FUR-113 K.E.M. Weber — Art Deco Chrome-Plated Tubular Steel Open Arm Settee Frame, c.1930s — Estate of Douglas W. Lucak

A rare and historically important Art Deco chrome-plated tubular steel open arm settee frame directly attributed to K.E.M. Weber — one of the most significant American modernist furniture designers of the 20th century, and an extraordinary find from a distinguished Cleveland estate.

Karl Emanuel Martin "Kem" Weber (1889–1963) was a German-born, California-based designer whose work stands at the very foundation of American modernism. Trained under Bruno Paul in Berlin and stranded in the United States by World War I, Weber became one of the defining voices of American Art Deco and industrial design — bringing European Bauhaus and modernist ideas into contact with American machine culture and producing furniture of exceptional originality and authority. His tubular chrome furniture of the late 1920s and 1930s is among the most collected American design of any period, with works held permanently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Settee and sofa frames by Weber are substantially rarer than his lounge chairs — the scale and complexity of the form makes surviving examples uncommon, and their appearance at auction draws serious institutional and private collector attention. This open arm settee, with its characteristic tubular steel construction and cylinder arm details, is a direct expression of Weber's mature Art Deco vocabulary.

Condition and restoration: The frame lacks cushions and shows poor condition to the upholstery on the cylinder arms; chrome oxidation is present throughout. Paul's restoration capabilities make this a natural candidate for professional chrome polishing and reupholstery — a treatment that would transform this into a showroom centerpiece of the highest order.

• Designer: K.E.M. Weber (1889–1963)
• Description: Chrome-plated tubular steel open arm settee frame
• Dimensions: H: 32" × W: 36" × D: 48"
• Period: American Art Deco, c.1930s
• Condition: Frame only — no cushions. Poor upholstery on cylinder arms; chrome oxidation throughout. Professional restoration recommended.
• Provenance: Estate of Douglas W. Lucak, Cleveland

Direct auction attribution to K.E.M. Weber. Check frame carefully for any maker's marks, stamps, or labels — any marking dramatically strengthens provenance and supports specialist auction consignment. This piece warrants expert assessment before pricing.