TOMMI PARZINGER
Evan Lobel
Tommi Parzinger, born in 1903, was a German furniture designer and painter. Born in Munich in 1903, he later moved to New York in 1932 escaping the rise of the Nazis and starting his first company in 1939. He had begun by designing for Manhattan style-setter Rena Rosenthal. He then became the head modern furniture designer for Charak Modern, a manufacturer known for its more traditional furniture before his tenure there. Parzinger’s pieces were a hit with designers and he later opened his own showroom, Parzinger Originals, on East 57th Street. His works were collected by famous clients, including Billy Baldwin, Marilyn Monroe, and a number of high-fashion New York families. Parzinger's works were elegant and very refined, both meticulously crafted and luxurious. Most of the pieces he created were studio made using costly, craft-intensive materials and techniques. His focus turned to Expressionist painting during the final 15 years of his life, no longer working on designing furniture. He died in 1981 leaving Parzinger Originals, his company, to his life and business partner Donald Cameron.