Mira Nakashima
Conoid Dining Table, 1998

Material: American Black Walnut
Signed ‘Mira Nakashima 1998’

An exceptional example of a Conoid Dining Table by Mira Nakashima. The table features a free edged, book-matched American Black Walnut top, four rosewood butterflies joining the two top 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.