MassModern Home

Currently for Sale

MM022 FLW Cabinet

MM032 Robsjohn Black Lthr

MM034 Robsjohn Dining Tbl

MM039 Palmer Dbl. Lateral

MM040 Palmer 2 over 1

MM043 Kittinger Deco Cabi

MM044 Kittinger Mandarin

MM068 Porsche Chair

MM079 Dusseldorf Pitcher

MM107 Glidden Torquoise

MM109 Rich Miller Vase

MM115 David Roberts Litho

MM115A David Roberts #1

MM115B David Roberts #2

MM115C David Roberts #3

MM116 Paulin Lamp Table

MM117 Paulin Cocktail Tbl

MM132 Wing Table

MM153 Floor Lamp

MM156 Kittinger Bunching

MM166 H-H Oval Cocktail

MM170 Johan Tapp Lamp Tab

MM172 Baker Dining Table

MM204 Linea Cara Table

MM215 Mastercraft Cocktai

MM149 Amer. Modernist Pr.

MM185 Paulin Chairs

MM198 Baker Step Table

MM200 M/C Pedestal Purple

MM203 H-H Oval Cocktail

MM217 Widd Drawer Chest

MM218 Widd Door Cabinet

MM219 Widd Desk

MM221 Saarinen HouseChair

MS001 Acclaim 2 Tier Orig

MS011 Van Koert Chairs

MS012 Acclaim Two Tier Ta

Archive Study Collection

MM001 Acclaim Lamp Table

MM042 Gehry Lamp

MM002 Acclaim Coffee Tbl

MM003 Acclaim Lamp Table

MM005 Saarinen Cabinet #1

MM006 Saarinen Cabinet #2

MM007 Knoll Headboard

MM008 Mies BRNO Chairs

MM009 Square Acclaim Lamp

MM010 Acclaim Cocktail #2

MM011 Acclaim Two Tier #1

MM012 Acclaim Two Tier #2

MM013 HW Rect Lamp Table

MM014 HW Round Lamp Table

MM016 Dining Table

MM017 Danish Modern Chair

MM018 Thayer Coggin Chair

MM019 FLW Rect Dining Tbl

MM020 FLW Dining Chairs

MM021 FLW Rnd Dining Tbl

MM023 Conant Ball Chair

MM024 Saarinen Chest on C

MM027 Robsjohn Cocktail

MM028 Robsjohn Lamp Table

MM035 Saladino Mirror

MM036 Saladino Lamp Table

MM037 Saladino Console

MM038 Saladino Coffee Tbl

MM045 Alessandro Console

Picasso Madoura Ceramics

MM048 Acclaim Rectangular

MM049 Acclaim Chair Set A

MM050 Botta Cocktail

MM051 Picasso Ceramic

MM052 Ritter Glass

MM054 B England Chairs

MM055 Spinneybeck Chairs

MM057 Widdicomb Buffet

MM058 Conant Ball Chairs

MM059 Robsjohn China

MM060 Faces of Nepal

MM062 Acclaim Sideboard

MM066 Acclaim Articulated

MM069 Guitar Pick Acc

MM070 Robsjohn Lamp Table

MM071 Ardley Hall Tables

MM072 Gibby Marble Lamps

MM073 Modernist Clock

MM074 Acclaim Round Dinin

MM075 Acclaim Chairs #B

MM076 Acclaim 2 Tier #E

MM077 Acclaim 2 Tier #F

MM078 Acclaim Record Cabi

MM080 Acclaim Round Cockt

MM081 Helck Painting

MM082 Reed Golf Lithos

MM092 Acclaim Console

MM105 Baker Rattan Chairs

1800 Series Bedroom Group

MM100 Modern Headboard

MM101 Modern Nightstands

MM102 Modern Master Chest

MM103 Modern Low Dresser

MM104 Modern Mirrors

MM120 Lane Acclaim Table

MM122 Round Acclaim Lamp

MM123 Lane Acclaim Table

MM124 Baker Modern Chairs

MM125 Acclaim Drop Leaf

MM127 Lane Tables Pair

MM128 Laurel Lamps Walnut

MM129 Safran Co. Lamp

MM133 Wood Table Lamp

MM134 Square Lamp Table

MM135 Baker Party Butler

MM137 Lane Rhythm Table

MM138 Wright Dining Table

MM138A Condition Addendum

MM154 Saarinen Chest

MM025 Saarinen Twin Beds

MM054 Bert England Chairs

MM121 Lane Acclaim Table

MM122 Acclaim Round Table

MM139 Baker Octagon Tbl

MM046 Alessandro Cocktail

MM141 Laurel Lamp

MM176 FLW Dining Table

MM177 FLW Chairs

MM150 Milo Style Table

MM178 Mastercraft Console

MM184 Acclaim Tables Pair

MM155 Saarinen Tall Cabin

MM166 H-H Surfboard Cockt

MM190 Acclaim Boomerang T

MM203 Mies Style Chairs

MS002 Drexel Lamp Table

Past Exhibits

Architect Modern

Designer Modern

Acclaim by Andre Bus

Baker Modern

Selected Biographies

Frank Lloyd Wright

Eliel Saarinen

Pierre Paulin

Brian Palmer

John Saladino

Robsjohn-Gibbings

Accessories

Research & Resources

FHA by Johnson Furniture

Frank Lloyd Wright Guide

Acclaim Study Guide

Saladino Study Guide

Pierre Paulin Baker Catal

Finn Juhl Catalog Baker

Pfister Catalog

Robsjohn Gibbings for Bak

Brian Palmer Catalog

Bert England Catalog

About MassModern

Atomic Ranch Summer 2015

Contact Us

Kittinger Modern

To The Trade

Converso Modern Zurich


Eliel Saarinen, et. alia
 
1873 - 1950

Flexible Home Arrangements Cabinets by Eliel Saarinen for Johnson Furniture, 1939
 
Saarinen Chest on Chest
Eliel Saarinen Flexible Home Arrangements
FHA Study Guide
   
 
 

 

In 1925, soon after his second place finish in the Chicago Tribune Tower competition, Eliel Saarinen (1873 - 1950) became the architect of the new Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills, MI, just north of Detroit.  Soon afterward, Saarinen also became President of the Cranbrook Academy of Art, a position he held until his death in 1950.  Those not intimately familiar with Saarinen's design work may recognize him better as the teacher and mentor of a number of important mid-century American designers.

Included in this Cranbrook group are not just his own children Eero and Pipsan, but also his son-in-law Robert Swanson. The then Ray Kaiser met her future husband Charles Eames while they were both studying at Cranbrook. From their studies and early careers at Cranbrook, Harry Bertoia, Jack Lenor Larsen, Paul Evans, Florence (Schust) Knoll, and many others owe a strong debt to Eliel Saarinen's influence.  Saarinen's influence made Cranbrook the most fertile ground in America for mid-century modern designs.

It was a great privilege of mine to have lived many of my Michigan years directly across the street from the Cranbrook educational community.

The items included in our exhibit are part of a broad commercial furniture collection drawn from designs originally developed in 1937 for Detroit area residential clients of the Saarinen & Saarinen architecture firm, Charles and Ingrid Koebel. The Koebel commission was one of the first on which Saarinen and his son Eero collaborated following Eero's return from Yale. The furniture collection is called "Flexible Home Arrangements," and is now increasingly recognized as the first "modular" series of modern furniture produced for a mass audience. 

The collection was introduced in 1939, but it's opportunity was severely limited during World War II.  The first edition (called "Basic") has the combination birch / aluminum hardware, while the second edition "S Series" was introduced in 1948, with additional pieces, and the title referencing both the hardware detail and the bases created for the case pieces, each in a subtle "S" curve.

The items here, as the entire collection, are extraordinarily architectural in form, appearing to float above rich walnut recessed bases.

We've developed a limited 40+ page study guide for those interested in more details about "Flexible Home Arrangements."  The guide contains original catalog material, line drawings of all items in the collection, photos of all the items introduced at MassModern, and additional detailed photgraphy of some of the group's common details.  More information is available on our "Research and Resources" page.

Peter Kelley
2007 

 
 
Saarinen Furniture Attributions

Eliel Saarinen and Loja Saarinen late 1940's
image courtesy Cranbrook Archive

On today’s secondary market, a variety of designer attributions are assigned to the FHA collection.  Admittedly, with the similarity of some Saarinen names, and the interwoven nature of the different Saarinen professional practices, casual attribution has occasionally been confusing, even within the family.


At the Cranbrook archives we’ve looked unsuccessfully for correspondence between the Saarinens and Johnson Furniture that would shed light on the question of attribution.  And there is very little original Johnson related correspondence in the furniture archives at the Grand Rapids Public Library. A 1948 local dealer advertisement names Johnson Director of Design Renzo Rutili as a Flexible Home Arrangements co-designer, but this can probably be dismissed as the effort of an over eager marketing employee. In the absence of other “primary resource documentation,” it is the 1948 Flexible Home Arrangements catalog that provides our best information.

By current standards this catalog seems rather hastily pulled together. After 65 years, the catalog reads as though from another historical period. But it clearly credits Eliel Saarinen as the Flexible Home Arrangements designer of record, “in collaboration with J. Robert F. Swanson and Pipsam (sic) Swanson.” It should be noted that the catalog notation fails to correctly spell Pipsan’s name, or to employ the typical usage of “Pipsan Saarinen Swanson.” The only other catalog mention is simply “Saarinen-Swanson,” as related to the other producers included in the 1948 broader ensemble of companion products.

In our 2007 interview, Cranbrook expert Mark Coir directly confirms FHA attribution as “Eliel Saarinen and J. Robert F. Swanson and Pipsan Saarinen Swanson.” Without benefit of a 1939 catalog indicating otherwise, we feel the formal attribution for the Johnson Furniture FHA collection should combine Coir’s comments and the 1948 catalog: “Eliel Saarinen, in collaboration with Pipsan Saarinen Swanson and J. Robert F. Swanson.”


On the secondary market, individual Items and broad collections are occasionally attributed incorrectly. This rarely happens through malevolence. Most often it happens through inattention.  Unfortunately the internet spreads this information at lightning speed.


RWay Furniture Logo

Currently there is a group of American mid-century styled furniture that was produced by the RWay Furniture Company that regularly and broadly appears with attribution to Eliel Saarinen.  RWay was a manufacturer of mid-range dining room, bedroom, and occasional furniture based in Sheboygan, WI. The Rway brand was produced from 1949 until 1992.


Rway Chest

 

The RWay group in question isn’t unattractive.  But especially in terms of materials and execution, the group fails to achieve the excellence of Eliel’s overall body of work. The group lacks the sophistication of both design and construction that one expects to see in any Eliel Saarinen object. 

Nothing in our research leads us to believe any connection ever existed between RWay Furniture and Eliel Saarinen. Nor do conversations with several highly regarded Saarinen and Cranbrook experts offer any connection between the two.

It also seems unlikely that Eliel would have designed a mid-market product line for another manufacturer when he, his family, and his design firm were already contracted to upper end producer Johnson Furniture. We are comfortable that no Rway connection ever existed with Eliel Saarinen, or any other Cranbrook affiliated designer.


 
 


inquiries@MassModern.net


All images and text copyright 
2008 - 2014, 2015, 2016 MassModern 
except no claim to copyright in images or text rights 
retained of others displayed on this page