Simmons Brushed Steel and Gunmetal Vinyl Rocking Chair
View Similar Items
Simmons Brushed Steel and Gunmetal Vinyl Rocking Chair
About the Item
- Creator:Simmons Company Furniture (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 29 in (73.66 cm)Depth: 24 in (60.96 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Industrial (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1940s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU156028162493
Simmons Company Furniture
Best known for industrial and Art Deco style metal furniture, Simmons Company Furniture was among the leading manufacturers and sellers of steel furniture from the early to mid-20th century.
In 1923, the Chicago-based furniture firm captured international attention when it introduced the world’s first bedroom suite made of steel. This innovative approach to design made waves throughout the furniture manufacturing industry, which, at the time, produced primarily wooden furniture.
Towards the late 1920s, Simmons Company Furniture began collaborating with American modernist industrial designer Norman Bel Geddes. Bel Geddes was renowned for his sleek, streamlined, futuristic style, seen in Electrolux appliances, radios for Philco and RCA and the aerodynamic Chrysler Airflow. Bel Geddes was also the designer behind the famed General Motors “Futurama” exhibition at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
For Simmons, Bel Geddes designed a steel bedroom furniture ensemble in 1929, including an enameled steel vanity, bed frame and dresser, each with chrome-finished accents. In 1933, Simmons exhibited the suite at the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago, garnering critical acclaim. Over the next few years, Bel Geddes designed several other pieces for Simmons, such as an Art Deco-style one-drawer side table, leather-upholstered metal armchairs, vanity benches and chests of drawers.
In addition to these modernist designs, Simmons created American Classical furniture and steel reproductions of Windsor, Chippendale and Sheraton pieces aimed at the upper-middle-class market. To soften the industrial look, many pieces, such as rocking chairs, armchairs, desks and dressers, were enameled in color finishes or imitation wood.
Simmons Company Furniture pieces have had a resurgence in popularity, particularly among interior designers and collectors of early 20th-century furniture. The company’s furnishings are in museum collections across the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum in New York.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of Simmons Company Furniture seating, case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and more.
More From This Seller
View AllEarly 20th Century American Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Steel
Early 20th Century American Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Rocking Chairs
Chrome
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Ottomans and Poufs
Steel
2010s American Industrial Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Cane, Beech
You May Also Like
Late 20th Century American Bohemian Rocking Chairs
Plastic, Bamboo
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Aluminum
Antique 1850s English Rocking Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
Other, Steel
Vintage 1980s American Modern Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
