Leslie Diamond for Conant Ball Six Drawer Solid Birch and Black Dresser, 1950's

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About the Item

Leslie Diamond Conant Ball “Modernmates” Birch Black Chest of Drawers. Featuring rectangular solid Birch construction, six spacious drawers, sturdy legs, encased in Black Enamel. Professionally refinished. Classic. Balanced. American Mid Century Modern. Stamped Conant Ball Furniture. Additional shipping options may be available, please inquireCreator: Conant Ball (Manufacturer),Leslie Diamond (Designer)Similar to: Paul McCobb (Designer)Dimensions: Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 52 in (132.08 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)Style: Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)Materials and Techniques: Birch,EnameledPlace of Origin: United StatesPeriod: Mid-20th CenturyDate of Manufacture: 1950’sCondition: GoodRefinished. Additions or alterations made to the original: Professionally refinished with surround enameled in Black Satin. Professionally refinished.Seller Location: Bainbridge, NYReference Number: Seller: 2046011625C0SM0213251stDibs: LU913943183352Shop All Conant Ball

Conant Ball

While the Conant Ball Company was initially known for its reproductions of period furniture in the Colonial style, the Massachusetts manufacturer eventually garnered national recognition as a leader in the production of solid rock maple dressers, tables and other pieces as well as for its popular modernist collections such as its large Sierra line designed by Colman Zola and its American Modern collection created by Russell Wright.

In the 1800s, the small town of Gardner, Massachusetts, saw a boom in start-up furniture factories. There was Westminster transplant Nichols and Stone, Standard Chair of Gardner Inc. a maker of American Craftsman-style furnishings Heywood-Wakefield, which moved into the manufacture of furniture with steam-bent wood frames and cane or wicker seating, and later, what was once the largest chair in the world was built in the city to attract tourists and to sell chairs.

Conant Balls first product was its chairs there were inviting chairs with woven cane seats and the company later earned acclaim for its Windsor designs. But before it got its name in 1909, there was a chair shop called Jackson Greenwood. Abner and Leander White purchased the modest-sized business and renamed it A. White and Co. John Conant and his brother Charles joined later and it eventually operated under the name Conant Brothers and Co. Later, the firms name changed again with the addition of Carlos Ball, who helmed the companys Boston location. Between Conants and Balls passings in 1891 and 1909, Charles Brooks and a succession of family members took the company into the 20th century as Conant Ball Co.

Conant Balls comely mid-century modern furniture its low-profile lounge chairs, sleek tables and more owe to partnerships with designers such as Leslie Diamond and Russel Wright.

Diamond and Wright created a variety of solid wood furniture including dining room chairs, side tables and dressers. The former created a line called ModernMates that featured solid birch office chairs, nightstands and dining chairs with curved spindle backs, while Wright, who had created some Art Deco furnishings for Heywood-Wakefield, designed charming, light-colored maple furniture called American Modern for Conant Ball. The name is said to have been given to him by his romantic partner in 1927, Wright married artist and sculptor Mary Einstein. Under her guidance, Wright’s attractive, functional designs for the home gained renown, leading to commissions by prestigious companies like the Steubenville Pottery Company.

Conant Balls momentum slowed in 1986 and ownership changed hands once more. By 1990, the firm would no longer produce furniture under its own name.

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