Grand Rapids Furniture: The Story of America's Furniture City

by Christian G. Carron

With contributions from three scholars, Carron (head of the curatorial department of The Public Museum of Grand Rapids) chronicles the city that once crowned itself "The Paris of Furniture Design." Coverage begins in the 1830s with the first cabinetmakers, and continues to the high-tech office furniture of the late 20th century. A detailed directory of manufacturers lists more than 800 West Michigan furniture makers past and present including company names, locations, designers, and product descriptions. In addition, hints for identifying Grand Rapids furniture complement some 400 maker's marks and labels. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

244 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[SD · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is required reading to: (1) Understand the history of furniture design & manufacturing(2) Understand office systems design & industry (3) Understand the world wide impact of Grand Rapids, Michigan & Western Michigan on furniture & office system design & manufacturing in the 19th, 20th & 21st Centuries (4) Understand the history & development of Grand Rapids, Michigan & Western Michigan from the mid 19th century to the present time. (5) Understand the titans, designers, architects, workers, labor movements in the furniture industry. Great easy read filled with pictures & references for future study.