This weekend we scored two vintage children’s chairs — each just about two feet tall — for $7.50 apiece at a neighborhood yard sale. They were originally tagged at $10 each, but a friendly “how about two for $15?” sealed the deal.
At first glance we admired their solid construction: steel legs, clean lines, and a weighty, well-made feel that hinted at mid-century design. When we turned them over, “Brunswick” was stamped on the underside. We didn’t immediately know the significance of the name, but a quick online search clarified things:
This original vintage 1950s children’s chair, with its mid-century Danish-modern design, is actually made by Brunswick — the same company known for bowling equipment and supplies. Brunswick also introduced the automated pinsetter during the 1950s. This chair is very sturdy.
Pretty neat. Even more surprising: similar chairs were listed online for about $125 each.
Our reaction was basically, “Wait — we paid $15 for two chairs that could retail for $250?” Yard sales, you win again. It’s fun to imagine that people who are now in their mid-60s might have sat in these as children. There’s something satisfying about finding well-made items that have lasted decades and now get passed on to strangers and their kids through the simple joy of a yard sale.
We’ve been brainstorming what to do with the chairs and which table to pair them with. On our BabyCenter post we put together a small mood board with three options we’re considering. In the photos, the chair on the left can read as teal on some screens, but in person it’s actually a murky forest green — not our favorite. We also prefer darker, less yellow wood tones, so some changes are likely.
Some people avoid items from the 1950s, but we bought these to use, not to preserve as mint-condition collectibles. We liked their look and sturdy build and plan to keep them in use, hopefully for multiple children over the years. We also enjoy refinishing projects — like the 1950s veneer dresser we redid for Clara’s nursery — so refreshing these chairs fits right into that DIY mindset. That said, they may sit in our playroom-turned-storage-room for a while before we actually get to work on them. Someday we’ll finish the project, and it’s never too early to plan.
Update: Upon closer inspection, we discovered the forest green chair (which appears teal on some monitors) has already been painted. It was originally blonde like the other chair. So, for anyone who prefers original finishes: one of the pair is already painted. We’re still not thrilled with the scratched blonde wood and the murky green finish, so we’ll probably stain or repaint them — though other people might choose to leave their chairs as-is.