Mid-century Hospital Waiting Room Chairs c.1950
ABOUT
Sold as a set of four only.
Designed to withstand the rigors of a hospital. Original mid-century hospital waiting room chairs with thick Walnut seats, wooden back rest, white steel bases and wooden legs with steel couplings. Original labels on the bottoms.
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CREATOR Raymond Loewy for The Hil-Rom Co., Batesville, In.
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DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1950s.
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MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES Walnut, Steel.
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CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Chairs are very sturdy. Minor wear on seats and steel.
- DIMENSIONS H 30.25 in. x W 18 in. x D 19 in. Seat Height 17.5 in.
HISTORY
In October 1929—just as the United States was plummeting into the Great Depression—Bill Hillenbrand founded Hill-Rom and convinced hospitals to furnish their private rooms with his furniture for six months free of charge.
In 1940, for example, Hillenbrand pioneered the mass production of metal caskets, which became considerably less expensive to manufacture than traditional wooden coffins. The company eventually integrated stainless steel, bronze, and copper into its products. Metal caskets, many of which are warranted against corrosion for 75 years, grew to dominate U.S. coffin sales.
