Merton Gershun Chairs
In as early as the 1920s, American furniture designer Merton Gershun created popular bedroom suites and more for the likes of Shelbyville, Indiana’s Albert Distinctive Modern Furniture Company. Later, he partnered with Dillingham Manufacturing, which had offices in Wisconsin and Mississippi and collaborated with the likes of Arthur Umanoff and Pierre Cardin. The world’s growing population of mid-century modern furniture devotees, however, know Gershun as having been American of Martinsville’s most prolific designer. Vintage Merton Gershun dressers, side tables, bed frames and other pieces are widely collected today.
Founded in the early 1900s by former tobacco producers, American of Martinsville eventually became one of the best known furniture manufacturers in the United States. Besides quality manufacturing, American of Martinsville is additionally recognized for having incorporated the day's trends in its designs. Inspired by designers like George Nakashima and Paul Laszlo, the brand was also known for innovations with wood.
Working with walnut and ebonized mahogany — and integrating decorative flourishes such as brass drawer pulls into his dressers and cane door fronts on his cabinets — Gershun designed numerous furniture lines for the company, including Dilettante, Fortissimo and others. The designer’s Dania collection, with its sleek walnut credenzas fitted with stylish brass accents and large drawers, has enjoyed popularity all over the world.
Gershun was passionate about bringing stylish pieces to American families but was also focused on affordability. His Harlequin line for American of Martinsville — the print ads for which read “SCULPTURED” and “BUDGET-PRICED” in bolded all-caps text — included bedroom and dining room furnishings in solid walnut. For Dillingham, Gershun designed the similarly well-received Esprit and Samara lines as well as other collections.
Gershun was particularly interested in creating furniture for small spaces and for postwar homeowners on a modest budget. He was a big proponent of incorporating international influences into his designs — he drew inspiration from Asia and created chinoiserie-style dressers in bleached walnut supported by ebonized wood bases. To Gershun, modern design was more than clean lines and sharp angles: it was about utility as well as beauty.
Find vintage Merton Gershun case pieces, tables, bedroom furniture and other furniture on 1stDibs.
20th Century American Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Fabric
20th Century American Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Leather, Beech
1760s English Chippendale Antique Merton Gershun Chairs
Mahogany, Upholstery
21st Century and Contemporary American Louis XV Merton Gershun Chairs
Fabric, Fruitwood
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1950s French Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Bentwood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Stainless Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Post-Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Upholstery, Lucite
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Merton Gershun Chairs
Metal
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Merton Gershun Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
