Pair of Swivel Chairs by Gardner Leaver for Steelcase, circa 1965, American
View Similar Items
Pair of Swivel Chairs by Gardner Leaver for Steelcase, circa 1965, American
About the Item
- Creator:Gardner Leaver (Designer),Steelcase (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 24 in (60.96 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Jersey City, NJ
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU80734532153
Steelcase
The Michigan-based furniture maker Steelcase has a long and distinguished history, but collectors focus on its vintage office furniture and desk chairs from the 1950s to the ’70s, when, along with such companies as Knoll and Herman Miller, the firm helped define the aesthetics of American mid-century modernism.
Steelcase was founded in Grand Rapids in 1912 as the Metal Office Furniture Company, promoting steel desks and other furnishings as safer, fireproof alternatives to wooden pieces at a time when smoking in the workplace was common. Boston’s first skyscraper — the 32-story Customs House — was furnished by the company in 1915. Frank Lloyd Wright, an American architect and furniture designer whose work had a profound influence on the shape of modern life, turned to the firm in 1937 to fabricate the enameled metal chairs and desks for his Johnson Wax Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin.
In the 1950s, when Steelcase formally adopted the name it still uses today, the company developed a sleek and functional style employing rectilinear chrome frames for glass-topped tables and upholstered seating pieces. The look is similar to that of the minimal, Bauhaus-inspired designs of Florence Knoll, another icon of furniture design who helped shape the ethos of the postwar business world.
By the 1970s, Steelcase had enlivened its styling, offering such pieces as chairs and side tables designed by Gardner Leaver, with circular bases and curving supports. As you will see on these pages, Steelcase designs offer a perfect foundation for a modernist decor, with a touch of flair.
Find vintage Steelcase furniture on 1stDibs.
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1960s Lounge Chairs
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Fiberglass
Vintage 1960s Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1960s Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
You May Also Like
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Chrome
