Our recent post, Vintage furniture — 10 of our favorite midcentury designs and brands inspired Pam to contact Furniture Brands — the folks who produce some of our favorite longtime furniture brand names, including Broyhill, Lane, Drexel Heritage — to see if they had any archived catalogs to share with us vintage furniture loving folks. Sure enough, Lisa Hanly, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Relations, was super receptive and was kind enough to dig through the archives for us. Her first find: These great catalog pages showcasing Broyhill Brasilia and Sculptra furniture. It’s great to see more of these beautiful designs in their native midcentury catalog habitats.
Broyhill Brasilia
Look at this giant master bedroom filled to the brim with Broyhill Brasilia pieces — including a king size headboard. It’s interesting to see how well the bold colors — in this case, red — coordinate with the lines of this furniture design.
Above: The front page of this vintage catalog shows photos of the inspiration for the Brasilia line — the unusual and characteristic architecture found in the city of Brasilia itself in Brazil. Fun fact: Pam has been to Brasilia. In around 1987 — on a business trip to visit Ford operations in South America. She said, “I remember pretty clearly driving into the city. I knew this was a special place. But… I was way too young to truly appreciate it.”
The catalog pages showcase some interesting pieces from the Brasilia dining and living room furniture collection.
I have this buffet base — with the top hutch piece in my dining room! For sure, this is one of our Hall of Fame vintage furniture designs.
That’s a pretty cool dining set.
I had no idea the Brasilia collection had such an array of coffee and end tables.
The Broyhill Brasilia commode above is one of my favorites — I think it was originally meant to go in the living room, but I have two of them that I use as nightstands. I like the enclosed storage they provide.
Broyhill Sculptra
This Broyhill Sculptra bedroom set looks a little less extravagant than the Brasilia setup — oh how I’d love to get my hands on the long dresser and mirror for this set.
There are two variations of the Broyhill Sculptra triple dresser — I’m partial to the one above — with the paneled doors in the center.
This Broyhill Sculptra double dresser is smaller than the triple dresser — a size that may be very appealing to folks with smaller bedrooms.
I have a soft spot for the Broyhill Sculptra Magna dresser because it was the first retro dresser I scored on Craigslist — and let me tell ya — this guy really holds a lot.
There is a wide array of Broyhill Sculptra coffee and side tables to choose from.
This has to be a woddity — a Broyhill Sculptra cigarette table. I had no idea such a thing existed — a special table for cigarettes? Surely a sign of the times.
Mega thanks to Lisa for taking the time to look through the archives to unearth these catalog pages to share with our Retro Renovation Nation. 🙂
MCMDesignAddict says
Pam, thanks for posting the pictures. Great to see the originals in vintage settings. While I agree there is no substitute for the originals, for those looking for something new yet similar, you might check out Mitchel Gold and Bob Williams. They have released some case pieces which echo the Brazila credenzas and tables. A little pricier than finding the originals on Craig’s list however…
Nina462 says
Can I please trade in my current Broyhill Fontana bedroom set for the Broyhill Sculptura set? Please, pretty please?
lynda says
And…maybe at some point in the future someone will comb Craigslist looking for Broyhill Fontana??!!
gsciencechick says
LOL, we have in our guest room DH’s old suite which is Broyhill Fontana. We could sure use a chest of drawers, and, yes, I do look on CL for one. We stayed at a ski lodge and the room was outfitted in Fontana, LOL.
nina462 says
Sorry, I only have the bed, nightstand and armoir. Some day I’ll get around to selling them.
Tim says
Picked up the Brasilia dining table, six chairs (simple back style) buffet and china cabinet this summer for a steal! Would love to see how others decorate around these pieces – I’m not a mid-century purist and mixing it with other pieces feels like a challenge to me. Currently using the china cabinet in the office doubling as a bookshelf. Am I betraying the line?
Rachael says
I have the dining room set in the first photo. I have seen it called Emphasis too. Does anyone know exactly which collection it belonged to? I am looking for a sideboard/buffet and have seen it called lots of things!
Mrs.FMV says
Broyhill borrowed some designs from collection to collection. The Emphasis dining chairs, for example, are near identical to ones found in the Sculptra lines. I have both original catalogs showing the chairs in both collections. There are only very slight differences in the design. I’m talking, near microscopic changes. Same is true for other producers of the period. They will keep the same designs in another collection, just by making very finite changes. Car manufacturers do the same thing, ie. Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. One of the coolest pieces from the Sculptra credenza was not shown on this post. It’s a two-piece narrow hutch. Most interesting is that the sculpted embellishment differs from the rest of the Sculptra pieces. This unique Sculptra pattern was featured only on this cabinet… and later production years there was a long credenza with the same pattern. http://furnishmevintage.com/livingroom/vintage-broyhill-sculptra-bookcase-secretary-hutch/
Deb says
Hi – I realize your post is from some time ago…but I was wondering if you found the Broyhill Sculptra buffet piece? I have one – the one with the slate top – and just wondered what an approximate value may be. Did you find one for a decent price? I am considering parting with mine (from 1967), but can’t decide. It’s in great shape!
Kristi says
Good Morning Deb,
Not sure if you found the Broyhill Sculptra buffet yet bet we have one if you are interested. Let me know and I can send you pictures
Max says
I was able to get a Brasilia bedroom set off craigslist a few weeks ago. 6 drawer low dresser, tall dresser, 2 commodes, and king size headboard. One commode is in terrible shape, everything else is good to very good condition. I love this set. When I first saw the Brasilia line I thought it was a little too busy, but the more I saw of it the more I liked it. When i saw it on CL I was ready to jump. Now that it’s in my house I don’t think I can part with it.
What are my best restoration options? I got Howards Feed’n’wax to use on everything. I am thinking about using the walnut restore’a’finish on the commodes (and maybe other pieces if it comes out well), but one commode needs a complete strip down on the top already anyway. Has anyone tried to match a new finish to the original?
Carolyn says
I have used the Restore-a-finish and feed’n’was on several Brasilia pieces. It can really bring the pieces back to life, but it’s not a permanent fix- as in you have to keep going back and reapplying every 6 months to a year I guess?
There is a couple, they used to be based in Northern Va, but now I think they have retired to Florida, and they run brasiliaconnection.com, selling on ebay, etc. I believe that they have completely restored/refinished pieces, including replacing ruined veneer, etc. It can be done. It’s not something I could undertake, as I have 2 young children constantly underfoot and no basement or garage to serve as workspace, but maybe someone else could.
We have 2 of the non-commode nightstands and they are obviously victims of a DIYer who attempted to stain them cherry? I would love to have them refinished, but I don’t currently have the budget to put them into the hands of a professional.
BlueJay says
Carolyn,
The Brasilia Connection people are still in business; we bought our dining room set from them. They are awesome to deal with too; they are so congenial.
Brasilia is fantastic furniture! It’s really built well.
Stephanie MCM Lush says
I too am very interested in refinishing…I have a Brasilia rounded square dining table that one of my lovely kitty cats threw up on. Needless to say the top should be sanded down a bit and refinished. Because of the top being veneer…I’m terrified to sand at all. Has anyone done this??? Advice?
Mike says
I work with Broyhill now. I’ve been in the home furnishings business for 44 years.
Take .0000 steel wool and a very creamy furniture polish; rub the steel wool wet with the polish, following the grain of the veneer. Take it down to the point where the stains are gone, and refinish. This process is better than sanding, and removing too much veneer.
Stephanie MCM Lush says
Thanks Mike! I will give that a whirl!
Michelle says
Hi, Max. I just recently found a Brasilia bedroom set at a thrift shop. They were in pretty good shape except the tops. I completely stripped them, sanded ,stained and finished with satin Tung oil. They are an absolute perfect match and it was relatively easy. I custom mixed the stain. If you’d like I could send pics if you tell me where to send them. Good luck.
Steve says
I want that bedroom set!!!
Carolyn says
Are you in the Baltimore/DC area? I just posted it in one of the forums.
Also there is a Brasilia china cabinet for $150 for sale on my CL as well.
[link gone]
lynda says
So pretty, and so close to Columbia, MD. But I do not “need” this! It is tempting….
Carolyn says
There is a lot of good stuff on the Bmore CL all of a sudden! Lynda, I am near Annapolis, but will drive an hour each way easily… Have driven much farther many times!
Carolyn says
Also could you use just the bottom? The bottom piece makes a nice stand for a flat screen TV. I am an enabler!
Carolyn says
There is a Broyhill Sculptra bedroom set for sale on my local CL for $500. 5′ long dresser with mirror, magna dresser/chest, 2 End tables and Queen size bed. Not an amazing deal, but not a bad price. Bedframe has both headboard and footboard- which you don’t find often.
If we had the room or the cash I would snatch it up, but I have already gone overboard w/ Brasilia, so I should probably ignore the listing for the sake of my marriage!
I am always looking for the Brasilia lingerie chest though!
Kate says
That sounds like a decent deal Carolyn — I have the same problem as you though. I’ve gone a bit nuts over the Brasilia (have a complete bedroom set and a china cabinet) and I while I would LOVE a Sculptra set for the guest bedroom, it probably wouldn’t fly with my husband at the moment. Hey, we can always dream, right? 🙂
Carolyn says
I started w/ the dining room, probably about 4 yrs ago? Got a buffet and then the table w/ 4 chairs, then I got a china cabinet in not-great shape for $25, and then I started playing musical chairs. Ordered 6 off e-bay, bought a dining room set that I thought was Brasilia, but was not, but I had driven 1.5 hours to get it, so I couldn’t back out. Found a bedroom set w/ queen size headboard, triple dresser w/ mirror, gentleman’s chest and 5-drawer chest but no nightstands and got that. Started playing musical chairs and drove 4 hours for another table. Gave up CL for Lent and found myself at an estate auction 7.5 months pregnant where we got the long sought after nightstands, plus a double dresser w/ mirror and another 5 drawer chest. Monday after Easter I check my local CL, table, 6 chairs and an asymmetrical china cabinet w/ interior lights were advertised was there.
It’s truly an obsession. I will find that lingerie chest one day! I will!
lynda says
How funny to “give up” Craigslist for Lent! It is an addictive game. I tend to find things for friends and family all over the country!
lynda says
I saw this too– not needing the set, but very nice. Can’t see the conditiion of the tops. I think the tops are veneer, so it might be hard to refinish if there are some bad spots. I wrote to owner, but did not hear back today.
TappanTrailerTami says
Wow, Carolyn, not sure where you are, but $500 for that bedroom set in the Bay Area of California would qualify as an almost screaming deal 🙂
lynda says
It was in Baltimore/Annapolis area. Might be sold now.
Scott says
Here too! It was in primo, showroom new-condition, but locally a Sculptra desk alone sold for $450.00 a few months back. I wanted it quite badly, but the length of it wouldn’t have permitted it to make the tight U- turn required to bring it into my den.
Jan says
I love this! Wish I could find a vintage catalog on the Broyhill Premier collection, especially upholstered pieces. But I love this!
Carolyn says
Jan- I know that there weren’t any upholstered pieces for the Brasilia Collection, there is a product sheet posted online w/ all of the products from one year w/ model numbers, measurements, etc. and there aren’t any sofas or upholstered chairs on that sheet.
Lynne says
I know these Broyhill pieces are bringing a pretty penny these days. Why won’t Broyhill and some of the other furniture makers re-introduce this stuff? They are really loosing out on what is becoming an excellent market.
BlueJay says
Lynne,
It probably has to do with cost. I imagine these pieces would be pricey to produce today. The Brasilia line is walnut veneered over hardwood, and I believe may have curved plywood for the iconic design elements. Also, the brass components are extremely hazardous to produce as well. If they were to re-introduce these pieces, I imagine that purchasing a bedroom set would run in the thousands.
Chase says
I don’t think that people would have a problem paying into the thousands for quality set of furniture; That is what somebody is going to pay for a set from Pottery Barn any way. (A friend of mine recently spent about $5,000 there for a bed, desk, dresser, and night stand.)
BlueJay says
I’m completely in agreement with you; I’d pay good money for authentic reproductions of these pieces. That said, not everyone would be as eager. Perhaps the solution would be to also market them through furniture companies like Design Within Reach, which markets new Knoll and Herman Miller pieces. We’re an enthusiastic bunch here, but Retro sadly isn’t as popular as I would like; we consistently are asked when we are going to update our home and purchase new furniture. 🙂
Faith says
I have the entire set of Broyhill in the Sculptra. I can send pictures. I have the complete dining room set and master bedroom set. They are atleast 48 years old. I would consider a offer. The dinning room table has three leaves, six chairs. The table and chairs need some refinishing. The master set includes king bed, two entables, a ladies 6 drawer and mirror and a oxigone table which may need some attention too. I am actively using them all, but I am possibly intrested in selling to someone who will cherish.
pam kueber says
Faith, all buying/selling needs to go onto the Forum — https://retrorenovation.com/forums/
Faith says
Broyhill Premire
Kate says
I’m not sure Lynne…If they did start making them again, I wonder if they would make them exact reproductions or slightly tweak the designs…and I wonder what they would cost new these days…
Mrs.FMV says
Wow, what a treat! Thanks for digging this up!