Tomlinson Furniture
Pay a visit to the town of High Point, North Carolina — long the capital of American-made furniture — and, from nearly any location in the city, you’ll see a tall smokestack bearing the name Tomlinson. It’s a name with deep roots there: In 1901, Sidney Halstead Tomlinson, Sr., and his brother founded the Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Co., producing adaptations of 19th-century European antiques for an enthusiastic American audience. Later the Tomlinson Furniture Company grew rapidly over the ensuing decades, becoming a significant contributor to High Point’s thriving manufacturing economy.
Although Tomlinson began with a focus on antique-style furniture, by the middle of the century the company had adopted aesthetics from the modern style that was rapidly growing in popularity around the world.
Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Tomlinson Furniture produced coffee tables, storage cabinets and seating in the low-slung, sleek silhouettes that were typically characteristic of what we now know as mid-century modern designs.
Working with designers like John Lubberts and Lambert Mulder, the company experimented with materials like woven cane and unique styles such as neoclassical lounge chairs in cherrywood that were seen as thoughtful modern interpretations of Biedermeier furniture.
During the mid-1950s, Tomlinson Furniture introduced its dramatic and decorative Sophisticate line, a collection of case pieces, seating, tables and more, available in a variety of woods. Today, designs that originated in the collection, such as its pecan-framed chairs with seats and backs of woven leather straps, are increasingly sought after by collectors.
Find vintage Tomlinson furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Nutwood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Wood, Oak, Burl
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Stone, Marble
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Walnut
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Murano Glass, Art Glass
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Oak, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Travertine
20th Century French Art Deco Tomlinson Furniture
Walnut
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Tomlinson Furniture
Velvet, Resin
21st Century and Contemporary English Post-Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Oak, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Lacquer
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Bronze
1950s American Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Tomlinson Furniture
Wood, Textile
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Oak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Mahogany, Silk, Upholstery