FURNISHED APARTMENTS

 

Today, we take a look at some of the original furniture that one could rent from the French Company. This comes courtesy of The Manor, which had an apartment with only two tenants ‒ and the same rental furniture ‒ until recently. In the photo, all the furniture made of wood is from this apartment; these pictures were taken in a storage room in the building's basement.

Arguably the most striking is this secretary desk, Early American in style.  

Where was the furniture marked? In turning the piece over, there's the identifying number along with the French company name abbreviated, handpainted; a much smaller metal tag with the same information; and finally, the tag from the company it was purchased from, one D. A. French, Inc. Whether this was a relative of Fred French is anyone's guess.

A4244, a framed mirror.

While most of the furniture was of solid, no-nonsense construction, a few pieces offered some filagree.       

Early American was the style at the time, and would continue to reign until the 1960s. Above, a 1930 ad for Hotel Tudor bills the furnishings over the room itself.  

Many thanks to The Manor's Konrad Wos and Fabrice Frere for sharing this piece of history.