The Mid-Century/Danish thread

[Sam Cogley]

One of these sort of got going in John's "matching gear and decor" thread, but it seems more appropriate to have a separate thread going. Who is into mid-century modern furnishings? Post pics of your cool retro stuff!

I recently bought this chair at an out-of-the-way thrift shop. It's become my younger cat's favorite spot. Anyone have a clue who made it?

I'll get some pics of my other interesting pieces tonight.

 

[Ohighway]

Nice chair. I picked up a few items back in march of this year. One was a bedroom dresser, vanity, and night stand made by Red Lion Furniture Co. (Red Lion, Pa.) The other a nice little table/chairs , plus an end table both made by Heywood Wakefield

 

[JohnVF]

You know I'm going to love this thread! I'll get some pictures when I'm back at my place tomorrow (at the girlfriend's place right now). I bought a sweeeet Danish Modern end table today.

 

[Designdweeb]

I'm still stressing over my RAKKS system LP shelves. When I get those up and secured I'll post nice pix. They slide their feet on the gloss finish floors, so I had to take them down to add floor straps. This is an old pic before they started sliding. On the left is a Knoll credenza. Out of frame is a Milo Baughman recliner.

 

[Goodwill_HiFi]

Nice chair. I picked up a few items back in march of this year. One was a bedroom dresser, vanity, and night stand made by Red Lion Furniture Co. (Red Lion, Pa.) The other a nice little table/chairs , plus an end table both made by Heywood Wakefield

Not that those pieces aren't cool, but I don't beleive they are Mid-Century...... That's more like what I would think of as being Art-Deco (1930's). Not that I'm a furniture expert or anything.

 

[JohnVF]

Sam, I have no idea who made that chair but it's neat. Cats love mid century chairs for some reason. Even when I had my first pieces, some fiberglass shell chairs that I wouldn't think to be that comfortable for a cat..my cat loved them. Cats have style.


My cats love to sit in my orange steelcase pedastal chairs.

 

[JohnVF]

This was probably in my vintage gear/furniture thread but I can't remember:

The dresser is Drexel Declaration Series, designed by Stewart MacDougall and Kipp Stewart (I think).

 

[Ohighway]

Not that those pieces aren't cool, but I don't beleive they are Mid-Century...... That's more like what I would think of as being Art-Deco (1930's). Not that I'm a furniture expert or anything.

Respectfully I'll disagree. I've seen the same style bedroom furniture (in a slightly different wood finish) advertised on a prominent furniture auction site and described as Mid-Century Modern. And based on the style I'd agree.

Take a look at the end table shown with the table and chairs. Doesn't get any more Mid Century Modern than that. I doubt that any of the furniture I have pictured was produced any earlier than the late 1940's, and more likely was made in the 50's.

EDIT ! I'm gonna' back up a bit on my above statements. After looking at that table/chairs again I suppose there could be an argument made that they might fall under the "Art Deco" badge.

 

[JohnVF]

Respectfully I'll disagree. I've seen the same style bedroom furniture (in a slightly different wood finish) advertised on a prominent furniture auction site and described as Mid-Century Modern. And based on the style I'd agree.

Take a look at the end table shown with the table and chairs. Doesn't get any more Mid Century Modern than that. I doubt that any of the furniture I have pictured was produced any earlier than the late 1940's, and more likely was made in the 50's.

That end table looks kind of like Heywood Wakefield, but I'm not sure.

 

[Ohighway]

That end table looks kind of like Heywood Wakefield, but I'm not sure.

I am sure. It's stamped in the bottom of the wood. Table and chairs shown are also identified as Heywood Wakefield underneath each piece. For that matter ..... this is too....

 

[Duffinator]

Nice chair. I picked up a few items back in march of this year. One was a bedroom dresser, vanity, and night stand made by Red Lion Furniture Co. (Red Lion, Pa.) The other a nice little table/chairs , plus an end table both made by Heywood Wakefield

The dresser and desk are way cool looking. :yes:

soundmotor and I were recently chatting about starting a thread on Mid Century Modern furniture and I'm glad someone started one. I have several pieces and I'll work on posting them. I have a Eames lounge chair and ottoman by Herman Miller that's about 10 years old, a Saarinen Executive chair by Knoll from the early 60's, and some custom Heywood Wakefield furniture from approximately 1938. I'll write about the history of the HW stuff when I post the pictures.

 

[JohnVF]

I am sure. It's stamped in the bottom of the wood. Table and chairs shown are also identified as Heywood Wakefield underneath each piece. For that matter ..... this is too....

Guess that settles it!

I love some of the things like common school desks that, because of their iconic design, have become classics. Thee's a laundramat near me that is full of eames fiberblass shells chairs (just the shells) mounted in rows, and to them I'm sure it's just a bunch of old chairs that they can't afford to replace.

 

[Ohighway]

There's a laundromat near me that is full of eames fiberglass shells chairs (just the shells) mounted in rows, and to them I'm sure it's just a bunch of old chairs that they can't afford to replace.

It's up to you to keep an eye on those, and make sure and snag 'em when they do decide to finally upgrade.....:thmbsp:

 

[JohnVF]

How about some Mid Century items that aren't furniture? I collect mid century coffee carafes. Random, but I love how they look. I have more than 30 of them, a lot of them picked up in thrifts while I was hunting for gear and furnture.

 

[Ohighway]

The dresser and desk are way cool looking. :yes:

I'll write about the history of the HW stuff when I post the pictures.

Thanks... I thought they were cool too. Frankly, I'd already decided that the dresser, etc. were "must haves" when I saw the pic on Craigslist. Something about that two-tone scheme.

All the HW pieces I have pictured were obtained from the same person at the same time. He was clearing out his storage unit... and it all came to my house. We use the table in a dormer room for playing board games.

Yeah, definitely post about the HW history... it's something I'd like to read.

 

[Ohighway]

I collect mid century coffee carafes. Random, but I love how they look.

Nice :thmbsp: Never seen carafes that look exactly like that in my roamings....

 

[guitarslam]

In our place, the lines get blurred between art deco, modernist, and mid-century pieces. We also have some earlier pieces, which lend to the eclecticism in our home. My wife & I love it all. :yes:

Pic 1: a small kidney table, original damaged arborite top was replaced with 1/4 " birch ply and waxed. Retro double goose neck lamp behind!

Pic 2: a leather & teak office chair I brought home last week (needs cleaning & oiling)

Pic 3: fiberglass chair we use for the computer station

 

[Ohighway]

In our place, the lines get blurred between art deco, modernist, and mid-century pieces.

An -EXCELLENT- point.... and it doesn't just apply to your place.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Guess that settles it!

I love some of the things like common school desks that, because of their iconic design, have become classics. Thee's a laundramat near me that is full of eames fiberblass shells chairs (just the shells) mounted in rows, and to them I'm sure it's just a bunch of old chairs that they can't afford to replace.

Where are the HM shell chairs marked? The town where I work has a closed laundry with three of the shells mounted on a homemade base sitting outside. One has the whole front edge broken off, but the other two are OK. I'm pretty good with fiberglas, I could probably revive the busted one if I felt like it. I stopped once for a quick look, but I couldn't find any manufacturer's markings. I'm sure if I called the realtor and asked for the owner's number, I could snag them cheap.

Here are a few more pieces - a Haeger vase I bought yesterday (the yard sale also had a matching teak/tweet love seat and chair that I would love to have had, but the price was way more than I could spend right now). and the world's funkiest end table, a garage sale find from a few months ago.

My Lane record cabinet is visible in this post: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2929868&postcount=141 (If anyone is curious, the Vornado has been fixed and works perfectly.)

 

[JohnVF]

Where are the HM shell chairs marked? The town where I work has a closed laundry with three of the shells mounted on a homemade base sitting outside. One has the whole front edge broken off, but the other two are OK. I'm pretty good with fiberglas, I could probably revive the busted one if I felt like it. I stopped once for a quick look, but I couldn't find any manufacturer's markings. I'm sure if I called the realtor and asked for the owner's number, I could snag them cheap.

Here are a few more pieces - a Haeger vase I bought yesterday (the yard sale also had a matching teak/tweet love seat and chair that I would love to have had, but the price was way more than I could spend right now). and the world's funkiest end table, a garage sale find from a few months ago.

My Lane record cabinet is visible in this post: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2929868&postcount=141 (If anyone is curious, the Vornado has been fixed and works perfectly.)

Most herman miller stuff I've seen is marked on the bottom, I don't think I checked the ones at the laundromat....they just looked the part. A lot of the non-HM fiberglass chairs have a slight 'off' shape to them that these do not.

For what it's worth, I don't consider myself a collector of "designer" furniture, meaning I don't really care whether something is marked or who designed it. I buy things based on the shape and design. I have a particular 'look' that I"m after, and if that look is satisified by a one-off design from somebody's garage, so be it.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the ones at the laundromat, and also the car-repair place I go to, are herman miller. They are and were a commercial furniture supplier. I know that our offices at work are filled with current Herman Miller tables and Aeron chairs, and some knoll (and ikea!).

The fiberglass shell chairs are nice because you can buy different bases for them. The wood-dowel ones look very nice, as do the Eiffel Tower wire bases. I have one of those in yellow fiberglass, and it's actually quite comfortable.