Hello one & all,
EDIT: The couch has been identified by the very awesome poster Killian (see below). It was designed by Erik Ole Jorgensen for DUX, circa 1963. Killian posted a link to one at Wright Auctions that has some funky upholstery. I've now found other versions researching Jorgensen and they seem to have been done mainly in black leather.
MYSTERY SOLVED - Thank you Killian and thanks to Cada for the moral support. ; )
ORIGINAL POST:
We have recently purchased this sofa and are completely stuck in identifying the item. We are mid century collectors, and although we feel this piece is probably not mid century modern, we still would like to know who produced it.
The photo is of the leg which I would imagine should help make this easy to I.D.,you would be shocked to know how many web searches we have done and come up with zip!
The only clue we have is we suspect it was reupholstered as within the cushions we can see they were made by a company in san fran called "pacific-maid". Perhaps it is all original - but the condition is very good on the cushions...
more info...
The photos are finally working correctly. Apologies for the technically difficulties. More can be provided if needed.
More info. the base is quite heavy and I believe aluminum. The upholstery on the couch is a nice felt like material. A tag inside,as mentioned above, says "Pacific Maid." However, this company no longer exists and hasn't for quite some time so it definitely dates the upholstery if not being original then its at least 15 to 20 plus years old.
I've looked through literally thousands of estate and modern furniture auctions trying to find a similar couch, or really a similar base. When I first saw the couch I could have sworn I had seen that type of base before used on furniture but now that I've looked it's been impossible to find.
I've even emailed a few midcentury stores and people who restore midcentury furniture - all I got were some hunches from them which included Chadwick and Pantone. I've looked at every Chadwick and Pantone couch/chair on the internet and have found nothing to match the couch.
I would be terribly grateful if anyone here has any information, has seen a similar couch or chair base or know anything about the upholstery manufacturer.
Oh, the couch came from the NJ/ Philadelphia region in an area with lots of auctions that specialize in midcentury and antique furniture.
.
Now you know I know what it is to be totally obsessed with a particular piece (in my case I have, oh, um, 8 or so driving me crazy) and so I have been having a cursory search for you - for what it's worth I think that google can sometimes be as unhelpful as it is helpful, as it learns your patterns and consistently sends you back to deconet, 1stdibs (argh) and in the true defintion of a 'vicious circle' - back to DA. For what it's worth I immediately thought of Milo Baughman, but not aluminium - chrome maybe.
Did you look at B&B Italia? - the sofa also reminds me of Italian design. If it is aluminium it may be that it is a more 'contemporary' (I am of sufficient age that 20 years constitutes contemporary) but high quality brand like B&B, Ligne Roset or Bo Concept - I don't know if these are widely available outside of Europe, so I apologise for either insulting your intelligence or throwing a curve ball at you...
it's a great looking sofa though, and I will file it in my increasingly overloaded memory and will promise to bear it in mind should I ever happen across a same/similar. Good luck, fellow OC Devotee...
No, thank you so much for...
No, thank you so much for the response. Fresh eyes can be a godsend and absolutely no insult was taken in the least. We had considered Milo but your other European names are great new leads to start checking. I'm so glad to have a few more avenues to check.
As for the base I guess I need to confirm once and for all if it is or isn't aluminum. It is heavy, but thick aluminum could give that weight. (I think)
The contemporary (as in early 80's) or midcentury debate has been ongoing. At first I thought 80's but then the lines on the couch itself looked so similar to a number of midcent ones. The base has always been what I thought would reveal the answer - but sigh - not yet.
Thanks again for your input, I'm off to do some research and boy do I feel you on google becoming a type of modern torture device once you really have to dig in for a deep search. I swear I've seen some of the same hideous couches 100 x in my search.
Hope fading...
Ah, after nearly 500 views still no one has posted that they recognize the couch or the base....I'm beginning to lose hope. I really thought with all the furniture experts here surely a few would instantly recognize this piece or at least say they had seen it elsewhere.
This couch is going to drive me insane. I love the couch, its well made, good quality and it doesnt really matter who made it but the fact I've been trying so long to ID it now makes it seems like a quest. Arrrrrgh.....!!
Hope bump
Well another piece I had posted right after this couch in hope of help with identification looks to have been ID'ed. It renewed my hope that maybe someone new will stumble upon this post and ID it.
A local MCM store guessed at Pantone (Lol I freaking wish!) but my research has made me lean towards a Swedish or Italian origins. Which is strange because the only label on the thing is in the cushion indicating an American company did the stuffing. However we have no clue if the upholstery is original to production or has been redone. It's in great shape but does show signs of some age, but I could see it being a reupholstery job to update the couch.
still a total mystery sandwich wrapped in an enigma
Erik Ole Jørgensen for Dux...
Erik Ole Jørgensen for Dux circa 1963
http://www.wright20.com/auctions/view_search/KF2W/KF2Z/445/LA/dux/K56W
Excellent idea
Yes, I certainly need it and will sleep well finally having my sofa riddle solved. Thanks again Killian. This forum is an amazing hive mind of mcm knowledge, I'm so glad I found it.
I hope one day I'll be able to return the favors by IDing some something for another mystery furniture sufferer.
I'm also thrilled to find out it's DUX by Ole Jorgensen. It is so well made and damn comfortable, that combined with the great look, convinced it was made by someone of talent. I also got it for a great deal. I had gone to a warehouse to see some furniture and was taken to see this hohum Kagan sofa in awful condition. Behind it was this couch, which the owner had forgotten he even had and I immediately fell in love with it.
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