Description

A ‘Fonseca’ sideboard in teak and afrormosia wood and designed by John Herbert for A.Younger Ltd. This model was produced in relatively low numbers so rarely comes to market. A vintage mid-century sideboard with 2 cupboard spaces that sit either side of a bank of 3 drawers, the top drawer lined in green baize with dividers for cutlery. A sleek and stylish sideboard, this piece benefits aesthetically from the proportions of the long drawers and their attractive drawer pulls. Aesthetically appealing, the top surface of this elegant mid-century credenza extends over the main cabinet.

John Herbert was a British designer active during the 1950s and ‘60s, and was known for his Danish style sideboards and high-end furniture ranges for the furniture manufacturer, A. Younger. Sometime in the early or mid-1950s, Herbert became Head of Design for A. Younger Ltd. The trailblazing firm—which produced high-end modernist furniture—was one of the first to adopt the Scandinavian style in the 1950s, but was also one of the first manufacturers to abandon it in search of something more uniquely British in style. In 1955, Younger produced its first teak dining suite, Moselle. Two years later the teak collection Volany (1957) was introduced, and remained in production for over a decade.

In 1960, Herbert’s designs won three awards from the Furniture Makers’ Guild. John Herbert’s designs for A. Younger were consistently low volume productions, constructed from high-quality, expensive timbers that were attractive to more discerning customers.

In the late 1960s, as appetites for teak furniture reached saturation point, Herbert designed a new dining set in African walnut for Younger. The decision by Herbert and A.Younger to move away from the ubiquitous timber was a conscious one, but one that paid off. The refreshing Toledo collection (1972), inspired by traditional Spanish design, was a bestseller. Today, there is a robust market for Herbert’s designs, particularly for the universally appealing, Danish style sideboards and dining tables that are as characteristic of the mid-century era as they are of Herbert himself.

W209 x D50 x H75cm