The Heywood-Wakefield Company is one of several furniture companies prominent during the middle of the 20th century that continues to have a great appeal among mid-century enthusiasts today. Its opaque “blonde” finish sets it apart of many of its competitors and is the hallmark finish that “Hey-Wake” fans look for today.
History
Heywood-Wakefield coffee table and end table
Heywood-Wakefield as it was known through the mid-century period was a result of several mergers and buyouts in the late 19th and early 20th century. The most notable of these transactions being the merger of Heywood Brothers (est. 1826) and Wakefield Company (est. 1855) in 1897. The company operated under the name Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company until 1921 when the name was shortened to Heywood-Wakefield Company.
Both companies had origins in manufacturing rattan furniture, a tradition that continued after the initial merger. Rattan furniture was incredibly popular at the turn of the century but as design tastes changed, the company found the need to change with the times as the 1950s began.
In the years after World War II, Heywood-Wakefield found their niche in the furniture market by using North American yellow birch wood and their proprietary Champagne and Wheat finishes, the two most common finishes used by the company. To accomplish these unique finishes, Heywood-Wakefield would add pigment to the varnish during the the finishing process.
Heywood-Wakefield made their mark as influencers in mid-century furniture by being featured at the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago and again at the World’s Fair in New York in 1964. In the 20’s the company hired designers Paul Frankl and Donald Deskey, helping the company stay atop the wicker furniture market at the time. Frankl and Deskey’s influence on design started with the company and can be seen in later product lines.
In addition to residential furniture, Heywood-Wakefield designed and produced chairs and desks for schools as well as benches and seats for buses. Heywood-Wakefield chairs can still be found in schools throughout the country and many newer companies have mimicked Heywood-Wakefield in the design of new chairs.
Today
As design preferences changed again in the 1970’s, favor for
Heywood-Wakefield Bed and Nightstands
Heywood-Wakefield’s light colored, art deco inspired designs fell out of favor, forcing factories to close by the latter part of the decade. In 1994, the South Beach Furniture Company purchased the Heywood-Wakefield name and designs. Today, South Beach Furniture Company continues to reproduce original designs using North American yellow birch in an Amber finish. The Amber finish is slightly different in color than the popular Champagne and Wheat finishes but does blend well with vintage pieces and certainly has all the charm and character of the originals. Heywood-Wakefield’s durable all wood manufacturing and low cost production has resulted in many pieces being in good condition and readily available today, making it popular among mid-century enthusiasts today. Like so many other pieces, due to the age of the vanish or a DIY paint “update”, many Heywood-Wakefield pieces are in need of being refinished. The original opaque finish makes restoring Heywood-Wakefield pieces to their original characteristics more intimidating than other mid-century furniture. For those looking for a DIY technique, ebay vendor, Needful_Useful_Things, offers an pre-tinted varnish that is extremely popular with Heywood-Wakefield collectors. The public Facebook group Heywood Wakefield Furniture is a helpful community of collectors that are eager to assist with identifying models and sharing refinishing tips and tricks. For those interested in having pieces refinished professionally, Boomerang Modern (Denver) and Strictly Hey-Wake (Hagerstown, MD) both use original techniques to refinish pieces.