Vintage 1970s Minimalist Modern Frank Lowen for Tessa T4 Teak and Glass Square Side Table or Coffee Table

Minimalist Tessa T4 Minimalist square side table designed by Fred Lowen. The vintage 1970s side table features a 3/8″ thick smoked glass rectangular top with rounded corners. The rounded corners are both elegant and easy on the shins. The post Modern coffee table rests on a U-shaped teak frame. The low profile square table is versatile, use it as a coffee table or end table. Tessa was established by Fred Lowen and his brother in 1968 after Fler was bought out. Tessa became the vehicle for some of Lowen’s greatest designs which remained in production until June 2019. Lowen retired from Tessa in the mid-1980s.

 Condition: The glass has some chips D

Total dimensions:

Width: 30 in (76.2 cm)

Depth: 30 in (76.2 cm)

Height: 12.75 in (32.39 cm)Glass: 30 Wide x 30 Deep x 3/8” thick

Base: 26 3/8” Wide x 25 5/8” Deep x 12 3/8” High 

This set is from a long running successful Australian furniture design company which garnered several Australian design awards and became a household name. Established by Fred Lowen in the late 1960s Tessa made use of Australian timbers, engineered timbers and incorporated contemporary design trends in their furniture designs. Tessa was an ambitious endeavor, scaling up production on demand, displacing smaller furniture manufacturers and exploiting export markets. Their heyday coincides with Fred Lowen’s stewardship and a frenzy of award winning design output from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. From its inception Tessa invested heavily in the tools and the people to produce goods of a superior build and finish. They also sourced the most productive partners to fabricate components beyond their means either technically or resource wise – in the process supporting other Australian industry.

In 1946 Fred Lowen (FL) set up a partnership with Ernest Rodeck (ER) – FLER. Lowen was supported in this early endeavour in 1948 when Fred Ward (Myer’s staff furniture designer at the time) designed a wooden dining chair suitable for production in the Fler facility. An introduction to Lou Newton the furniture buyer for Myer completed the picture and Fler received an opening order for 500 chairs. The Fler SC55 from 1955 was the next big break with several interstate manufacturers licensed to produce them as well.