Pair of Lee Woodard Slipper Chairs with Walnut and Brass Base
View Similar Items
Pair of Lee Woodard Slipper Chairs with Walnut and Brass Base
About the Item
- Creator:Woodard Furniture Co. (Manufacturer, Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 28 in (71.12 cm)Width: 29 in (73.66 cm)Depth: 30 in (76.2 cm)Seat Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950-1959
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU164529032863
Woodard Furniture Co.
Woodard Furniture Company’s diverse offerings have included everything from pine caskets to premium patio furniture over the years.
Lyman E. Woodward founded the family business Woodard Brothers (he dropped the second w for his venture’s name), later Woodard Furniture Co., in Owosso, Michigan, in 1866.
Woodard Furniture produced wood furniture such as birch and oak bedroom pieces, window and door blinds and even pine caskets. Demand for the latter increased during the spread of the Spanish flu in America, and Woodard’s casket business — a new company called Owosso Casket Company — thrived, becoming the largest casket manufacturer in the world throughout the 1920s. Two U.S. presidents, William McKinley and Benjamin Harrison, were buried in Owosso caskets.
On the furniture side, Lyman’s son Lee Woodard spun off his own business as Lee L. Woodard and Sons, opening a shop with his sons, Joseph, Lyman II and Russell Woodard.
During the 1930s, the new company explored the use of metal in furniture-making and introduced a wrought-iron set of patio dining furniture featuring ornate grillwork inspired by French design called Orleans in 1940. The line became a best seller and kick-started the company’s international reputation as a patio-furniture maker, even as the Woodard factory subsequently shifted toward supporting the wartime efforts in manufacturing parts for trucks and military equipment. After World War II, the business returned to making furniture.
Over the years, Woodard and Sons would go on to master metallurgy in furniture making, developing expertise in wrought iron, cast aluminum and tubular aluminum for both indoor and outdoor pieces. While the business started with more traditional styles of furnishings, the company would go on to embrace mid-century modernism. In fact, one of Woodard’s most famous pieces is 1956’s Sculptura chair, variously credited over the years to Russell and/or Joseph.
The Sculptura was reportedly the first sculpted chair made without molds. Not unlike Harry Bertoia’s elegant steel-wire Side chair (also a mid-century darling) in its undulating form, the Sculptura chair, which is composed entirely of enameled woven wrought-iron wire, bears similarity to Eero Saarinen’s Womb chair and Charles and Ray Eames’s DAX chair.
The beloved Sculptura chair was added to the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum’s permanent collection in 1994.
While the Woodard business is no longer in family hands, the company continues to produce fine patio furniture today and even reintroduced the Sculptura chair in 2015 as nostalgia for mid-century modernism gained steam again.
Find vintage Woodard wrought-iron patio chairs, spun fiberglass dining tables and more for sale on 1stDibs.
- Set of Four "Sculptura" Patio Dining Armchairs by Lee WoodardBy Russell Woodard, Woodard Furniture Co.Located in Los Angeles, CASet of four dining armchairs by Lee Woodard for Woodard Furniture, c.1950s, USA. The armchairs are from Woodard’s “Sculptura” line designe...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Pair of Giancarlo Piretti Style Modern Cubic Sofa SeatsBy Giancarlo PirettiLocated in Los Angeles, CAPair of modern cubic sofa seats in the style of Giancarlo Piretti. This seats have been newly upholstered in Kvadrat fabric and feature two modular seats with clean geometric lines. The seats sit atop an oak plinth base. These semi modular sofa seats can be arranged with our cube block table and three seater sofa seats to create an L shaped seating...Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Oak, Upholstery
- Pair of Arne Karlsen and Peter Hjort Leather and Cane Lounge ChairsBy Interna Denmark, Arne Karlsen and Peter Hjorth 1Located in Los Angeles, CARare pair of oak and leather lounge chairs by Arne Karlsen and Peter Hjort, for Interna, c.1960s. These chairs feature adjustable seat backs and an oak frame. The cane seat and seat ...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
Sold$10,000 / set - Karl Springer Style Leather Swivel ChairBy Karl SpringerLocated in Los Angeles, CAKarl Springer style swivel chair, c.1980s. The chair features soft curves throughout and upholstered in a rich tufted brown leather. The rounded seat back offers comfort and style. T...Category
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Swivel Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Otto Zapf Lounge Chairs for KnollBy Knoll, Otto ZapfLocated in Los Angeles, CAPair of leather lounge chairs by Otto Zapf for Knoll International, c.1990s, USA. The plush lounge chairs feature original deep camel leather uphols...Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
$8,000 / set - Pair of Hans Wegner "Papa Bear" Lounge Chairs by AP StolenBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in Los Angeles, CAHans Wegner's most iconic chair, the “Papa Bear Chair” (Model AP19), made in the early 1950s by AP Stolen. These pieces feature elegant paneled detailing in the backrest upholstery, a dramatic wing-back, and cantilevered arms. The outstretched arms were once described by a critic as, “great bear...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
Sold$60,000 / set
- Pair of French Country Walnut Slipper ChairsLocated in Bridgeport, CTA pair of charming French country low slung slipper chairs. With elegant shaped crest rails and sides with slight wings on the ends. Wide comfortable seats, raised on cabriole legs w...Category
20th Century French Provincial Slipper Chairs
MaterialsWalnut
$2,250 / set - Ben Seibel for Stand Built Furniture Mcm Brass Base Slipper Chairs, PairBy Ben SeibelLocated in Countryside, ILBen Seibel for stand built furniture midcentury brass base slipper chairs - pair. Each chair measures: 27.5 wide x 25.25 deep x 32 inches high, with a s...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Vintage Diminutive Walnut and Leather Slipper Chairs by Milo BaughmanBy Milo BaughmanLocated in Brooklyn, NY1960s American Modern Slipper / lounge chairs designed by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin. Elegant, long tapered legs in walnut boast a dramatic flare in the back, adding a stylistic...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Walnut
- Pair of Elegant Slipper Chairs, 1940sLocated in New York, NYPair of elegant slipper chairs with dark walnut legs, American, 1940s. Refinished and newly upholstered by Lobel Modern.Category
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Foam, Walnut
$7,500 / set - Pair of Salon Slipper ChairsLocated in Beverly Hills, CAPair of Italian slipper chairs newly produced by ORANGE with beautiful curved lines and solid brass legs.. Shown in burnt orange mohair and priced COM.Category
2010s American Slipper Chairs
MaterialsMohair
$11,500 / item - Pair of Harvey Probber Slipper Chairs on Brass BasesBy Harvey ProbberLocated in Dallas, TXA pair of beautifully restored lounge chairs designed by Harvey Probber. Sculpted seats with tailored buttons and polished brass base.Category
Vintage 1960s Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
$16,000 / set