Irving Harper is mostly known to design insiders as the man-behind-the-man, working alongside Gilbert Rohde, Raymond Loewy and George Nelson during some of the celebrity designer’s most significant years, where he created graphics (including Herman Miller’s well known logo), textiles, furniture, clocks and more. Few are aware of his significant legacy, epitomized by the “Marshmallow Sofa” (1956) and “Ball Clock” (1949).
Harper began paper sculpting in 1964 as a method of relieving stress while working on the impressive Chrysler Pavilion for the New York World’s Fair. Since then he has created about 500 pieces which fill almost every nook and cranny of his home. Watch the excellent video below (part of Herman Miller’s Why Design series) for more insight into this living legend.
