15 Inch Nightstand

American of Martinsville is today revered as one of the finest manufacturers of mid-century modern furniture in the United States, but its beginnings were unexpectedly humble.

Well ahead of the Civil War, tobacco was a cash crop in places such as Virginia, and the plant was grown with frequency on farms in Martinsville and elsewhere. In the early 1900s, the business around tobacco was changing and the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was expanding nationally, buying any Virginia factories in reach. Former tobacco producers Ancil Witten and Charles Keesee turned away from the business in 1906 and, with merely $30,000 in capital (and the support of local business leaders), began to manufacture bedroom furniture under the name American Furniture Company.

In the 1920s, American Furniture Company expanded its offerings from bedroom furnishings. Alongside tallboy dressers and nightstands, Witten and Keesee’s outfit began to offer a range of dining-room sets to the discerning customer. By the 1950s, the name had been changed to American of Martinsville and the brand had gained a reputation for exquisite craftsmanship as well as its variety of furniture styles (Hollywood Regency, chinoiserie).

Mass-marketed furniture meant big business in the postwar years and throughout the 20th century in Virginia, and factories owned by companies like Bassett Furniture and American of Martinsville remained busy as suburbanites bought furniture to fill the homes they were moving into.

It isn’t difficult to spot American of Martinsville’s sturdy, solid designs — the lacquered walnut nightstands, mahogany coffee tables and more have long earned the admiration of mid-century modernism enthusiasts. The company’s high profile also owes to prominent attributes that distinguish its well-made vintage furniture, such as the use of wooden slats — inspired by Scandinavian modernism — on hutches and cabinet doors, the famous brass x’s inlaid on the tops of tables and dressers and the stately stacked type of the American of Martinsville logo, which usually appears in drawer interiors. The stamp prominently features an eagle perched atop the lettering, its broad wings spread across the “American” portion.

Besides quality manufacturing, American of Martinsville is additionally recognized for having incorporated the trends of the day.

Inspired by designers like George Nakashima and Paul Laszlo, the brand was also known for innovations with wood. Merton Gershun was one of the company’s most prolific designers, and he was responsible for some of its most successful modern furniture lines using the richer, darker woods that would become emblematic of mid-century furniture. Gershun’s most popular line was reportedly Dania, with its sleek walnut credenzas fitted with stylish brass accents and large drawers. Today, American of Martinsville specializes in furniture for the healthcare and hospitality industries.

Shop a wide selection of vintage American of Martinsville mid-century modern sideboards, side tables and more on 1stDibs.

The simple fact that everyone sleeps is great news for those in search of an antique, new or vintage bedroom set. A good night’s rest is a universal necessity, which means that there is an abundance of options to meet everyone’s tastes and decor styles.

While the design of beds was once largely informed by the availability of local materials, modern-day consumers can relish the freedom of mixing and matching their favorite furniture styles from around the globe. Springing for a European bedroom set might mean introducing a royalty-inspired resting haven to your home, one outfitted with a plush, elaborately adorned upholstered headboard that gives new meaning to the terms “king-” and “queen-size” beds. Mid-century modern bedroom sets, with their sleek and streamlined bed frames and unassuming walnut nightstands, might also defy notions of standard bedroom furniture given the venturesome design sensibilities that we’ve come to associate with the style.

Targeting the designs of a specific location lets you take a vacation every time you nap. Italian designers, who upholstered headboards and ashwood or cherry bed frames in varying fabrics and leathers, have introduced luxurious bedroom sets over the years, while the decoratively carved dark walnut antique bedroom sets designed in France in the Louis XVI style have never lost their allure centuries later.

For those who love to host, your guest rooms can treat visitors to a one-of-a-kind experience. Build an atmosphere, be it moody or bright, by pairing pieces that share a single color or commit to a specific era. Dazzle with the dark woods that define the dressing tables and armoires of the Art Deco era or immerse your guests in the glitz and wealth of mirrored finishes and bold color contrasts that characterize a Hollywood Regency bedroom set, a movement in design led by unsung interior decorator Dorothy Draper in the 1920s.

Whatever your needs might be, you should sleep in style. Find a wide-ranging collection of antique, new and vintage bedroom sets on 1stDibs.