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 oak wood, 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, 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.
Drexel Flip Top Serving Sideboard Bar on Wheels Chinoiserie Style Black Lacquer
By Drexel, Baker Furniture Company
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Drexel Flip Top Serving Sideboard Bar on Wheels Chinoiserie Style Black Lacquer MINT!
Hardwood, Lacquer
Vintage Art Deco Style Inlaid Drop Front Bar Cabinet by Drexel Heritage
By Drexel
Located in San Diego, CA
Absolutely gorgeous vintage art deco style inlaid drop front bar cabinet by Drexel Heritage, circa 1980s. Very rare to find and in remarkable original vintage condition. Incredible ...
Glass, Mirror, Wood
$1,596Sale Price|20% Off
Dry Bar Buffet Sideboard Campaign Style Preface by Drexel
By Drexel
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Brass
Extraordinary Vintage Inlaid Bar Cabinet from Drexel Heritage
By Drexel
Located in North Canton, OH
Just a great piece. Very rare to find. Incredible inlaid drop down front, mirrored interior with two drawers below. Nearly Impossible to replicate this piece. Remarkable original vin...
Hardwood
20th Century Drexel Mahogany Slide Top Rolling Dry Bar Buffet Server
By Drexel
Located in Germantown, MD
A 20th Century Drexel Mahogany Slide Top Rolling Dry Bar Buffet Server in great vintage condition edition. Features two top drawer with felt line tray. Measures 38" in width closed, ...
Mahogany
Drexel Brass Mount Fruitwood Fold-Top Mini Bar with French Doors
By Drexel
Located in Germantown, MD
A gorgeous Drexel Brass Mount Fruitwood Fold-Top Mini Bar with double French Doors. Very good vintage condition. Measures 30" in width, 60" in widt...
Fruitwood
$920Sale Price|28% Off
Drexel Dry Bar Kitchen Island Rolling
By Drexel
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on "Read More About This Item" below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all...
Granite, Brass
Baker Styled Walnut Mahogany Bar / Sever Cabinet
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very well crafted two piece four door cabinet with book matched wood grained fronts opening to revel two glass and two wooden adjustable shelves with two smaller drawers one with d...
Brass
Paul Evans Flip Top Cityscape Bar Cabinet
By Paul Evans
Located in Chino Hills, CA
Step back in time with this authentic, vintage Paul Evans Cityscape bar cabinet from the 1970s. This striking piece combines the distinct aesthetic of Paul Evans with the practicalit...
Burl
Paolo Buffa, walnut bar cabinet with maple inlaid front
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2534 Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) Rare walnut bar cabinet with maple inlaid front and lacquered metal interior. Two maple drawers with glass fronts, mirrors and hidden light. Drawing...
Maple
French Art Deco Bar Cabinet Circa 1950’s
Located in North York, ON
This beautiful French Art Deco bar cabinet from the 1950’s is an elegant piece of furniture that is sure to be the focal point of any room....
Metal
Faux Bamboo Chinoiserie Decorated Bar Cabinet on Stand
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fantastic contemporary faux-bamboo dry bar cabinet mounted to a gilt stand embellished with chinoiserie Asian motifs. The cylindrical top is crafted from wood veneers and features a ...
Brass
Art deco bar cabinet
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Art deco bar cabinet with glass tray. Professionally stained and repolished.
Walnut
$1,470Sale Price|30% Off
H 40.5 in W 71.5 in D 18 in
Vintage Chinese Black Lacquer Figural Soapstone Folding Dry Bar Chinoiserie 71"
Located in Dayton, OH
An Impressive Chinese Black lacquer folding bar cabinet, c.1970s Features a black and gold exterior with hand painted garden scenes with soapstone geisha figures. The cabinet doors...
Soapstone
Mahogany Drinks Cabinet, Dry Bar, Georgian Styling
By Bevan Funnell Ltd.
Located in Toronto, CA
A mahogany dry bar or drinks cabinet crafted in mahogany, Georgian styled with a delicate serpentine curve to the front to give it a classic line...
Wood
$990Sale Price|38% Off
H 43.71 in W 39.38 in D 17.72 in
Space Age Meets Tradition Bar Cabinet from Denmark
Located in Munich, DE
Wonderful wow effect bar cabinet from Denmark, clear lines and traditional craftsmanship outside and very modern brushed aluminum details inside....
Teak
English Cocktail Bar or Drinks Cabinet from the Art Deco Era
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English upright cocktail dry bar cabinet or drinks cupboard - from the Art Deco Period - featuring a handsome burr walnut veneer with a mirrored serving area for spirits. Thi...
Metal
$3,895
H 43 in W 43.5 in D 20 in
Mid Century Scandinavian Rosewood Bar Cabinet with Sliding Glass Doors
Located in Troy, MI
Circa 1970 Scandinavian bar cabinet in dramatically figured rosewood veneer features two sliding glass doors on the top section over three felt lined drawers on one side and a storage compartment with internal shelf on the other. Tapered legs. Unknown maker. Very good overall vintage condition. Open Shelf Sections...
Glass, Rosewood
$10,501
H 35.44 in W 98.43 in D 19.69 in
Italian Art Deco Sideboard with Bar Cabinet Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Osvaldo Borsani designed this beautiful Italian sideboard in the 1940s. With its unique design and excellent manufacturing quality, the sideboard stands out from the crowd. The gl...
Brass
Sold
H 31.25 in W 40 in D 18 in
Drexel Georgian Banded Mahogany Rolling Flip-Top Server or Bar Cabinet
By Drexel
Located in Elkhart, IN
An exceptional Regency or Georgian style rolling server or bar cart with extending top By Drexel USA, Circa 1980s Book-matched banded flame mahogany, with original brass har...
Brass
Buffet Bar Server Black Lacquer Asian Chinoiserie by Drexel
By Drexel
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A Rolling Flip Top Drexel Et Cetera Chinoiserie buffet, cabinet, server or dry bar, circa 1978. A rectangular form with black lacquer and natural wood front finished in beautiful pagoda and geisha landscapes. The cabinet is trimmed in gold with floral and fruit motifs. Features a flip for service, lower cabinet with inset shelf for bottles and castors for ease of movement. The server is finished along the back allowing it to float in the middle of any room. Approximate Measurements in Inches 33.5" high 39.25" wide with top closed 54.5" wide with top open 19" deep (back to front) Condition Report In good, structurally sound and sturdy condition with only minor imperfections including light scratches and a spot on the top as shown in the last photo. The photos are an important part of the item description and condition so please use the zoom feature to view them closely. We have many other similarly styled furniture pieces listed. To see them, click on "Palm Beach Home Furnishings...
Wood, Lacquer
Drexel Flame Mahogany Flip Top Rolling Buffet Sideboard Dry Bar
By Drexel
Located in Lake Worth, FL
VTG Drexel Flame mahogany flip top rolling buffet sideboard dry bar server cart Approximate Measurements in Inches 40" wide with top closed. ...
Mahogany
Sold
H 67.25 in W 48.5 in D 20 in
MCM Drexel Declaration China Hutch Cabinet by Kipp Stewart & Stewart McDougall
By Drexel, Kipp Stewart & Stewart MacDougall
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome vintage Mid-Century Modern Drexel Declaration 1-piece lighted walnut china hutch cabinet with upper sliding glass doors, 2 milk glass upper...
Porcelain, Glass, Milk Glass, Walnut
Sold
H 32.5 in W 40 in D 19.25 in
Campaign Style Dry Bar Black Flip Top by Drexel Attr to Accolade II Collection
By Drexel
Located in Topeka, KS
Fabulous vintage Campaign style dry bar in a medium-dark veneer, possibly pecan, with a black dyed wood top, an interior black laminate flip top, and antiqued brass plated hardware a...
Metal, Brass
Mid Century Serving Bar Cart by Drexel Heritage
By Drexel, Heritage Furniture
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Mid Century serving, bar cart with drop leaf extensions. The top is of black laminate, closed w 35.5 x open w 62 inch. The cart is of solid wood, with three drawers which...
Laminate, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Drexel Declaration Server/Bar Cart, by Kipp Stewart
By Drexel, Kipp Stewart
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic Mid-Century Modern server/bar cart, designed by Kipp Stewart, Drexel declaration, tambour doors, sliding top reveals black laminate surface. Classic modernist design, stunnin...
Brass
Drexel Fruitwood Mid-Century Modern Flip Top Bar Liquor Cabinet
By Drexel, Baker Furniture Company
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Drexel drop pulls Mid-Century Modern liquor cabinet bar on wheels.
Brass
Sold
H 33 in W 40 in D 19 in
Campaign Style Dry Bar Cabinet Server w Convertible Server Bar of Wood & Brass
By Drexel
Located in Hudson, NY
Very functional bar chest or cabinet. Decorative wood cabinet with brass detail and handles. This piece is on wheels so can be moved easily to use as an actual service bar or buffet ...
Brass
Massive Pecan Henredon Gothic Bar Cabinet Hutch with Lighted Interior
By Drexel, Henredon
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This stately bar cabinet by Henredon is the next best thing to owning your own speakeasy. This massive monolith of masculinity exudes luxury with its richly aged pecan wood. The decades old vintage liquor cabinet...
Brass
Sold
H 31.13 in W 30.25 in D 16 in
Drexel Heritage Consensus Vintage 1970s Flyspeck Pecan Commode Cabinet
By Drexel
Located in Chattanooga, TN
We have two cabinets available. Each sold independently. Old growth flared grain flaxen pecan inside and out. Super-sleek profile with practicality maximized throughout. If you are in a condo, small home or office this multifunctional piece is the answer to your needs. These versatile Drexel consensus...
Fruitwood
Sold
H 50.25 in W 72.13 in D 18 in
Kipp Stewart for Drexel Sun Coast Cherrywood Sideboard Credenza, 1959
By Drexel, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern sideboard with hutch top designed by Kipp Stewart for his Sun Coast line for Drexel Furniture. The sideboard features stunn...
Brass