Gerald Summers & Marjorie Butcher: Makers of Simple Furniture, 1931-1940
Martha Zimmer Deese, Parsons School of Design '90
The English designer Gerald Summers (1899–1967) and his partner, Marjorie Butcher (1909–1996), opened their business, Makers of Simple Furniture, in London in 1931. For almost a decade, the firm produced an impressive array of designs in plywood whose simplicity, utility, and beauty helped define the modern interior in Britain. Drawing on Butcher’s vivid recollections and a wealth of unpublished material, including photographs, correspondence, workshop documents, and design specification sheets, this book provides the first in-depth look at the achievements of the furniture firm best known for its iconic bent plywood armchair.
