Illustrated Mission Furniture Catalog, 1912-13 [SOLD]

In the early years of the 20th century, in reaction against the sometimes frivolous, overly ornate character of Victorian home furnishings, Americans sought a simpler, more &*ldquo;honest” approach, and found it in the austere, rectilinear furniture and decorative accessories of Mission style.

Among the furniture companies that sprang up in the pre-World War I era to cater to public demand for Mission-style furnishings was the Come-Packt Furniture Company of Ann Arbor and Toledo. This volume reprints, unabridged, a rare original copy of Come-Packt's ninth mail-order catalog, published in 1912. It illustrates a comprehensive line of more than 400 items, from beds, highboys, nursery rockers and lace curtains to armchairs, kitchen cabinets, lamps and ladies' dressing tables.

As its name indicates, Come-Packt` specialized in furniture that could be shipped knocked down for reassembly at home, no small advantage in an era of high shipping costs. But the firm also included many fully assembled items in its offering, as well as pieces that were not Mission-style, such as a line of willow furniture, some Colonial designs, overstuffed chairs, Turkish rockers and sewing machines.

Students of American design and enthusiasts of Americana will find this fascinating catalog not only an authentic and comprehensive sourcebook on Mission furniture design, but also a treasury of invaluable information essential to historians, restorers, dealers and collectors of antique furniture. The catalog discusses preferred woods and finishes, appropriate upholstery materials and colors, proper care and other essentials, providing a rare visual sense of the diverse palette and materials appropriate to authentic Mission style.