Identify This Garage Sale Find? Good Questions

Identify This Garage Sale Find?
Good Questions

Q: I was wondering if I could get help from the Apartment Therapy community to identify this chair and matching ottoman. My partner picked it up at a garage sale years ago and it has no identifying information on it anywhere, but everything looks to be original…

The chair flips back into a reclining position using a knob on the side, and the top of the ottoman also can be positioned at an angle. It's one of my favorite pieces and when the stars align (i.e., a good chunk of free time comes my way), I plan to refinish the wood so it will glow against the cushions. It would be great to know where the set came from. Thanks for the help!

Sent by Kelly

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Comments (8)

That is a Milo Baughman design for Ames Furniture.

http://www.artnewyork.com/interior/vintage/html/milo.htm

posted by Comicgeek on October 14th 2009 at 9:17pm
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Refinishing is probably not necessary. Try just oiling it with Fruitwood tinted Danish Oil.

posted by Comicgeek on October 14th 2009 at 9:18pm
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This chair is beautiful! I recently picked up two chairs that look fairly similar, although they don't recline and have more curves. Does this mean that my chairs are also from the 60s?

(I bought them here in Israel, and I can definitely date them to the 70s at least based on the import tax stamps, but I can't date them precisely.)

posted by yiyehtov on October 15th 2009 at 4:30am
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ooh... I just did searching and have determined that my chair is most likely Danish Modern!! The wood arms sure look like teak, and it fairly closely resembles this chair, minus the winged arms:

https://secure.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread_show_one/thread_id/5581/

Here are my chairs:

http://www.aphomeschoolers.com/mayaschairs.JPG

(The foot stool came separately and isn't necessarily the same kind.)

posted by yiyehtov on October 15th 2009 at 4:55am
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Yiyehtov, I'm not particularly familiar with these chairs, but they look more like furniture produced in Sweden or Yugoslavia rather than Denmark. The angularity and squared off legs are a tell tale sign. However you are right on about the time frame that these pieces were built. The wood does not appear to be teak. It looks too dark and has most likely been stained a walnut color. These pieces look like they are from Dux Furniture. Although I am not certain... Hope that helps.

posted by Comicgeek on October 15th 2009 at 10:10am
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I was going to be totally unhelpful and say I know exactly what it is: very, very nice.

posted by home body on October 15th 2009 at 12:26pm
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Thanks, guys! I'm so glad to know the designer and time period. This chair is just more proof that garage sales can be gold mines! I'll try oiling the wood and see if that restores it to its intended glory.

posted by betony on October 15th 2009 at 2:43pm
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Thanks, Comicgeek! I appreciate it!

I've sanded the wood and it has a beautiful honey color underneath. Based on info I can find online and my husband's opinion, I'm pretty sure it's teak... but who knows. (Teak is really common here.) I actually managed to find confirmation today that the luxury tax stamps on the chair are from the early 50s. It would make sense for the chairs to be Yugoslavian!

Anyway, I'm really sorry to have kind of hijacked the thread... the original chair is so beautiful. It gave me the vocab to do better web searches to come close to identifying my chairs... so thanks :)

posted by yiyehtov on October 15th 2009 at 3:38pm
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