Gerald Summers Plywood Table Made by Makers of Simple Furniture (1931-1940)

Gerald Summers Plywood Table Made by Makers of Simple Furniture (1931-1940).

Birch Plywood.

Circa 1934.

This three legged occasional two tiered table is typical of Summers' love of simple, economical and practical design and the plywood, which had been used since the 1920's but always disguised, is here appreciated for its intrinsic beauty with the grain of the wood showing through the white tinted cellulose finish.

The most innovative designer in Britain in the 1930's Gerald Summers' significance is only now being appreciated as emphasis has heretofore been placed upon the achievements of European and Scandinavian designers and because 'Makers of Simple Furniture' was a small company, producing  mainly to order, without the publicity machine of larger workshops.
Originally offered through Heals, Harrods and select department stores in the US, examples of Summers' designs are now held by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Vitra Design Museum in Germany.

Museums & Exhibitions:
Victoria & Albert Museum: The Bent Plywood Armchair is on permanent exhibition in the new 20th Century Furniture Galleries, opened 2012
MOMA 2014 Exhibition: The Magic of Plywood
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Vitra Design Museum
Thirties British Art and Design before the War organized by the Arts Council of Great Britain, London 1979
'Constructivism in Art & Design' Crafts Council Gallery, London 1988

Bibliography:
The Design History Journal 1992 Vol.5 No.3 - precis of Masters' thesis by Martha Deese, Metropolitan Museum New York
Gerald Summers: Furniture For the Concrete Age Dunn and Mantz pub. 2012
1000 Chairs Charlotte and Peter Fiell, Cologne 2000 p.232
Design for Today 1934
100 Masterpieces Vitra Design Museum
Furnishing the small Home published London and New York 1930's by the Studio Ltd.
A History of British Design 1839-1970 Fiona McCarthy pub. 1972
Bent Wood and Metal Furniture 1850-1946 University of Washington Press edited by Derek E. Ostergard

Dimensions

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number