T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings 12-Drawer Double Highboy Dresser Widdicomb
View Similar Items
T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings 12-Drawer Double Highboy Dresser Widdicomb
About the Item
- Creator:Widdicomb Furniture Co. (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 44 in (111.76 cm)Width: 70 in (177.8 cm)Depth: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU133423098392
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.
- Japanese keyaki Wood Modern DresserLocated in Los Angeles, CARare and handsome dresser. Danish modern style. Simple and clean lines. Architectural form and function. Plywood (no pressboard) on solid wood base, nice grained keyaki wood veneer, ...Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Modern Dressers
MaterialsWood
- Mid Century Modern Credenza Georg PetersensBy Georg Petersens MøbelfabrikLocated in Los Angeles, CAClassic Danish modern design. Rosewood veneer with great tambour door design. Solid wood legs. Original vintage condition with a great patina consistent with age. Solid and sturdy. G...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsRosewood
- Studio Craft Chairs Irving SaboBy Irving SaboLocated in Los Angeles, CArare pair of chairs only a few of these were made and or have survived handcrafted sculpted walnut with cord original vintage condition with minor wear and patina one chair has a cr...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets
MaterialsWood
$10,000 / set - Shedua Wood Dining Table + Four Chairs Gerald McCabeBy Gerald McCabeLocated in Los Angeles, CAGreat California design table and chairs. Handcrafted solid Shedua wood (African walnut) Oval top showing the beautiful wood grain in different cuts. It also has a nice scale, not to...Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Dining Room Sets
MaterialsWood
- Plywood Dining Chairs Charles + Ray EamesBy Charles EamesLocated in Los Angeles, CAclassic California design Herman Miller manufacturer mixed woods, birch, ash and walnut unfortunately, they were once painted black they've been restored back to natural satin wi...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood
$3,000 / set - Modern Occasional Table + Four Stools Chris Di VincenteBy Chris DiVincenteLocated in Los Angeles, CAOne-off studio set. Simple modernist design. Plywood construction with birch veneer. Asymmetrical top with X base stools 18"H x 17"w upholstered with a nice nubby fabric. Mr. Di Vinc...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsWood
- 8 Drawer Double Dresser Designed by Robsjohn Gibbings for WiddicombBy Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in New York, NYImpressive eight drawer double dresser designed by Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb. The chest features two banks of four drawers, creating ample storage space. It is in very good, or...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsWood
- Robsjohn Gibbings Widdicomb MCM 4 Drawer Walnut Cane and Brass Highboy DresserBy T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Widdicomb Furniture Co.Located in Countryside, ILRobsjohn gibbings for widdicomb mid century 4 drawer walnut cane and brass highboy dresser. This highboy dresser measures: 34.5 wide x 21.25 deep x 40.75 inches high. All piece...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsBrass
- T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Double Dresser by WiddicombBy Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Highland, INThis stunning double dresser by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb is impeccably designed and expertly crafted. The walnut case has is exquisitely detailed with the curved front an...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsWalnut
- t.h. robsjohn-gibbings Double Dresser for WiddicombBy T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Widdicomb Furniture Co.Located in Trenton, NJThis exquisite eight-drawer double dresser, designed by the esteemed T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb, embodies the essence of mid-century elegance. The dresser's spacious interi...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsWood
- T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb Refinished Dresser / Credenza 1950s, SignedBy Widdicomb Furniture Co., T.H. Robsjohn-GibbingsLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis elegant refinished dresser by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb (USA) features gorgeous walnut grain with three drawers and one cabinet door, all with integrated pulls. Signe...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsWalnut
$3,800 Sale Price20% Off - T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Five Drawer Dresser for WiddicombBy T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Widdicomb Furniture Co.Located in Trenton, NJPresenting this remarkable vintage five-drawer dresser by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb, a testament to the fusion of classical and Deco elements. Robsjohn-Gibbings, a British...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsWood