This is a unique piece of 1950’s furniture with an interesting provenance to match. This chair has laminated bentwood on both the back and sides of the chair, much like the style of the high-end quality furniture of the late 1800’s. Though there is no manufacture label on this chair there is a marked number 278 r. I have been told they were made by Baker. The chair measures 38 1/2″ high and the deepest point is approximately 28″ deep and across the arms is 27 1/2″ wide. Another unique feature is how the upholstered covered back is attached with metal snaps which secure it in place, both on the back and the sides of the arms. There are some tears in the vinyl seat on the chair, but the coverings appear original to this chair. We acquired this chair at a household auction at Callaway, Nebraska located here in central Nebraska. The auction was for a gentleman, Lane Brabham, who had been relocated to a care home. Lane’s second cousin, William Joseph Brabham, was at the auction and verified that this chair had been given to Lane as a gift when he had lived at 23090 Round Way – Apple Valley, CA 92307 and Lane had been an employee for Roy Rogers. This chair would have been given to Lane in the 1960’s it was estimated. At the auction there was a paper note wrote, ‘Roy Rogers – Apple Valley Inn – Black / Wood Chair’. Roy Rogers bought the Apple Valley Inn when he moved to Apple Valley, California to retire in the early 1960’s. They purchased the Apple Valley Inn but quickly realized that running a hotel meant a full-time job for them, so they did not run this business for long. We have located a photo of the Apple Valley lobby and featured in this photo is the same type of laminated bentwood furniture as this chair. You can view the photo at this link and note the chairs in the background: https://paradiseleased.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/apple_valley_lobby11.jpg
