Posted 13 years ago
curtisfiore
(18 items)
I recently purchased this chair at a junk store. I believe this is an office chair made for the US Veterans Administration in 1937 by the Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI) based on the information stenciled under the seat. I am looking for more information about his chair or the other FPI furniture. I did find information on FPI (see below).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; Federal Prison Industries, also known as UNICOR and FPI, is a wholly owned government corporation created in 1934 by statute and Executive Order that produces goods and services from the labor of inmates of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons. FPI is restricted to selling its products and services to Federal government agencies and has no access to the commercial market. UNICOR was created in the 1930s, when the employment of prisoners was provided for in the Act of May 27, 1930, and Federal Prison Industries was formally created in 1934.
More information on Unicor and its history can be found at http://www.unicor.gov/about/organization/history/index.cfm
I just purchased an antique, rolling, oak desk chair from a thrift store and on the bottom of it, it is stamped: 3-C. GREEN. FPI - 6-40
Your post on this site was the only one I could find similar to what I have found. Other than knowing it was built by a prisoner in June 1940, I know nothing else. Do you know what the 3-C GREEN. means?
I could only guess that it might be a model or customer number.
Regards
Thank you for your response! Did you ever find out anymore information about your chair?
No. Its just a conversation piece.