Midcentury 1960s Tallboy Chest of Drawers by Loughborough Furniture for Heals

As tallboy dressers go, this one is something special and a rather enigmatic find. We attribute this to Loughborough Furniture, a high-end piece made for Heals of London and it dates from the late fifties / early sixties. Don’t be thrown by the Maple name plate inside… it’s a red herring! We think this was added at a later date where the rectangular Loughborough Furniture label would be been in the top inside drawer. Our conclusion that it was retailed through Heals fits because this is a piece of the finest quality in terms of construction, wood quality and contemporary design of the time. The richly grained teak stripes across the seven graduated drawer fronts and exterior surfaces. The lower drawer is double height and one of the upper drawers is partially sectioned for accessories. It’s one of those pieces that looks of its day and modern at the same time. Elevated on long, elegant legs that flow from the top down to the floor, there is space around an otherwise substantial piece of furniture. We love the discreet brass pull handles too. Tallboys are excellent storage options for rooms where wall space is at a premium. Because they go up rather than along they’re a smart use of space, maxing out of height but not compromising on storage. A very fine piece of handsome British midcentury design and one for collectors. This is a keeper.

SKU: W1003

Description

This original, vintage piece is ‘sold as seen’. It is in very good, used condition. We have serviced and cleaned the piece inside and out, and the exterior surfaces have been fully restored, a process that involved chemically stripping away the original finish (gentler and less invasive than sanding ensuring the vintage character of the piece isn’t removed entirely), followed by layers of oil and then wax polish for a durable, consistent finish. All seven drawers slide with ease, are superbly constructed with dovetail joints and have clean, tidy interiors. Inside one of the upper drawers is sectioned for change and accessories. The original brass handles are securely attached and in very good order. There are some very minor light scuffs and knocks to the external wood here and there but these are line with the piece’s age. There was a little veneer bubbling on one side which we have repaired but if you run your hand across the surface, you can feel a slight undulation but as our photos show, it’s barely noticeable. It’s an expertly crafted piece of a very high quality construction. Although the maker’s plate says ‘Maple’ we believe with 99% certainty this was added at a later date over where the original Loughborough Furniture label would have been. Our research leads us to conclude this was a high-end piece made by Loughborough Furniture for Heals, London, and it dates from the late fifties / early sixties.

Dimensions
H: 130cm / W: 84cm / D: 46cm