Widdicomb Mid Century Dining Chairs - Set of 4
About the Item
- Creator:Widdicomb Furniture Co. (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 21 in (53.34 cm)Depth: 22 in (55.88 cm)Seat Height: 18.5 in (46.99 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Countryside, IL
- Reference Number:
Widdicomb Furniture Co.
Admirers of vintage mid-century modern furnishings likely recognize the Widdicomb Furniture Company name for the fruitful partnerships it forged with iconic designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings and Mario Buatta. But there is more to the Widdicomb story than the albeit quite covetable sofas and bedroom furniture it produced during the middle of the 20th century.
A wealth of pine and oak forests rendered Grand Rapids, Michigan, a logging center during the 1800s, and it eventually gained recognition for its furniture industry. The American city became a destination for furniture makers who hailed from across the United States and beyond. Furniture maker George Widdicomb emigrated from England to the United States in 1845, eventually setting up a cabinet shop in Syracuse, New York, before moving west to Grand Rapids. There, he opened a shop with his four sons, including John Widdicomb, whose name would help carry the family legacy into the 20th century.
The Widdicomb shop in Grand Rapids prospered, as the patriarch’s formal English training allowed him to produce pieces with superior craftsmanship compared to those of his competitors. Although the Civil War halted business and took the life of one of the Widdicomb brothers, the family’s survivors would start anew as Widdicomb Brothers and Richards, soon renamed the Widdicomb Furniture Company.
John Widdicomb, however, split from the family business in 1897 to create the John Widdicomb Company, where he would go on to focus on Louis XV- and French Provincial-style furnishings. Chairs made in these styles have distinct characteristics, such as floral motifs carved in the frames and gently angled backrests. John's company also remained a family affair: The founder’s son, Harry, assumed control of the company when his father died in 1910, while John's nephew Ralph Widdicombe — who retained the English spelling of his last name and joined the John Widdicomb Company at its start — designed every single piece of the offerings at his uncle's manufacturing outfit until he retired in 1951. Ralph was an internationally distinguished furniture designer whose modern mahogany bedroom suite won first prize at the Paris Exposition in 1900.
The original iteration of Widdicomb, which was helmed by John's older brother William while John ran his own brand, had shifted from making period revival styles of furniture, such as Georgian and Chippendale, to manufacturing modern pieces in the late 1920s. Today vintage Widdicomb seating, tables and other pieces produced during the postwar years are particularly sought after by collectors of mid-20th-century furniture.
In 1959, master woodworker George Nakashima created his Origins collection for Widdicomb when the firm merged with Mueller Furniture Corporation and was known, for around 10 years, as Widdicomb-Mueller. Origins, a revered Shaker-influenced group of nightstands, upholstered lounge chairs, dining-room tables and more, saw Nakashima working with woods like Carpathian elm and laurel in his Pennsylvania studio.
Eventually, the two Widdicomb companies would combine in 1970, operating under the name John Widdicomb Co.
In 2002, the business closed after more than a century of operations, and its assets were acquired by Stickley Furniture. Interestingly, it was not the first time Widdicomb and Stickley overlapped: In the final years of the 19th century, the companies opened a shared storehouse in London, while John Widdicomb and Albert Stickley would travel Europe together for the purposes of research.
Find vintage Widdicomb coffee tables, case pieces, dining chairs and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Countryside, IL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- T H Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb Midcentury Walnut Dining Chairs, Set of 6By Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Countryside, ILT.H. Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb midcentury walnut dining chairs - set of 6. Each armless chair measures: 22.25 wide x 20.75 deep x 33.75 high, with a seat height of 18.5 inch...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb Mid Century Occasional Captains Chairs - PairBy Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Countryside, ILRobsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb Mid Century Occasional Captains Chairs - Pair Each chair measures: 21.25 wide x 24 deep x 34.75 inches high, with a seat height of 19 and arm height/...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Mid Century Walnut Dining Chairs - Set of 6Located in Countryside, ILMid century walnut dining chairs - set of 6 These chairs are 24 wide x 22.25 deep x 33 inches high, with a seat height of 17.75...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Mid Century Teak Dining Chairs, Set of 5Located in Countryside, ILMid century teak dining chairs - set of 5 Each chair measures: 22.75 wide x 21 deep x 34.5 inches high, with a seat height of 17...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
- Mastercraft Mid Century Burlwood Dining Chairs - Set of 6By MastercraftLocated in Countryside, ILMastercraft Mid Century Burlwood Dining Chairs - Set of 6 Each chair measures: 22 wide x 19.5 deep x 41.5 high with a seat height of 18 inche...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Robsjohn Style Mid Century Dining Chairs - Set of 3By T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Countryside, ILRobsjohn Style Mid Century Dining Chairs - Set of 3 Each chair measures: 22.5 wide x 20 deep x 31 inches high, with a seat height/chair clearance of 18 inches All pieces of furnitu...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- George Nakashima Chairs for Widdicomb Origins set of Twelve Dining ChairsBy Widdicomb Furniture Co., George NakashimaLocated in Chicago, ILGeorge Nakashima Chairs for Widdicomb Origins set of Twelve Dining Chairs, consist of Two Arm Chairs model (206-W) Arm and Ten Side Chairs (model 206-W Side) 1959 Widdicomb-Mueller C...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Set of Six Dining Chairs by Robsjohn Gibbings for WiddicombBy T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Widdicomb Furniture Co.Located in New York, NYExceptional set of 6 dining chairs by noted mid century designer, Robsjohn Gibbings, for Widdicomb Furniture. The set includes 2 arm, and 4 armless chairs...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Mid-Century Dining Room Set by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for WiddicombBy Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Brooklyn, NYThis stylish dining set by Robsjohn-Gibbings includes his iconic x-style base and six matched dining chairs, all featuring unique and sturdy Mid-Century construction. The stylish sea...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood
- Set of 6 J. Stuart Clingman Dining Chairs for Widdicomb Mid-Century ModernLocated in Pemberton, NJSet of six late 1950s Widdicomb modernist dining chairs in walnut with upholstered seat and floating back cushions held suspended by brass fittings. Designed by J. Stuart Clingman...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Vintage Boho Cane and Burl Wood Dining Chairs After Widdicomb - Set of 6By Widdicomb Furniture Co.Located in west palm beach, FLImmerse yourself in the bohemian charm of American craftsmanship with this set of 6 Vintage Boho Cane and Burl Wood Dining Chairs inspired by Widdicomb. Each chair is meticulously cr...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Cane, Burl
- T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Set of Six Dining Chairs for Widdicomb, circa 1952By T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Widdicomb Furniture Co.Located in Camden, MET.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings set of six walnut spindle back dining chairs for Widdicomb, circa 1952. The chairs are in excellent condition with original upholstery.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWalnut