Reupholstered Kroehler "Avant" High Back Tufted Lounge Chair
About the Item
- Creator:Kroehler Mfg. Co. (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Width: 32 in (81.28 cm)Depth: 27 in (68.58 cm)Seat Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Mid-20th Century
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Brand new reupholstery Age appropriate wear to legs (minor scuffs/scratches/seams).
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: 20278-8961NL1stDibs: LU921839282962
Kroehler Mfg. Co.
Before growing into one of the largest furniture brands in the United States in the mid-20th century, the Kroehler Manufacturing Co. had humble beginnings. It was founded in 1902, when Peter E. Kroehler, a Chicago-based businessman who grew up on a farm in Minnesota, bought a small furniture manufacturer called Naperville Lounge Co., a maker of wooden lounge chairs and upholstered furniture, founded in 1893.
Peter had first worked there as a clerk before rising to partner and then president and finally owner. Under Kroehler’s leadership, a new factory was built in Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 1913, and soon after the company was renamed.
Kroehler Manufacturing Co. became a fixture of the American furniture industry, eventually employing around 8,000 people in four plants in Illinois and Ohio, and by the 1940s was bringing in more than $20 million in annual sales.
The company was a pioneer in innovative 20th-century furniture, patenting some of its designs, like the Unifold sofa bed with a removable mattress that was developed in 1909 and the sideways foldable Duofold sofa bed. Colorful ads in popular magazines such as Ladies Home Journal propelled these dual-purpose furnishings into customer favorites.
Kroehler was also known for its hand-tufted Turkish couches as well as unique shapes for lounge-chair backs, such as batwings and scallops. In addition to seating and sofa beds, the company specialized in furniture for the entire home, from sturdy wooden cabinets to sleek mid-century modern credenzas.
Kroehler’s historic Naperville factory closed in 1978 due to financial struggles and was acquired by a Chicago investment firm that sold the plants as well as the rights to the Kroehler name. Its Naperville factory was converted into apartments in the 1980s, and decades later the company name is still visible on the building.
Kroehler Manufacturing Co. is remembered for its long association with the Chicago area and its quality mid-century modern pieces, which remain coveted collector’s items to this day.
Find vintage Kroehler Manufacturing Co. furniture on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
Early 2000s American Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Lounge Chairs
Fabric
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wood, Fabric
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Fabric
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Chrome
20th Century Canadian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
