Chinoiserie Style Desk & Chair by Drexel Heritage, USA 1960's
About the Item
- Creator:Drexel (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 55.25 in (140.34 cm)Depth: 24.5 in (62.23 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Chinoiserie (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960's
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. The desk shows wear to leather, nicks to wood and a and loss to veneer at the base. The upholstery on the chair needs to be replace, nicks to wood.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU881737676222
Drexel
While vintage Drexel Furniture dining tables, dressers and other pieces remain highly desirable for enthusiasts of mid-century modern design, the manufacturer's story actually begins decades before its celebrated postwar-era Declaration line took shape.
In 1903, in the small town of Drexel in the foothills of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, six partners came together to found a company that would become one of the country’s leading furniture producers. The first offerings from Drexel Furniture were simple: a bed, washstand and bureau all crafted from native oakwood, sold as a bedroom suite for $14.50.
One of Drexel’s early innovations was to employ staff designers, something the company initiated in the 1930s. This focus on design, which few other furniture companies were committing to at the time, allowed Drexel to respond to a variety of new and traditional tastes. This included making pieces inspired by historic European furniture, like the popular French Provincial–style Touraine bedroom and dining group that borrowed its curves from Louis XV-era furniture. Others replicated the ornate details of 18th-century chinoiserie or the embellishments of Queen Anne furniture. Always ready to adapt to new customer demands, during World War II, Drexel built a sturdy desk designed especially for General Douglas MacArthur.
In the postwar era, Drexel embraced the clean lines of mid-century modernism with the Declaration collection designed by Stewart MacDougall and Kipp Stewart that featured elegant credenzas and more made in walnut, and the Profile and Projection collections designed with sculptural shapes by John Van Koert. In the 1970s, Drexel introduced high-end furniture in a Mediterranean style.
Drexel changed hands and visions throughout the years. It was managed by one of the original partners — Samuel Huffman — until 1935, at which time his son Robert O. Huffman took over as president. It was then that the company began to expand, with several acquisitions of competitors in the 1950s, including Table Rock Furniture, the Heritage Furniture Co. and more.
With the manufacturer’s success — spurred by its embrace of advertising in home and garden magazines — it opened more factories in both North and South Carolina. By 1957, the company that had started with a factory of 50 workers had 2,300 employees and was selling its furniture nationwide.
Drexel underwent a series of name changes in its long history. Its acquisition of Southern Desk Company in 1960 bolstered its production of institutional furniture for dormitories, classrooms, churches and laboratories.
In the following decades, contracts with government agencies, hotels, schools and hospitals brought its high-quality furniture to a global audience. U.S. Plywood-Champion Papers bought Drexel Enterprises in 1968, and it became Drexel Heritage Furnishings.
In 2014, the last Drexel Heritage plant, in Morganton, North Carolina, reportedly closed its doors. The company rebranded as Drexel in 2017.
The vintage Drexel furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes end tables designed by Edward Wormley, walnut side tables designed by Kipp Stewart and lots more.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Los Angeles, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
- Pencil Reed Executive Desk in the Style of Karl Springer, USA 1970'sBy Karl SpringerLocated in Los Angeles, CAIntroducing the Pencil Reed Executive Desk in the Style of Karl Springer, USA 1970's – a timeless piece that exudes sophistication and elegance. This wooden desk boasts a sleek desig...Category
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsWood
- Height Adjustable Industrial Desk Made in Los AngelesLocated in Los Angeles, CABeautiful work station/desk, designed and manufactured in Los Angeles California. The desk has a beautiful industrial steel base, the desk has a height adjustable mechanism that r...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks
MaterialsSteel
- Vintage Arm Chair, USA 1960'sLocated in Los Angeles, CAIntroducing our exquisite Vintage Arm Chair, a timeless piece from the iconic era of 1960's USA. This chair is a true testament to the impeccable cra...Category
Vintage 1960s American Post-Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Ming Style Side Table, USA 1960sLocated in Los Angeles, CAIntroducing our exquisite Ming Style Side Table, a true gem from the USA dating back to the 1960s. This stunning piece of furniture effortlessly captures the essence of Ming Dynasty ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Ming Side Tables
MaterialsWood, Lacquer
- Lucite & Brass Vanity Chair by Hill Manufacturing, USA 1960'sBy Hill ManufacturingLocated in Los Angeles, CAIntroducing the exquisite Lucite & Brass Vanity Chair by Hill Manufacturing, a timeless piece from the USA's iconic 1960s era. Crafted with unparal...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Set of Six "Gazelle" Dining Chairs by Harvey Probber, USA 1960'sBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Los Angeles, CAIntroducing the Set of Six "Gazelle" Dining Chairs by Harvey Probber, USA 1960's – a captivating blend of vintage elegance and contemporary style. These exquisite chairs exude a time...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- High Style George Washington Double End Desk by DrexelBy DrexelLocated in Van Nuys, CACustom made high style bird's-eye maple George Washington double end desk by Drexel. The desktop features a leather topped writing surface embossed with gold leaf. There are three pu...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass, Gold Leaf
- 1970s Jacobean Style Drexel Sandia Drop Front Desk-A PairBy DrexelLocated in Bensalem, PAStunning pair of drop front Drexel desks from their Sandia Jacobean style line.Lots of storage and lots of look perfect for your library.Category
Vintage 1970s Jacobean Desks
MaterialsWood
- 1970s Drexel Heritage Chinoiserie Armoire DresserBy DrexelLocated in Chicago, ILAn exceptional Hollywood Regency Chinoiserie Campaign style armoire dresser from the Dynasty Collection by Drexel Heritage. The dresser features gorge...Category
Vintage 1970s American Chinoiserie Dressers
MaterialsWood
- 1970s Vintage Drexel Heritage Chinoiserie CredenzaBy DrexelLocated in Hartville, OHFabulous vintage hand painted Chinoiserie Credenza from Drexel Heritage. This is a rare one. Not often do you find the interior doors that have been hand painted as well. It’s also ...Category
Vintage 1970s North American Chinoiserie Buffets
MaterialsLacquer
- Modernist Desk by John Van Koert for DrexelBy John Van Koert, DrexelLocated in Sagaponack, NYA boldly angled modernist single pedestal desk having a distinctive raised gallery with sliding doors and a warm dark grey leather surface.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Vintage "Biscayne" Floating Top Walnut Desk by DrexelBy Milo Baughman, DrexelLocated in North Hollywood, CAWonderful vintage “Biscayne” floating top walnut desk by Drexel and manufactured in the United States, circa 1960s. This desk has been built from the highest quality walnut wood and ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
MaterialsBrass