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!

Laurel Flying Saucer Floor Lamp

Laurel made great modern lamps, and this example is one of their best floor lamp designs.  Affectionately referred to as the flying saucer lamp, it features an ajdustable neck, which allows you to position the lamp in most any desired direction.

Made of black-painted steel, this is a solid and well-made lamp - and it's in excellent condition.  The plastic diffisuer on these lamps are often missing or cracked - the diffuser on this lamp is, well, pristine!

Signed Laurel.

Make a statement with a top-notch example of mid century American lighting.

SOLD.  Thanks, Steve @ Chicago! 

1970s Bob Van Allen Modernist Screen Print - Mountain Scene

A 1970s canvas screen print by artist and designer Robert Van Allen.

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.

This canvas screen print features a mod mountain scene - complete with the sun above and a river below.

The canvas is in very good condition with a faint water stain running from top to bottom.  You could have the print cleaned for leave as-is.  Signed "Robert Van Allen" in the lower left corner.

18" square.

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

SOLD!  Thanks, Cassie @ Chicago!

German 1950s Starburst Modernist Wall Clock

This quality timepiece screams mid century modern, with the starburst design and simplistic brass "pins" for numbers.

Made in Germany, the clock's large size and modern design would make an impressive focal point of any decor, modern or otherwise.

The clock's diameter is 30", and is signed "Germany" on the lower face.

The clock is battery-operated, uses one size D battery, and keeps perfect time!

Outstanding vintage condition - almost like new. This is a clock you can use and enjoy immediately!

$75

Set of 2 Danish Teak Nesting Tables

This stylish set of nesting tables would be the perfect compliment to a nice mid-century chair or sofa.

Solid teak with dovetailed joinery, they are a quality pair of tables.

Very good vintage condition, with minor scuffs here and there.  Very sturdy and solid.  They slide together easily.

15" x 16 1/2" and 17" high.

Stamped on the underside "Made in Denmark by Mobelfabrikken Stoften"

SOLD.  Thanks, Carl @ Chicago!

A Salterini Look-alike: A Pair of Orbit Chairs

When you first gaze at these chairs, what do you think?  Designer:  Maurizio Tempestini or Pierre Paulin?  Manufacterer: Famed Italian maker Salterini or legendary Dutch house Artifort?

Or maybe your mind takes you in a different direction.  Gee, that's looks like an orange slice, you might think.  Or perhaps your thoughts turn marine:  My gosh, it looks like a clam shell!

Regardless of what you think, these chairs are certainly design heavyweights. Witness the wonderful proportions with gently curved frames and wicker seats and backs.  They exude a European sophistication -you can easily picture yourself sipping a limoncello poolside at some quaint village in the Cinque Terre while sitting in this chair!

While these chairs definitely have impressive modernist DNA, the truth is they are very much this century.  As in 2006.  As in Pier 1 Imports.  Huh?

These terrific chairs are called Orbit chairs, and they had a brief stint at Pier 1 several years ago.  Modernists rightly praised them for their design and comfort, but Pier 1 quickly - and sadly - discontinued the line.

Today, nearly five years later, the Orbit chair has enjoyed a resurgence among design-concious folks who adore the curvaceous lines and fun orangy or clammy profile.  One problem:  there are not that many around.

The chair frame is made from thick steel (very solid), with wicker seats and backs.  This pair was used outside, and the wicker is faded and showing slight wear along the edges.  You could repair the wicker, or do what some savvy folks are choosing to do with these chairs: upholster the frame in a fabric of your choice.  If you choose the latter, Gotcha Modern! will be happy to recommend a fabulous (and very affordable) upholstery firm that specializes in mid-century furniture.

Who knows - maybe by 2030 the Orbit chair will rank right up there with seating designed by Eames, Jacobsen, and Juhl.  Time to get ahead of the curve!

SOLD.  Thanks, Jared @ Chicago!

1960s Dyrlund Danish Teak Credenza

Gotcha Modern! loves Danish teak credenzas, and here is a very nice example that could stand alone as an entertainment center, or nicely compliment a teak dining table.  Its compact size makes it the perfect choice for a smaller living space where extra square feet are at a premium.

Featuring a platform base, the credenza has desirable tambour doors, which slide completely into the sides of the unit - you needn't worry about have enough room or banging things when you open the doors.  The door fronts possess lovely teak graining, with solid teak pulls.

Three beautfully dovetailed silverware drawers with green felt bottoms ajoin one shelf, with two compartments below it.  The area below the drawers can also be used for storage.

The credenza is in fine vintage condition and is very solid. There are a couple spots on the top, and a small chip on the back lower corner.  The tambour doors slide easily back and forth.

The credenza was made by noted Danish manufacturer Dyrlund, and is signed, "Dyrlund, Made in Denmark."

59" long x 19" deep x 31" high.

Gotcha Modern! happily offers free delivery of the credenza within a 15 mile radius of Park Ridge (although we request that payment be made prior to delivery).

SOLD.  Thanks, Anne @ Winnetka!

Set of 4 Molded Fiberglass Armchairs - Krueger vs. Eames

Gotcha Modern! has just sourced a set of fantastic maize and blue molded fiberglass armchairs.

Made by Wisconsin-based Krueger Metal Products in the 50s and 60s, these chairs were made to compete with the Charles and Ray Eames-designed fiberglass arm chair manufactured by Herman Miller.  Looking at the two different versions side-by-side, it's difficult to tell them apart.

Vintage Eames fiberglass armchairs in like condition command $300 and up apiece.  While folks may aspire to own Eames, limited resources (and perhaps a dose of common sense) may preclude a pair of Eames in the living room.

Savvy design mavens and budget-conscious modernists have in recent years gravitated toward the Krueger fiberglass chairs.  Same great look at a fraction of the price of an Eames chair.  Some of these folks will keep their Krueger's forever, while others use and appreciate them until the time they spring for Eames.  Either way, they enjoy living with great design - and, isn't that what it's all about?

These chairs are in very good vintage condition.  All shock mounts are present, as are the gliders on the legs.  A few scruffs here and there (as one would expect with 50 year old furniture), but all-in-all, the set is in excellent shape.  Great graining of the fiberglass on the back of the chairs, as well!

Note:  these chairs would be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G for your favorite University of Michigan alum.  They can can kick back, watch the game at the Big House on the flat screen, and belt out "Hail to the Victors" in seating style.


The two blue chairs are SOLD.  Thanks, Richard @ Chicago!