It came from the 70’s: The story of your Grandmother’s weird couch

[stricklybojack]

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“Blame it on Gunsmoke...”[this post was last edited: 3/17/2020-17:25]

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/ar...e-70s-the-story-of-your-grandmas-weird-couch/

 

[circlew]

Wrong link

Besides, knotty pine paneling and cabinets became popular in the late 40's, predating "Gunsmoke" by a decade.

 

[stricklybojack]

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I fixed the link.

 

[circlew]

Interesting article. Didn't read all the way through, but saw all pics.

My friend Debbie's family had that EXACT sofa in the top picture. They got it sometime before 1974. Something makes me think it was made by Broyhill. A neighbor has a similar style sofa with a different fabric, and it is by Norwalk.

My Uncle Kell & Aunt Julie had one of those living room sets that had loose cushions in an exposed wood frame.

We didn't have that kind of furniture in our house. It was not my mother's style.

 

[petek]

with Rust and Floral tones

There was a furniture store in Vancouver back in the 70s with those loud tv and radio ads. Their pitchman had a thick Scottish accent and every time I see one of those horrid couches I'm reminded of him describing the furniture they carried, beautiful sofa's "in rust and floral tones" was one of them.. say it with a Scottish roll on the R's. And those dreadful plaid sofa's with the heavy wooden arms.. aarrrrghhh . .
don't get me started.. ooops I already did LOL.

But to me nothing topped colonial, early american for gawdawfulness.

 

[appnut]

That 2nd couch in the article is almost an exact duplicate of the couch in my first apartment in college, that was mostly furnished.  I moved in fall of 1970, but the apartment had been around for 5 or more years in its current form.  

 

[oliger]

My living room. -yes the couch is shrouded in plastic, and yes that is green shag thick enough to get lost in. There are two kinds of people that see my house. The ones that respond with how cool it is, and the ones that respond with "eww the 70's." At this point its a time capsule, and im not going to be the one to change it.

 

[jetcone]

OMG The fake 1970s' Victorian revolution has returned

We had one of those sofas in red , long gone thank god! You are right Gunsmoke/Bonanza returns! I think Bonanza also inspired the "Corinthian Leather" Chryslers of the '70s!! 

 

 

Now go take a look at the mens clothing in the Sears Catalog for that time ------JEEZHE.

 

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

There was a furniture store in Atlanta called something like Furniture Barn that sold this stuff and my brother used to say that name when he saw a piece of this style of early American furniture.

 

[petek]

Those big furniture stores seemed to have the worst, and most harassing sales people in all of retaildom.

 

[vacerator]

Looks like

"Ethan Allen" to me. We had one in the amber/gold colonial coffee grinder print fabric. Other makers probably made it as well.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Actually, Ethan Allen upgraded to show more than the country look with big wings on almost everything except deacon's benches sometime in the early 70s. I don't know if they are still in business. They were certainly not cheap pricewise. I don't know about quality.

 

[circlew]

Ethan Allen

Yes Tom, it's still around, and they have stores in Cincinnati, Dayton, and other locations. They are known for high quality furniture, and have factories in VT and NC according to website. My now deceased neighbor Edith had beautiful EA dining and bedroom sets, purchased from the 50's to the '70's. It was all very tasteful colonial style, certainly not loud.

Other manufacturers of high quality colonial furniture were Conant-Ball and Monitor.

 

[petek]

Quite often at our local Habitat Restore they'll have a few of those classic 60's and 70's sofa's and chairs, and they're usually in good condition. I've seen some real eye openers.

 

[vacerator]

As of toady at least:

Ethan Allen is still in business. We bought a room and a half full of furniture there two years ago. The good stuff.