Lot of 30 American Seating Company wooden folding chairs Grand Rapids, Michigan Stamped “U.S. – American Seating Co.”

Offered by: The Historical Society of Frankford

                    1507 Orthodox St

                    Philadelphia, PA 19124

These are original mid-century institutional folding chairs manufactured circa 1947–1955 and produced under U.S. government contract. Constructed with molded plywood seat and back panels, laminated ribbed side rails, and cast alloy hinge brackets.

Typical of post-World War II federal, civic, church, and auditorium use.

Details:

Manufacturer: American Seating Company

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Date: c. late 1940s–early 1950s

Markings: “U.S.” over company stamp

Construction: Molded plywood seat and back

Laminated ribbed wood side frames

Cast metal hinge hardware

Institutional brown lacquer finish

Folding design for storage

Condition: Structurally sound and fully functional. Surface wear consistent with institutional use. No stamped model numbers visible.

These chairs are suitable for:

Church overflow seating

Community halls

Historic venue staging

Film/theater prop use

Mid-century commercial décor

Institutional reuse

Contact: Michael McCormick

            mike@thsof.org

            216-650-3929

Research Notes:

This is an American Seating Company wooden folding chair, institutional grade, commonly supplied to:

Churches

Schools

Fraternal halls

Government facilities

The “U.S.” over American Seating Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. stamp indicates it was made under a U.S. government contract.

Model / Type

This matches American Seating’s mid-century laminated plywood folding chair, typically sold in the late 1940s–1950s. It appears closest to the company’s post-war “No. 11 / No. 12” style institutional folding chair line (model numbers varied slightly by finish and hardware).

Key identifying features visible in your photos:

Molded plywood seat and back (not solid plank)

Triple-ribbed laminated side rails

Cast aluminum hinge brackets

Institutional brown lacquer finish

Government stamp (U.S.)

This construction differs from their pre-WWII oak slat folding chairs and from the later 1960s steel-frame wood seat models.

Date Range

Based on:

Laminated molded plywood (post-WWII production)

Hardware style (early cast alloy, not later stamped steel)

Finish and construction method

“Grand Rapids, Mich.” stamp format

Probable manufacture date: c. 1947–1955 Most likely early 1950s.

The “U.S.” marking strongly suggests Korean War-era procurement or general federal institutional purchase.