Antique Ficks Reed Wicker Set
About the Item
- Creator:Ficks Reed (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 71 in (180.34 cm)Depth: 32 in (81.28 cm)Seat Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 3
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1920s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Old Saybrook, CT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU923913781232
Ficks Reed
Somewhat of an overlooked icon of American design, Ficks Reed was founded by Louis Ficks in 1885 as the National Carriage and Reed Company, a New York purveyor of wicker baby carriages. By the turn of the century, however, the company had moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and, under the auspices of Ficks Reed, began manufacturing furniture with wicker, rattan and bamboo.
Over the coming decades, Ficks Reed would benefit from an increased interest in Asian imports, as evidenced in everything from the growing popularity of chinoiserie wallpaper and Chinese porcelain to the Japanese influence in Frank Lloyd Wright’s modern architecture.
The brand was also bolstered by partnerships with several prominent architects and designers throughout the 20th century, including Paul László, Pipsan Saarinen Swanson — creator of the company's Sol-Air Group and elder sister of Eero Saarinen — John B. Wisner, Paul T. Frankl and Dorothy Draper.
Each Ficks Reed partner brought their unique sensibility to the designs — Swanson’s had skeletal frames while Draper, a largely forgotten decorator and pioneer of the Hollywood Regency style, favored more ornate detailing; László created low-slung seats — but all were rendered in the company’s signature wicker and bamboo.
Thanks in large part to the Draper relationship, Ficks Reed furniture has long been a fixture at The Greenbrier and Colony hotels, as well as other luxury properties including the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton resorts and The Breakers in Palm Beach. In 2006, Draper protégé Carleton Varney continued his mentor’s legacy by debuting a new 20-piece collection for Ficks Reed based on her original designs.
A recent resurgence in the popularity of wicker and rattan has given way to newfound demand for Ficks Reed rattan chairs and other furniture in the secondary market, where original vintage pieces are often refinished, repainted or lacquered to further underscore the textural detail of their bamboo and rattan frames.
Find vintage Ficks Reed sofas, tables, armchairs and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Patio and Garden Furniture
Rattan, Reed, Hardwood, Wicker
Vintage 1950s American Living Room Sets
Rattan
Vintage 1950s American Living Room Sets
Rattan
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Faux Bamboo, Rattan
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Faux Bamboo, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Patio and Garden Furniture
Faux Bamboo, Rattan
Late 20th Century Unknown Patio and Garden Furniture
Wicker
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Fabric, Bamboo, Rattan, Laminate
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets
Cane, Rattan, Ceramic
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets
Cane, Rattan
