1920s Attributed to Kem Weber Dining Table From Grand Rapids Furniture Company

Details

Description

Ultra Rare Kem Weber Dining Table with Three Leaves — Grand Rapids Chair Company, circa 1928

A museum-quality example of … Read more Ultra Rare Kem Weber Dining Table with Three Leaves — Grand Rapids Chair Company, circa 1928

A museum-quality example of American Art Deco design by legendary designer Kem Weber (1889–1963). This exceptional dining table showcases Weber's innovative approach to modern furniture with its distinctive period-green painted base, rich walnut veneered top, and architectural stepped leg detail — among the most recognizable and sought-after furniture designs in American modernism.

PROVENANCE & AUTHENTICITY
Originally from the collection of James I. Rafftesaeth Jr., Dallas, Texas. Acquired through Heritage Auctions; provenance documentation available to serious buyers upon request. No maker's mark or label present — attribution based on design characteristics fully consistent with Kem Weber's documented work for Grand Rapids Chair Company, and confirmed by Heritage Auctions at time of sale.

This table is part of Weber's celebrated Weber Group Suite series. A comparable complete Kem Weber Grand Rapids Chair Company dining set — table and six chairs — was offered at Wright Auction House, Chicago, October 2019 (Lot 317) with an estimate of $50,000–$70,000.

A comparable example is illustrated in American Art Deco Furniture by Emmett, page 252, documenting Grand Rapids Chair Company production of this design.

This table represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a museum-documented Kem Weber example at a fraction of complete suite pricing.

DESIGNER SIGNIFICANCE
Kem Weber was a pioneering German-American industrial designer whose work defined American modernism in the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Berlin and trained under Bruno Paul, Weber emigrated to the United States and became one of the foremost advocates of the Streamline Moderne aesthetic. His furniture is held in permanent collections at LACMA, the Brooklyn Museum, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Weber's designs for Grand Rapids Chair Company represent the pinnacle of American Art Deco craftsmanship — European modernist principles executed with American manufacturing excellence.

DESIGN FEATURES
Walnut veneered top with exceptional bookmatched grain and rich warm patina. Distinctive period-green lacquered base with original silver chrome accent banding. Architectural stepped detail on all four legs — the defining characteristic of the Weber Group Suite design. Smooth-operating extension mechanism in full working order. "Three leaves remain bubble-wrapped from time of acquisition at Heritage Auctions — never unwrapped or used by this owner, and in pristine condition."

DIMENSIONS
Table closed: 30"H × 60"L × 36"W
Fully extended with all three leaves: 30"H × 96"L × 36"W
Each leaf: 12" × 36"

CONDITION
Excellent structural condition throughout. Walnut top shows beautiful patina consistent with nearly 100 years of age. Original painted base retains good color with authentic wear — some losses to silver trim banding and minor paint wear consistent with period and use. All original hardware intact. Three leaves remain in original shipping wrap, unused and in pristine condition.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The Grand Rapids Chair Company commissioned Weber to create modern furniture lines that would bring European Modernism to American homes at accessible price points — a remarkable achievement in 1928. The Weber Group Suite was among his most successful residential designs, combining the geometric precision of the Bauhaus with the optimism of the American machine age. Examples from this series are increasingly rare on the open market as museum and private collections absorb available pieces.

INVESTMENT CONTEXT
Kem Weber furniture continues to appreciate as collectors and institutions recognize his importance in American design history. Complete Weber Group Suites with chairs have achieved $40,000–$70,000 at major auction houses. Individual tables from this series rarely appear on the market — and never with three unwrapped, unused original leaves still in shipping wrap.

SHIPPING
White glove delivery arranged through Chairish. Professional crating, insured transport, and in-home delivery included. Local pickup available in Grand Junction, Colorado. See less