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I have owned several over the years. And the best ones I found were at big Goodwill stores or estate sales. I sold them off an on and changed color schemes in my kitchen. They can go as high as $500 or as I buy as low as $35.00. I kept my favorite turquoise with tulips and 6 chairs (that I had to get reuppolstered$$$$) But it looks fantastic.. Good Luck, they are getting hard to spot.
And it definitely has to have "boomerang" laminate from Formica. That's as real as it gets. Along with the high gloss vinyl covered chairs that made your backside stick to it like super-glue! (Ooops, wrong generation!)
Oh yes those sticky vinyl chairs. My grandma, who lived in an un-airconditioned apartment in Baltimore, had those, and it wasn't good in the summer.
If you live in an area where professionally-run estate sales are common, let them know what you're looking for.
Plenty online, but not the real 50's original stuff...
But google "Formica and chrome table and chairs" , click on "Images" and you get about 20,000 results. Lots of ebay and craigslist
You might want to check local furniture resale shops too...
I had to smile reading this. My sister has our parents' formica & chrome dining table and 6 chairs that they bought in the 50's. She's had the chairs recovered a time or two and it would be after the battle that she gives up that set! We love it.
I always like these sets and did a search a few years ago. I mixed and matched so many tables with chairs that I ended up with numerous sets. I bought and sold on ebay and craigslist. Some times you have to do a search for just a table or just chairs to find exactly what your looking for. I built a set out of three different sets to achieve a certain look. It could probably sell for $1500. It's hard to find original chairs that don't have holes/rips in the vinyl. Additionally it's equally hard finding tables that have no scrapes, scratches and rust on the chrome. These sets are from the 40's and 50's and there's a certain "skank factor" that come with the seat pads. You don't know what organisms are living in the pads. Especially if they are worn and ripped. Most people reupholster the chairs. You can buy the crushed ice fabric pattern in red, grey or yellow. But nobody and I mean nobody has it in green. Green sets are a very hard to find, sought after color.
eBay is your friend for vintage formica tables and chairs. For items this heavy, some sellers will offer local pickup only but you may be able to offer them a good deal to ship the stuff via freight:
Vitro Seating Products is a St. Louis, MO based manufacturer of quality furniture for the Restaurant & Hospitality Industry. Founded in 1929 by the late R.C. Scott, Vitro's name derived from the word "VITREOUS" - a product similar to ceramic or porcelain, originally used in the manufacturing of refrigerator and counter legs, table shoes, and later on, fountain stools. Vitro began significant expansion of the product line in the early 30's to include wooden and upholstered stool seats, followed in the mid-30's by tubular steel chairs, folding tables, and suprisingly, gas ovens, broilers, and related accessories. The late 30's and early 40's witnessed Vitro bring in the "Tubular Chrome Era" with ganged chairs and sectional booth seating -- later evolving into fully upholstered booths and even a limited line of wood chairs. The 1950's introduced "Pizzaz" to the Vitro booth, chair, stool, and now table top line, which has continued to the point that Vitro has become the SOURCE for these now nostalgic pieces!
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