Author: Jason Harris

An Introduction to Australian Mid-Century Modern Design: Furniture and Designers

The term “Mid-Century Modern” was already being used as early as the mid-50s, but it wasn’t until author Cara Greenberg mentioned it in her 1983 book, as a descriptor of the design aesthetics at the time, that it gained attention. The term is now used to define a design movement originating from a bygone era, specifically those from the mid-40s to the early 70s. This was due to the renewed interest in furniture designs which began in the early 20th century. Despite the advent of postmodern aesthetics, mid-century modern never truly went into a decline. Nowadays, mid-century pieces are still highly sought-after in auctions and sales. Even authorised reproductions are in high demand.

Huon Pine : The Chests and Davenport

Lagarostrobos franklinii is a species of conifer native to the wet southwestern corner of Tasmania, Australia. It is often known as the Huon pine or Macquarie pine, although it is actually a podocarp, not a true pine. Join Jason and discover three ways this beautiful timber has been used by cabinet makers.

The whole point of collecting is the thrill of acquisition, which must be maximized, and maintained at all costs. John Baxter, A Pound of Paper: Confessions of a Book Addict

The HOPE Chair

The Tasmanian chair is delicately balanced and finely worked and displays a congruence with Sheraton’s finest aspirations for chair making. All of the decoration owes its origins to Hope – no other chair recorded has the fineness of detail and superior design, form and construction of this chair.

JOACHIM WENDTS:One of Adelaide’s finest Colonial Silversmith

Wendt’s silverwork included extravagant naturalistic creations, stylish domestic designs and pieces which showed restrained Regency taste and ranks with the finest produced in Australia in the second half of the nineteenth century. To this day his works are highly sought after by silver and Australiana collectors.

GRANT FEATHERSTON: Genuis design and the legacy

At the end of the Second World War, designers led the trend for futuristic designs in a bid to forget the horrors of the past. Of all the designers that grew to prominence in that era, few can surpass the legacy left by Grant Featherston. In 1947, Featherston launched his Relaxation Series. This series was designed to be aesthetically pleasing and timeless without sacrificing comfort. This cemented Grant Featherston as a household name

Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but of the natural. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mid Century Bonanza

The “Mid-Century Cycle” has been on us now for over a 15 years in Australia.  Typical cycles run between 8 and 15 years, are we at the end?  No.  The market is still very strong with increasing demand the local and international prices at auction continue to rocket.  It seems we just cant get enough.