Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville Mid Century X Inlaid Coffee Table or
About the Item
- Creator:American of Martinsville (Manufacturer),Merton Gershun (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14.25 in (36.2 cm)Width: 54 in (137.16 cm)Depth: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Countryside, IL
- Reference Number:
Merton Gershun
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.
American of Martinsville
American of Martinsville is today revered as one of the finest manufacturers of mid-century modern furniture in the United States, but its beginnings were unexpectedly humble.
Well ahead of the Civil War, tobacco was a cash crop in places such as Virginia, and the plant was grown with frequency on farms in Martinsville and elsewhere. In the early 1900s, the business around tobacco was changing and the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was expanding nationally, buying any Virginia factories in reach. Former tobacco producers Ancil Witten and Charles Keesee turned away from the business in 1906 and, with merely $30,000 in capital (and the support of local business leaders), began to manufacture bedroom furniture under the name American Furniture Company.
In the 1920s, American Furniture Company expanded its offerings from bedroom furnishings. Alongside tallboy dressers and nightstands, Witten and Keesee’s outfit began to offer a range of dining-room sets to the discerning customer. By the 1950s, the name had been changed to American of Martinsville and the brand had gained a reputation for exquisite craftsmanship as well as its variety of furniture styles (Hollywood Regency, chinoiserie). Mass-marketed furniture meant big business in the postwar years and throughout the 20th century in Virginia, and factories owned by companies like Bassett Furniture and American of Martinsville remained busy as suburbanites bought furniture to fill the homes they were moving into.
It isn’t difficult to spot American of Martinsville’s sturdy, solid designs — the lacquered walnut nightstands, mahogany coffee tables and more have long earned the admiration of mid-century modernism enthusiasts. The company’s high profile also owes to prominent attributes that distinguish its well-made vintage furniture, such as the use of wooden slats — inspired by Scandinavian modernism — on hutches and cabinet doors, the famous brass x’s inlaid on the tops of tables and dressers and the stately stacked type of the American of Martinsville logo, which usually appears in drawer interiors. The stamp prominently features an eagle perched atop the lettering, its broad wings spread across the “American” portion.
Besides quality manufacturing, American of Martinsville is additionally recognized for having incorporated the trends of the day. Inspired by designers like George Nakashima and Paul Laszlo, the brand was also known for innovations with wood. Merton Gershun was one of the company’s most prolific designers, and he was responsible for some of its most successful modern furniture lines using the richer, darker woods that would become emblematic of mid-century furniture. Gershun’s most popular line was reportedly Dania, with its sleek walnut credenzas fitted with stylish brass accents and large drawers. Today, American of Martinsville specializes in furniture for the healthcare and hospitality industries.
Shop a wide selection of vintage American of Martinsville mid-century modern sideboards, side tables and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Countryside, IL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville MCM Walnut Square Coffee TableBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in Countryside, ILMerton Gershun for American of Martinsville mid century walnut square coffee table The table measures: 31 wide x 31 deep x 16 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had in ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWalnut
- Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville Mid Century X Inlaid Walnut Side EndBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in Countryside, ILMerton Gershun for American of Martinsville mid century X inlaid walnut side end table End table measures: 20 wide x 27 deep x 19 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had i...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsChrome
- Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville Mid Century Ebonized CredenzaBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in Countryside, ILMerton Gershun for American of Martinsville mid century ebonized credenza The credenza measures: 50 wide x 19 deep x 32 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had in what w...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
MaterialsChrome
- Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville Mid Century Lowboy DresserBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in Countryside, ILMerton Gershun for American of Martinsville Mid Century Lowboy Dresser This lowboy measures: 62 wide x 18.5 deep x 31 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had in what we call...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
MaterialsMetal
- Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville Mid Century Full Size HeadboardBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in Countryside, ILMerton Gershun for American of Martinsville mid century full size headboard This headboard measures 55 wide x 2 deep x 31.5 inches hig...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
MaterialsWood
- Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville Style Mid Century Blonde Dining TablBy Merton Gershun, American of MartinsvilleLocated in Countryside, ILMerton Gershun for American of Martinsville style mid century blonde dining table The table measures: 56 wide x 34 deep x 29.5 high, with a chair clearance of 25 inches All pie...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsWood
- American of Martinsville Walnut Bench by Merton GershunBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in Esperance, NYAmerican of Martinsville walnut bench by Merton Gershun.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsWalnut
- Set of Six Mid Century Dania Dining Chairs American of Martinsville c 1950/60sBy American of Martinsville, Merton GershunLocated in New York, NYChic architectural set of Mid Century Modern dining chairs designed by Merton Gershun for American of Martinsville as part of their classic Dania series, circa 1950-1960s. This impre...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Mid Century American Studio Craft Solid Black Walnut 4' Bench or Coffee TableBy Phillip Lloyd Powell, George NakashimaLocated in BROOKLYN, NYMid century American Studio craft solid black walnut 4' bench or coffee table circa 1950. Beautiful simple design solid walnut tapered legs. Dowel rod joints and flat head screws. Ve...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsWalnut
- Geraldo de Barros By Hobjeto, Bench/ Coffee Table, c. 1960By Geraldo de BarrosLocated in PARIS, FRThis solid wood bench/coffee table by Geraldo de Barros for "Hobjeto" is a good example of the state of mind of Brazilian modernist designers. Its clean lines are resolutely modern, ...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsHardwood
- Charlotte Perriand Mid-Century Modern Cansado Bench, circa 1950By Charlotte Perriand, Steph SimonLocated in Barcelona, BarcelonaBench designed by Charlotte Perriand. Edited by Steph Simon. Provenance: Cansado, Mauritania (Africa). In original condition with minor wear consistent of age and use, preserv...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsMetal
- Charlotte Perriand Cansado Bench / Authentic Mid-Century Modern Paris, 1958By Charlotte PerriandLocated in Zürich, CHCharlotte Perriand counts as one of the masters of French modernist design together with Le Corbusier, Jean Prouvé or Pierre Jeanneret. Her works are highly valued until present time...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsIron