Drexel Credenzas
While vintage Drexel Furniture dining tables, dressers, credenzas 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.
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Glass, Walnut
Late 20th Century American Campaign Drexel Credenzas
Metal
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1970s American French Provincial Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Grasscloth, Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Georgian Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Birch
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Cane, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Cane, Walnut
Late 20th Century American Empire Drexel Credenzas
Birch, Walnut, Giltwood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
20th Century American Federal Drexel Credenzas
Mahogany
1950s American Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Glass, Walnut
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Wood, Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Oak, Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Ebony, Walnut, Lacquer
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Formica, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Glass, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Drexel Credenzas
Mahogany
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Hardwood, Walnut
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Walnut
1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Wood, Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Wood, Walnut
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1980s American Campaign Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
1960s American Spanish Colonial Vintage Drexel Credenzas
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Drexel Credenzas
Birch
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Credenzas and Other Credenzas for Sale on 1stDibs
Antique and vintage credenzas can add an understated touch of grace to your home. These long and sophisticated cabinet-style pieces of furniture can serve a variety of purposes, and they look great too.
In Italy, the credenza was originally a small side table used in religious services. Appropriately, credere in Italian means “to believe.” Credenzas were a place to not only set the food ready for meals, they were also a place to test and taste prepared food for poison before a dish was served to a member of the ruling class. Later, credenza was used to describe a type of versatile narrow side table, typically used for serving food in the home. In form, a credenza has much in common with a sideboard — in fact, the terms credenza and sideboard are used almost interchangeably today.
Credenzas usually have short legs or no legs at all, and can feature drawers and cabinets. And all kinds of iterations of the credenza have seen the light of day over the years, from ornately carved walnut credenzas originating in 16th-century Tuscany to the wealth of Art Deco credenzas — with their polished surfaces and geometric patterns — to the array of innovative modernist interpretations that American furniture maker Milo Baughman created for Directional and Thayer Coggin.
The credenza’s blend of style and functionality led to its widespread use in the 20th century. Mid-century modern credenzas are particularly popular — take a look at Danish furniture designer Arne Vodder’s classic Model 29, for instance, with its reversible sliding doors and elegant drawer pulls. Hans Wegner, another Danish modernist, produced strikingly minimalist credenzas in the 1950s and ’60s, as did influential designer Florence Knoll. Designers continue to explore new and exciting ways to update this long-loved furnishing.
Owing to its versatility and familiar low-profile form, the credenza remains popular in contemporary homes. Unlike many larger case pieces, credenzas can be placed under windows and in irregularly shaped rooms, such as foyers and entryways. This renders it a useful storage solution. In living rooms, for example, a credenza can be a sleek media console topped with plants and the rare art monographs you’ve been planning to show off. In homes with open floor plans, a credenza can help define multiple living spaces, making it ideal for loft apartments.
Browse a variety of antique, new and vintage credenzas on 1stDibs to find the perfect fit for your home today.
Creators Similar to Drexel
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, 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.
- What is Drexel Touraine?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023Drexel 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 ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Yes, 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 ExpertApril 5, 2022Drexel 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 ExpertMarch 22, 2022Whether 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, 2022Drexel 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 16, 2024What happened to the Drexel Heritage furniture company was that the company went out of business. In 2014, the last Drexel Heritage plant in Morganton, North Carolina, reportedly closed its doors when the Heritage Home Group purchased it. The company rebranded as Drexel in 2017. Then, in 2018, the Heritage Home Group filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations. Although a Chinese manufacturer called Samson Holdings bought the Heritage Home Group, production of Drexel furniture never resumed. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Drexel Heritage furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, 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.