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Drexel

American

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 range of vintage Drexel furniture for sale on 1stDibs includes end tables designed by Edward Wormley, walnut side tables designed by Kipp Stewart and lots more.

Average Sold Price
$2,210
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
1960's Hollywood Regency Drexel Palazzo Dining Table
By Drexel
Located in Burbank, CA
Vintage 1960's Mid century dining table for sale. Manufactured by Drexel in 1960, and part of the Palazzo collection. Made of gorgeous cherry wood, and has a walnut finish to it. It'...
Category

1960s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Drexel

Materials

Cherry

Vintage Drexel Parsons Oil Drop Lacquer Side Tables, a Pair
By Drexel
Located in Doylestown, PA
Vintage Drexel Parsons oil drop finish side tables, a pair. Beautiful pair of side tables with a distinctive oil drop finish. This technique is characterized by a free-form design ...
Category

1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Mid-Century Modern Drexel Parallel Nightstands
By Drexel, Barney Flagg
Located in Roanoke, VA
Rare pair of Drexel Parallel group nightstands. Walnut and glass topped nightstands from Drexel's Parallel Group having two dovetailedy drawers, suspended cabinets and ovoid legs. Or...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Drexel Declaration Walnut Dresser
By Kipp Stewart, Drexel
Located in Clarksboro, NJ
This listing is for a Mid-Century Modern Drexel Declaration Walnut Dresser. Featuring a straight line design, six drawers for storage, original milk glass white knobs, and a beautifu...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel

Materials

Milk Glass, Wood, Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Drexel Declaration Walnut High Chest
By Kipp Stewart, Drexel
Located in Clarksboro, NJ
This listing is for a Mid-Century Modern Drexel Declaration Walnut High Chest. Featuring a straight line design, six drawers for storage , original milk glass white knobs, and a beau...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel

Materials

Milk Glass, Wood, Walnut

1980s Postmodern Drexel Scoop Lounge Chair & Foot Stool-A Pair
By Drexel
Located in Bensalem, PA
Very uniquely shaped pair of Drexel lounge chairs with ottomans dated 1985
Category

1980s Post-Modern Vintage Drexel

Materials

Upholstery

Mid Century Highboy Walnut Dresser Kipp Stewart for Drexel Declaration
By Drexel, Kipp Stewart & Stewart MacDougall
Located in Baltimore, MD
An elegant Mid-Century Modern tall dresser/highboy/chest of drawers designed by Kipp Stewart and Stewart MacDougall for Drexel’s Declaration Collection, circa 1960’s. Featuring a solid, beautifully grained walnut wood case and frame. The upper drop down cabinet features a single push spring lock door that opens to reveal two shallow top drawers with dividers, offering ample room; for tidy storage of personal effects. Maker Stamp (by Drexel) on the inside of the top drawer. Below are three long and wide bottom drawers, each is adorned with original brass pulls with walnut inlay, creating a striking contrast to the walnut wood. Each drawer has beautiful, stunning walnut grains, and easy gliding dovetail drawers, overall good original vintage condition, with exceptional craftsmanship. A recessed base of round tapered legs and apron provide stable support while conveying an airy “floating” effect. Additional Maker Stamp (Declaration by Drexel...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel

Materials

Walnut

Drexel Wentworth House Georgian Mahogany Nightstand, Circa 1940s
By Drexel
Located in Germantown, MD
The Wentworth House Group Collection Georgian Mahogany night stand bed side table by Drexel. Exceptional workmanship display throughout. Good vintage condition, with some scratches ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Drexel

Materials

Mahogany

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Drexel Sellers

Liberty & 33rd
4.9
Modern Hill Inc.
4.8
Furnish & More
5.0
Horseman Antiques Inc.
4.9
Soho Treasures
4.7
Warehouse 414
5.0
Barbarella Home
4.8
Metro Retro Furniture MCM Furniture
4.6

Creators Similar to Drexel

Drexel furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Drexel furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Drexel furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Drexel were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Lane Furniture, George Nelson, and Widdicomb Furniture Co.. Prices for Drexel furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at £262 and can go as high as £12,014, while a piece like these, on average, fetch £1,739.
Questions About Drexel
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
    Yes, Drexel Furniture makes high-quality furniture in a variety of styles. The company's vintage pieces are highly sought after by collectors. You can find a wide range of Drexel Furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Yes, Drexel Heritage and Drexel Furniture are the same thing. The company began as Drexel Heritage, but changed their name in 2017 to reflect their shift toward producing contemporary as well as traditional furniture. You'll find a range of Drexel furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023
    Drexel Touraine is a line of furniture produced by Drexel Furniture. The pieces reflect the stylistic elements of the French Provincial style, and the company manufactured them from the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. In the postwar era, North Carolina’s Drexel Furniture also 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. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Drexel furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Whether or not Drexel Heritage furniture is considered quality is largely a matter of personal opinion. However, the company does produce pieces from carefully selected materials. Many made decades ago still remain in good condition today. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Drexel Heritage furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Drexel Furniture was known for the use of oak wood, native to the area in North Carolina where the company was based. Their attention to quality and detail highlighted the beauty of the wood they used. Browse a variety of Drexel Furniture pieces from top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Drexel Heritage no longer makes furniture and the company has gone out of business. The last company to own Drexel was Heritage Home Group who filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018. It has since gone out of business and sold its headquarters and showroom. Shop a collection of authentic Drexel furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, Drexel Heritage is indeed high-end furniture. High-end furniture is made using the highest quality materials with the best in craftsmanship and Drexel Heritage furniture is no exception. Shop a collection of Drexel Heritage furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

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