Massive 1960s Witco Tiki Wall Art - Viking Ship

Massive.  Colossal.  Maybe even gargantuan?  

No matter what "sizeable" adjective you choose, this fantastic piece of 1960s Witco wall art will fit the description.  The piece is 63 1/2" wide (ahem, that's over 5 feet), and 33" tall (nearly 3 feet).  Now, that's a lot of art!

Witco (short for the Western International Trading Company) imported a variety of decorative objects from the South Pacific before hitting on the popular carved art and furniture for which they are famous.  The production plant for the art work was in Mt. Vernon, Washington, and the company used primarily red cedar (which was stained a dark walnut) for their wood-based creations.

The piece is in excellent original condition.  The orange canvas-like background still possesses vibrant color and is free from stains.  The frame has a few small bumps and bruises from normal wear.

If your inner-Tiki is calling you, you've found the piece de resistance.  It comes ready to hang and enjoy!

SOLD.  Thanks, Sam @ Columbus, Ohio!

1970s Benjamin Chee Chee Modernist Print - Good Morning!

Benjamin Chee Chee - born in Ontario, Canada - was an indigenous artist whose paintings transcended the more traditional native paitning style aesthethic toward one influenced by modern abstraction.  Active in the 60s and 70s, Chee Chee's technique combined indigenous themes with a style more representative of international modern art. 

Tragically killed at age 32, Chee Chee left a limited, but influential, body of work for us to enjoy.

This print - titled "Good Morning!" - is an excellent representation of his modernist technique.  He often used Canadian Geese as subjects in his paintings, incorporating their symbolism of indigeneous peoples and of Canada, and their natural motion.

The print is matted and set in a nice wood frame.  It's ready to hang and enjoy.

30 1/2"  x  24 1/2"

SOLD.  Thanks, Bob @ Cincinnati, OH!

1950s Canadian Modern Bent Plywood Chairs

In some ways, Canadian designers of mid-century furniture were a couple steps ahead of their south-of-the border counterparts, but they have never received the acclaim garnered by their American contemporaries - think A.J. Donahue, Russell Spanner, and Jan Kuypers (ok, so Kuypers was born in the Netherlands, but most his career was spent in Canada).

This wonderful pair of chairs comes out of the Canadian modernist movement, and one can see design similarities to Spanner's and Kuypers' work.

Made of rock-solid maple and bent plywood, the chairs feature a gently curved seat and back set within an angular frame.  Note the sloping armrests over the the splayed legs, and the subtle slope of the seat (to make you nice and comfortable).  The original vinyl upholstery (color: fuscia/salmon) is in excellent condition - no rips or tears - just needs a good cleaning.  The bottom of the legs still possess their steel glides.  Structurally sound and solid (and heavy!), these are well-made and well-designed chairs.  They'd make wonderful accent chairs, and would be right at home at the dining table, too (easy to clean upholstery).

The chairs are signed on the back - Canadian Office and School Furniture Company.

Three (3) chairs are available, although only two are shown.

Add a splash of cosmopolitan chic to your decor with conversation-inducing Canadian modernist chairs!

SOLD.  Thanks, Sheldon @ Chicago!

Vintage 1950s Modernist Floor Lamp with Fiberglass Shade & Butterfly Motif

Wow.  Double Wow.

Those expressions nicely sum up this incredible 1950s floor lamp.  Not much else to say, is there?  Oh, there is one more thing:  the lamp is in near-mint condition.  Just a fantastic all around piece.

Brass-plated steel frame.  Great splayed legs with ball feet and cubist diamond design in the middle.  Fiberglass shade with butterfly motif throughout.  Pull chain for on/off.

Works well.

60" tall (five feet!) and 11" in diameter.

How happy would your favorite mid century modern afficianado be to find this lamp gracing their holiday decor? ;)

$125

Pair of Robert Van Allen 1970s Modernist Screen Prints - City Scene & Forest

A couple months ago Gotcha Modern! offered a single Bob Van Allen screen print - which appears to be from the same line/era as these two - that is still available.  Offered now are two more Van Allen prints - with the collection of three (or even two) you'd have a nice start on a Van Allen collection! 

Van Allen was a rather prolific designer of home furnishings from the 1960s until 1983, when he passed away at the tender age of 44.  His designs ranged from textiles (think bed linens, table covers, and screen print art) to dinnerware and lighting fixtures.  He desinged china for Mikasa and flatware for Stanley Roberts, among other companies.

Van Allen remains a relatively obsure designer whose designs - often colorful, whimsical, and fun - remain underappreciated.

These two prints feature (1) a city scene, and (2) a forest scene.  Both are signed "Robert Van Allen" in the lower left corner.

City scene:  18" x 36".  Canvas in good condition with a faint water stain running from top to bottom.
Forest scene: 18" square.  Canvas in very good condition

Start your Bob Van Allen collection today with these groovy prints and be ahead of the curve in your appreciation of this modern designer.

SOLD!  Thanks, Cassie @ Chicago!

Mahogany Chippendale Serpentine Chest with Ball-in-Claw Feet + Mirror

As followers and ambassadors of Gotcha Modern! know, we believe that great design transcends time.  So, while we tend to gravitate toward mid-century pieces, we're not shy about offering tasty examples of design from any period.  So it is with this lovely chest of drawers.

In period American furniture, proportion separates the good from the truly great pieces.  The best craftsmen had an innate sense of how the proportion of a piece impacted its perception and enhanced or detracted from its beauty.

One of the first things you notice about this chest is its stunning proportions.  Chippendale chests often of very short feet that make the chest appear too squaty, but the taller feet on this example elevates the piece and provides it with an assertive prominence that both commands attention is extremely pleasing aesthetically.

But the proportion is just one in a long line of attributes that set this piece apart.  Beautiful carving on the ball-and-claw legs moves into camfered fronts (again, not often seen on Chippendale pieces) that culminate at the top with a graceful floral design.  The original brass pulls adorn three graduated drawers, each of which slide works smoothly and offers significant storage capacity (more than you think!).  Resting on top of the chest is a thick sheet of protective glass, which is original to the piece.  Finally, the highly-carved mirror provides a beautiful finishing touch.

The chest features highly figured mahogany veneers, and has a warm and rich (and original!) finish.  The chest is very well made - heavy and substantial.  This is a piece of furniture you will have for a very long time.

The piece's somewhat compact size is extremely versatile - use it as a buffet (great storage), as a bureau in a living room or den or, of course, as chest in a bedroom.

The owner purchased the chest at auction in Chicago approximately 15 years ago.

Very good vintage condition. 

Chest:  45" long, 22" wide, 36" tall
Mirror: 39" tall, 24" wide

SOLD.  Thanks, Chris @ Libertyville!
Gotcha Modern! is happy to offer complimentary delivery of the chest within a 10 mile radius of Park Ridge.

Selig Mid Century Lounge Chair - The Eames Alternative

You love the design of this lounge chair, and you know the Charles Eames example for Herman Miller will set you back $3-4K.  While your love for great mid century design runs deep, it doesn't run a few thousand dollars deep for one of these chairs.  Well, voila!  Don't despair, Gotcha Modern! has a solution.

Selig - a noted and well-regarded company that produced and distributed great mid-century furniture back in the day, some it designed by top Danish designers - realized that Mr. Eames had a pretty good thing going with his lounge chair for Herman Miller.  So, they joined the party and designed their own version.  And although not on the same level as Mr. Eame's chair, it is still pretty darn good....and looks fabulous, too.

Presenting the Selig "Eames-alike" lounge chair and ottoman.  Bent plywood frame with steel supports and base.  An adjustable recline mechanism on the underside of the chair allows you to adjust the chair to your preference.  The original upholstery is a black pleather.

Excellent overall vintage condition.  There are some nicks here and there on the plywood backing, and the upholstery is starting to pull away from one side of the seat (should probably be reinforced - I'll let the new owner make that decision).  The upholstery on the ottoman has a couple of scratches, but no tears.

Chair:  32" wide, 38" high, 32" deep.  Ottoman:  21" long, 17" wide, 15" high.

The Selig tag remains on the underside of the chair.

Best of all, this chair is comfortable with a capital "C!"  Sit in it once, and you won't want to get up.  Honest.

SOLD.  Thanks, Barb @ Chicago!