Furniture made of paper? Cardboard chairs were introduced by Frank Gehry in the 1970s, but he was not the first to make paper furniture.
In the early 1900s, strips of paper wound around wire were used as a substitute for wicker to make woven chairs and tables. Even earlier, in the 18th century, furniture was made of papier-mache, a mixture of paper, glue and other materials. The mixture was shaped, hardened and lacquered. The finished product was strong enough to make chairs, tables, shelves and even beds. The piece was covered with lacquer, usually black, then painted with colorful designs and gilt highlights.
About 1825, Jennens and Bettridge, a famous English papier-mache factory, patented a method of using mother-of-pearl as decoration. The demand for papier-mache furniture lessened by the 1860s. Collectors today like the elaborate serving trays often priced at $2,000 or more, small boxes and usable furniture like flip-top tables, game tables and chairs. But the furniture must be in good condition. Warped or damaged parts, discolored or chipped lacquer or decorations that are decals, not hand-painted, lower the value. It is very difficult to repair papier-mache pieces.
Solomon Frank “S.F.” Samuels founded the Reliable Toy Co. in Toronto in 1920. His brothers, Alex and Ben, joined the company later. By the 1930s, Reliable was the leading manufacturer of dolls in Canada. And S.F. Samuels’ salesmanship led to orders from toy sellers in Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Alex and Ben were responsible for breakthroughs in manufacturing and assembly techniques. Reliable dolls were made up until the 1990s. The Samuels brothers are members of the Canadian Toy Industry Hall of Fame.
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