We were at a Gordon Hannigan auction in Paxton, IL when D. spotted a 5 piece bedroom set that she thought had great styling and contemporary lines, even though it apparently had been purchased by the owners sometime in the late 1940's to early 1950's. Everyone else at the auction seemed to have their eyes on a maple bedroom set that was a cheap imitation of an Ethan Allen grouping.
D. began examining the construction of the inconspicuous set. The backs of the pieces were marked "solid mahogany." The drawers were dove-tailed construction, and inside the top drawer of each piece was stamped "Drexel." This was a high-end bedroom set manufactured by one of the best furniture manufacturers in the country.
The condition of all the pieces was very good - only some minor light scratches near the bases that could easily be masked with some Old English scratch remover. All the case pieces had custom-made glass tops for protection. The wood was stained a medium brown, not too light like some 1950's pieces, but not a deep dark color. The slightly reddish hue of the mahogany was visible in the still original finish.What really attracted D. to the set were the slightly rounded lines of the pieces and the contemporary style of the handles. She visualized this set in a large loft apartment in some metro area. The large dresser could even stand alone as a bar or side-board in a dining room.
(Sorry these pictures don't do the set justice; they were taken in a dark crowded warehouse.) The set consisted of a full size bed (headboard & footboard), night stand, chest of drawers, and dresser with full mirror. She could see real potential here and ended up as one of two bidders on it. She finally won the auction, stealing the set of 5 pieces for only $300. And here's why it was an even better bargain than she imagined:
D. began researching the Drexel grouping and found that it was the only collection ever designed by Edward Wormley, a famous Midwestern designer. The 1947 "Precedent Collection" was designed by Wormley to secure his position with the competing Dunbar Furniture Company, and the collection was marketed to the upscale conservative modern Beverly Hills type of clients. Although not considered his ultimate best work, the line is still highly valued by collectors. The dresser and chest alone are likely worth at least $750-$900 each. We also noticed the same bedroom set was sold in the Marge Schott Estate.
For now, the furniture pieces are being stored in our warehouse until someone comes along with a loft apartment or large contemporary home that simply must have a vintage Edward Wormley bedroom to showcase their superior modern taste.
5 comments:
That is gorgeous. I adore mid-century furniture. And the condition is amazing! Sadly, we abandoned our swank loft apartment three years ago, and now live in a shoebox, cookie cutter house.
You should see the pieces in person. These pictures just don't do it justice (bad lighting & crowded area). Eventually we'll probably sell the pieces individually, especially since the chest and dresser will work well beyond the bedroom.
Well,
If you are interested in parting with one of them, please let me know!
I could offer a great spot with a view of lake michigan in a Mies van der Rohe designed co-op to one of the dressers...
ksmith142@rcn.com
Regards,
Keith
knock knock are you still there?
I found the large dresser with mirror yesterday and am using it as a piece between my living and kitchen areas against a 100 year old brick wall resting on a concrete floor. It holds my linens and other various pieces while the top serves as a bar and more display space for my finds. So your vision is partly realized. :)
One question, though. Are you sure it's Wormley. All the Precedent pieces I've seen have different pulls, although the same lines everywhere else. He used similar designs for Dunbar, but yours and mine are the only ones I've found with these particular pulls. I'm hoping you found more evidence than I did confirming that these can be attributed to him.
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