While the history of Plycraft is marred by scandal and lawsuits, the American furniture manufacturer produced charming lounge chairs and other seating during the mid-century modern era that are sought after by collectors today.
Paul Goldman founded Plycraft in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1953 — he had secured military contracts for the manufacturing of bentwood products during World War II and was able to move into the commercial market thereafter. While Plycraft counted fiberglass boats among its early offerings, its primary focus switched to furniture when what we now call mid-century modernism hit its stride and more designers began to explore the possibilities of bentwood furniture thanks to the revolutionary work of Alvar Aalto and Michael Thonet. Goldman was Plycraft’s principal designer, but George Mulhauser and Norman Cherner were also enlisted to create furniture for the brand.
In 1952, a designer named John F. Pile, who was working in the studio of Herman Miller design director George Nelson, conceived what he called the Pretzel chair in walnut and birch. Pile’s seat, which was inspired by European modernist design, proved too costly to manufacture and it had structural problems. So the illustrious Michigan furniture maker subcontracted Plycraft to produce the Pretzel chair — an agreement that was short-lived owing to a dispute between Plycraft and Herman Miller.
Goldman subsequently tapped Norman Cherner — an innovative architect, designer and professor at Columbia University who was recommended by Nelson — to create an iteration of the Pretzel chair that would be stronger and cost-efficient to manufacture.
Cherner submitted a comfortable, curvaceous update to the Pretzel chair in molded plywood but was told by Plycraft that the project was being scrapped and his drawings shelved. Months later, Cherner was shocked to stumble upon his redesigned chair in a furniture showroom in New York under the Plycraft name. Cherner sued Plycraft and won — the Cherner chair later appeared in a Norman Rockwell painting on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post.
In the late 1950s, designer George Mulhauser created the Mr. Chair for Plycraft, an adjustable, tilting, swivel armchair with a matching ottoman. Mulhauser was also a designer in George Nelson’s studio and is credited with having conceived the iconic Coconut lounge chair for Herman Miller. With its tufted leather seat and shell crafted from a single sheet of plywood, the Mr. Chair lounge — part of a line of seating for which Mulhauser was commissioned — bears a resemblance to the now-legendary Eames lounge chair, which was designed by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller. Mulhauser’s chair was very successful for Plycraft. A model was even spotted on an episode of Star Trek.
Studio Craft East Indian Satinwood Desk by Gregg Lipton
By Gregg Lipton
Located in Hanover, MA
Spectacular tour de force art deco style desk custom made by Cumberland, Maine studio furniture maker, Gregg Lipton. Inspired by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann’s Soussa desk. Executed with...
Satinwood
George Ciancimino Trèfle Cloverleaf Desk for Mobilier International
By George Ciancimino, Mobilier International
Located in Hanover, MA
Giancarlo George Ciancimino designed "Trèfle" (Cloverleaf) executive desk produced by Mobilier International, France, 1965. Cold drawn and polished solid aluminum vertical supports in Ciancimino's proprietary unique four-leaf clover design that fits together like a puzzle. Horizontal framing elements in satin extruded aluminum profiles. Adjustable leveling feet. Original high gloss deep red lacquered wood inset top. If requested this top could be replaced with stone, glass, lucite, et al. Left and right bank lacquered case each with a single drawer below a pull out tablet. This sleeker more minimalist configuration is highly uncommon as every other desk version appears to have double drawers. Please reach out to us directly for a shipping quote as this table can be disassembled to varying degrees for ease of transport. Maestro Ciancimino, age 99, designed Blofeld's lair in James Bond's Diamonds Are Forever. Rya bullseye rug...
Aluminum
French Art Deco Writing Table with Two Side Drawers
By Andre Domin & Marcel Genevriere for Maison Dominique
Located in Hanover, MA
French Art Deco writing table or desk with two side drawers, maple parquet top, rounded (subtly octagonal) oak legs with elegant feet, in...
Maple, Oak
Harvey Probber Curved Walnut Desk
By Harvey Probber
Located in Hanover, MA
Impressive and sculptural curved top executive desk in walnut by Harvey Probber. Panoramic scale 84" wide x 34" deep x 29.5" high. Seven bands of walnut in alternating grain directi...
Chrome
1968 Executive Desk
By Warren Platner
Located in Hanover, MA
Executive desk formerly belonging to noted architect George M. Notter, (1933–2007) of the Boston firm Anderson Notter Finegold (now known as Finegold Alexander Architects). Current institutional memory at the firm suggests it was a special order from Herman Miller for the then new New York offices of MGM, however Herman Miller's archivist was unable to confirm. Styling, particularly the distinctive slim milled aluminum tracks through which the entire drawer carriage glides is clearly similar to Warren Platner's designs for Lehigh-Leopold which were then among the most costly of executive office furnishings. The bent flat bar chromed steel base with its distinctive pigeon toe splay is somewhat similar to a table base in Stow Davis' Electa Series, designed by Alexis Yermakov circa 1971. Walnut laminate top is very clean with no issues. One corner edge shows a small separation. The only identifying markings are within the milled aluminum channel: G.P. F.I. 2 And the date Dec. 20, 1968. See image 18. Between the rectangular laminate top and the chrome base is a heavy blackened steel plate. Underneath the bent chrome pigeon toe feet are bars of a thick phenolic material which act as floor protector. We can have keys made to fit the two locking drawers. Tim Anderson...
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Palisandro and Mahogany Console Table Attributed to Vittorio Dassi
Located in Hanover, MA
1950s Italian console table or hunt board, in the manner of Paolo Buffa, rests on 4 fluted tapering column legs with brass sabots. Four dr...
Glass, Mahogany, Rosewood
