Following part one of the Major Players in Mid-Century modern Furniture I have now added some more information on two other great furniture manufacturers:
Parker Knoll
Parker Knoll is another success story from a humble beginnings way back in 1869 where a talented young furniture apprentice Frederick Parker began his journey to what was to become Parker Knoll. It was after his apprenticeship that Frederick decided to perfect his craft. He studied the old masters and was interested in the time honored elegance and core values that the master furniture makers where renowned for – this was the key that was going to be eminently successful for Fredrick Parker.
Frederick who was working in a loft apartment took left to work in larger facilities in the East End of London he then moved again to North London before settling in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire in 1898. It was here in High Wycombe that the company Frederick Parker and Sons Ltd was registered in 1904. They began to produce high quality sofas and chairs and their reputation lead them to be awarded with some very prestigious jobs and clients including furnishing luxury ocean liners.
Parker Knoll was born out of Parkers own interest and foresight to develop and expand. He was also intrigued and fascinated in a young German inventor Willi Knoll who had developed a revolutionary idea to use springs in furniture. This idea would make the chairs more comfortable to sit on. Knolls unique idea was a tension and suspension spring made of coiled steel wire which was then attached both across the seat and back of the chair for added comfort. It was from an initial meeting that a new era was to begin with the joint partnership with Parker and Knoll . They embraced modern as well as traditional methods and designs.
It was during the 1960′s that saw a major increase in production when the demand for the new recliner chair was huge. This revolutionary design combined three styles of chair in to one – the conventional chair, the foot stool and the chaise longue – but with this new design it enabled the user to choose different positions from straight to reclined.
Parker Knoll have a reputation based on comfortable, beautiful and timeless sofas and chairs but still maintaining the high quality and the traditional craftsmanship that Fredrick Parker believed in all those years ago.
Younger Furniture
Younger was a high end high quality British furniture manufacturer that had the look and style that captured the mood of the 60′s and 70′s . Their furniture was not mass produced but aimed at the top end of the furniture market.
They were the forerunners of using contemporary styles and design. In fact they were one of the first companies in the early 50′s to make Scandinavian style furniture and one of the first companies in the late 1960′s to try new styles such has the Toledo range inspired by Spanish colture and design.
Younger had the design talents of John Herbert who was the firms design director. He designed award winning furniture and imported new wood including afromosia from Africa and louro from Brazil. With the use of the different types of wood it enabled Younger to produce many different finishes to their furniture. Younger furniture was targeted at the rich and for most it was far out of reach, but for the then fashionable middle classes Younger was the brand to adorn there homes
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