EE Meyer for Binnehuis — Solid Imbuia Dressing Table & Mirror, c.1960s–1970s
A dressing table in solid imbuia, designed and made by EE Meyer for Binnehuis in the 1960s. The composition is asymmetric in a considered way — a deep cabinet to the left with a lockable drop-front door revealing interior storage, balanced by a run of shallow lockable drawers across the centre and right, all raised on slender tapered legs. Original brass escutcheons and working keys throughout. It reads equally well as a dressing table, a writing desk, or a bedroom statement piece.
The piece is offered with its original imbuia-framed full-length mirror — a tall, slender form that sits above the table and dismantles easily for transport.
The imbuia throughout is warm and deeply figured, with the characteristic grain that makes every EE Meyer piece its own.
EE Meyer for Binnehuis
A true treasure that encapsulates the essence of South Africa's most sought-after mid-century furniture manufacturer. With a legacy rooted in timeless craftsmanship and iconic design, EE Meyer creations have become highly sought after. Owning an EE Meyer piece means not only acquiring a beautiful work of art but also preserving a valuable piece of South African design history.
EE Meyer was directed by Gerhardt Meyer from 1966, Meyer was the South African master of understated midcentury elegance, and his designs became synonymous with a distinctly South African interpretation of modernist furniture: sober, clean, and generous in their use of solid imbuia.
Imbuia — sometimes called African walnut — is a hardwood native to the forests of southern Brazil and historically used extensively in South African cabinetmaking. Deeply figured, warm in tone, and extraordinarily durable, it is the material that defines the EE Meyer aesthetic.
The Binnehuis furniture stores were located in Cape Town, Stellenbosch Somerset-West, Newlands, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg and were owned by a Dutch businessman and his wife, Mr and Mrs van Ewijck, who moved between South Africa and the Netherlands. It seems they were most prolific during the 1960s.
EE Meyer for Binnehuis pieces are among the most collectible examples of South African mid-century design.
Imbuia is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Vintage pieces from before 1992 are legally permitted for sale.
Imbuia Dressing Table by E. E. Meyer for Binnehuis, South Africa, c. 1960s–1970s
Designer: Gerhardt Meyer
Manufacturer: EE Meyer for Binnehuis
Country: South Africa
Period: circa 1960s -1970’s
Materials: Solid imbuia
Dimensions: W 137 cm · D 37.5 cm · H 66 cm · Total height with mirror: 174.5 cm
Condition Report
Presented in beautiful vintage condition. The wood has been cleaned and gently refinished, displaying a warm, even tone with minor wear consistent with age and use. Original brass escutcheons and working keys retained. Mirror clear with light age-related patina. Structurally sound throughout.
As with all authentic mid-century pieces, gentle signs of age remain and are considered part of their character.
Photographed in natural light in our studio.
We photograph every piece honestly — what you see is what you'll receive. Before dispatch, each item is cleaned and finished with Osmo Polyx®-Oil so it arrives looking its best.
