A few weeks ago, my son and I ventured into an estate sale madhouse. A lot of times a seller mistakenly identifies a sale or item as Mid-Century Modern (MCM) when it isn’t. My son  makes a game out of it, Ignorance or Malice? The rules are fairly self-explanatory. I just think it’s an attractive hook used to lure interested shoppers. Since there does seem to be so much confusion, I put together a  primer on MCM . But this sale wasn’t like the others. What it had were numerous photographs — posted earlier in the week — of an incredibly cool household. The pack of buyers frothed rabid that morning. Fortunately Michael and I signed in as numbers 3 and 4 among the early dawn enthusiasts. Michael was still on crutches — a broken ankle from rugby. The melee didn’t favor his physical impairment, and being out of practice with first-day estate sales because of his job, the cutthroat frenzy took him by surprise. The first people swarmed into the home like locusts — and we were among them.

I reached the dining room first. I came face to face with the lovely table pictured below. “Where’s the price tag on this dining table?” I like to think that I presented my question in a calm and civil manner, but chances are the hapless worker witnessed a wild-eyed customer shouting incoherently about tags. table and chair rental bloomington ilAfter a chaotic few seconds I located the tag snatched it up. monoblock table and chairs priceOthers crashed toward me. used office rolling chairs in chennaiThis was the craziest sale I’d ever attended.lazy boy chairs perth

Later, I learned Michael had headed to a bedroom but couldn’t grab sale tags speedily with his crutches hindering him. Faster shoppers outmaneuvered and frustrated him. We left the sale after an hour or so, only to be confronted by a line of shoppers still waiting to be ushered into  the home for the sale.parson chair covers pottery barn We also purchased the matching china cabinet and lots of smalls over the next few days as prices dropped.rent tables and chairs waterbury ctWho manufactured the dining set? The table, cabinet and chairs  provided a big clue: Drexel, all made in 1952. Matching those exact pieces on the internet proved difficult. I came across suggestions that pioneer modern furniture designer Milo Baughman (pronounced MEE-lo BAWF-man) designed the set, but I wanted irrefutable proof.

By training, I am a researcher. Days later I cheered when I found a Chicago Tribune newspaper article from June 22, 1952, focused on Chicago’s big summer show of new furniture and accessories. It offered the first proof that linked Baughman with Drexel’s Today’s Living Collection. The important part of the article is in bold: One of the largest new collections ever to be shown at once was brought out by Drexel Furniture company and includes a new Precedent group, “Precedent ’53,” of 35 pieces, designed by Milo Baughman in silver elm and beech. . . Baughman designed another modern group in elm and beech, with a spice finish, called “Today’s Living.” It is designed for young families with limited space. I researched on Google, Google Scholar, our local library — they informed me I had exhausted their knowledge. I sent emails to Drexel Heritage with photos, especially the numbers. Drexel Heritage sent a pdf of the 1955 Today’s Living Catalog, which helped us verify our pieces.

Our buffet numbers match the catalog number. My key question remained: Did Milo Baughman design the 1952 Today’s Living Collection for Drexel? And– at last — the confirmation email to me from Drexel Heritage: Baughman worked at Drexel in 1952, just a sliver of his successful life. The next year he moved on to Thayer Coggin, where he acquired his stellar reputation, and continued with them for the next 50 years. In the 1960s and 1970s designers at the High Point Market eagerly awaited the unveiling of Baughman’s newest pieces. Several museums feature his designs, including New York City’s Whitney. The Furniture Hall of Fame inducted Baughman in 1987. We’ll leave you with examples of his later designs. First, the man himself: Burl Buffet by Milo Baughman / Thayer Coggin. We’re so fortunate that Drexel Heritage is still a functioning furniture manufacturer. Despite this fact, however, the Drexel rep still couldn’t provide me with a copy of the 1952 Today’s Living Collection catalog.

Researching source material such as catalogs and information on notable designers can be difficult, but this story has a happy ending. Thanks for stopping by, and we love reading your comments.Milo baughman Sedie a sdraio gorgeous bar stools MILO B. Milo Baughman Style Brass Dining Chair Set Milo Baughman Style Brass Dining Chairs with Matching Table 6 Milo Baughman vintage pink sectional sofa Architectural Brass Etagere Shelving Unit after Milo Baughman, 1970s Architectural Brass Etagere Shelving Unit after Milo Baughman, 1970s 10 More Milo Baughman Burnished Brass Bar Stools in Grey Leather Milo Baughman Burnished Brass Bar Stools in Grey Leather image 4 Fabulous Pair of Milo Baughman Chairs Fabulous Pair of Milo Baughman Chairs | Milo Baughman Satellite Chaise In the master bedroom’s sitting area, vintage chairs designed by Milo Baughman are upholstered with a Pierre Frey linen-velvet from Holly Hunt and flank an Oly ottoman. A custom silver silk carpet by Labrum, fabricated by Direct Rug Import, plays off silver silk draperies from Fabricut.