Gossip Benches

Lover's seat or the Kissing bench as it is called, has been a part of most European and Early American furniture choices.(I remember seeing it in someone's home, when I was a child.)  

source:liveauctioneers.com

These gossip chairs were designed to help people speak into each other's ear I guess(lol). What started out like this happend to take a different form once the civilized world was introduced telephony. If I were to compile a story on Gossip benches, say another decade from now, I would have to start with saying something like this -

There was once a time when telephones were not portable, you were restricted to sit at one place. Men went to work and women had a lot of time on hand. Living in small communities and cities made it possible for them to know everything and anything about everyone around them. (lol). Leave alone multiple connections, each house had a single line with restricted mobility. Initial instruments were attached to the wall.

 source: Photo courtesy Walt Aydelotte, telephonearchive.com

Technological improvements brought the instrument off the wall and onto a small table! (reminds me of the vintage dial instruments!!).

source: langford.payastitlan.com

This was when a very smart carpenter came up with this idea of combining seating with a slot/space for the telephone. He must have thanked Graham Bell for his invention .....;-). I have been saving up a few pictures for my collection. Unique pieces of furniture which were invented for a particular purpose have always fascinated me. Gossip benches seemed like a perfect piece to start a series of posts on unique furniture pieces. We can find a wide range of styles, shapes and sizes to suit differ decors and themes. I noticed that Vintage, Victorian themed decor seems incomplete without a gossip bench in place.

 source: stacksandstacks.com

A piece from the late 1920s, Oak Gossip Phone Bench - Rare Deluxe model having Leather rails and seat.  

 source: dealersmarketusa.com

A beautifully upholstered bench with two draws for storage

source:secondspaces.wordpress

Clean line danish style piece with two open shelves and vinyl seats

source: renest.com

Mission (Early American style)

source: beckerfurnitureworld.com

A classy 1940's piece

source: AT

Not sure of the style, but I loved this simple piece with a little craved back and shelf

source: craigslist

A vintage solid wood Danish modern style with a cubby hole style shelf

Source: craigslist

a sectional/side view of the piece

A mahogany bench with a door concealing an area for storing phone books

 source:atticmag

This retro style teal upholstered piece could be used as an accent chair as well..

source: atticmag

A Cane lover could never overlook this piece. The back and table top have beautiful caning done.

 source: retro-luxe.blogspot

Solid Mahogany Gossip Bench with a pull out chair. Would work well as a corner chair or an entryway/foyer piece. Dated: 1950's

This is how it looks with the chair pulled out

source: thefrontporchantiques

A victorian style Captain chair model gossip bench at its best!!

source: craigslist

There are a few pieces like these which could work well as coffee tables as well...

source: at

There are a quite a few interesting styles. I chose to put up only vintage pieces which I loved. But for the space constraint, I would love to pick the available from a local craigslister!!

The Wicker and Cane Confusion...

People tend to use rattan, cane and wicker interchangeably. Here is a quick bite on what is what.

Rattan gets it name from the Malay name - ROTAN. Rattan, though a palm, grows like a vine and creeps on the ground and on vegetation.

 Image source: botany.csdl.tamu.edu

Image source: penick.net

Where as bamboo can support itself and grows tall wiht leaves on the top

Image source: Flickr

Unlike bamboo, which is hollow from with in, rattan grows as a solid stem.  Rattan is so strong that it can crack a hard wood stick into two. Most martial art forms make use of rattan sticks.


Rattan 

Image source: china.cn

Bamboo  

Image source: amazuluinc.com

Rattan doesn't crack or split when exposed to elements /extreme conditions. While bamboo is cylindrical and hollow, and tends to split with exposure to temperature changes and humidity. Just in case you plan to buy whole bamboo stalk furniture and accessories, follow this simple rule "The larger the diameter,  weaker the stem ". The most common use for bamboo stalks - fencing and outdoor/indoor decor.

Cane is the name given to a rattan stem which can be processed, steamed and bent to make furniture pieces.

Cane strips are rattan peels used to bind cane furniture pieces and also for caning.

Patterns generally used in caning

 

source: refinishingonthespot.com

A beautifully canned wooden chair

 source: dargate.com

It interesting to note that there is no material called Wicker! The method of weaving, bamboo, grass, rattan or any other fiber into furniture and accessories is called wicker.

Off late, we come across all weather wicker furniture. It just means that plastic/resin yarn has been woven into furniture pieces. I intend write more about rattan and bamboo and their uses in furnishing in my future posts. I bought a pair of cane and jute accent lamps recently and am using them on the night stand. Herez a picture of one of them...Isn't it lovely!