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.
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Leather, Walnut
1950s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Cherry, Fabric
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Beech, Leather
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Maple
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Wood, Upholstery
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Brass
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Brass
1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Oak, Leather
1980s Unknown Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Hardwood
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Brass
2010s Finnish Post-Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Ash
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Chrome
1970s Philippine Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Leather, Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tomlinson Furniture
Leather
1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Mahogany
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Steel
1950s American Art Deco Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Chrome, Steel
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Cane, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Wood, Upholstery, Cane
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery, Cane, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Baroque Tomlinson Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Regency Tomlinson Furniture
Cane, Upholstery, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tomlinson Furniture
Upholstery