Saturday, October 22, 2016

Lane Guitar Pick End Table

I haven't quite figured out what Lane line this table is from.  It isn't Perception or Acclaim.  Regardless, it is a cool piece with nice walnut tops and the upper tabletop has a "floating" construction detail.

Like the Perception end table in my previous post, this table was in good condition except for the upper tabletop.  I refinished this and matched to finish to the original to keep its vintage beauty.

Dimensions: 28" x 28" x 18"H

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Lane Perception 2-Tier End Table

Lane's Perception line by Warren Church is a mid-century classic.  Walnut with Ash trim is used throughout the line with many of the pieces featuring a basketweave pattern on some of the drawer fronts.  This table has a single drawer with basketweave for a handy place to stash small items.  The table is finished on all sides, so could be "floated" in a room.

This piece and the following guitar pick table signify a different refinishing approach for me.  I typically refinish the entire piece with a finish technique that highlights the wood grain.  Both of these tables were in very good condition except for the tops.  I opted to refinish only the tops and replicate the coloring of the rest of the table.  I think it was pretty successful and most would have a hard time recognizing the tops were refinished.

Dimensions:  22"W x 22"H x 30"D

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Vintage Ekones "Montana" Living Room Suite

The exceptional quality and comfort of Ekornes' seating products is legendary.  Founded in 1934 in Norway, they began by manufacturing mattresses.  They began manufacturing lounge furniture in 1966 and by 1977 were the largest furniture manufacturer in Scandinavia.

The "Montana" line was designed in the 1970's and continued on until at least 1989.  I don't have the production date on this particular set.  The frames are constructed of solid teak.  Unlike many of the other Danish styled seating furniture, these use a heavy nylon woven seat deck that is reiforced with metal bars.  It is a much sturdier and more supportive system than the straps or
"webbing" other makers used.  The leather used is also very high quality with the feeling of glove leather, nothing like the plasticized bonded leathers seen today in some of the "big box" local furniture retailers.  There are 2 small cracks in the leather on the sofa and one small cut on the loveseat.  Otherwise they show great patina, something I actually prefer on leather as opposed to looking brand new.  Visually, the design of the sofa and loveseat remind me of some of Percival Lafer's designs with the appearance of soft leather being draped over a wood frame.  These aren't as quite as "low slung" as Lafer's designs but the frames are more sculpted and more substantial.

This set also includes a large coffee table and I side table.  Both are constructed similarly to the sofas with solid teak frames.  They each have 1/2"  thick smoked glass tops.  The side table has a chip in one edge of the glass and a couple chips in the teak on the top of one leg.  The coffee table has a couple of small chips in the glass edge that aren't seen unless the glass is removed from the frame.

All the frames on these pieces are in original condition and show age appropriate wear with small nicks and scratches.

These are investment quality pieces with great comfort and style to match and ready to fit perfectly in a vintage modern inspired space.

Dimensions:

3-Seat sofa: 82"L x 34"D x 33"H (18" seat height)
2-Seat loveseat: 58"L x 34"D x 33"H (18" seat height)
coffee table: 52"L x 35"D x 16.5"H
side table: 30"L x 28"D x 20.5"H

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Friday, October 14, 2016

Exquisite Walnut and Olive Burl Mid-Century Dining Table

I'm sure that there are a legion of people out there who see the pieces I restore that don't agree with my methodology.  Most of the pieces don't really look old when I'm done, so wouldn't appeal to people looking for pieces with a vintage patina.  While I would agree this is true, and I sometimes have to try to decide if I'm going to try to do spot repairs and salvage the original finish, often the pieces are in rough shape and really need to be completely refinished.  I am also a "materials guy".  I try to find pieces that are constructed with nice and/or unusual materials.  I really enjoy trying to bring out the best that the materials have to offer and the original finishes often obscure the beauty of the material beneath.  This table was a no-brainer.  Not only did the finish show 4+ decades of use, but the original finish was a heavily applied lacquer that had been tinted dark green.  The green tint on the main part of the table had faded to more of an amber while the leaves, having been infrequently used, were still quite green.  I didn't want to replicate either the green or faded finish, so a complete refinish was in order.  And...certainly with no regrets!

This table was designed by Maurice Bailey for Cal-Mode furniture sometime in the early 60's.  Cal-Mode became Monteverdi-Young after their first year of business.  Bailey was known for his use of lush, refined materials paired with linear and angular designs.  This table is distinguished by its hexagonal, diamond shape and the inlay of olive burl.  The legs, apron and table top edges and are constructed of solid walnut that have all been shaped with chamfers and the legs gracefully tapered.  The walnut itself is dark brown with beautiful grain figure and a few streaks of blond sapwood.  The olive burl is bookmatched in both directions with the leaves also being bookmatched.  This table is large, without the leaves it is 7 feet in length, with the leaves it is just short of 10 feet and could comfortably seat 10 people.

The table also comes with a padded cover for use under a tablecloth.

For reference, here is a listing for another example of this table for sale at a gallery.
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/tables/dining-room-tables/monteverdi-young-walnut-burl-dining-table/id-f_615985/

As holiday season approaches, if you are looking for a statement piece in your dining room that exudes quality and doesn't look like something you just ordered up from a catalog, this table is worth checking out!

Dimensions: 84"L (116" w/both leaves) x 45"W x 30"H
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