Vintage print adverts of Mel Smilow furniture for Smilow-Thielle

Two furniture designers, Melvin Smilow and Morton Thielle, started a design and business partnership around 1949. They named their collection Prize Modern but sold under Smilow-Thielle. Although Mel Smilow seems to get most credit for the designs, both were named on patents for designs.

1955 Bio:

Mel Smilow: Commerical Ilustration School of the Pratt Institute, New York Furniture Exchange for 12 years, Webb Furniture Co. for 5 years, 2 years military service

Morton Thielle: City College of New York School of Design, Retailing at NYU, Rosewood Furniture Co for 12 years, Modernage for 5.

Retail stores:

Main Store at 856 Lexington Ave, NYC

Nov 1952, a Wholesale showroom named 'Present Tense' opened at 145 East 64th street,

Opened branch store at 41 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY in 1954, and at this time had 5 factories operating in NY, PA and New England.

Third store was opened at 311 E, Front St., PLainfield, N.J. in 1960.

By 1965 they had a total of 6 stores, including additions in Hempstead, N.Y., Manhasset, N.Y., and Washington, D.C.

The Designs:

50s Adverts

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957-1959

1960-1963

1964-1968

Operating model

Smilow-Thiele practiced design, manufacturing and retailing to cut out middleman and keep costs low for the customer.

A winning formula

Boasted not changing the design of their basic bedroom set for 14 years! (From 'Managerial marketing perspectives and viewpoints' (1962) p 471.

Below are adverts for the 4000 bedroom series from 1956 and 1968

Patents

Smilow-Thiele registered a number of patents for their designs. Scroll through the gallery below.

The Smilow-Thielle Partnership dissolved in April 1969. Smilow continued alone as Smilow, Corp. Here is the law notice announcing the dissolution proceedings.

The continuation of a design legacy

Daughter Judy Smilow relaunched production of the Smilow Thielle designs in 2013 and are available here: www.smilowdesign.com. The website has a great history section under 'Our Story'.