherence to quality with respect to the furniture he manufactured or imported for sale, designer and entrepreneur Maurice Villency brought the highest standards of excellence into his stores. He created and built his own furniture in a loft studio in Manhattan and eventually opened a handful of retail outlets in the New York metro area that offered sleek and stylish furnishings from all over the world.
Villency is among the small business owners that helped introduce the Scandinavian modern style to the United States during the postwar era, when tastemakers really sold Americans on the earthier, homier aspects of Scandinavian design.
Villency also imported pieces from French, Italian and Belgian designers and proudly promoted their fine wares in the showrooms of his four stores. Additional Villency family-owned stores were eventually established and traded under the name Preferred Seating.
Villency was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His father was a cabinetmaker, and when he was 15, his family moved to the U.S. and settled in New York State. At 19, Villency moved to New York City and began working for the Pullman Couch Company.
Villency showed great skill in his work, quickly becoming the plant manager — and later head designer – for the furniture company. In the early 1930s, Pullman moved their entire operations to Chicago, and Villency chose to stay behind. Determined to follow his own path, Villency opened a workshop on 8th Street in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood and found increasing success.
Like the Danish cabinetmakers he so admired, Villency designed chairs and other pieces and worked with fine woods such as teak, a sought-after material among mid-century modern designers. Early on, he made an impression with a sectional sofa he designed, and he would later tout the versatile appeal of sectional sofas and other modular furniture in full-page print ads for his retail locations. On a good day, a prospective buyer could stroll into Maurice Villency and find designs by French brand Roche Bobois, Danish manufacturer Farsø Stolefabrik, American modernist Milo Baughman and more.
Maurice’s company eventually came to be called Villency Design Group and today, his grandson Eric Villency — who works in product design, interiors and more — is CEO.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Maurice Villency tables, storage pieces and seating.
Iconic Mid Century Desk by John Van Koert for Drexel c. 1960's
By John Van Koert, Drexel
Located in New York, NY
Classic Mid Century desk, designed by John Van Koert for Drexel, circa 1960's. This stylish desk features a two tier top, the upper section having two sliding doors, that open to rev...
Leather, Wood
Mid Century Desk Attributed to Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in New York, NY
Stylish Mid Century, architectural desk, nicely refinished, clean and ready to use condition. The desk features a single bank of three drawers, each with a lip form handle, which h...
Wood
Mid Century Saarinen for Johnson Furniture Drop Side Desk c. 1950's
By John Stuart Inc., Eero Saarinen
Located in New York, NY
Chic mid century desk designed by Eero Saarinen for the John Stuart Furniture Company, circa 1950's. This stylish desk features a rectangular top, with a drop side leaf, which can b...
Aluminum
John Van Koert Drexel Profile Desk Vanity with Original Chair c 1950's
By Drexel, John Van Koert
Located in New York, NY
Classic American Mid Century Modern writing desk / vanity designed by John Van Koert for Drexel as part of the sought after Profile series, circa later 1950's. The desk features one ...
Metal
Mid Century Danish Modern Rosewood Secretary Desk by Toften c. 1950's
By Mobelfabrikken Toften
Located in New York, NY
Stunning Mid Century Danish Modern secretary desk, executed in vibrant rosewood veneer. This exceptional piece features a lower section which has three deep drawers, over which is a ...
Mirror, Rosewood
1950's Mid Century Desk and Chair Conant Ball Modern Mates by Leslie Diamond
By Conant Ball, Leslie Diamond
Located in New York, NY
Architectural Mid Century desk, with original chair, designed by Leslie Diamond, for Conant Ball, as part of their hugely successful Mod...
Wood
Maurice Villency Style Mid Century Teak Desk with Bookcase Front
By Maurice Villency
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Maurice Villency Style Mid Century Teak Desk with Bookcase Front The desk measures: 52.5 wide x 26.25 deep x 28.75 high, with a chair clearan...
Teak
Mid Century Danish Modern Teak Desk by G.V. Møbler, 1960s
By G.V. Møbler
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Danish modern G.V. Møbler teak desk boasts a striking floating top with three dovetail drawers on the left and a deep file drawer on the r...
Birch, Teak
Mid-Century Danish Teak Desk by Arne Vodder for H.P. Hansen
By H.P. Hansen, Arne Vodder
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An exceptional example of Danish Modern design, this stunning teak desk was designed by renowned Danish designer Arne Vodder for H.P. Hansen. Celebrated for his ability to combine el...
Teak
Mid-Century Modern Desk by Arne Vodder, 1960s
By Arne Vodder
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Desk by Arne Vodder, 1960s
Wood
Denmark 1960’s Mid-Century Modern Writing Desk Attributed to Arne Vodder
By Arne Vodder
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Wonderful Danish writing desk original from the 1960’s. This is an attributed to Arne Vodder, it has no label or sign. This desk has enough space for storage, it has two drawers and ...
Teak
Danish Modern Teak Executive Desk with Bookcase, 1960s
Located in North Hollywood, CA
This Danish modern teak executive desk embodies the thoughtful craftsmanship and functionality that made Scandinavian furniture of the 1960s so enduring. Beautifully constructed in D...
Brass
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
If anyone is brave, humble and adept enough to recolor these mid-century masterpieces, it’s Ilse Crawford. Here, she gives us the details on her five earthy paint choices and tells us how she feels about design collaborations.
