LOT-013 Gilbert Rohde — Optometrist Desk, Troy Sunshade Co., c.1934, with K.E.M. Weber Tubular Chrome Armchair — Estate of Douglas W. Lucak

An extraordinary pairing of two canonical American modernist designers — a Gilbert Rohde optometrist desk manufactured by the Troy Sunshade Company (c.1934) offered together with a K.E.M. Weber tubular chrome armchair, both from the estate of a distinguished Cleveland collector.

The Gilbert Rohde Desk

Gilbert Rohde (1894–1944) was among the most important American industrial and furniture designers of the 20th century — a pioneer who brought European modernism decisively into the American mainstream. His work for Herman Miller in the 1930s essentially invented the modern American furniture industry as we know it, and his designs for other manufacturers including the Troy Sunshade Company demonstrate the breadth of his commercial practice.

This optometrist desk — dated to approximately 1934 and manufactured by the Troy Sunshade Company of Greenville, Ohio — is a remarkable period-specific commission: furniture designed for the professional optometry office, combining Rohde's characteristic modernist vocabulary (painted wood, chrome-plated tubular steel, vinyl and resin) with the practical demands of a specialized workspace. The Troy Sunshade Company was a significant Ohio manufacturer of tubular steel furniture and seating during this period. A dated, maker-identified Rohde desk of this specificity is a genuine collector object.

The K.E.M. Weber Armchair

The accompanying K.E.M. Weber chrome-plated tubular steel armchair — with its original sage green vinyl upholstery (torn) — is a further piece from the Weber suite throughout the Lucak estate, consistent with the dining armchairs in FUR-115 and FUR-117.

• Desk — Designer: Gilbert Rohde (1894–1944)
• Desk — Manufacturer: Troy Sunshade Company, Greenville, Ohio
• Desk — Date: c.1934
• Desk — Materials: Painted wood, chrome-plated tubular steel, vinyl and resin
• Desk — Dimensions: H: 30⅛" × W: 42¼" × D: 16"
• Chair — Designer: K.E.M. Weber
• Chair — Upholstery: Sage green vinyl (torn)
• Condition: Oxidation and surface scratches throughout; chair upholstery torn
• Provenance: Estate of Douglas W. Lucak, Cleveland

Two-piece lot. Check desk for Troy Sunshade maker's mark and any Rohde attribution stamps. The Weber chair is consistent with the dining armchair suite from the same estate (FUR-115, FUR-117) — consider whether to keep with the Weber suite or offer separately. Expert assessment recommended for the Rohde desk before pricing.