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Handcrafted Nakashima Studio Table in English Walnut & Black Walnut
This exceptional Mira Nakashima “Minguren I” Coffee Table (1997) represents the enduring legacy of Nakashima Studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania — a direct continuation of the celebrated Studio Craft tradition founded by George Nakashima and carried forward by his daughter, master woodworker Mira Nakashima (American, b. 1942).
Handmade from a single free-form English walnut slab and supported by a sculptural black walnut Minguren pedestal base, this table exemplifies the poetic harmony between nature, craftsmanship, and architectural form that defines Nakashima furniture.
The tabletop features a dramatic, highly figured walnut slab with a single Rosewood butterfly key, chamfered and shaved live edges, and fine hand-chiseled enrichments — hallmarks of authentic Nakashima Studio work. The intersecting trestle-style base anchors the form visually and structurally, elevating the organic slab while allowing the wood’s natural character to take center stage.
Provenance & Authentication
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Commissioned directly from Nakashima Studio, New Hope, Pennsylvania
Original owner: Mercedes Buhain, Potomac, Maryland
Order No. 97-III-10 | Purchase Order No. 375012 -
Completed and shipped December 1997
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Later acquired through Sloans & Kenyon, Bethesda, Maryland (2009)
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Private collection, New Orleans, Louisiana
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Authenticated by the Nakashima Foundation for Peace (2025)
This piece is sold with digital copies of the original handwritten purchase order and final typed studio order, offering full historical documentation and chain-of-ownership — a rare and highly desirable feature for collectors.
Why Collectors Value the Minguren Series
The Minguren series is one of Nakashima Studio’s most celebrated forms — known for:
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single-board slab construction
-
sensitive respect for natural grain and live edges
-
sculptural yet architectural base design
-
handcrafted joinery and keyed reinforcements
Each Minguren table is unique, designed in response to the specific slab selected by the studio. This 1997 example captures the refined elegance and meditative presence that define investment-grade Nakashima Studio furniture.
-
Handcrafted Nakashima Studio Table in English Walnut & Black Walnut
This exceptional Mira Nakashima “Minguren I” Coffee Table (1997) represents the enduring legacy of Nakashima Studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania — a direct continuation of the celebrated Studio Craft tradition founded by George Nakashima and carried forward by his daughter, master woodworker Mira Nakashima (American, b. 1942).
Handmade from a single free-form English walnut slab and supported by a sculptural black walnut Minguren pedestal base, this table exemplifies the poetic harmony between nature, craftsmanship, and architectural form that defines Nakashima furniture.
The tabletop features a dramatic, highly figured walnut slab with a single Rosewood butterfly key, chamfered and shaved live edges, and fine hand-chiseled enrichments — hallmarks of authentic Nakashima Studio work. The intersecting trestle-style base anchors the form visually and structurally, elevating the organic slab while allowing the wood’s natural character to take center stage.
Provenance & Authentication
-
Commissioned directly from Nakashima Studio, New Hope, Pennsylvania
Original owner: Mercedes Buhain, Potomac, Maryland
Order No. 97-III-10 | Purchase Order No. 375012 -
Completed and shipped December 1997
-
Later acquired through Sloans & Kenyon, Bethesda, Maryland (2009)
-
Private collection, New Orleans, Louisiana
-
Authenticated by the Nakashima Foundation for Peace (2025)
This piece is sold with digital copies of the original handwritten purchase order and final typed studio order, offering full historical documentation and chain-of-ownership — a rare and highly desirable feature for collectors.
Why Collectors Value the Minguren Series
The Minguren series is one of Nakashima Studio’s most celebrated forms — known for:
-
single-board slab construction
-
sensitive respect for natural grain and live edges
-
sculptural yet architectural base design
-
handcrafted joinery and keyed reinforcements
Each Minguren table is unique, designed in response to the specific slab selected by the studio. This 1997 example captures the refined elegance and meditative presence that define investment-grade Nakashima Studio furniture.
See why our clients trust Hobbs Modern:
Wood Care
Keep the furniture in a cool, dry place
Avoid furniture's direct exposure to rain, sun or wind
Avoid placing hot objects directly on the piece to prevent undesirable marks or permanent circles.
Avoid placing objects that may cause scratches to the surface
Clean using water only in small quantities and apply it with soft, damp cloth
After damp cloth wipe with a soft, dry cloth
You can use other liquids that are especially for cleaning wood furniture. Take into account the type of wood and follow the manufacturer's instructions
Upholstery Care
Do not expose directly to sunlight to provide greater durability colors
Exchange both side pads, the seat and backrest, to obtain uniform wear
Shake the cushions regularly to remove dust and to maintain the stability of the form
Clean regularly with a vacuum cleaner in good condition
Use a textile fabric cleaning substance according to and following the manufacturer's instructions
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