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LAPIERRE MARKET

Warren Platner

Warren Platner (1919-2006) is an American architect and designer whose signature is carried by a single collection, but what a collection: the Platner Collection for Knoll (1966), a set of armchairs, chairs, and tables where the structure is made of over 1,000 nickeled steel rods welded in fan shape. No other 20th-century signature has such a specific and recognisable manufacturing process. The collection has been edited continuously by Knoll since 1966 — nearly 60 years of uninterrupted production. LAPIERRE sources, verifies, and restores vintage Knoll Platner pieces for the Paris market.

Cornell, Saarinen, Roche, and independence

Warren Platner was born in Baltimore in 1919, in an America still marked by the end of World War I. He studied architecture at Cornell School of Architecture, graduating in 1941. During World War II, he served in the US Army Air Force as a military architect, an experience that marked his rigour in construction and technical detail.

After the war, Platner worked successively with Raymond Loewy (1945-1950, American industrial designer), then Eero Saarinen (1950-1965). At Saarinen's, he was one of the principal designers on major architectural projects: TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport (1962), Bell Labs Holmdel (1962), Dulles terminal. This period at Saarinen's taught him total integration of design — building, furniture, signage, atmosphere.

After Saarinen's death in 1961, Platner stayed a year with his successor Kevin Roche, then founded in 1967 his own studio Warren Platner Associates in New Haven. He would remain there until retirement.

The Platner Collection (1966)

The Platner collection emerges from a technical observation: Platner sought to create an armchair whose structure would be visible but should not be perceived as a cage. The solution: a cage made of elements so fine and numerous that they become a vibrating mass, almost a matter more than a structure. The process: take hundreds of 6 mm diameter steel rods, curve them according to a precise fan, weld them by hand to two bases (top and bottom).

Each piece of the Platner Collection requires several hours of manual welding. It is an expensive process, which partly explains the price of the collection in contemporary edition (a new Knoll Studio Lounge Chair costs 9,000-12,000 EUR). But the visual result is unique — the structure is at once visible and impalpable, technical and organic.

The collection includes:

  • Platner Lounge Chair — Wide armchair, nickeled fan structure, enveloping leather or fabric cushion.
  • Platner Side Chair — Tall chair, fan structure, firm backrest.
  • Platner Stool — Low stool, short version of the Lounge.
  • Platner Coffee Table — Coffee table, fan structure, round or rectangular glass top.
  • Platner Dining Table — Dining table, fan structure, glass or marble top.
  • Platner Side Table — Small side table.

Recognising the authentic

An authentic Platner presents:

  • Over 1,000 nickeled steel rods welded in regular fan (count approximately, must not be below 800)
  • Knoll Studio marking + serial number + Platner signature engraved on metal base
  • Deep polished nickel (reissues have more uniform but less thick nickel)
  • Cushions covered in original Knoll leather or fabric, signed inside

Non-Knoll copies present:

  • Fewer rods (often 500-700, less dense structure)
  • Visible coarse industrial welds
  • No Knoll marking
  • Generic unsigned cushions

Market and prices

  • Vintage Platner Lounge Chair 1966-1995: 4,500-8,500 EUR.
  • Vintage Platner Side Chair: 1,500-3,500 EUR (sets of 4 or 6 more expensive).
  • Vintage Platner Coffee Table glass top: 3,500-6,500 EUR.
  • Vintage Platner Coffee Table marble top: 5,000-9,000 EUR.
  • Vintage Platner Dining Table: 6,000-15,000 EUR depending on top and size.

The market has consolidated since 2015, with continuous appreciation.

LAPIERRE process for this signature

Sourcing primarily in the United States (East Coast, renovated 1960s-80s corporate headquarters and residences) and secondarily in Europe via Knoll International Italy. Systematic authentication via Knoll marking, nickel quality, rod counting, and engraved Platner signature. Limited restoration: nickel cleaning, re-polishing for surface scratches, recovering cushions only if degraded beyond presentable. Original cushions preserved except in case of accident.

Request a search

If you're looking for a specific Platner piece (vintage Lounge Chair, marble Coffee Table, Dining ensemble), contact us.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who was Warren Platner?
Warren Platner (1919-2006) was an American architect and designer born in Baltimore and died in Guilford (Connecticut). Cornell School of Architecture graduate in 1941, he successively worked with Raymond Loewy, Eero Saarinen (on TWA stations and Bell Labs Holmdel), and Kevin Roche, before founding Warren Platner Associates in 1967. His Platner Collection for Knoll (1966) — chairs, armchairs, stools, and tables built from steel rods welded in fan shape, nickeled — embodies modernist American luxury of the late 1960s. His architectural work includes integrated design of Windows on the World restaurants atop the World Trade Center (1976, destroyed in 2001).
How do I authenticate a Platner armchair?
The Platner Collection has been edited exclusively by Knoll since 1966. An authentic piece presents: structure of over 1,000 nickeled steel rods welded in fan shape (specific process developed for the collection — each piece requires several hours of manual welding), Knoll Studio marking + serial number + Platner signature engraved on the base. Copies use a smaller number of rods, more industrial coarse welds, and have no Knoll marking. The weight — about 25 kg for a Platner Lounge Chair — is an additional indicator (copies, lighter, rarely exceed 15 kg).
Which Warren Platner pieces do you source?
Our sourcing favours authenticated Knoll editions: Platner Lounge Chair (1966, wide armchair with nickeled fan structure and fabric/leather cushion), Platner Side Chair (1966, taller chair), Platner Coffee Table (1966, low table with glass top, fan structure), Platner Dining Table (1966, dining table with marble or glass top). Vintage pieces 1966-1990 (Knoll International) are the most collectable — deeper nickel finishes, original welds. Coherent ensembles (pair of armchairs + coffee table, or dining table + chairs) add 30-40% premium.
Vintage Platner vs Knoll reissue — what's the difference?
Knoll edits the Platner Collection continuously since 1966 under exclusive licence. Vintage pieces 1966-1995 (Knoll International, period when the collection was manufactured in the United States and Italy) feature a more polished and thicker nickel finish than current reissues, and an identical number of welded rods but with handmade welds of the era. Current reissues (Knoll Studio) maintain the plans with semi-industrialised manufacturing. A vintage Platner Lounge Chair in good condition positions between 4,500 and 8,500 EUR, compared to 9,000+ EUR for an equivalent new reissue.
How much does a vintage Platner Coffee Table cost?
The Platner Coffee Table (1966) is one of the most collectable coffee tables of the 20th century. A Knoll vintage piece 1966-1995 in good condition (deep nickel, original glass top), positions between 3,500 and 6,500 EUR. Editions with rare marble top (e.g. white Carrara or black marble) reach 5,000-9,000 EUR. Current reissues: 6,000-9,500 EUR. The vintage Platner market has consolidated since 2015, with continuous appreciation. A revision (nickel cleaning, glass top polishing) is systematically performed before delivery.
How is a Platner piece delivered?
Platner pieces are heavy (25 kg for a Lounge Chair, 50+ kg for a Dining Table with marble top). The fan structure is delicate — each rod is individually welded and a lateral impact can misalign the whole. Wooden crate or triple cardboard packaging with precision foam for the structure. Glass or marble tops ship separately, in custom wooden crate. For Paris and Île-de-France, 2-person delivery with assembly. For France and Europe, specialised carrier. Typical delays: 7 to 14 days.