7ft Conoid Dining Table

George Nakashima
7ft Conoid Dining Table, 1980-1981

Dimensions:
84 × 42.75 × 28.5 in (W x D x H)
213.36 x 108.59 x 72.39 cm

Material: American Black Walnut, Rosewood

A 1980-81 Conoid Dining Table by George Nakashima. The table features free edges along its length, four Rosewood butterflies joining the two top American Black Walnut slabs, and the iconic Conoid Table base.

“The Conoid Dining Table reflects the same angle as the Chairs, with two heavy angled uprights lightened by a narrow waist, joined by a single rectangular stretcher on the floor and supported laterally by two sets of feet similar to the Conoid Chairs. Because of its sculptural simplicity, it effectively sets off the large, heavy, single-board plank table-tops that become available during this time and thereafter” (‘Nature, Form, and Spirit’, Mira Nakashima, 2003, p. 174).

Introduced in 1961, the Conoid line was inspired by the curved vault and outward-facing, lyrical space of the Conoid Studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania, where Nakashima worked. The name reflects Nakashima’s architectural background and interest in geometric forms. The distinctive supports of the Conoid Studio are evocative of the architectural structure of a conoid.

The Conoid table is notable for its distinct, modernist design. The tabletop features a free-edge, the natural contours of the tree from which the wood was created. This detail highlights Nakashima’s deep respect for the natural forms of the tree and his desire to maintain the inherent beauty of the wood.

A key feature of many Nakashima designs is the use of butterfly joints, alternatively known as bow-ties. These joints serve a dual purpose—they add a unique aesthetic dimension while also performing a practical function. They are used to join pieces of wood together and to stop cracks from spreading. In doing so, they not only let Nakashima incorporate the tree’s most dramatic elements without compromising the structural soundness of his work but also bolstered his design methodology.

George Nakashima was born in Spokane, Washington in 1905 to Japanese parents who had immigrated to the United States. Educated and trained as an architect at the University of Washington, Nakashima received his Master’s degree in Architecture from M.I.T. in 1930. After working briefly as an architect in the United States he left for Paris seeking the creative energies of one of the great urban centers of the day. From there he traveled extensively, ending up at the home of his grandmother, living on a farm on the outskirts of Tokyo.