Perhaps motivated by this challenge, and inspired by Parisian Moderne design in general, Heywood Wakefield took the risk in building something completely without historical reference. After all, they had been busy reproducing furniture from the 18th Centuries… However, American Furniture makers, especially most mainstream furniture companies, felt a bit insecure. In 1925, the Paris International Exposition of Decorative Arts invited makers from all over the western world to exhibit. They even invented a new luxurious seat design for rail travel. Occasionally, you can still find this old Heywood Wakefield rattan furniture in thrift stores or consignment stores.įor the next few decades, Heywood Wakefield Company focused on building steel and wooden desks, auditorium seats and school furniture for most of the nation. However, Heywood Wakefield rattan furniture did very well. The Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company did not join forces until 1921. Both companies were producing wicker and rattan furniture. Heywood Wakefield actually consisted of two long standing competitors in the 1800’s. So, let’s take a look at what made vintage Heywood Wakefield Furniture so wonderful! Astonishingly, this sleek, simple and whimsical furniture design has quite a cult following! The nostalgia and beauty of these wonderful creations lives on today! In fact, these hip and joyful designs became so beloved in recent years that the new owners of the company, The South Beach Furniture Company, have decided to reproduce the classic Mid Century Furniture once again today.
![heywood wakefield encore 5 drawer chest heywood wakefield encore 5 drawer chest](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/archivesE/upload/8551/32_14/drawer_2_0722_lores/Drawer_2_0722_LoRes_l.jpeg)
Although the company started much earlier, their iconic blond maple and birch furniture is their most memorable and most important design contribution to furniture history. Like Herman Miller and other iconic Mid Century Modern Brands, Heywood Wakefield is best known for the furniture they produced in the 1950’s and 1960’s.