Comments on: Puttin’ on the Ritts: Courtney’s Asian-inspired furniture and some background on this midcentury phenom

By: Stef

Stef — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:19:56 +0000

I did do some variations of the google searches you listed with no luck. I will try some more! Sadly I did not think of calling around, but now that my interest is up, I am definitely going to pursue it. If I find out more I will definitely report back. Thanks again for everyone’s help.

By: Little Ribbons

Little Ribbons — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:36:29 +0000

Yep, knowing the manufacturer is fun- it’s a little like having a personal genealogy for your furniture, but not always so easy to track down. Of all five of my pieces, the manufacturer’s stamp is on only one piece in the set. Your single pieces are most likely also strays from a set. If you’re really diligent and moderately ocd, you could experiment with google to find its lost siblings or any trace of its origin. You know, try variations on ‘bamboo tiled table’, ‘rattan table with asian fan tiles’, etc etc to infinity, checking both web and image results. Of course, you could also go analog and make some old fashioned phone calls to other area antique dealers. It all depends on how many weeks of vacation time you have.
Finding both pieces in the same geographic area is either indicative of local manufacturing or mass production. My guess is mass production. Given the popularity of the design, these are like the costume jewelry of mid-century furniture. Not terribly valuable, but so fun to have!
- Courtney

By: Stef

Stef — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:53:29 +0000

Thank you indeed, Courtney! You’ve at least got a company name to go on with your items, and i so wish I had something similar. It’s funny how I didn’t really care about where my table came from until I got the other one. Now I’m obsessed! The only clue I have is that the thing is glued together with weldwood (the other table has no such stamp). Ah well, the quest goes on!