Set of Four Rush and Iron Stools by Arthur Umanoff for Raymor
View Similar Items
Set of Four Rush and Iron Stools by Arthur Umanoff for Raymor
About the Item
- Creator:Raymor (Manufacturer),Arthur Umanoff (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 40 in (101.6 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)Depth: 17 in (43.18 cm)Seat Height: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 4
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1950s
- Condition:Very minor scratches to the slats (pictured).
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU144427642433
Arthur Umanoff
Though much of Arthur Umanoff’s furniture is marked by a no-frills simplicity common in American mid-century modern design, his work is anything but one-note. Over the course of a prolific career, Umanoff designed everything from case pieces to candleholders to dining chairs in iron, leather, walnut, wicker and more. With furnishings for a broad range of manufacturers throughout the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and early ’80s, Umanoff continued a thread of sculptural elegance and textural sensitivity through his designs.
After graduating from Pratt Institute in the early 1950s, Umanoff experimented mostly with wood furniture before landing a job at Post Modern Ltd, a New York manufacturer of wrought-iron furniture. There he produced furnishings that married wrought iron with wood and plastic, creating functional pieces free of utilitarian bulkiness. Umanoff continued his experimentation with mixed materials through a partnership with Shaver Howard, for whom he designed wine racks in combinations of iron, leather and wicker.
When Shaver Howard bought Boyeur Scott, Umanoff conceived several furniture designs for the brand, including the 1964 Granada collection, whose curlicue iron bases, visible through glass tops, stand out as some of his most ornate and decorative work. Indeed, much of Umanoff’s oeuvre is far more simplistic, like iron-and-pine armchairs for The Elton Co. or low-backed, slatted-seat barstools with slender iron legs for Raymor.
Umanoff was fluent, too, in the more sumptuous modernism of the era: In the mid-1960s, he designed the 2405 and 4449 armchairs for Madison Furniture Industries. Popular in offices, the walnut-framed, leather-upholstered seats, which could have been mistaken for the seductive Scandinavian modern seating of the era, were reportedly the jumping-off point for Captain Kirk’s iconic seat on Star Trek.
Even as he is among the mid-century modern designers you may not know, with work across such a range of styles and manufacturers (most no longer in business), Umanoff, who died in 1985, leaves a legacy that is fascinatingly diverse and at times enticingly elusive, making his work intriguing objects for collectors.
Find vintage Arthur Umanoff furniture today on 1stDibs.
Raymor
Few had their finger on the pulse of American furniture like importer and distributor Raymor. Founder Irving Richards first had his eyes opened to the world of furniture while attending the 1928 Salon d’Automne art and design fair in Paris. He joined Lightolier two years later and developed its business relationships, including with designer Russel Wright.
Wright and Richards met in 1935 and Russel Wright, Inc. was formed in 1936. Its American Modern ceramic tableware, produced under the name Wright Accessories in 1938, was a notably lucrative collaboration. Following the early success of American Modern, Richards obtained the majority share of Wright Accessories and changed its name to Raymor Mfg Division Inc. in 1941.
By 1952, the exclusivity over American Modern had ended (the line was initially produced by Wright Associates and later manufactured by Steubenville for two decades). To keep up with American markets, Raymor worked with prominent designers such as George Nelson, Ray and Charles Eames, and Hans J. Wegner.
The company’s imports expanded to Denmark, which contributed to the rise of Scandinavian modern designs in the American market. Throughout the 1950s, Richards established relationships with factories in Scandinavia, Italy and Germany, as well as with the influential tastemaker and importer Charles Stendig.
The furniture company Simmons bought Raymor in 1963 and changed its name to Raymor Richards, Morgenthau Inc. in 1969. During that time, Raymor’s Omnibus range of Scandinavian-style wall units became widely popular, along with Italian glass and pottery like Bitossi ceramics designed by Aldo Londi and Bagni ceramics by Alvino Bagni.
Shifting styles coupled with rising competition, and the departure of Richards from the company, ended Raymor. By the late 1970s, Raymor faced a wave of international factories able to produce similar products of lesser quality for a lower cost. Buyers were eager to frequently change their interior styles, limiting the need for high-end, durable furniture, which Raymor had been importing.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Raymor ceramics, lamps, decorative objects and more.
- Arthur Umanoff Birch and Iron Bench/Coffee Table with Rush Nesting StoolsBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NYArthur Umanoff slatted birch bench/coffee table with iron legs concealing three nesting stools with rush seats (ca. 1950s, USA). Compact piece, ideal for smaller rooms with space li...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Vintage Iron and Leather Wine Rack by Arthur UmanoffBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NYMid-Century American Modern wine rack by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver Howard composed of eight saddle-leather strap holders and wrought iron frame. All original condition, appearing to ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Barware
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Mid-Century American Modern Birch and Iron Accent Table by Arthur UmanoffBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NYArthur Umanoff for Shaver Howard accent / occasional table (ca. 1950s, USA). Composed of a round slatted birch top supported by three slightly splayed wrought iron legs retaining the...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Arthur Umanoff Wrought Iron Seventeen-Bottle Wine HolderBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NY1950s Arthur Umanoff wine rack in painted wrought iron. Can be used as a tabletop or floor rack, accommodating 17 bottles. Pictured with this wine rack is the smaller, 7-bottle hold...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wine Coolers
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Set of Three Vintage Modernist Maple and Wrought Iron Bar StoolsLocated in Brooklyn, NYOrganic form bar stools with a slatted maple seat / back rest supported by wrought iron frames with foot rests (ca.1950, likely East Asian). These were said to have been moved to the...Category
Vintage 1950s Asian Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Arthur Umanoff Iron Obelisk Pyramid-Form Freestanding Shelving Unit/EtagereBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NYScarcely seen sculptural wrought iron shelving unit designed by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver Howard. Unique, graceful pyramid/obelisk-form with...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsWrought Iron
- Set of 3 Barstools by Arthur Umanoff for RaymorBy Arthur Umanoff, RaymorLocated in Fraser, MIPlease feel free to reach out for efficient shipping to your location. Set of 3 Barstools by Arthur Umanoff for Raymor.Category
Vintage 1960s Stools
MaterialsWrought Iron
$3,250 / set - Arthur Umanoff for Raymor Mid Century Iron and Wood Barstools, Set of 4By Arthur Umanoff, RaymorLocated in Countryside, ILArthur Umanoff for Raymor mid century iron and wood barstools - set of 4 This chair measure: 18 wide x 17 deep x 39 inches high, with a seat height/chair clearance of 28 inches ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsIron
- Arthur Umanoff for Raymor Mid Century Iron Bench with Nesting StoolsBy Raymor, Arthur UmanoffLocated in Countryside, ILArthur Umanoff for Raymor Mid Century Iron bench with Nesting Stools This bench measures: 60 wide x 15 deep x 16 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had in what we call ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsIron
- Arthur Umanoff Iron and Rush Stool, 1950s USABy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Los Angeles, CASculptural Arthur Umanoff stool with signature rush seat supported by an iron frame. Iron is painted in a vintage black. Good vintage condition. Only one available. Located in our ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Stools
MaterialsIron
- Rush Bar Stools by Arthur UmanoffBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NYVintage bar stools by Arthur Umanoff. Wood slat seat and rush backrest over a solid steel rod frame. 28.5" seat height. Sold as a pair.Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsIron
$1,920 Sale Price / set20% Off - Pair of Arthur Umanoff Swivel Slat Stools for RaymorBy Arthur UmanoffLocated in Brooklyn, NYPair of Arthur Umanoff tall swivel bar stools designed for Raymor in the 1960s. These iconic stools feature an iron base with bentwood slatted s...Category
Vintage 1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsMetal
$560 Sale Price / set30% Off