The brand markings switch to include Drexel Heritage.ġ960s: Drexel takes on contracts with hospitals, labs, schools, and libraries. Mid-century modern furniture design comes in alongside traditional styling. Their home lines continued, focused still on traditional styles and pieces at low prices.ġ950s: Furnishings are updated, flourishing under post-war success, acquisitions, and new fashion-forward designs. Pre-1940s: Drexel furniture includes household, handcrafted pieces including bedroom sets, washstands, and essentials.ġ940s: Government offices were furnished on a Drexel contract, branching into quality office furniture. Some Types of Drexel Furniture to Look for by Period However, it also dominated design and furniture fashion, meaning sophistication could be available outside the utmost elite. The family company popularized real family furniture, affordable because it was able to be made in a factory rather than by hand in a small craftsman shop. Their furniture was rapidly rising to a defining voice in modern design. Starting in 1951, under a new generation of Huffman leadership, Drexel began acquiring and expanding in both factories and advertising. This merger may not have antique value, but it does hold high value as it vaulted the quality into an established “fine furniture” maker. It eventually merged with Heritage Furniture, which is why beyond mid-century pieces will be marked as Drexel Heritage. Drexel furniture was featured in home decorating magazines and favored in up-and-coming homes from the 1950s on. In the 1950s, Drexel moved from low-price furniture to mid-priced furniture. It landed a government contract and continued on to also penetrate post-war fashion. Surviving through World War II when most companies collapsed, the company continued its evolution. Their factories centralized production, but still applied the handcrafted features that make for enduring value. Throughout the depression, they continued to expand. They quickly earned a reputation for quality. Their first pieces were a solid oak bedroom set. The Huffmans wanted to establish a furniture company that would provide high-quality, factory-produced furniture to the everyday person. In 1903, the Drexel furniture company was founded by the Huffmans. Interestingly, the town did not exist until the Huffmans started their factory there and named the newborn town after a Philidelphia family. Its name comes from the town of Drexel, North Carolina, where the furniture maker was headquartered when it was in independent operation. It's a favored treasure found online in MaxSold auctionsĭrexel Furniture embodies American style and values. Drexel's history shows its evolution from a blue-collar furnishing salvation to a high-style design leader.ĭrexel furniture, or later Drexel Heritage, is a maker of fine American furniture prized by people for its quality and traditional style. (That’s why it’s a fabulous brand to search for at auctions.) Don't feel like you're sacrificing design for a good story of American heritage. That solid construction and real wood nonetheless have made for wonderful, lasting pieces that people want to hold onto. Since their inception, Drexel has cared about providing high-quality home furnishings to the working family at affordable prices.