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Furniture Woodworking Antiques & Collectibles

Help Identifying Mid Century Chair

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Looking for any input on this furniture piece. No identifying marks that can be seen. Cushions are not good quality, screws appear to be brass with square nuts, wood possibly walnut?? Thanks in advance for any help or advise.

Featured Answer

tozmo1

3 years ago

Looks like the straps have been replaced as the stain on the seat frame shows variance. I'd say 1960's. So many of these like style chairs around or at least they used to be. The side view of the chair looks most interesting from the pics. Stand back and take a photo of the entire chair. I'd love to see the side of it in its entirety.

Depending on your taste, you don't have to refinish it. You can clean it up really well and keep the older patina or refinish it if you want it to look new. I chose to clean up mine of a similar era that were in similar condition rather than refinish and I like them a lot. Here's a couple before and after pics. Mine even had the original vinyl upholstery. Ewwww.

Many videos out there on how to do that. Here's an easy one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiWkOw9YXdQ

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Comments (9)

sushipup1
3 years ago
A picture of the whole chair would help a lot.
Shawna
Original Author
3 years ago
updated photos included
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Jilly
3 years ago
Most likely a knock-off of the Danish MCM chairs ala Wegner, Selig, Kofod Larson, etc. And maybe with original Fagas straps, but I can’t tell for sure.
lindac92
3 years ago
Typical waiting room chair...circa 1960 to 2010. wood not walnut...likely poplar...or some import.
Fori
3 years ago
It has nice proportions and looks comfy. I hope you're going to refinish it.
Shawna
Original Author
3 years ago
Wow, those are beautiful! I don’t know much about furniture but I saw this strewn in a free pile and fell in love. The cushions were a mess so I cleaned them and then cleaned the chair with wood soap. I was hesitant to do more until I knew what I had. Here’s the side profile.

Are you saying that you just applied stain without sanding down the chairs?
tozmo1
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
You may have to spot sand it but do it carefully to feather it out in places like where that break has been repaired. Before sanding I'd go over it again with one part Murphy's oil soap and one part paint thinner to remove some of the varnish or shellac, then restain it lightly and then go over it with bees wax. This is ONLY if you want to keep the irregular, worn patina. The stain will not be completely uniform. If you want it to look like a new reproduction with all uniform staining, then you probably should sand it lightly and restain it. Either way is fine, it's just whatever your preference is.

Likely the arms and the frame are different types of wood so you may have to play with some different stains to make it uniform.

Great find on the free pile!
Fori
3 years ago
Free? Even better!

As far as refinishing, if you can touch up instead, that's always better (and easier). I couldn't tell from the photos but it looks from here like someone already tried and it has stain drips running down the side.

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