Vintage Furniture Finds from the Early 20th Century

Vintage Furniture Finds from the Early 20th Century

Before online outlets and a certain Swedish superstore, imagine decorating and furnishing a new home in the early 20th Century. What did your furniture look like? What curtains or window hangings did you choose? How did you communicate with your neighbors? The
Trade Literature Collection
at the
National Museum of American History Library
includes a few catalogs related to these very things.
One catalog is titled
Spring & Summer Catalog
(1915) by
John Wanamaker
. In previous blog posts, we learned about
library pieces like armchairs and sofa beds
as well as
dining room furniture and tableware
. Now, let’s explore a few more items from this catalog.
John Wanamaker
, New York, NY.
Spring & Summer Catalog
(1915), front cover.
Several pages focus on bedroom furniture such as these Bedroom Suites manufactured from solid mahogany. The Bedroom Suite shown below included several pieces of furniture, but each piece was priced individually. This included bedframes (top and bottom, middle), dresser with glass (top right), chiffonier with glass (top, second from left), and dressing table (top, left). The dressing table came with a triplicate mirror, but those preparing for a special occasion might have preferred a tall or full-length mirror, such as the Cheval Glass (bottom right). Another piece in the suite was the Table Desk (bottom, middle). Perhaps it was used for corresponding with family and friends via letters. The top of the desk included small compartments to store stationery and supplies.
John Wanamaker
, New York, NY.
Spring & Summer Catalog
(1915), page 106, Bedroom Suites (Dressing Table, Chiffonier, Bed, Dresser, Bedroom Table, Table Desk, Twin Beds, Cheval Glass).
John Wanamaker
, New York, NY.
Spring & Summer Catalog
(1915), page 111, Brass and Enamel Beds.
Other choices included brass and enamel beds. The brass beds, shown above (top and middle rows), were available with a polished finish and most also had the option of a hand rubbed, satin finish. White Enamel Iron Beds are also illustrated above on the bottom row.
As for mattresses, one option was the Kurly-Kotton Elastic Felt Mattress (below, top middle). No space age foam or fancy fillings here – this elastic felt mattress was filled with cotton sheets laid by hand. The Single Border Spring (below, middle right) had 63 spirals and was compatible with wooden beds.
John Wanamaker
, New York, NY.
Spring & Summer Catalog
(1915), page 119, Mattresses and Springs.
John Wanamaker also sold draperies and window hangings. Someone setting up their new home in 1915 could chose these Irish Point Curtains (below, bottom left). Measuring 47 inches wide and 3 yards long, these had a plain net center and decorative border. Other window hangings incorporated floral decorations, such as No. 4 Fine Soft Voile (below, top right). Described as having a “graceful floral pattern,” it was available in pink, blue, and yellow.
John Wanamaker
, New Yo…