Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates - $395

Mid Century Chair and Footstool by Adrian Pearsall - $395 (Leesburg)

Let me start by saying that it doesn't need to be cheap to be a good deal... this is a great example. Here is a beautiful, all original and in good condition lounge chair and ottoman designed by Adrian Pearsall and produced by his Pennsylvania-based company Craft Associates. The seller states that the "entire chair is intact and original with no damage," and as you can see in the image, the fabric shows little/no wear and all pieces, including the headrest, are intact.

Adrian Pearsall is a lesser-known mid century furniture designer who founded Craft Associates, which produced a range of furniture in the 1950s and 60s before being bought by Lane. He is also, surprisingly (to me) the designer of the beanbag chair. Following is an excerpt from his nomination into the Furniture Hall of Fame (yes, such a thing really exists), "Adrian M. Pearsall (b 1926) founded Craft Associates, which became the second largest employer in Northeastern Pennsylvania. After he and his brother sold Craft to the Lane Company, Mr. Pearsall became a partner at Comfort Designs, from which he retired in 1991. Mr. Pearsall is known for his innovative designs, including the popular beanbag chair."

These Pearsall / Craft Associates chairs are relatively rare and especially in this condition. They are also quite popular. Upholstered pieces from the 50s and 60s are difficult to find without rips/tears or worn areas to the fabric. As for value - there is not a lot out there for comparison, but I think this chair with ottoman could easily sell for $600+ on eBay. The only similar listing I could find right now is on Etsy, in much worse condition, and without the ottoman or headrest, for $388.

The bottom line is that this is a unique and stylish chair in rare condition, with great original fabric, offered at a very fair price. They are only getting rarer, and I am confident that this piece will hold its value. Act fast!! This might not last through the day.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/atq/1759897919.html

Overman Lounge Chair & Ottoman - $100

Gold Overman Lounge Chair and Ottoman - $100 (20886, MD)

This listing is for an olive green (gold?) lounge chair and ottoman made by Overman. The Overman Furniture company originated in Sweden in the late 1950s / early 1960s and later expanded production into Germany and ultimately Tennessee, USA. The company was founded by Swedish designer Carl Eric Klote. The signature characteristic of Overman furniture pieces is that they are constructed on molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) frames--the same thing used to make packing peanuts and rigid panel insulation--which makes them both lightweight and, supposedly, very durable. Klote went on to form Klote International, which uses this same material as the basis for its furniture line today, and comes with a 25 year warranty on all EPS frames.

Although not exactly a high-end design piece, this Overman chair has great 1960s modern and somewhat space age style at a great value. I also think the color is a nice mix of being colorful/bright, while not overly so. And doesn't everyone need a good lounge chair to read, or watch TV from?

The chair and ottoman appear to be in good overall condition (tight upholstery, seemingly firm padding, no obvious stains or tears), and at $100, the price is very reasonable. Good buy!

Re-List: Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair - Rosewood

RE-LIST, NEW PRICE: Eames Lounge Chair by Herman Miller - Now $650

This chair was originally listed around the end of January 2009 for $1,500 and was just reduced to just $650. A much better deal!

This is perhaps the most coveted, and yet widely available, piece of all mid century modern furniture, and is regularly seen in movies, tv, magazines, design forums, etc. The chair was designed by Charles and Ray Eames and has been produced by Herman Miller since 1956. It includes bent, veneered shells, soft individually upholstered leather cushions, and a die cast aluminum frame.

These chairs have been offered in a wide variety of veneers over the years (see Herman Miller's website for today's options). Those done in Brazilian Rosewood, as is the one in this listing, are, in my experience, the most sought after. A mint condition chair like this would easily sell for over $3000, and possibly more, depending on the edition / age. See this post for more information on how to tell the real thing from a fake (they are common).

The chair in this post does have some significant flaws that really detract from its value. Most importantly, there is a crack in the veneer that appears to have been repaired with a metal brace of some sort. I have no idea how difficult or costly this would be to repair, but certainly it is not trivial and in the end you will have a repaired / restored piece that is not totally original. I have seen spare parts of these chairs online, so it may be possible to replace that section altogether. Also, the upholstery on this one is less than ideal... white suede. Original upholstery is strongly preferred, or at least a high quality attempt to match the original leather.

With those points in mind, my initial reaction is that $1500 is a little high (NOW $650!), but not unreasonable. It would be worth a little research on eBay to see how pieces in this condition have sold recently, and what it might cost to restore this one to better condition.

Finally, in fact checking for this post I came across the video from 1956 when this chair was first introduced to the public on the predecessor to NBCs Today Show (See Below!). This includes a great discussion with Charles and Ray Eames about the design and concept behind this chair and some of their other chairs. Definitely worth a look!

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/1051216837.html

Free Mid Century Chair (and sofa)

Modern Furniture, Needs Reupholstering - FREE (Gaithersburg)

This chair is by no means amazing. But it is free. And I do love the profile, the wooden arms, and the wicker, which combine to give the chair a very mid century look.

Clearly needs to be reupholstered, but looks good otherwise. Can't beat the price!

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/zip/1047641214.html

P.s. the seller also has a free sofa available...

Nice Orange Danish Modern Lounge Chair

Vintage Orange Eames Era Mid Century Modern Chair - $125 (Silver Spring)

Here is a listing for a Danish modern style fabric and wood chair. The chair has a nice lounge style with a great vintage orange fabric. It is unclear who the chair's manufacturer is, but it appears to be in good condition, with the exception of fabric fraying on the arms as indicated by the seller.

Overall a nice mid century chair at a reasonable price.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/fuo/1043600872.html

Mid Century Arm Chairs

Retro, Funky Powder Blue Chairs (Pair) - $350 (Eastern Shore)

I was originally not going to post these, because they are a bit expensive, but after looking at the listing again I have had a change of heart.  These chairs are beautiful.  I love the color, the condition of the original vinyl upholstery looks good, and the design is fantastic - what a dramatic profile created by those arms!

And it is always nice to find a pair like this still together.  These would make a great addition to your modern living room, lounge, or library; they look quite comfortable.  Although I originally thought these were overpriced, I now think the pricing is pretty fair given their style and condition, and the seller's willingness to offer (free?) curbside delivery...  And, you will not find a new set of arm chairs at this price, and certainly not a new set with this quality of design and construction.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/974161803.html

Funky space-age style chair

Bo Concept Modern Retro Lounge Chair - $199 (Logan Circle, DC)

I'll start by saying that this is not a vintage piece. However, it is a great space-age / atomic looking lounge chair that would look really cool in the right setting. Obviously it is not for every house, or everyone, but this lounge chair has a nice style and looks pretty comfortable. Swivels, reclines and has a built in footrest.

A bit expensive for a chair, but I think it is a pretty reasonable price, all things considered. 

Price may be negotiable, this has been listed for a while.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/963004306.html

Vintage arm chair

Awesome vintage retro armchair - $50 (Alexandria)

Very nice, low profile, fabric-upholstered lounge chair with retro flair.  Plenty of style to match your Danish / mid century modern look, and an ideal compliment to your weekend slippers and pajamas.  Great mustard-ish fabric color and looks to be in good condition.  I could definitely see myself doing the Sunday crossword in this chair.  $50 is a great price.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/fuo/961006480.html