Gerald Summers Furniture

By Jessica Whittaker

Gerald Summers was one of the most innovative and brilliant artists of our time. Born in 1899 in Alexandria in Egypt, he was the last born in a family of six children. His father, a Presbyterian missionary, took him to Eltham College located in the south eastern part of London where he commenced his education. His classes majored on principles in Christianity coupled with carpentry.

It is at Eltham College that Gerald’s talents became noticeable. He not only became one of the best students, but also outshined others in designing and carpentry. This was just an advent of his iconic ability in the field of carpentry. His curriculum in the institution included instruction in furniture design, of which he proved himself an above average student.

Later, in 1915, Gerald left school at the age of 16. At this time he had no distinct plan for his immediate future. His father then arranged and encouraged him to pursue an apprenticeship through a family friend who practiced at the Ruston engineering firm. This firm, which was in partnership with Proctor and Company Limited, dealt in the manufacturing and distribution of industrial and agricultural machinery. Gerald’s apprenticeship in this firm was cut short when he joined the army during the First World War. He later came back and married Marjorie Butcher, who became his partner in business. To celebrate their union, Gerald made Marjorie an elegant table as a gift. The table served as an introduction to his career.

His start into carpentry was never milk and butter. The future seemed hazy for him, so he began making simple furniture together with his wife as a partner in 1929. The furniture generally embraced the then contemporary style. Four years later Morton Shand, who was an editor of reviews pertaining to architecture, organized for an exhibition at the Mason and Fortnum department store in London. It was arranged to exhibit Summers’ and Alvar Aalto’s designs, which were more than magnificent to the visitors.

The public approval at the exhibition made Summers specialize in malleable and free-form designs. He designed an airplane plywood which gave birth to some of the most creative and innovative designs. He also made a signatory artifact known as the plywood armchair, which mystified his ability of folding, bending and moulding wood to achieve high standards of flexibility. Summers could transform a given wooden material into a totally diverse and different seamless piece of furniture with a glossy surface, combined with a modernistic touch on life.

Summers’ firm was eventually closed during World War Two, but the elegant dent left by Summers’ work was still evident. His designs in plywood had a stern reservation for elite utility within the army. The government of Britain reacted and placed measures against the importation of plywood, leading to the immediate closure of the factory in 1939.

Summers’ furniture is widely appreciated in the current architectural world. He is still celebrated as an icon of impressive furniture designs. Summers died in 1967, but his dent on creativity is indelible and unforgettable.

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