We were excited when Ben Morgan at Trouvaille Antiques in Taylor, Texas, told us he'd discovered a vintage rocker and footstool from Schleider's old store in Taylor in an estate there.
We traced the manufacturer's tag and discovered this "Harold Elferdink Mahogany Nantucket Rocker and Footstool" were probably built in 1943 or 1944 when America was in the midst of World War II. As far as we know, copies of this design are the sole surviving products from this maker. It features an oval backrest flanked by styles crested with grape clusters and a shaped based on rockers. The cover is Mt. Vernon Gray and it is in mint condition. It measures 19"w x 30"d x 34"h and has been referred to alternately as a nursing chair and a quilting chair. We're displaying it on the landing at our store Schleider Furniture Company (307 S. Austin St. in Brenham).
After 1944, all traces of Harold Elferdink and his company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, disappear. We have found only one clue: a headstone in Sarasota, Florida dated 1988.
So who WAS Harold Elferdink and what happened to him? (Maybe some of our genealogy enthusiasts can help us solve the mystery!)
