VINTAGE FURNITURE - AS SOCIAL HISTORY

Dear All

A customer wants to restore an old bureau and was happily surprised when I told her that the piece is a  late 19th century and early 1920's piece. Which makes the piece a real antique. But what was interesting is the history behind it.  She recounted that the piece belonged to her late grandfather who owned a bamboo blind business in the 1940's before the war and that the piece has been sitting in her aunt's place for the last 29 years in its original condition.  She asked whether I can highlight more on the piece, so that she can weave her family history and the nature of Malay trade of that period. I shared with her whatever little information and knowledge I have on the piece.  Definitely an imported piece from England and I have seen similar design in Sotheby's catalogue!

Vintage furniture are real cultural artefacts of  particular periods  and can tell us much of the social history of the times.  Very little is documented on  the history of local furniture, except I think, for peranakan  furniture which apart from books on them, there are still living individuals who have much knowledge of them and keeping them alive.  Much of the history of local furniture can be gleaned from old photographs, actually.  They speak to us of the social conditions of the times and the social classes they belong to. Perhaps, it is time to piece them together.

I met quite a number of individuals who shared with me their  awesome collections of antique and vintage furniture - victorian, peranakan, french marquetry, art deco and retro furniture - circa 1880's to the midcentury modern period of the 50's -60's. Let us know if you want to share your collections and the history behind them. And we be more than happy to share them with others who genuinely and truly love those pieces of the past.

Below are latest additions to Second Charm - a mixture of vintage, french furniture and contemporary pieces.  Hope you like them.

2-seater french sofa in solid mahagony wood.  Reupholstered about one 

and half year ago.  In good condition. Frame repainted in bronzy gold paint.

French sofa set. 2 seater plus 2 single armchairs.  In relatively good condition.

As is or we can reupholster for you.  Just bring us the fabrics.

We sell them separately.  This 2-seater $350 as is condition.  Upholstery 

$350. Requires 6 meters of fabrics. L122 x D72 x H105cm

A pair of the single high back armchairs in solid mahogany wood.

 Per armchair $250. Upholstery $200.  3.5 meters of fabric. 

L70 x D72 x H105 cm

Dainty french armchair.  2 -seater plus 2 single armchairs.  

Require reupholstery.

2 seater of the french sofa set above. L117 x D53 x H87cm.  Reserved.

A pair of single french armchairs.  $150 each.  Reupholstery $150.

2 meters of fabric. L62 x D66 x H88cm

Beautifully carved chairs in solid mahogany wood.  Rare.  Reserved.

4 pieces of Chippendale chairs.  2 with arms and 2 without arms.

Chippendale armchairs.  Part of the set above. In good condition.

 $150 each.  Upholstery $60.

Chippendale chairs without arms. In good condition. $100. 

 Upholstery for the seat $60.

My favourite find.  4 midcentury chairs.  Need restoration and reupholstery.

$60 per chair. Wood restoration $60.  Reupholstery $80.

The back view of the midcentury chair above. The back rest

curves into the wooden frames.

6 midcentury chairs.  Similar to the ones we got a couple of months ago.

In relatively good condition. 1 taken.  5 pieces left. $80 per piece.

2 pieces for $150

A lone midcentury piece. $60.  Wood restoration $60.

Reupholstery $80.

Back view of the midcentury chair above. Love the wooden curved bar

where the cushion back rest.

3 American style diner's chairs. Metal a bit rusty in some parts, 

which we can easily sand down.  $70 each.

3 spindle back chairs. All taken.  Repainting them in purple, turqoise green

and lotus pink for Karen and Lysandra.

Solid wooden armchair with nice decorative arm, brass studs and 

carved back.  L65 x D63 x H79 cm. As is $100.

Balinese 2-seater teak sofa. L170 x D69 x H86cm.  Reserved.

Wooden bench in newly reupholstered cushion seats we did for Serene.

Teak wooden bench in distressed brown paint.  $150

L116 x D54 x H85cm

Solid rosewood french style writing table. Part of the lacquer has given 

away at top. Other than that  a lovely piece.  L136 x W60 x H79cm. 

 $450 as is condition.

Vintage 1960's desk. Non teak but with definitely midcentury legs,

L91.5 x D46 x H76 cm. Reserved.

Vintage 95's long and slim book case.  L168 x D25 x H95cm. 
$650 with restoration.









Vintage 1960's-70's solid teak foldable square table. Legs repainted black
and solid top lined with glass as requested by Sarah Tan. On receipt of the table,
Sarah smsed me and said " the table so lovely".   And that made our day.

Vintage 1960's-70's solid teak square top.  Lovely original formica top.
that we have cleaned, polished and the wooden sides restored. 
Leg repainted white. $350.

Vintage round solid teak top with original green formica. Slightly faded.

In original condition. Diameter 76 cm . $200

Pedestal centre leg with a 122 cm  glass table top. For dining or as concierge table.

$400

Vintage sewing machine leg repainted in black and gold with new

 marble top we specially cut or Sarah Tan.

Another repainted cast iron sewing machine leg.  Nice oval  

marble that  we recycle from a broken coffee table leg. Dimension 

of marble: L91 x 47.5cm. Leg $150. Paintworks $80.  Old marble $100.

Beautiful decorative cast iron console. L120 x D40 x H82cm.  With glass top. 

2 pieces available. $380 each

Rustic solid teak side table. 46 x 46 x46 cm. $100.

Vintage 70's metal office typewriting desk. As is condition. $150

My favourite find.  Vintage 1970's metal trolly.

The best and unique thing about the trolley is that it is collapsible 

like the picture  above.  Pretty cool, isn't. Taken by Toety.

Retro 1960's wardrobe with pencil legs and vintage formica.

Interestingly, the wardrobe is concave at the side and gilt with gold metal.

With restoration $850. L97 x D53 x H177 cm.  As is $450.  

With restoration $850.

All wooden solid teak wardrobe. L94 x D56 x H73 cm. 

Restoration at $850

Vintage 1960's solid teak wardrobe. Taken as is condition.

We touched up the piece and change the locks.

Vintage 1950's solid teak wardrobe with full length mirror on one hand 

and a glass  door on the right top.  2 same design pieces available.

L100 x D50 x H180 cm. As is $450.  With restoration $850.

Beautiful solid teak purely hanging wardrobe.  We will be putting shelves.

Makes a nice storage cupboard. L91 x D51 xH183cm.

$850 with restoration.

Vintage 1950 cupboard badly painted in white.

Restore it or distress it.  L102 x D51 x H168.

As is $400.  Distress at $550.  With restoration $750

The inside view of the cupboard above.  Great storage shelves.

Queen size retro 1960's solid teak bed.  $750 with restoration.

Vintage 1960's  simple solid teak queen size bed.

Vintage 1950's solid teak v -legs queen size bed. With restoration $750

Beautiful super single bed retro 1960's teak bed. Original metal spring.

In good condition.  As is $350. With restoration $600.

Foldable 3-panel mirror.  Ready hooks for hanging at the back.

$150

The foldable3-panel  mirror unfolded.

Decorative wooden stand with stained  glass frames.

L 54 x D22 x H104 cm. $150

Gilded frames with european artworks.  Taken up.

Retro designed fabric in canvas.  $40 each.

Metal cloth stand.  $80 each.

 Earthen pot.  Diameter of mouth 44 cm.  Height 49 cm $80.

2 wooden platers.  Taken.  $15 each.

So much for today.  Hope you like our latest finds.  Till my next posting,

Warmest regards

Sharifah

You have read this article5 BEST RETRO FURNITURE SHOP / MID CENTURY MODERN. RETRO FURNITURE IN SINGAPORE. RETRO FURNITURE KUALA LUMPUR / RETRO AND ART DECO FURNITURE / VINTAGE FURNITURE IN SINGAPORE AND KUALA LUMPUR. with the title VINTAGE FURNITURE - AS SOCIAL HISTORY. You can bookmark this page URL http://i-is-another.blogspot.com/2011/10/vintage-furniture-as-social-history.html. Thanks!

Write by: Dj Ganden - Saturday, October 15, 2011