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Maurice Burke - Intl Man of Mystery  

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mark737
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08/04/2021 8:13 pm  

The recent thread on tulip bar stools raised the question about connections between Maurice Burke, Arkana, and Burke Inc of Dallas. Doing some brief research I was able to find a connection. Maurice Prentice Burke was Canadian, born in 1921 and died 2013. There is very little online about his life and work, or about Burke Inc and their history. But I did find this 1962 patent application for a chair swivel mechanism, which lists his name, and Burke Inc. along with their Dallas address. So, I would assume Maurice Burke was the owner of Burke Inc. This would explain the similarity in the designs of the Arkana and Burke tulip pieces. It looks like Brunswick acquired Burke at some point before they went out of business. Please feel free to add any additional info you might have.

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Kyle Barrett
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08/04/2021 10:10 pm  

And he ended up working with Arkana who were based in Bristol? That's strange isn't it? I had always assumed he was British because of his connection to Arkana.


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mark737
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08/04/2021 11:02 pm  

From what I found online, including on an Arkana Facebook page, the original factory was in Falkirk Scotland.  But after a takeover by the Christie Tyler Group in the mid-60's, production moved to the site of Bath Cabinet Makers in this building on Lower Bristol Road in Bath.  

1617915763-Arkana.jpg

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lexi
 lexi
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08/04/2021 11:05 pm  

@kyle-barrett. Arkana factory was in Falkirk, Scotland. Their offices were in Bath.

@mark737. Found some bits of random info.

Another patent application for Arkana; don't think this was ever produced in USA.

Will post other info tomorrow. Heading to bed .Up early for work.

In the meantime you might find the same stuff !!

 

1617915956-mushroom-chairs-patent-application.jpg

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lexi
 lexi
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08/04/2021 11:07 pm  

@mark737. Found that page too. 😆 I see someone says they knew the Burke family.!

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Kyle Barrett
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08/04/2021 11:12 pm  

I have never paid much attention as I dislike the designs, but that photo is definitely on the article I read, where I thought they were in Bristol! I obviously held so little information correctly - always reassuring! Not.


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mark737
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08/04/2021 11:26 pm  

@lexi  The "mushroom" chair, and there was a matching table as well.  And yes, I don't think Burke Inc ever made those in the US.  I see from the patent that Maurice had moved on to Gstaad by 1968.  Quite a nice life he seems to have had. And I notice he is assigning the patent to a Bjorgensen S.A. of Fribourg.  Bjorgensen was also the name of one of the Burke Inc collections from that 1963 catalog for sale on Ebay.   

1617917189-Bjorg.jpg

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lexi
 lexi
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09/04/2021 7:55 am  

@mark737. Another piece of information. Filed with the Companies House.

I am familiar with the Tetrad name ; a UK company founded in 1968 and manufactured chairs. 

1617947752-Screenshot-347.png

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lexi
 lexi
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09/04/2021 8:00 am  

@mark737. And lastly, for the moment, a label on one of the Burke Inc. chairs. 

You might be able to find more information about this company . Brunswick Corp.

1617948026-burke-inc-label-brunswick-corp.jpg

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mark737
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09/04/2021 3:38 pm  

@lexi  Brunswick is a very old company by US standards with a rich history.  Started in 1845 by Swiss immigrant John Brunswick, they gained prominence as a billiards table manufacturer, even selling a table to Abraham Lincoln in 1850.  Over the years they acquired and sold many companies and made everything from tires to toilet seats.  They had a phonograph and recording company that featured Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.  They have sold off most of their subsidiaries, including the billiards division,  and are now primarily in the boating business with Mercury engines and about 15 different boat brands.  With a history like that,  Burke Inc doesn't warrant a mention on their website.   Link:

https://www.brunswick.com/our-company/our-history


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lexi
 lexi
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09/04/2021 4:37 pm  

@mark737. Below is a quote from a seller of some Burke Inc, Brunswick  Corp stools. They do not mention the source of this information. Quelle surprise !!!

"Brunswick you may know better for pool tables and bowling balls but in 1952 they began manufacturing school furniture and gymnasium equipment and, obviously, benches, chairs, stools, and other equipment for bowling alleys and pool rooms. In 1963 Burke, Inc. was added as one of the many companies they purchased to produce these furnishings. Burke, Inc. was already making wonderful mid-century modern furniture. However, in 1969, even though it was successful, Brunswick decided to sell off its school furniture business to concentrate on its many many other endeavors."

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mark737
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09/04/2021 5:11 pm  

@lexi  Interesting, those dates seem about right.   I wonder where they found that info.  I sent a message to the seller of the catalog on Ebay asking if there was any mention of Maurice as the owner or designer.  This was his reply:

Burke inc had a store in Dallas which is listed in the catalogue as well as four other showrooms. Maurice Burke was Canadian and a designer. I've had a lot of Arkana furniture and the Saarinen tulip range is illustrated in this catalogue (the burke variation). I am 99.9% sure it is the same designer.


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lexi
 lexi
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09/04/2021 5:27 pm  

@mark737. If you google my  amateur attempt at searching...."vintage mid century burke inc  brunswick stools" 

a set with black bases and yellow vinyl cushions will pop up. I think the seller is in Topeka , KS. 😉 You could contact them and see where they  found this info ?

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lexi
 lexi
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09/04/2021 5:38 pm  

Also followed up the Tetrad link, and from the same Companies House site .

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lexi
 lexi
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09/04/2021 5:48 pm  

@mark737. Another patent application from the 70's.

A rather unusual table and I am sure I have seen one of these for sale in the UK ( in the distant past.) Haven't seen one since.

A Duncan. P. Burke, Montreal and Maurice. P. Burke ,Gstaad, Switzerland. Father and son (or brother) perhaps?

1617983293-Screenshot-350.png

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