A Study in Viko Baumritter

I saw this beauty on Craigslist, and I ran it past my husband. (The picture from Craigslist is gone, but mine is exactly like this one.)
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It was in the house the next day. I have not been able to pin an exact year down. The literature I have found just says “50’s – 60’s”.

This is called Baumritter, and it turns out this is the company that later became Ethan Allen. The main feature of this sofa that I find so appealing is that I can replace the cushions! Whoo! It is so Mad Men and our house is ’57, with most of it still original, so this piece was just meant to come live with us.

The first step was to see what they are supposed to look like. Here are some options.
This golden model is completely awesome.
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The floral number is a little loud. But it has it’s charms.
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I found a lot of this blue color.
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(Ours does not have the side panels shown here. I think that makes it more valuable. But. It would also make it a real “project” to reupholster. So I’m glad we got the one we got.)

The first steps are to get foam for the cushions and then pick fabric. Stay tuned! Can you even imagine how great these are going to look? (finger’s crossed.)

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10 years ago by in Home , Needlecraft , Sewing | You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
9 Comments to A Study in Viko Baumritter
    • Line
    • I have one very similar in the garage. How do you find out where it was made? Are there markings on the back, underneath?

      • Susi
      • Line,
        Are you serious? In the garbage?
        With or without markings it is worth money!
        Ours has a stamp (kind of a burn) in the wood. Let me see if I can get a picture. The mark is on the underside of the front wood. Like, where the bend in your knees would be.
        If you don’t want this frame in the garbage, I would say, take some shots and get it on craigs list or e-bay. You can see they are going for $800-ish! Good luck!

    • jarrod
    • I have a Baumritter couch (3-seater) that i’m looking to get new cushions for. any thoughts as to where i can economically buy similar looking seat cushions?

      • Susi
      • Jarrod, I wish I could tell you. I will say this, I am still slaving away over these cushions. If I charged for my time, 10,000 would still be minimum wage. : ) There are some great cushions at World Market, but I don’t think they will fit. Look for someone who does custom upholstery in your area. The foam cost $64/yd (not cut to size) and the fabric was $$$. It’s all less expensive at JoAnn fabrics with coupons. Or. If you have a calico Home near you, they will help. ($$++) Check back in and let us know when you find a solution for your piece! – Susi

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