327 Queen St. East, between Parliament and Berkley streets, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA. 416.778.6608. email: info@ethel20thcenturyliving.com
Hours: Mondays by appointment, Tue - Thurs: 12pm - 6pm, Friday: 2pm - 7pm, Sat: 12 - 6, Sun: 12pm - 5pm

4.30.2010

Spanner in the Store

We all know and love Charles Eames and George Nelson, but how many of you out there know anything about mid century furniture from north of the border? And we're not talking about Karim Rashid. How many of you know about Russell Spanner?
Between 1950 and 1953, Russell Spanner reinvented how Canadians saw furniture. Taking his family run company, Spanner Products Limited into the modern era, he designed the Ruspan Originals, Catalina line and Pasadena line, all produced in a three year span. These furniture lines, available through Simpson’s and Eatons Department stores, are characteristic of 1950s styling, with splayed legs and boomerang arms, and some consider them to be Canada’s answer to Heywood Wakefield in the U.S. Rumor has it that Russell, a former amateur wrestler, would test the pieces out by hurling them across the shop floor to see if they stood up to the impact. Can you imagine any furniture manufacturer doing that today? Try doing that at Ikea next time!

Here we have a gorgeous set of vintage Spanner that we just got in last week. Pictured here is the Catalina table and chairs, priced at $1395.

Here's a peek at the Pasadena buffett with it's signature brass pulls. It's priced at $895.

This is a small glass door storage piece from the earlier Ruspan Originals line. Perfect for a small space. It's priced at $250.
All pieces in this set are in original condition, and are in the black and ivory paint finish. The construction is solid maple, not veneer, and is built to last. It should be, if it was hurled across a shop floor!
See you at the store!

5 comments:

  1. I have often wanted to chuck a LIATORP or a POANG across the Ikea Showroom floor....and then do the same in the "art" department!
    p.s. GORGEOUS SPANNER STUFF!!

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  2. Is that Spanner small glass door storage piece still available?

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  3. Hi Martin,
    Yes the small Spanner cabinet is still available.
    Drop by the store and check it out!
    Cheers
    Shauntelle

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  4. Are chairs still available? TODAY is May 13th/2010.
    By the way, how many chairs are there??
    I see 3 in the photo (it looks like there is one across the table behind the vase), wondering if there is at least 6?

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  5. There are four chairs available with the table, and it's still available. Come by the store and check it out!

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