Ercol was founded in 1920 at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire by
Italian-born Lucian Ercolani (1888-1976), who came to Britain at the age
of 10. Ercol is still going strong todand and the company is still
family-owned and run. A gifted designer and an impassioned entrepreneur,
Lucian Ercolani was the creative driving force behind Ercol for more
than 50 years. The book focuses on the Windsor Range, his supreme
creation, a coordinated collection of domestic furniture inspired by the
traditional English Windsor Chair. Initally developed towards the end of
the Second World War as part of the government's Utility Scheme, Ercol's
Windsor Contemporary Furniture Family was launced at the Festival of
Britain in 1951. A run-away success, it was expanded throughout the
1950s and 60s, encompassing a diverse array of kithcen, dining, living
room and bedroom furniture in an appealing and harmonious style. Made
from solid wood using a distinctive combination of beech and elm, the
Windsor Range married the modern with the vernacular, combining advanced
technology with superb craftsmanship. Appealing to a wide audience,
including post-war design buffs, collectors, students and anyone
interested in interiors, it is lavishly illustrated and attractively
designed.
