Danish furniture started being fashionable (among the young adult market) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. That was veneered with actual wood. I still have my kitchen table that I bought in the mid 80s. Later styles adopted laminated Melamine, which is the current fashion among young adults.

> If I pay $5000 for a chair I have reason to expect a lot from it.

My parents had a leather wingback chair made in the late 80s. They paid around $2500. I use it still. There are some tears in the seating, but for something that's lasted 40 years,