Floral City Furniture Company "Gossiper" Telephone Stand, 1928

THF162705 / Floral City Furniture Company "Gossiper" Telephone Stand, 1928
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Artifact Overview

La-Z-Boy co-founders Edwin Shoemaker and Edward Knabusch began their company (originally called the Floral City Furniture Company) by producing novelty furniture. One of their most successful early efforts was the "Gossiper," a combination telephone stand, bench, and built-in telephone book rack. The cousins continued producing innovative furniture, eventually creating the iconic La-Z-Boy reclining chair.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Telephone table

Date Made

1928

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2015.78.13

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of La-Z-Boy, Incorporated.

Material

Wood (Plant material)
Paint (Coating)
Plastic
Metal
Wire

Color

Green
Black (Color)
Yellow (Color)
Red

Dimensions

Height: 44.5 in
Width: 11.875 in
Length: 22.5 in

Inscriptions

on back of phone speaker: Mfd by Stromberg-Carlson Tel. Mfg. Co. Rochester NY USA on front of phone speaker: 149 / 1365233C on back of earpiece: Kellogg S & S Co. Chicago USA on front of bell box: Western Electric Made in USA
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Related Content

  • Patent for the First La-Z-Boy Reclining Chair, January 24, 1929
    Set

    Technological Innovations at La-Z-Boy

    • 19 Artifacts
    In 1927, Edwin Shoemaker and Edward Knabusch -- cousins with a shared interest in building things -- founded a furniture-making business. Their ambition to create new products (and to improve upon existing ones) became a defining characteristic of the company. This group of artifacts represents La-Z-Boy's history of innovation motivated by consumers' ever-changing tastes and demands.
Floral City Furniture Company "Gossiper" Telephone Stand, 1928