Irving Harper: Works in Paper

An intimate monograph of the professional and personal creations of a mid-century design legend. Irving Harper is the most famous designer you've never heard of. Working as an associate in George Nelson's office in the 1950s and 1960s, Harper was responsible for mid-century design icons such as the Marshmallow Sofa, the Ball Clock, and numerous Herman Miller textile designs. Harper's unacknowledged contribution to this pivotal era of design and his incredible paper sculptures (made in his spare time to "relieve stress") are presented for the first time in this book. An essay by design critic Julie Lasky introduces Harper's commercial design work, recognizable designs, from graphics to household items and furniture that are still coveted and appreciated today, designed for the offices of Raymond Loewy, George Nelson, and later his own studio Harper + George.

The second part of the book documents Harper's extensive paper sculptures, which have never been exhibited. More than three hundred works fill Harper's house and barn in Rye, New York, where this array of fantastic animal and human sculptures were created from modest and inexpensive materials as diverse as spaghetti and toothpicks, in addition to paper. Images of Harper's home, filled with furniture and objects of his own design, as well as his paper sculptures, offer a rare glimpse into a paradise for modern design enthusiasts. They offer an insight into an important era of American design, as well as the prolific output of one creative. Please note, this book promises to be the first to acknowledge Irving Harper's contribution to this field and will appeal to fans of modern design.