House of Craven
Live Auction

Summer Modern Art + Design July 20, 2024

Sat, Jul 20, 2024 12:00PM EDT
Lot 64

John Widdicomb Company, Grand Rapids, Large Mid-Century Modern Credenza

Estimate: $6,000 - $7,500
Unsold

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,500
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
$200,000 $20,000
$500,000 $50,000
Asian influenced Mid-Century Espresso Brown. The Credenza has four (4) original casters. The Credenza by John Widdicomb is 77" in length, 33 " in height, and 19" in depth. John Widdicomb started his namesake company in 1897 after his short-lived Widdicomb Mantel Co. failed. During his tenure as head of the company, he served as the president of the National Association of Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers. John Widdicombâ's son, Harry became president of the company upon his father's death in 1910. J. Fred Lyon purchased controlling interest in John Widdicomb Co. in 1929, with a minority interest held by John L. Stuart. Stuart became the major stockholder and chairman of the board in 1939 when Lyon retired. Stuart and his family owned most of the stock until 1969, when they arranged a management buy-out in 1969. John D. Hanink first came to work at John Widdicomb in 1935. He became president and general manager in 1964. In 1969 he created the Furniture Corporation of America a holding company that purchased the John Widdicomb Co. He retired as president and C.E.O. in 1977. Mike Greengard (former president of the Charlotte Chair Co.) and a group of investors purchased the company from Hickory Furniture Co. in 1986, and appointed Greengard president. Ralph H. Widdicombe, a nephew of Harry Widdicomb, joined his uncles company as designer in 1898. He was awarded the first prize at the Paris Exposition of 1900 for his American Empire-style mahogany bedroom suite. Even after the family sold the business in 1929, Ralph stayed on as chief of design until his retirement in 1951. English-born designer Stanley Green, who received his training as an apprentice at London's Waring & Gillow, designed English Revival and French Provincial pieces at John Widdicomb from 1933 into the 1950s. Chad Womack, originator of the Company's Russian and British Indian lines, became a designer for John Widdicomb in 1986.   Please consider downloading our free mobile app available on iOS and Android: House of Craven.   Have a similar item to sell? Contact us about consignment opportunities for House of Craven’s future auctions or private sales by emailing us: craven@houseofcraven.com or Call | Text | WhatsApp | 305.769.8088.

Condition

Condition: Notwithstanding this report or any discussion concerning condition of a Lot, all Lots are offered and sold "As Is, Where Is," in accordance with our Conditions of Sale. All Auction Lots are available for a FaceTime viewing, by appointment, with one of our Team Members on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, or Wednesday, July 17, 2024. To schedule a FaceTime appointment, please email us: craven@houseofcraven.com.

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