Above, a birch Heywood-Wakefield dining room set, c.1956. Originally a “blonde” finish which imparts a milky quality to the wood and partly obscures the grain, these pieces are now clear-finished.

The unbranded piece at left (c.1959) I’ve dubbed the “half-round table.” This, the radio, the wallpaper, and even the floor are what’s known as “kitsch.” So is the small bedroom lamp below. Serious collectors of mid-century modern would have me apologize at this point. OK, I’m sorry.