Founders Furniture Company
American
Founders Furniture Company was a short-lived 20th-century American brand that produced enduring mid-century modern designs. The company's streamlined dressers, lounge chairs and coffee tables feature solid wood construction and simple but elegant designs.
The history of Founders Furniture Company began in 1946 when it was established as a subsidiary of Knoll Inc., an esteemed manufacturer known mainly at the time for its pioneering workplace furniture — largely owing to the work of visionary designer Florence Knoll — so it launched Founders as its residential division.
During its years of operation, Founders hired celebrated American modernist designers like Milo Baughman and David Parmelee, who created sleek commodes and sideboards in mahogany and rosewood for the brand. Michigan native Jack Cartwright, a designer at Heritage during the 1950s, also worked at Founders as head designer before moving on to start his eponymous furniture company in 1963.
Founders continued operations until 1965 when Thomasville Furniture acquired it. Established in 1904 in North Carolina — home to other iconic mid-century brands such as Drexel and Broyhill — Thomasville expanded significantly during the 1960s and purchased several other American furniture manufacturers.
Today, the timeless styles and exceptional craftsmanship associated with Founders Furniture Company pieces continue to render them desirable even for today’s interiors.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Founders case pieces, seating, tables and more.
| Average Sold Price |
| $2,903 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
Mid Century MODERN WALNUT DESK by Founders Furniture Co., c. 1960's
By Founders Furniture Company
Located in Weehawken, NJ
Mid Century Modern Walnut Desk by Founders Furniture Co., c. 1960's. Featuring a total of five dovetailed drawers with sculpted hand pulls and a laminate woodgrain tabletop, perfect ...
Category
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Walnut
MCM 3 Walnut Cube Stools Black Upholstered Tops Jack Cartwright for Founders
By Jack Cartwright, Founders Furniture Company
Located in Topeka, KS
Amazing Mid-Century Modern trio of square walnut cube stools number 42102-01 with black faux leather upholstered tops by Jack Cartwright for Founders Furniture’s Patterns 7 line. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that these are vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. One seat cushion has a repair to its underside, one stool has a scratch to one side, and another stool has a repair to one corner. Please see photos and zoom in for details. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, Mid-20th Century.
Propriotor’s note: Although these stools are not marked with a maker’s name, they are stamped inside with the number 42102-01. My 30-year experience in the vintage furniture business lead me to believe they were Founder’s Furniture and with the help of a great FB Group I was able to find this number, without the -01, in one of their catalogs for Patterns 7 designed by Jack Cartwright. It is the number for a fabulous Founder’s Furniture cube side table which looks exactly like these stools apart from the padded removable seats and the measurements are the same. My feeling, as well as some of the experts, that these were a factory special order or undocumented offering using the existing side table as the base and adding the cushion. However, I cannot document that thought. They could have been something someone did themselves, but I do not think that as they are too factory-made in my opinion.
What a terriffic trio!!!! Triple your pleasure with this outstanding trio of square walnut cube stools designed by Jack Cartwright for Founders Furniture Patterns 7 line!! They are FABUOLUS!! The tops are comprised of black faux leather and the back of the tops have silver snaps that snap on and off of the top of the cube, it’s nice for cleaning purposes. Also, you can see in the photos that the underneath of the tops is a bit different… one has full faux leather upholstery, and a small repair has been made. The other two have fabric backs. It’s the way we obtained them, and you can’t see that when the tops are snapped on. They are hollow in the center and would obviously make handy foot stools however, we are more inclined to see them used as extra seating. You could use all 3 together as a bench or fireside stools...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Faux Leather, Walnut
H 17.75 in W 16 in D 16 in
Mid-Century Founders Armchairs - a Pair
By Founders Furniture Company
Located in Raleigh, NC
A pair of mid-century lounge chairs by Founders. This pair has so much to offer. Sculpted walnut wraps around the back of the chair contouring the rounded back. The walnut has a warm...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
1960s Founders Monumental Walnut Dining Table for Heritage
By Heritage Furniture, Founders Furniture Company
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Grand 1960s Founders for Heritage Walnut Expanding Dining Table
Art Deco modern clean lines in elegant walnut wood exude the finest craftsmanship.
features a unique pedestal base of...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Founders Chrome & Walnut Etagere Bar Wall Unit Shelving
By Founders Furniture Company
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Mid-Century Modern Founders Chrome & Walnut Etagere. Featuring a straight line design, floating walnut chest of three drawers, bar and walnut shelves, chrome pillars, and original ...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Chrome
H 82 in W 32.5 in D 15.75 in
Midcentury Dresser - Jack Cartwright - Founders Patterns 10 - Tall Highboy Chest
By Harvey Probber, Jack Cartwright, Founders Furniture Company, Florence Knoll
Located in Decatur, GA
Vintage mid century modern chest of drawers by Jack Cartwright for Founders. Part of his "Patterns 10" line circa late 1950s. American black walnut with minimalist black metal pulls....
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Walnut
H 46.5 in W 36 in D 18 in
Founders, Mid-Century Modern, Nightstand, End Table, Burlwood, USA, 1970s
By Founders Furniture Company
Located in Stamford, CT
Founders, Mid-Century Modern, Nightstands, Burlwood, USA, 1970s
A nightstand with a single drawer over a storage compartment with two doors and nice hide-a-way handles. All rests on...
Category
Late 20th Century Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Wood
H 23.5 in W 26 in D 17.25 in
Jack Cartwright Caned Door Sideboard by Founders
By Jack Cartwright, Founders Furniture Company
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fantastic petite sideboard from American Mid-Century Modern design legend, Jack Cartwright. Made for his iconic collection for Founders Furniture, it features beautiful woven cane pa...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Founders Furniture Company
Materials
Metal
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Founders Furniture Company furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Founders Furniture Company 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 Founders Furniture Company furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Founders Furniture Company 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 Kent-Coffey, Merton Gershun , and Conant Ball. Prices for Founders Furniture Company furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $495 and can go as high as $12,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,978.
Questions About Founders Furniture Company
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 13, 2024United Furniture took over Lane Furniture in 2017. After that, the furniture maker became well known among contemporary consumers for its upholstered furniture. In 2022, United abruptly closed and ceased operations at Lane due to financial problems. Find a collection of Lane Furniture pieces from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024The most famous Swedish furniture company is arguably IKEA. Founded in 1943, the company has grown to become one of the largest furniture manufacturers in the world. The brand has more than 450 stores located in more than 60 countries. Shop a range of IKEA furniture from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024IKEA is generally considered to be the world's largest furniture company. Established in 1943 in Älmhult, Sweden, the company now operates more than 450 stores around the world. In 2022, more than 800 million people visited IKEA stores, and millions more bought pieces online. Find an assortment of vintage IKEA furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 13, 2024The story of what happened to the Lane Furniture company is one of financial difficulties. The company was acquired by United Furniture Industries in 2017 and became particularly well known among contemporary consumers for its upholstered furniture. In 2022, United abruptly closed and ceased operations at Lane due to bankruptcy. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of Lane furniture.
- 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.
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