Armchair
Design Date c. 1928
Designer KEM Weber (1889–1963, American, b. Germany)
Manufacturer Grand Rapids Chair Company (1872–1973), Grand Rapids, MI
Media wood with cloth upholstery
Dimensions 40 1/2 x 21 x 19 3/4 inches
KEM (Karl Emanuel Martin) Weber came to the U.S. from Germany in 1914 and became stranded due to the outbreak of WWI. He settled in California and brought with him an iconic design style. He is known for his streamlined design, popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, it is characterized by its rounded edges, use of the fewest possible number of parts, simplified shapes and application of horizontal lines as decoration.
This chair was part of a twelve-piece set Weber designed for the Grand Rapids Chair Company. The set included eight armchairs, a dining table, a sideboard, a vitrine (or glass display case) and a server. The chartreuse lacquered frame is original, but our chair has been reupholstered. They were originally covered in a reddish-brown leather. The entire suite was shown at the Rike-Kumler department store in Dayton, Ohio in 1928.
ON VIEW in Art Deco Gallery 6
Markings unmarked
Credit Line Collection Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Accession Number 2022.079.001
