Dominique Imbert and Focus fireplaces

Dominique Imbert (1940- ) was born in Montpellier, France. Before receiving a doctorate in sociology at the Sorbonne and becoming a literature professor in a Paris secondary school, he was an ethnologist in Alaska and a chef in New York City.

He taught for four years but soon realized that he preferred working with metal, so in 1967 he set up a workshop in the south of France and began sculpting. After making a fireplace for his studio, he decided to start producing them commercially.

His company, Focus, has been designing and manufacturing steel fireplaces for 40 years and currently has over 60 models from which to choose. All their fireplaces are made in France at a small factory that employs only 80 people. The company has 28 distributors in France and 33 abroad, selling 3000 units annually.

In 2009, the Gyrofocus model received the Pulchra Award for being the "world's most beautiful object." Designed by Imbert in 1968, it was the first suspended, pivoting fireplace.

From focus-creation.com
All images from oblica.com.au

Gyrofocus

Antefocus

Ergofocus

Paxfocus

Emifocus

Bathyscafocus

It's beginning to look somewhat like Christmas...

...at least in the CB2 mid-century snow globe I bought for myself the other day. Thanks to Justin at Mid-Century Austin Living for posting about the globe, because I hadn't seen it. As soon as I read his post, I rushed to the CB2 site and ordered one.

The snow globe  is large...8" high...and contains a smaller version of the CB2 Neville House, complete with bright yellow 50s fireplace (like the orange one we have in the store). It is utter mid-century holiday fun...and with weather forecast in the 50s and 60s next week for North Central Texas, this is probably as close to snow as I'll come.

Oh, and did I mention that it was marked down from $39.95 to $19.95, and shipping was free? :)

CB2 snow globe with a lot more white stuff falling than we're likely to see

Side view of the roofline

Close-up of fireplace

CB2 Neville House

Not all smalls

This has been a really good week for us. We scored heavily in the smalls category, as I've already shared, but we also were able to find some great large pieces too.  In fact, we had to re-set the floor and move some pieces out to make room for the new items.  Here's a quick look at some of our new stock:

1964 Emerson stereo

Rosewood dropleaf dining table

36" George Nelson cigar lamp

40" ceramic lamp, unmarked but probably Raymor

La Tour Eiffel 1887 leather chairs--apparently made by the handbag company.
(We've had these a while, but they've been stored, so they seem new.)

Hairpin leg side tables

Salterini clamshell rocker and lounger

Fireplace (working) - Nearly 8 1/2 feet tall

Rosewood and teak credenza

39" patchwork wood lamp in the style of Paul Evans

Magnus Olesen chairs - 9 of them!