James Mont, Side Chair, United States, C. 1960
View Similar Items
James Mont, Side Chair, United States, C. 1960
About the Item
- Creator:James Mont (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 35.5 in (90.17 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)Depth: 22 in (55.88 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: MONT 031stDibs: LU78139633561
James Mont
James Mont’s life as an unmistakably talented furniture designer and interior decorator could fill the pages of a best-selling novel or be reimagined as a Hollywood feature film. From the 1930s through the 1960s, Tinseltown’s glitterati and Manhattan’s Mafia underworld coveted his sofas, coffee tables and table lamps.
Mont was born Demetrios Pecintoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1904 to a family of artists. He reportedly studied architecture and art in Spain and France, and during the 1920s, Mont immigrated with his family to the United States.
Mont and his family settled in New York, where he found work in a Brooklyn electrical supply shop. There he sold hardware and designed his own lighting fixtures. The latter caught the eye of a gangster named Frankie Yale, who commissioned him to refurnish his house. Mont’s opulent designs drew on Art Deco, Hollywood Regency and were occasionally marked by chinoiserie, then a very popular trend in decorating. He created the kind of low-profile side tables and sofas that are frequently associated with mid-century modernism, and he is credited today with helping popularize the integration of Asian influences in modern American design.
Mont soon attracted New York City’s most infamous crime bosses, including Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Frank Costello. For a range of mobsters, he created fashionable, functional and sophisticated pieces such as collapsible home bars that would fold down and out of view — a particularly convenient feature during Prohibition — and tables and desks with secret drawers, which were also handy to Mont’s shady clientele.
“You bought a bar from him, and he would also deliver booze in a baby carriage,” antiques dealer and furniture retailer Todd Merrill told New York about Mont in 2008.
Mont designed a room for the World’s Fair in 1939 and later befriended Hollywood celebrities such as Bob Hope, who was best man at his wedding, Irving Berlin and Lana Turner. During the 1940s and ‘50s, Mont continued designing furniture, mastering finishing techniques such as lacquering and incorporating a distinctive “leafing” print effect with silver and gold into his pieces.
Mont’s designs enjoyed a resurgence in the 1990s, and his pieces continue to be sought after by collectors.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage James Mont sideboards, tables and storage cabinets.
- James Mont, Pair of Giltwood Table Lamps, United States, circa 1960By James MontLocated in New York, NYMont’s designs set him apart as a singular figure of the American midcentury. Straddling the overlapping worlds of Art Deco, Hollywood Regency, and Mid- century Modern, he conformed ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
MaterialsWood
- Édition Maison Gerard, Metal Chair, United States, 2018By Édition Maison GerardLocated in New York, NYPer design supplied by Maison Gerard.Category
2010s American Minimalist Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Carol Egan, Hand Carved Sculptural Chair, United States, 2016By Carol EganLocated in New York, NYThis sculptural hand carved armchair is part of a line of contemporary furniture designed by blending digital technology with fine traditional craftsmanship. The armchair features a ...Category
2010s American Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood, Mahogany
Price Upon Request - James DeWulf, Exo, Concrete and Bronze Side Table, United States, 2021By James DewulfLocated in New York, NYLos Angeles-based artist James De Wulf, has been widely recognized for his original and innovative work with concrete design. Known for his commitment to pushing the limits of his ar...Category
2010s American Side Tables
MaterialsConcrete, Bronze
- Carol Egan, Zephyr, Hand Carved Sculptural Armchair, United States, 2021By Carol EganLocated in New York, NYInspired by power structures found in nature and designed by blending digital technology with fine traditional craftsmanship, the Zephyr chair further develops the cantilever and cyl...Category
2010s American Chairs
MaterialsBeech
Price Upon Request - Carol Egan, Robusto, Hand Carved Sculptural Armchair, United States, 2023By Carol EganLocated in New York, NYCarol Egan's works are produced using 3D modeling software and are then crafted and hand finished using traditional woodworking techniques. Egan emphasizes unique form and structure...Category
2010s American Chairs
MaterialsFiberglass
- Pair of James Mont Dolphin ChairsBy James MontLocated in New York, NYExquisite pair of high back dolphin chairs by James Mont. The chairs have been beautifully reupholstered in a luxurious Romo velvet fabric and sit on de...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery
$12,500 / set - Classic James Mont Tall Back ChairBy James MontLocated in St.Petersburg, FLA classic James Mont tall back chair, ca' 1950's. Lacquered frame with velvet upholstery.Category
Vintage 1950s American Hollywood Regency Chairs
MaterialsMahogany
- Set of Eight James Mont Lacquered Dining ChairsBy James MontLocated in Rio Vista, CAMagnificent set of eight black lacquered Mid-Century Modern dining chairs designed by James Mont. The chairs feature an Asian foliate motif decorated back splat with a dramatic high gloss lacquer finish. The frames are made of thick round hardwood with a gracefully curved back. The crestrail is reminiscent of a Chinese official hat chair...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsVelvet, Hardwood
$12,000 / set - James Mont Style Vintage Oversized Brown Velvet ChairBy James MontLocated in Locust Valley, NYA vintage curved brown oversized chair in James Mont style with wood legs and velvet upholstery.Category
Mid-20th Century Chairs
MaterialsVelvet
- Celadon Lacquered Midcentury James Mont Style Ming ChairsBy James MontLocated in Locust Valley, NYCeladon lacquered, midcentury, James Mont style Ming chairs with brass accents.Category
Mid-20th Century Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Rare Pair of James Mont Mid-Century Lounge ChairsBy James MontLocated in New York, NYExquisite pair of rare lounge chairs by James Mont. The wide framed chairs have been fully restored with satin black frames and Mohair upholstery which is tufted on the seats.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery
$12,500 / set
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
These Accomplished Female Makers Have a Penchant for Offbeat Organic Designs
Daring shapes and soft curves define the impressive output of five women furniture designers around the globe — in Ireland, Ukraine, Israel, Denmark and France.
Michael Coffey Stirs Emotions with Works Like His Satan’s Tongue Table
Drawing on both artistry and clever engineering, the master craftsman imbues his pieces with movement and drama.