The Mid-Century Modernist

Investing in Melamine

2009-11-21T17:54:51-08:00

Flickr group member brum b pulled in quite the harvest from the Utrecht Collectors Fair.

Ceramic Planter by Lars Knudsen

2009-11-17T21:30:25-08:00

This may be the greatest planter ever created. Praise be to Danish ceramicist Lars Knudsen for having the guts to fill the cranium of a powdered wig gentlemen with flowers. Actually, it’s hard to think of a plant worthy of a home this grand. Probably best to simply set this beautiful piece of clay somewhere prominent and let the fellow make his stately statement unadorned. $385 from Trébor Nevets via Bond & Bowery.

Anyone know something about the artist? Knudsen was apparently active in the 1960s but that is all the info I can find.

Swiss Plywood Dining Set

2009-11-10T13:03:00-08:00

New on Bond & Bowery this week is a unique, unmarked dining table and chairs from Switzerland. I’ve never seen chairs quite like these, a graceful bent ply with dowel legs meeting playfully in the center of the seat bottom. The laminate tabletop eliminates the hassle associated with maintaining the surface of a hardwood dining table and it goes well with the light wood.

Cees Braakman at Two Columbia Road

2009-11-09T22:16:32-08:00

Londoners are lucky. They have access to one of my favorite little shops in the world: Two Columbia Road. And today is the time to go visit. The friendly fellows have a number of beautiful UMS-Pastoe/Cees Braakman pieces in their showroom right now. Go say hello and check out the goods by Netherland’s king of cabinetry.

The Best of Bond & Bowery

2009-11-03T08:01:03-08:00

I’m pleased to welcome Bond & Bowery as a Mid-Century Modernist sponsor. This unique marketplace gathers the best wares from antique dealers with a focus on modern design. Strolling through Bond & Bowery, with it’s ample, high-res imagery and informed descriptions, is a welcome alternative to the unedited, amateur postings on craigslist and eBay. Each week I’ll pick my favorite new listing from the site. Let’s start the series with three!

Lounge Chair & Ottoman by Vatne Mobler

Dealer Janus Home describes this Norwegian piece as “one of the most comfortable lounge chairs ever produced” and I can’t see a reason to doubt that claim. It rocks, reclines and swivels, and can lock into recline by means of a lever. This is the ultimate chair for those like me who are disappointed with the inflexibility of the Eames Lounge.

Action Office Rolltop Desk by George Nelson for Herman Miller

Nelson’s Swag Leg gets all the attention but there is no easier, classier way to quickly hide a messy desk than a walnut rolltop.

Rosewood Tuxedo Sofa

You know I’m a fan of sofas wrapped in wood, and this anonymous rosewood beauty from the ’70s is worthy of a spot on the list. Newly upholstered with a back as beautiful as its front.

Bolle Bottles by Tapio Wirkkala for Venini

2009-10-15T22:14:03-07:00

This series, designed by Tapio Wirkkala [the guy had a mug worthy of his bottles] in 1968, employs the “Incalmo” technique wherein two different types of glass, worked separately, are fused together to obtain, within a single object, separate areas differentiated by colors. — Moss

Don’t look at the price. Just look at the picture.
More below.

Danish Modern Rockers

2009-10-13T23:11:57-07:00

The hardware isn’t as hidden as I’d like, and information is notably absent on the listing, but this is one of the more original modern rockers I’ve seen. The reserve is not yet met but it should go for far less than something well known.

Meanwhile, this svelte Model 97 T/T manufactured by Tønder Møbelværk in 1957 is in another class. It’s attributed to a “Geroge Jensen”, but this is clearly a typo. It couldn’t be this Georg Jensen as he died in 1935 and designed only ceramics and silverware, not any furniture as far as I know. The correct name is probably Holger Georg Jensen, according to the Danish Design Dictionary.

Update: Orange and Brown has photos of another specimen.

If you want a relaxing addition to your mid-century room that isn’t your grandma’s rocking chair, these are rare gets.

Eames House Photos by George Chen

2009-10-10T23:09:42-07:00

Speaking of the Eames House, photographer George Chen captured the essence of its Mondrianesque exterior during a visit last week. See the set of photos.

Chromeography: Mid-Century Chrome Lettering

2009-10-04T23:14:17-07:00

There are still a few spots to polish, but I thought readers would appreciate a sneak peek at another project of the Mid-Century Modernist. Chromeography is dedicated to the chrome logos and lettering affixed to vintage automobiles and electric appliances — those unsung metal emblems and badges that are overlooked, forgotten, damaged, lost to time or the dump.

The site is simply an interactive gallery you can explore by make/model, decade, color, and lettering style. There are also tags for emblems which are not on cars but appliances and gadgets like refrigerators and cameras.

So go ahead and bask in the gleam. Your feedback and photo submissions are welcome.

The Eames House in LIFE Magazine, 1950

2009-09-27T23:13:58-07:00

The announcement that Google Books now houses in its digital archives over 1,860 issues of LIFE magazine sent me immediately to the search box on a quest for mid-century related articles. The first result was this piece on the Eames House published on September 11, 1950, just five years after Charles and Ray made their indelible mark on American design with their popular furniture. More photographs from the article by Peter Stackpole are below the jump.

Also available at Google are thousands of unpublished photos for LIFE, 200 of which are Eames related, including this less-than-perfect image of the Eames House exterior. Read more about the house at the Eames Foundation, who just celebrated its 60th anniversary. You can still visit the building and tours are given once a year.

“For his friend Billy Wilder (above) Eames designed this special chair in which the restless Wilder can easily jump around while watching television.”