Vintage Organic Modern Chairs by Ficks Reed
View Similar Items
Vintage Organic Modern Chairs by Ficks Reed
About the Item
- Creator:Ficks Reed (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.5 in (82.55 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 26 in (66.04 cm)Seat Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Chairs are in good vintage condition appropriate for their age. Some light abrasions on wood and leather.
- Seller Location:Boynton Beach, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5845230808882
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.
More From This Seller
View AllMid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Ceramic, Rattan
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Lounge Chairs
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Linen, Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century North American Hollywood Regency Lounge Chairs
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Hollywood Regency Pedestals and Columns
Reed, Wood
You May Also Like
Vintage 1950s Lounge Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan, Reed
Mid-20th Century Philippine Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Reed
Vintage 1950s Lounge Chairs
Bamboo, Rattan, Reed
Mid-20th Century Philippine Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Reed
Mid-20th Century Philippine Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Philippine Lounge Chairs
Reed
