{"product_id":"dining-set-artecasa-4-6-seater-extendable","title":"4–6 Seater Extendable South African Mid-Century Modern Dining Set in Solid Kiaat by Artecasa  – Expertly Restored with Genuine Leather Upholstery","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis expertly restored Mid-Century Modern dining set by Artecasa,\u003cbr\u003eincludes a solid Kiaat extendable dining table and four matching dining chairs - upholstered in full-grain genuine leather.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDesigned and manufactured in Johannesburg between the 1950s and 1980s, this authentic vintage South African dining suite comfortably seats four - and extends to accommodate six to 8 people at a squeeze - making it ideal for both everyday dining and entertaining.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e📏 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKey Specifications\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDining Table\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eH: 74cm | \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eW(diameter): 136cm - 196cm extended\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDining Chairs (Set of 4)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWidth: 49cm | \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDepth: 49cm | \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHeight: 81cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e🪵 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterials\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e- Solid Kiaat timber throughout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e- Full Grain Genuine Leather upholstery. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eColour: Wild Horse Black\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e🗜️ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExpert Construction \u0026amp; Restoration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eManufactured by Artecasa in Johannesburg during the Mid-Century Modern era (c.1950s–1980s), this dining suite has been thoroughly restored by Statement Collectables to preserve its original craftsmanship while ensuring decades of continued use.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dining table features a robust extension mechanism, \u003cbr\u003eallowing it to elegantly transition from a compact four-seater to a generous six-seater. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConstructed entirely from solid Kiaat, it offers exceptional durability, rich natural grain, and the warm character that has made Kiaat one of Southern Africa's most sought-after furniture timbers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe matching dining chairs have been fully restored and reupholstered in premium full-grain genuine leather. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew high-density foam \u0026amp; top quality inners provide modern seating comfort while maintaining the clean architectural lines characteristic of authentic Mid-Century Modern design.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePerfect for collectors of South African Mid-Century furniture, Scandinavian-inspired interiors, contemporary homes, or anyone seeking an authentic vintage dining set crafted from solid timber rather than modern veneers or engineered board.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e🏷️\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cstrong style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e R25 789\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite our thorough restoration process with all the authentic vintage pieces that we sell, most of which are 60+ years old, minor signs of age related character may remain.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e- \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtecasa Furniture – Peter’s Personal Favourite\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSouth African History \u0026amp; Contemporary Relevance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtecasa \u003cem\u003e(Art for the Home) \u003c\/em\u003ewas established in Johannesburg in 1951 by two Italian immigrant brothers, Dino and Gianni Maraschin, who brought with them a strong European tradition of cabinetmaking and design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Maraschin brothers were trained within the Italian tradition of furniture making, which emphasized proportion, joinery precision, and material honesty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArriving in South Africa in the post-WWII period, the Maraschin brothers were part of a broader wave of European artisans and entrepreneurs who contributed significantly to the development of local manufacturing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Many other Italian craftsmen who found themselves at the tip of Africa at the time - were captured prisoners of war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy late-grandfather always spoke of the magnificently constructed mountain passes we have in the Cape that were engineered \u0026amp; built by the Italians.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a special cemetery \u0026amp; Memorial garden en route to Cullinan from Pretoria that commemorates this community)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt a time when South Africa’s furniture market was transitioning from purely utilitarian production toward more design-conscious, modern pieces, Artecasa positioned itself at the intersection of Italian modernism and local craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Many Italian designers were heavily influenced by Structural Rationalism \u0026amp; Monumental forms driven by  the embodiment of Pre-War Fascism. There’s an excellent documentary on this topic titled \u003cstrong class=\"Yjhzub\"\u003eBen Building: Mussolini, Monuments and Modernism\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(2016) by Jonathan Meades for BBC)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Johannesburg, the brothers established a factory that combined:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- European design sensibilities\u003cbr\u003e- Semi-industrial production methods\u003cbr\u003e- Skilled local labour\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtecasa became known for producing high-quality domestic furniture—particularly dining suites, sideboards, and cabinetry—characterised by:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Clean, modernist lines\u003cbr\u003e- Functional, extendable forms (e.g., butterfly and leaf tables)\u003cbr\u003e- Careful timber selection, often using locally available hardwoods such as kiaat\u003cbr\u003e- A balance between durability and refined aesthetic appeal\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir work aligned broadly with mid-century modern principles, but adapted to the South African context—both in material availability and consumer taste.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a result, Artecasa pieces were widely distributed and became staples in middle-to upper-income homes from the 1950s through the 1980s. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were known for hands-on involvement in production, maintaining quality control while scaling output. Their business model reflected a hybrid approach—more refined than mass-produced furniture, but more accessible than bespoke cabinetmaking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, like many mid-century manufacturers, the company’s prominence declined with:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Increased imports of cheaper furniture after the lifting of sanctions\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- The shift toward flat-packed and mass globalised production providing a wider consumer product offering\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e- And the resultant changing of consumer preferences in the late 1980s–1990s. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(It is rumored that the supply of Kiaat also started drying up after the end of the bush war - I’ve heard that the army often supplied the local furniture manufacturing market with dirt cheap timber from the Northern Namibian \u0026amp; Angolan Forests) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePG\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"STATEMENT","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43165556211921,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0643\/2463\/2785\/files\/DSC_0051_d805af64-2299-4e65-bfcc-ae49f32b074e.jpg?v=1782386286","url":"https:\/\/www.statementcollectables.co.za\/products\/dining-set-artecasa-4-6-seater-extendable","provider":"STATEMENT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}