The Mid-Century/Danish thread

[Sam Cogley]

I'm seriously considering making an offer on this piece. It's currently priced at $200, apparently down from $360. It's solid wood with nicely dovetailed drawers - the wood appears to my semi-trained eye to be teak. There is a very, very old Pier 1 price tag (computer printed) in the top drawer that is marked $199.95 - I have no idea if that is original to the desk or not. I can't find a manufacturer's mark anywhere. For the most part the finish is in nice condition, though it could use a good waxing. The only real defect is that the key lock assembly is missing from the top drawer.

 

[Naptown Rob]

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.

If Heywood Wakefield ain't Mid-Century Modern, then nothin' is.

 

[JohnVF]

I'm seriously considering making an offer on this piece. It's currently priced at $200, apparently down from $360. It's solid wood with nicely dovetailed drawers - the wood appears to my semi-trained eye to be teak. There is a very, very old Pier 1 price tag (computer printed) in the top drawer that is marked $199.95 - I have no idea if that is original to the desk or not. I can't find a manufacturer's mark anywhere. For the most part the finish is in nice condition, though it could use a good waxing. The only real defect is that the key lock assembly is missing from the top drawer.

I'd lust after that, too..that's a sweet desk. Or should I say 'swank'? Doesn't look like anything at my Pier 1, unless wicker has taken on a whole new look. Seems to me to be worth the asking price or very close to it.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I went back today, offered $175, and they bit! Now I just have to wait for the weather to clear up so I can haul it home in my pickup. I still haven't found a manufacturer name anywhere, though the bottom of the lowest drawer is marked "1966" which I assume is a date of production.

Wait until you guys get a look behind the fold-down door on the front of the desk. Built-in bar!

 

[Duffinator]

Cool, what a great Christmas present.

 

[1koolcat]

I went back today, offered $175, and they bit! Now I just have to wait for the weather to clear up so I can haul it home in my pickup. I still haven't found a manufacturer name anywhere, though the bottom of the lowest drawer is marked "1966" which I assume is a date of production.

Wait until you guys get a look behind the fold-down door on the front of the desk. Built-in bar!

Cool find, Sam. That is sure a unique looking desk. Nice that they took your offer. :thmbsp: Show us more pics after you set it up at home.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Cool find, Sam. That is sure a unique looking desk. Nice that they took your offer. :thmbsp: Show us more pics after you set it up at home.

Will do! It will take a bit of work to get my computer set up without making it look cluttered, but I think I can pull it off. This desk will be replacing a particle-board computer desk that I've had since my junior year of college. 11 years is long enough, time for a change.

The bar opening is a standard box shape on the inside, with a mirrored plastic backing and a shelf across the middle. The shelf isn't a constant depth, it tapers off to almost nothing on the bookshelf side to accommodate the height of a couple of bottles.

Another nice touch is a small sliding tray at the top of the top drawer.

When I get it here I'll go over everything with a fine-toothed comb to see if I can ID the manufacturer.

Things that will need a bit of attention:
Both locks are missing, though they appear to be pretty standard parts.
One keyhole bezel is missing - again, should be standard.
There are two holes in the bottom of the lower part of the bar area - apparently there was some sort of divider or bracket installed in that spot.
There are some scratches and nicks here and there, though that should be easy enough to hide and is very normal for a presumably 43 year old piece of furniture.
The bar door only has a screw stopping it from falling inward. It appears that there was a wood stop block or a magnetic spring latch there, but it's gone missing. I'll probably put a standard cabinet spring latch in there to make it easy to open and close. Right now the store has a bit of cardboard wrapped over it to act as a pull.

According to their Wikipedia page, Pier 1 had 16 stores and a corporate HQ in Fort Worth, TX (the Dallas area is a pretty common big-city destination from here) by 1966 - so that price tag might well be accurate.

 

[JonL]

I'm seriously considering making an offer on this piece. It's currently priced at $200, apparently down from $360. It's solid wood with nicely dovetailed drawers - the wood appears to my semi-trained eye to be teak. There is a very, very old Pier 1 price tag (computer printed) in the top drawer that is marked $199.95 - I have no idea if that is original to the desk or not. I can't find a manufacturer's mark anywhere. For the most part the finish is in nice condition, though it could use a good waxing. The only real defect is that the key lock assembly is missing from the top drawer.

This is wild... in the first picture attached to the quoted post there is an octagonal end table/liquor cabinet identical to one that my parents owned. In the second picture is a Mexican serape that is identical to one that my parents owned since the '50s and maybe even the '40s.

Anyway, it's a beautiful desk. Enjoy.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I hauled the desk from the store to my office (same town) today. I'm going to keep it here until I have a chance to address a few issues - my office room has a huge amount of dead space. This will give me a chance to clean and re-oil the wood while it's unloaded.

I was going to bring my camera, but I forgot it. Better pictures next week.

 

[JohnVF]

That was a seriously good deal on that desk. I like it better than much of the more recognized designs. I mean..somebody had to design it, right? Who cares what their name was as long as it looks like that.

 

[Sam Cogley]

That was a seriously good deal on that desk. I like it better than much of the more recognized designs. I mean..somebody had to design it, right? Who cares what their name was as long as it looks like that.

Outside of a rather lame social life and few interesting cultural activities, there are advantages to working away from major population centers.

This region apparently went through a real progressive phase, at least in the visual arts, before snapping back to some sort of warped version of the "good old days" as imagined in the 50s. There are a lot of cool mid-century houses around here - the furniture has to be hiding somewhere. I've only found a few pieces, though the pendant light fixtures with the funky, shaped amber or green glass globes are abundant. Very abundant - like coat hangers that have been tossed into a closet and are reproducing out of control.

One quirk that I'm not sure how I'm going to repair - the mirror in the back of the bar needs to be re-silvered quite badly, and I think it's glued in. It wouldn't look right to simply stick something else in front of it - the glass has a pattern sandblasted into the front that looks like something from a 60s Altec speaker grille. Extremely nice detailing.

Speaking of houses, I have to get some pictures of one just down the road from me. Imagine a typical nice-looking, large 50s ranch house - broken into three pieces and re-assembled as a stylized "Z."

 

[derekva]

I have some Danish Modern furniture in the house. The hifi is sitting on a nice 7' teak credenza with three sliding doors. You can see a bit of it below:

I'd love to get a similar unit or perhaps a Danish Modern console for the living room as a TV stand.

-D

 

[JohnVF]

I have some Danish Modern furniture in the house. The hifi is sitting on a nice 7' teak credenza with three sliding doors. You can see a bit of it below:

I'd love to get a similar unit or perhaps a Danish Modern console for the living room as a TV stand.

-D

That's cool looking. What turntable is that?

I used to use a console as a TV stand, but this picture is a few years old, I don't even own any of those speakers anymore. My VPI now sits on the console, and I went to a projector and screen for TV to get some space back.

 

[kangatoy]

The couch is a John Stuart, Inc. model originally purchased by my parents. The over length is 85 inches (arm rest to arm rest) and the seat cushion is 75" so it makes for a nice napping couch. The triangular seat back cushion makes it a less than comfortable sitting couch. However I've always admired the simple lines and (mostly) wood frame.

Hey 1koolcat, the designer of your sofa is Peter Hvidt. John Stuart is only an upscale American importer of Danish American furniture. The sofa was designed in 1958 I believe and was sold individually or as part of a corner group.

I have this very same sofa as my main couch, except the upholstery on mine is dark blue. I've been looking for one of the loveseat frames to complete my corner unit, they come up on ebay occasionally but I am waiting to find one locally. Love the look of the sofa, but you are right, it is not the most comfortable sitting couch.

 

[gearhead]

Speaking of houses, I have to get some pictures of one just down the road from me. Imagine a typical nice-looking, large 50s ranch house - broken into three pieces and re-assembled as a stylized "Z."

I'd be interested in seeing that & any other mid century house pics. :thmbsp:

 

[sheltie dave]

What a classic thread! When we get cleaned up from the holidays, I'll get pics of our HeyWake and Lane mid century furniture. As Sam knows, there ain't much HeyWake we don't have.

We ended up in the blonde birch racket by accident. After we had our red oak hardwood floors refinished, my wife went to an estate sale and impulse purchased a HW dining room set that threw me for a loop. I was all ready to start sniping on some delightful Prairie Mission oak kit, only to be subverted by the HW right out the gate.

The only significant oak furniture we have is a Amish made entertainment center, and two Brandt ranch oak easy chairs awaiting cushions that are stored in the garage. The best laid plans of mice and men oft gang go aglay. :yes:

 

[shrinkboy]

not a comment on anything i've seen here, but i've heard many who say they've decorated in 'mid-century modern', but it so often seems that they've missed the target, and simply seem to have a lot of old, mismatched furniture. i think it may well be one of the most difficult styles to get right. and i think you have to start with the structure and go from there.

and i acknowledge that as with anything that's a matter of personal taste, the only standard to be met is one's own.

 

[Sam Cogley]

not a comment on anything i've seen here, but i've heard many who say they've decorated in 'mid-century modern', but it so often seems that they've missed the target, and simply seem to have a lot of old, mismatched furniture. i think it may well be one of the most difficult styles to get right. and i think you have to start with the structure and go from there.

and i acknowledge that as with anything that's a matter of personal taste, the only standard to be met is one's own.

The problem being that "mid-century modern" covers such a broad swath of design, even within a certain manufacturer. Look at the chairs Eames designed for the Herman Miller company - what could be more different from bent ply/leather and molded fiberglas?

Personally, I'm a fan of mismatched furniture. If I had, for instance, the entire Lane Acclaim living room set, I'd feel like I was living in a furniture showroom. I'd like to have a coffee table and maybe and end table, but paired with a Danish-style sofa.

For anyone who hasn't been to it, the Mid-Century Modernist blog and the associated Flickr photo stream have some great stuff on display.

 

[Duffinator]

Look at the chairs Eames designed for Hermann Miller -

They were designed by Eames and sold by Herman Miller. :thmbsp:

Nobody said they have complete Mid-Century Modern homes or homes filled with only MCM furniture here. We appreciate the designs from the period and own and/or collect the furniture and accessories.

 

[derekva]

That's cool looking. What turntable is that?

I used to use a console as a TV stand, but this picture is a few years old, I don't even own any of those speakers anymore. My VPI now sits on the console, and I went to a projector and screen for TV to get some space back.

It's a Nottingham Analogue Interspace HP (heavy platter) with one RB250 (full Origin Live treatment) and one RB300 running a DL103R and Rega Elys respectively. When I get a good mono cart, the Elys goes away.

-D