One of my favorite parts of being a vintage dealer is learning about all of the different designs of furniture that were available in the 50s-70s when mid century modern furniture was being designed (I call my posts in this series "Furniture History Deep Dives"). This week we have Broyhill "Saga" pieces in the store, so I thought it was time to look into this design a little closer.
Who Designed Broyhill Saga?
I wasn’t able to find out conclusively who the designer of Broyhill’s “Saga” line was - but I was able to find catalog and ad images online. Perhaps the design credit could be figured out by looking up patents, like has been done for Broyhill's Brasilia design.
Vintage Broyhill "Saga" Catalog image
What Makes Broyhill Saga Special?
Saga may be less well known than Broyhill's Brasilia line, but it has a very recognizable design with the star shaped imprint carried through the different pieces of furniture. From some of the advertisements I have seen online, it seems that the design and name may have taken inspiration from Viking or Norse imagery, as well as Scandinavian design.
Ads that I saw online ran from 1960 to 1965.
Ad clipped from Bridgeport Post, Bridgeport, CT, 1965
In the catalog's description of the line it describes the design as having lines that are "refined, soft and gently molded".
Currently we have the dresser set in store and a unique feature of the Broyhill “Saga” mirrors is that the imprinted star design is even in the mirror! I think this is a really special feature and shows the attention to detail in this design.
Come see Broyhill Saga piece in store at A Little More Like Home! If you are a Brasilia fan, you have the opportunity to compare these two Broyhill designs at the same time!
