Edmund J Spence
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Leather, Cane, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Cabinets
Birdseye Maple
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Birch
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Cane, Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Bedroom Sets
Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Walnut, Upholstery
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Birch
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Cane, Birch
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Wood
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Walnut
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Birch
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
20th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Tables
Brass
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Seagrass, Hardwood, Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Seagrass, Hardwood, Mahogany
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Glass, Birch
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets
Rush, Hardwood, Mahogany, Cocobolo
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Gold Leaf
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2010s American Modern Stools
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21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Macedonian Modern Cabinets
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Textile, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Brutalist Night Stands
Oak
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Jacaranda
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Rattan, Oak
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Oak, Walnut
2010s Italian Chairs
Leather, Fabric
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Yew
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Metal
2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
2010s North American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut, Burl
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Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
Maple
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple, Birch, Wood
Vintage 1950s Mexican Armchairs
Wood, Twine
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Rosewood
20th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Mahogany, Rush
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Walnut, Upholstery
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Onyx
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Wood, Birch
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Birch
Vintage 1950s Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Mahogany
20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Brass
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Metal
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass, Metal
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Wood
20th Century Swedish Dressers
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s Stools
Vintage 1950s Swedish Night Stands
Maple
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Rope, Walnut
Vintage 1960s Night Stands
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Vintage 1950s Mexican Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Rope, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Cabinets
Brass
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Dressers
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Birch
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Maple
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Brass
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Brass
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Swedish Night Stands
Birch, Walnut
20th Century Mexican Dressers
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets
Iron, Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
Brass
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Swedish Dressers
Walnut, Birch
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Mahogany, Seagrass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Maple
Edmund J Spence For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Edmund J Spence?
Edmond J. Spence for sale on 1stDibs
Edmond J. Spence played an important role in promoting the tenets of Scandinavian modernism in the United States but his name remains conspicuously omitted from the history books. He was an American furniture designer who is known for having introduced the West to unfamiliar cultural tastes and translating their subtleties to appeal to mid-century-era consumers.
Spence honed his eye for good craftsmanship as a young man. His family owned a furniture manufacturing company based in Batavia, New York. While not much has been reported about his schooling, it was not long before he started designing his own nightstands, end tables, chairs and more — all of which exhibited the appealing traits associated with mid-century modern furniture. Spence experimented with form and ornament owing to inspiration he gathered from international influences.
During the 1950s, Spence drew on Asian and Swedish influences in developing ideas for his own style of modern furniture. He incorporated aspects of Mexican design to create the Continental-American collection. Manufactured in 1953 by Industria Mueblera, this collection of sculptural wooden furnishings with brass details epitomizes Spence’s ability to draw attention to the most integral parts of global design while adding his own modern spin. The designer’s Coronation Group — a series of dressers, cabinets and more in blonde woods that featured decorative birch veneers — was built by artisans in Sweden and imported for sale to postwar homeowners in the United States by Massachusetts furniture company Walpole.
Spence’s “Peineta” chair — a work of mahogany, plywood and woven palm that is demonstrative of Spanish Colonial influences and is part of the Continental-American line — has long been on display in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art while other works are held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. And if Spence hadn’t captured the hearts of Americans by way of Industria Mueblera showrooms and alluring ads in Interiors magazine, some of his furniture was used as set decoration for the widely loved sitcom I Love Lucy.
Find vintage Edmond J. Spence seating, storage and case pieces, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.