Pearl-Wick Collapsible "Val-O-Seat" Butler's Chair in Wood, Brass and Leather Like Material

The chair's first pleasure is its transformation: full-height seating that folds into the lean, purposeful profile of campaign furniture. Pearl-Wick made this butler's chair between the 1920s and 1940s, combining wood, canvas, and leather in a form designed to work hard and travel lightly. At 46.5 inches high and approximately fourteen pounds, it has the presence of proper furniture without the permanence of a conventional chair. The American maker and ingenious folding mechanism give the piece a clear identity, while its materials carry the earned patina of long use. A small slice in the leather seat is pictured and plainly part of its condition. Photographing and living with both states—open and folded—reveals the whole object. Keep it beside a writing desk in a library or guest room, where it can offer occasional seating and then fold away against the wall without losing its sculptural distinction.