By MONIKA BIEGLER EYERS
WHILE MOST OF MIAMI'S architectural gems can be viewed along South Beach's fabled avenues, many of its secret treasures of midcentury design are stored within two nondescript strip malls in the city's less flashy Northeast corridor—an area gaining popularity thanks to nearby MiMo's (Miami Modern) recent designation as a historic district.
The two shopping Meccas—Antiques Plaza and 20th Century Row—are ripe for "pickers" and savvy dealers of Miami Modern furnishings from the 1940s, '50s and '60s that flood the area. Both close to MiMo, Antiques Plaza is a series of pell-mell boutiques within a faux-Mediterranean compound, while 20th Century Row is a deceptively humdrum looking strip of shops surrounding the Museum of Contemporary Art.
A Sampling of Miami Finds
Milo Baughman Barrel Back Armchair, 1970s
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Don't judge them by their facades. With many of the dealers on both strips listed on that sentinel of authenticity—1stdibs.com—the shops here are the real deal. "They're the first stop for antiques, directly from the source, before they find their way into the way more expensive shops of New York, Los Angeles, even London," said Jonathan Adler, the home furnishings designer and a devotee of the district.
With a wealth of estate sales in the area and lower commercial rents on their side, these dealers can afford to sell their finds for less than their big-city counterparts.
Take a pair of Milo Baughman glass-and-chrome étagères: At press time, the set was selling for $5,700 in Miami, as compared to $8,650 in New York. Similarly, a pair of T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings chests were selling for $9,800 at Joseph Anfuso on 20th Century Row, and $12,000 in Los Angeles. A New York dealer had them priced at $15,900.
Variety is another big draw. Said designer Kelly Wearstler, "The selection has been curated from so many different eyes, it's a fresh change from the pieces you see in New York or L.A."
With countless retailers hawking "re-editions" these days, why not hunt down an original instead at a vacation-friendly port of call?
—Monika Biegler Eyers
The Designers You're Likely to Come Across
Gio Ponti (Italian, 1891-1979). The co-founder of Domus magazine is often hailed as the father of modern Italian design, conceiving homewares for Richard Ginori, Krups, Venini and Fontana Arte. Iconic pieces for Cassina include the Distex lounge chair and the Superleggera chair.
Jacques Adnet (French, 1900-84). The Art Deco pioneer was considered a paragon of French Modernism, perhaps best known for wrapping everything from bar carts to daybeds in stitched leather, including a line for Hermès in the 1950s.
Tommi Parzinger (German, 1903-81). The designer is hailed for his glamorous yet refined pieces, like lacquered cabinets embellished with ornamental hardware. Works from 1953 onward are stamped "Parzinger Originals" to distinguish them from imitators.
T. H. (Terrence Howard) Robsjohn-Gibbings (English, 1905-76). Renowned for his modern interpretations of historical design, the furniture-maker won the American Institute of Interior Design's coveted Elsie de Wolfe Award in 1962 following the production of his graceful Klismos chair.
Swan Back Sofa by Vladimir Kagan, 1950s, $12,000, Stripe
Paul McCobb (American, 1917-69). The designer's Planner Group series for Winchendon (1949-1964) swept through mainstream American homes, featuring a modernized version of the Windsor chair and a birch credenza with sliding grass-cloth doors.
Milo Baughman (American, 1923-2003). The California Modern movement stalwart was celebrated as a walnut-and-birch man in the '40s and '50s. With Thayer Coggin, he designed a now-classic steel-framed leather lounge chair in the '60s.
Vladimir Kagan (German, born 1927). Famous for his circa-1950 Serpentine sofa, the designer went more linear in the '60s. In 2002, at age 85, he received a Modernism Lifetime Achievement Award from the Brooklyn Museum of Art. His current work remains influential.
Paul Evans (American, 1931-87). Lauded for rough-hewn casegoods in welded metal and wood, from 1955-1964. His debut collection for Directional in the '60s sold out in one week. His later Cityscape series exudes a more streamlined aesthetic.
WHERE TO FIND THE DEALS
20th Century Row
The Row sprawl is located on N.E. 125th Street, between N.E. Seventh and N.E. Ninth avenues. Numbered addresses refer to shop locations along N.E. 125th Street.
Gustavo Olivieri Antiques. No. 750; gustavoolivieriantiques.com. Look for: Baughman, Evans, McCobb, Parzinger, Ponti, Robsjohn-Gibbings
Vermillion 20th Century Furnishings . No. 765; galleryvermillion.com . Look for: Baughman, Evans, Kagan, Ponti, Robsjohn-Gibbings
Stripe. No. 799; stripe.1stdibs.com. Look for: Baughman, Evans, Kagan, McCobb, Parzinger
Galleria d'Epoca. No. 800; galleriadepoca.com. Look for: Adnet, Baughman, Paul Evans, Kagan, McCobb, Gio Ponti
Joseph Anfuso 20th Century Design. No. 815; josephanfuso20thcenturydesign.1stdibs.com . Look for: Baughman, Kagan, Robsjohn-Gibbings
Gary Rubenstein. No. 859; garyrubinsteinantiques.com. Look for: Baughman, Evans, Kagan, McCobb, Parzinger, Ponti, Robsjohn-Gibbings
Marc Corbin. No. 875; 305-899-2509. Look for: Evans
Antiques Plaza
The Plaza is located at 8650 Biscayne Blvd. Numbered addresses here refer to shop locations within the strip mall.
M.A.D.E. by Robert Massello Antiques. No. 1; robertmasselloantiques.1stdibs.com. Look for: Evans, Parzinger
Modern Epic Antiques. No. 4; modernepicantiques.1stdibs.com. Look for: Baughman, Kagan, Robsjohn-Gibbings
Iconic Design. No. 6-7; 305-606-7757. Look for: Baughman, Evans, Ponti
Michel Contessa . No. 8; michelcontessa.com.Look for: Adnet, Robsjohn-Gibbings, Evans
