We recently purchased an Eames-inspired plycraft chair. It has has hints of Arne Jacobsen or George Mulhauser.
I'm not sure who it was manufactured by. The label has been torn off. In any case, we would like to have it
brought back to its glory. I'm not sure leather would be appropriate or if fabric would be more in keeping with
the spirit with the chair. I'm also not sure if the piping is original?
Does anyone have any idea who might have designed it?
Please advise.
<img class="wpforo-default-image-attachment wpforoimg" src=" http://old.designaddict.com/sites/default/files/forum/IMG_294 
Georgey Boy
More than likely designed by George Mulhauser judging from the base and the connections between the seat,back and headrest. Piping was probably original to the chair, as was leather. But honestly the chair doesnt look bad at all in fabric. The most I would do to this chair at present is replace what appears to be some missing screws and buff out the wood with a good paste wax.
Confirming Chair Origins
Thanks so much for your feedback. If anyone has any suggestions for how to research and confirm the manufacturer/designer of this chair, please direct me. I think it probably is a George Mulhauser but I'd like to be sure before I have it recovered.
Also, I've been told that at times the designers stenciled their names on the inside of the chairs. Is this folklore? Any advice would be appreciated.
Probably folklore
I've pulled apart a bunch of Plycraft chairs, and there are often markings, but I've never seen a name.
Mulhauser was one of the principle designers at Plycraft, along with the founder of the company, Paul Goldman. I'm still searching for a calalogue of their pieces. Unfortunately full attribution may never be possible. Not all furniture firms approached design in the same way as Herman Miller. Lots of stuff was churned out anonymously, or simply under the company name. (For example, Mulhauser also holds a patent for the Coconut chair which he did for George Nelson Associates - who get the credit) One good indicator is that Mulhauser holds the patent for the base of your chair.
If i ever find a cataloge I'm going to upload the whole damn thing 🙂
Any new info on the chair?
I recently purchased the same chair with ottoman. While the label says Plycraft and Mr. Chair, it doesn't indicate who the designer is. Were you able to confirm whether it was George Mulhauser or another designer?
FYI - Mine still has the original vinyl (or as better known, Naugahyde.) My parents also had the exact same chair that they bought in the 60s/70s, which was also vinyl. My assumption is therefore that vinyl was a common upholstery Plycraft used for that chair, but can't tell if it also originally came in leather or fabric.
Any additional information you can share would be extremely helpful.
Two of these chairs, the same but different
I have two of these chairs that I bought in 1969. Both were originally black Naugahyde. Oddly, the label on one is a silver ellipse that says "Manufactured by Plycraft, Inc., Lawrence, Mass., Designed by George Mulhauser;" the label on the other is rectangular and says "Mr. Chair, Manufactured by Plycraft, Inc." Other than that, they appear outwardly identical.
Any new info on the chair?
I recently purchased the same chair with ottoman. While the label says Plycraft and Mr. Chair, it doesn't indicate who the designer is. Were you able to confirm whether it was George Mulhauser or another designer?
FYI - Mine still has the original vinyl (or as better known, Naugahyde.) My parents also had the exact same chair that they bought in the 60s/70s, which was also vinyl. My assumption is therefore that vinyl was a common upholstery Plycraft used for that chair, but can't tell if it also originally came in leather or fabric.
Any additional information you can share would be extremely helpful.
i have the same chair, needs new bases! help!
hi,
i have this same chair, and it has all the labelss intact, it is george mulhauser.
please let me know if anyone knows where to get new wood bases, if anyone makes them... also, as for upholstery check the retro renovation blog she has great resources for things like that and recently shared a post on where to find the gold threaded knubbly fabric...anyway, thanks for this and thanks in advance for any help in findind replacement bases.. looks like a chew crazy puppy got mine...!
=)
Any new info on the chair?
I recently purchased the same chair with ottoman. While the label says Plycraft and Mr. Chair, it doesn't indicate who the designer is. Were you able to confirm whether it was George Mulhauser or another designer?
FYI - Mine still has the original vinyl (or as better known, Naugahyde.) My parents also had the exact same chair that they bought in the 60s/70s, which was also vinyl. My assumption is therefore that vinyl was a common upholstery Plycraft used for that chair, but can't tell if it also originally came in leather or fabric.
Any additional information you can share would be extremely helpful.
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