John Keal Modular Seating Group

I've explained in previous posts my hesitation to work with upholstered pieces.  Chairs are my favorite piece because of all different forms they take on.  A well designed chair is really a functional piece of sculpture to me.  However, I don't do upholstery, so I have to be quite a bit more choosy when I take on a piece that requires upholstery work.  There has be be enough headroom in the value that I can justify paying someone to do the work.  This is one of those sets.

I've blogged about John Keal in the past.  He doesn't have the notoriety of a Milo Baughman or Adrian Pearsall but he is becoming more recognized as a significant designer of American mid century furniture.  His designs aren't quite as avant-garde as Pearsall's but always show great attention to detail and incorporate unique design features.  His designs combined with the excellent craftmanship of Brown Saltman guarantees that Keal's pieces will continue to ascend in collectability and value.

This is one of Keal's more rare sets.  There are a lot of design queues that remind me of Pearsall's designs.  The sculpted, solid walnut bases that each of these sits on looks much like the glass topped coffee and side tables that Pearsall designed.  The seats and table tops on these seem to float above the walnut bases.  Keal's clever addition to the set was to link them together so they could be configured in multiple ways and still function as a single piece of furniture.  More pieces could be added on as needed, they can be set up in linear fashion or angled inward.  Their low and compact stature make them perfect for a modern loft or condo (or the often small mid-century home).  They can also be configured as separate pieces and are beautiful from any angle.

The other difficulty with upholstered pieces is trying to find a fabric that works well with the style and that will find agreement with a larger audience.  I opted to go with a nubby wool fabric that is well suited to mid century furniture.  The color reads as a warm medium gray from a distance.  Close inspection reveals that it is woven on an orange background, providing a subtle pop of color.  The cushions have been reupholstered with the foam and webbing in the seat deck all replaced.  The work was impeccably executed by a craftsman of 4 decades experience.  I can't imagine that these chairs looked any better the day they left the Brown Saltman factory.

The walnut frames are in nearly perfect original condition.  I could not have improved them by refinishing them.  The table top was refinished and now glows like the rest of the walnut.  This rare set is now being presented in nearly new condition.

Dimensions:
          Chairs 26.5"W x 25"D x 29"H
          Table  26.5"W x 25"D x 13"H

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Pair of Dillingham Walnut Nightstands

This pair of walnut nightstands/end tables are from the same line as the credenza I posted last month.  The line these come from is often attributed to Milo Baughman.  The more I research the background of these, the more skeptical I become of this attribution.  I can't find any reference to the name of the line or evidence that Baughman designed these (1st Dibs attributions don't count as evidence).  They have similarities to the Esprit line by Dillingham, which is often attributed to Baughman as well.  I have also seen Esprit attributed to Marty Borenstein.  Frankly, I'm not sure that either is correct.

Regardless of the designer, these are very nicely made pieces with classic straight modernist lines.  The veneers are beautifully colored and figured and the doors are bookmatched.  The outsides have just been refinished to show off the quality of the walnut used.  Inside there is open storage with one fixed shelf.  The design of these lends itself to many uses beyond the intended bedside nightstand.  They could be used as living room end tables or even pushed together to make a small low credenza or tv stand.

Dimensions: 27" W x 23"H x 15.5"D
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Low Danish Styled Teak 9-Drawer Dresser

Although this dresser was made in Canada by ICD Ltd (Inter-Continental Designs Ltd), it looks and is built very much like a Danish piece.  The drawers glide on side mounted glides.  Solid teak was used for the case edge banding (not a thin veneer).  The raised portion on the side panels are solid and nicely shaped teak.  The case uses good mitered joinery and the back is real plywood, not pressed board.  The chrome pulls are a unique feature and are heavily chromed steel plates that give a good substantial feel and are durable as well.  At 25" high, this piece is about 6" lower than most dressers, adding to the sleek modern aesthetic.  This also makes it particularly good to use as a perch for a flat screen TV.  Even though it is low, it is nearly 6 1/2 feet long so there is plenty of storage space in the 9 equally sized drawers.

Dimensions: 77"W x 25"H x 18 1/2"D

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Oak and Chrome Credenza by Davis Allen

When I find exceptional pieces I often go on about the quality of the joinery, use of solid wood, graceful curves, handworked details, etc.  This isn't one of those pieces.  As a piece of business furniture, this was designed for the rigors of the corporate environment where furniture is in continuous use for 8-12 hours a day, often being moved around from floor to floor and office to office.  This credenza was very well designed for this purpose and is more a marvel of engineering than it is a crafted piece of fine furniture.  However, there are a few things that attracted me to this piece.  The fine chrome drawer pulls, chrome blade steel legs and chrome trim are reminiscent of designs by George Nelson or Florence Knoll.  The oak used in this piece exhibited beautiful cathedraling and it is finished on all 4 sides.  It is also lower than most credenzas which makes it very useful as a TV or media stand.  The lower profile ads to its modernist stature.

Allen Davis is not a designer most people are familiar with.  He is recognized as one of the pioneers in post WWII business environment design.  His prolific 50 year career included designing for Knoll, Stendig, Stow Davis and Steelcase.  In 1985 he was one of the first 15 inductees into the Interior Design Hall of Fame.

This piece was built in 1972.  It is constructed on a heavy steel chassis with drawers using steel boxes and heavy duty steel glides.  The manufacturer, GF Furniture, specialized in constructing fireproof business furnishings and although this piece is not fireproof, their expertise is evident in its construction.  Because of the construction technique this piece is very heavy, I'm guessing 350 lbs.  The center "open storage" area features one adjustable steel shelf.

As I have with other oak pieces recently I opted to finish this with a cerused technique.  The "background" color is a dark brown and black with the grain filled with a contrasting white.  I love the look this gives oak pieces and it fits in well with today's modern industrial aesthetic.

Dimensions: 65"W x 25"H x 21"H
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