Conoid chair c. 1960

This is a Conoid chair by the woodworker George Nakashima. It's made from American black walnut, using hand-carving techniques and traditional joinery. Nakashima was deeply committed to revealing the inherent beauty of wood. He sourced timber carefully, selecting pieces with striking grain patterns and natural imperfections like knots and burls. His process involved a deep understanding of the material, allowing him to highlight these features in the finished piece. Notice how the seat is made from a single plank, shaped to fit the body, with a live edge to the front. The chair’s design, with its angled lines and exposed joinery, reflects Nakashima’s synthesis of Japanese and Western design principles. Trained as an architect at MIT, Nakashima turned away from industrial production, and his work embodies a reverence for the natural world, and a belief in the spiritual quality of handmade objects. The Conoid chair exemplifies how craft can transcend mere functionality, becoming a vehicle for artistic expression and cultural meaning.