More often than not, the buyers at Weisshouse stumble upon great vintage finds that are highlighted on our website and sold in our Pittsburgh showroom. These "finds" come from all over the world. Lately though, there has been a steady, growing interest in American-made vintage furniture from the 1950s and 1960s. One of our newest acquisitions, a vintage desk and chair made by Bernhardt Furniture Company in the mid 1950s inspired a little stroll down memory lane.
Founded in 1889 by John M. Bernhardt, the Bernhardt furniture company has long been equated with stylish, well-made furniture. Way back then, John Bernhardt saw and acted upon the opportunities around him. First, he started his own sawmill and began buying timber. Then in 1889 he organized a company to manufacture furniture out of the native white oak. Bernhardt’s vision ultimately led him to connect with distributors and merchants in large cities such as Chicago and New York City in order to supply sturdy oak bedroom furniture to people who lived as far away as the Rocky Mountains. This eager North Carolina entrepreneur began making an impression on the urban businessmen who would ultimately come to know his reliability and integrity. (
http://www.bernhardt.com/history.php)
Check out our Vintage Desk and Matching Chair by Bernhardt below. The desk is solid wood with oak veneer top and sides. The legs are also solid oak. This piece has three drawer. The bottom drawer can be used for filing and it even has a lock. The sliding doors work well. The pulls are brushed steel. The desk is finished on the back. The chair is in the McCobb style with a cane back made of solid oak. The set was made by Crawford of Jamestown for Bernhardt’s “Flair Division” in the mid 1950s. Since the back is finished, the desk can float and it will work well in any space small. The proportions are beautifully resolved and the design and construction are well done.
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| John M. Bernhardt |
