A designer and sculptor, Paul Evans was a wild card of late 20th century modernism. A leading light of the American Studio Furniture movement, Evans’s sideboards, credenzas, coffee tables and other work manifests a singular aesthetic sense, as well as a seemingly contradictory appreciation for both folk art forms and for new materials and technologies.
Evans’s primary material was metal, not wood, which was favored by his fellow studio designers, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, neighbors George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell. He trained in metallurgy and studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, the famed crucible of modern design and art in suburban Detroit. For a time early in his career, Evans also worked at Sturbridge Village, a historical “living museum” in Massachusetts, where he gave demonstrations as a costumed silversmith.
Evans’s earliest work unites these influences. The pieces that made his reputation are known as “sculpted-front” cabinets: wood cases faced with box-like high-relief patinated steel mounts laid out in a grid pattern. Each mount contains a metal emblem, or glyph, and the effect is that of a brawny quilt.
Evans’s later work falls into three distinct style groups. His sculpted-bronze pieces, begun in the mid-1960s, show Evans at his most expressive. He employed a technique in which resin is hand-shaped, and later sprayed with a metal coating, allowing for artistic nuance in the making of chairs, tables and case pieces. Later in the decade and into the 1970s, Evans produced his Argente series for celebrated manufacturer Directional (a brand known to vintage mid-century modern furniture collectors everywhere): consoles and other furniture forms that feature aluminum and pigment-infused metal surfaces welded into abstract organic forms and patterns.
Last, Evans's Cityscape design series — a milestone in the history of brutalist design — meshed perfectly with the sleek, “high tech” sensibility of the later ’70s. Evans constructed boxy forms and faced them with irregular mosaic patterns that mixed rectangular plaques of chromed steel, bronze or burlwood veneer. These, like all of Paul Evans’s designs, are both useful and eye-catching. But their appeal has another, more visceral quality: these pieces have clearly been touched by an artist’s hand.
Find a collection of authentic Paul Evans furniture today on 1stDibs.
Mixed Metal Patchwork Box by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Oxnard, CA
Here is a brutalist, mixed metal keep-sake box by Paul Evans, circa 1970s. It is constructed of patinated copper panels and lined with cork. The design features splashes of solder a...
Copper
Rare Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Resin Hinged Box
By Paul Evans
Located in Chicago, IL
Rare Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Resin Hinged Box From the collection of Dorsey Reading Material: Bronze resin, brass hinge, plastic-laminated interior Dimensions: 6.50" H × 11.50" W ...
Brass
Paul Evans Patchwork Studio Box, Copper Bronze Pewter, Signed, 1969
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Paul Evans Patchwork Studio Box, Copper Bronze Pewter, Signed, 1969. Large scale hinged patinated mixed metal textured box with painted red wood interior and lined with orange/yellow...
Bronze, Copper, Pewter
Brutalist Metal Patchwork Box with Insert Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Atlanta, GA
A cube form desktop box covered with patchwork copper by American artist and designer Paul Evans (1931-1987). The lidded box has a plastic insert box and was made as an ice box or a ...
Metal
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Paul Evans & Phillip Lloyd Powell Box for Designers Inc. USA, 1960's
By Paul Evans, Phillip Lloyd Powell
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Paul Evans & Phillip Lloyd Powell Box for Designers Inc. USA, 1960's
Pewter
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
Paul Evans Cityscape Keep Safe Box
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Chicago, IL
Paul Evans Cityscape Keep Safe Box, not many of these were produced, interior plastic laminite. Dimensions: 5" wide 5" deep 3" high
Steel
Tiffany Studios New York Zodiac Pattern Bronze Doré Box
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Arts & Crafts or Art Deco period gilt bronze "Zodiac" pattern desk box, decorative box, or jewelry box By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA...
Bronze
Jens Quistgaard Rosewood Box for Dansk, Denmark, c.1960
By Dansk, Jens Quistgaard
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Jens Quistgaard Lidded Rosewood Box for the Dansk Rare Wood Collection, Denmark, c.1960.
Wood
Brown Leather Box, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Elegant box wrapped in brown leather with a folded leather band as a handle 7.5x4x2
Leather
Fornasetti Enamel Metal Mahogany Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage decorative matches box with enamel metal portraying a hot air balloon and mahogany wood insert / designed by Piero Fornasetti, made in Italy in the 1960s Length: 4.5 inches /...
Metal
Patinated Brass Box, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Large brass patinated lidded box with highly stylized grooved edges. 8.5x7x2
Brass
Jewelry Safe Brushed Gold Brass
Located in Paris, FR
Jewelry safe vintage golded distinguishes itself following a new hyperluxury trend. Special compartments for jewelry and precious liquors, watch winde...
Gold Plate, Brass
$1,825
H 1.5 in W 8.25 in D 3.5 in
Vintage Art Deco Bronze, Silver Plate Hinged Box By Silvercrest Bronze Co., 30's
By Silver Crest Bronze
Located in North Miami, FL
This lovely, handsome vintage and well-made heavy box from Silver Crest Co. is hallmarked on the bottom genuine silver crest bronze SMA 518-36, 59....
Silver Plate, Bronze
$260,000
H 6.75 in W 17.5 in D 12.25 in
19th C. Gold, Damascene, Etched Steel Casket Box/Safe with Noble Coat of Arms
Located in New York, NY
An Incredible 19th Century Royal Casket Box/Safe with Coat of Arms, Made of Gold, Damascene, and Etched Steel. Charles Le Hon, a Belgian politician, lawyer and industrialist, served...
Gold, Steel
Agresti Privato Safe
By Agresti
Located in New York, NY
"Agresti 'Privato' safe for jewelry, available in three finishing options. See information below for details of finishing variations. Copper: Jewelry case in hammered copper finish s...
Steel
$3,900
H 3.55 in W 9.85 in D 6.7 in
Tiffany Studios Art Nouveau Bronze and Glass Paste Jewelry Box 1910
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Exceptional antique jewelry box attributed to Tiffany Studios, crafted in bronze and decorated with elegant glass paste in soft white and ochre tones. Made in New York, USA, around 1...
Bronze
Paul Evans Style Cityscape Mixed Metal Patchwork Chest
By Maitland Smith, Paul Evans
Located in Houston, TX
Paul Evans style cityscape mixed metal patchwork chest. Handsome Paul Evans style cityscape mixed metal patchwork chest, box, coffer or document box. ...
Metal
Fornasetti Enamel Metal Butterflies Box
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage decorative matches box with enamel metal portraying a butterflies on red background, and mahogany wood insert / made by Fornasetti in Milan Italy in the 1960s Length: 8 inche...
Metal
Iron strong box or safe. 19th century
Located in Madrid, ES
Safe box. Iron. XIX century. Rectangular safe made of iron, with a rectangular base, two handles on the sides and classicist-influenced molding decorations on the fronts and top. It...
Other, Iron
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 4.5 in W 5.5 in D 3.5 in
Late 19th Century, Bohemian Cranberry Overlay & Gilt Bronze Hinged Casket Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
Late 19th Century, Bohemian Cranberry Overlay & Gilt Bronze Hinged Casket Box A richly ornamented Bohemian casket box, dating to the latter half of the 19th century, of ovoid rectan...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York Bronze Greek key Trinket box
By Tiffany Studios
Located in Buffalo, NY
Tiffany Studios New York Bronze Greek key Trinket / cigar box ,,, cedar lined,, Wonderful little decorative item,, Amazing finish , patina, Signed but very difficult to read,,
Bronze
Paul Evans Studio Patchwork Hinged Box 1965
By Paul Evans
Located in Chicago, IL
Paul Evans Studio Patchwork Hinged Box 1965 Patinated copper with applied bronze and pewter throughout, Interior with original "Blue Antique" finish Dimensions: 7 h × 16 w × 8 d in P...
Brass, Bronze, Copper, Pewter
Paul Evans "Patchwork" Decorative Hinged Box in Etched Aluminum 1970
By Paul Evans
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rare "Patchwork" hinged box in etched aluminum with 3 compartments lined in cork by Paul Evans for C.C. Design, American 1970. Boxes like this were made in small numbers and this is...
Aluminum
Paul Evans Riveted Copper Clad Box
By Paul Evans
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A small copper clad box by Paul Evans Original felt bottom with stamped signature Original cork lined interior very nice.
Metal
Paul Evans Brutalist Patchwork Metal Cube Box
By Paul Evans
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Patinated copper, steel and brass handmade cube box created by Paul Evans (1931-1987). Box measures 5" high by 4.5" by 4.5". In very good vintage 1960s condition showing some stainin...
Metal
Sold
H 13 in W 13.25 in D 13.25 in
Paul Evans Cityscape Catch All Container Planter Box- Brass Steel Mirror 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your pleasure: Mid Century Modern Catch it All Cityscape Container Planter Box by Paul Evans, Directional, 1970s. Patchwork design in Brass with Stainless Steel Mirror. No label...
Brass, Stainless Steel
Paul Evans Patchwork Box
By Paul Evans
Located in San Diego, CA
Paul Evans patchwork hinged box with incredible Patina. A great example of Paul Evans hand tooled patchwork series, this box was originally a humidor b...
Metal
Paul Evans Lidded Box
By Paul Evans
Located in LAGUNA BEACH, CA
Patinated copper, steel and brass Signed with stamped distributor's mark to underside (C.C Design, Inc. Designed By Paul Evans) Dimensions: 13.25 x H 10 W x 10 D inches.
Brass, Copper, Steel
Brutalist Box by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist patchwork mixed metal box by Paul Evans. Copper, brass and pewter surface with hinged flip open top and mustard felt interior.
Brass, Copper, Pewter
Sold
H 9 in W 10 in D 10 in
Paul Evans Ice Box Executed in Hand Worked Copper Plates with Solder Splashes
By Paul Evans
Located in Stamford, CT
A Paul Evans ice box. Executed in hand worked copper plates with solder splashed Brutalist design. Purchased from a New Hope home.
Copper
Paul Evans Patch Work Keep-Sake Box
By Paul Evans
Located in Chicago, IL
Copper patches and splashes of solder, cork liner, sold with original Evans Card
Metal
Brutalist Ice Bucket by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Brutalist ice bucket by Paul Evans.
Sold
H 8.5 in W 16 in D 8.25 in
Paul Evans Patchwork Mixed Metals Hinged Brutalist-Like Monumental Box
By Paul Evans
Located in North Miami, FL
This sculptural Paul Evans box of mixed metals of brass and copper is in patchwork form. It is in monumental form and has brass hinged cover. The insid...
Patchwork Trinkets Box by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
A well executed and designed trinkets box by Paul Evans. The box is comprised of hammered sheets of mixed metal, copper, tin, steel. The metals are burnished and scratched revealing ...
