Mid-Century Modern Walnut "Rail Back" Sofa By Mel Smilow For Smilow-Thiell
This is a highly prized, American Mid-Century Modern "Rail Back" sofa (Model WFS 488) designed by Mel Smilow for Smilow-Thielle, circa the 1950s. Mel Smilow was celebrated for creating enduring, functional modernist furniture that prioritized clean lines, fine wood craftsmanship and geometric integrity. This hallmark piece showcases his absolute mastery of architectural forms, defined by a dramatic, cage-like backrest featuring a continuous row of elegant solid walnut dowels. The sculptural profile, tapered legs and low-slung silhouette perfectly epitomize the timeless, organic warmth of the mid-century American craft movement. The cushions are newly upholstered in buttercup yellow tweed. The final images display this historic sofa model in period. One of the archival photographs documents the Rail Back sofa positioned in front of the fireplace inside Mel Smilow's own custom modernist residence in the historic Usonia planned cooperative community in upstate New York. The sofa is newly upholstered and refinished.