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Grand Rapids in 1856

Scene of early Grand Rapids viewed from the...


Edgar Rinaldo Somes

Edgar Rinaldo Somes

1856 - 1940

Edgar Somes was born in Meredith Bridge, NH in 1856 where his father, Rinaldo R. Somes, engaged in making and distributing furniture. He moved with his parents to Boston in 1876, and began the study of music and art in 1877 at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He also designed furniture for vaious Boston firms. He came to Grand Rapids in 1900 to design for Michigan Chair Co., Kent Furniture Co., and Stow and Davis Furniture Co. From 1901-1905 he designed exlusively for Michigan Chair Co. In 1905 he was one of the reorganizers of Century Furniture Co., serving as vice-president and art director.

He resigned in 1917, and in 1919 formed Edgar R. Somes Furniture Co., which he gave up in 1921 to become a free-lance designer. In 1922 he was president of the Grand Rapids Furniture Designers Association. In 1930 he became president of David Walcott Kendall School of Art as its first edcational director. He died on December 15, 1940 at the age of 78.

 

 

Subjects

Full Details

First NameEdgar Rinaldo
Last NameSomes
Birth1856
Death1940
Notes

Coll. 204-7, History & Special Collections Dept. Reproduction and copyright information regarding this image is available from Grand Rapids History & Special Collections, Archives, Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, MI.



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