Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

The San Francisco area woodworker Arthur Espenet Carpenter was one of the most celebrated figures in the postwar American Studio Furniture movement. Like George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Wendell Castle and other craftsmen of the era, Carpenter built furniture both as a means of creative expression and for the simple personal fulfillment of making a thing well. The excellence of their work stood in high relief against the mass-produced goods made of synthetic materials that became prevalent in the mid-20th century. Born in New York City during the Jazz Age, Carpenter earned a degree in economics from Dartmouth College and initially intended to become an accountant, like his father. But after serving four years in the United States Navy in the Pacific during World War II, Carpenter had a change of heart about entering the business world. Back in New York, he became an Asian-arts dealer but finally found a true sense of direction when visiting the “Good Design” shows held in that era at the Museum of Modern Art. Carpenter was particularly taken with the hand-turned wooden bowls by James Prestini and decided he wanted to make objects himself. To get far from New York, he drove to San Francisco at age 28, bought a lathe and, with the help of a G.I. Bill small-business stipend, opened a woodworking shop in the Mission District. Carpenter started out making bowls, sold through local high-end retailers such as Geary’s. His skills improved, and within a few years Carpenter had moved to the coastal town of Bolinas, California, where he built furniture on commission. His national reputation was sealed when in 1972 — somewhat to Carpenter’s own surprise — his designs were shown by the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in the exhibition “Woodworks,” alongside those of Nakashima, Maloof, Castle and the Philadelphia-area craftsman Wharton Esherick. Carpenter defined a new design aesthetic now known as the “California roundover” — a style characterized by flowing lines and gently-contoured edges that make wood feel almost supple to the touch. The graceful and comfortable Wishbone chair, so named for the tapered supports that form its legs, is Carpenter’s signature design. The chairs, typically made of black walnut, are usually priced in the range of $20,000 a piece. Because of its simplicity and economy of materials, Carpenter’s furniture works well in any informal, unfussy decor — though it is particularly striking in a modern environment. As you will see on these pages, the work of Arthur Espenet Carpenter is both friendly and exquisite. The quality of its craftsmanship is impeccable, and it exudes the gentle warmth of the lovingly handmade object.

Creator: Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Unique Double-Trunk Table Desk

$92,400

Arthur Espenet Carpenter, Unique Double-Trunk Table Desk

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Chicago, IL

Arthur Espenet Carpenter, unique double-trunk table desk. This extraordinary table is unique to Espenet's work as it deviates from the traditional rectilinear form with its well-f...

Category

1980s American American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Ebony, Mahogany

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Table

$57,750

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Chicago, IL

Arthur “Espenet” carpenter dining table, solid walnut hand carved details with 2 leaves [Signed ESPENET ‘70].

Category

1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Walnut

Arthur Espent Carpenter Three Leg Table Walnut Dining Table 1960

$18,000

Arthur Espent Carpenter Three Leg Table Walnut Dining Table 1960

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Chicago, IL

Arthur Espent Carpenter Three Leg Table Walnut Dining Table 1960 California Craft Movement Walnut dining table by Arthur Espenet Carpenter. Features: -...

Category

1960s American Craftsman Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Walnut

Sublime Bookmatch Olivewood Extension Dining Table by Arthur Umanoff, c 1975

$29,500

H 29.5 in W 108 in D 38 in

Sublime Bookmatch Olivewood Extension Dining Table by Arthur Umanoff, c 1975

By Dillingham Manufacturing Company, Arthur Umanoff

Located in Atlanta, GA

This magnificent dining table is shipped as professionally photographed and described in the listing narrative: Meticulously professionally restored and installation ready. An excep...

Category

1970s American Organic Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Olive, Hardwood

Solid Travertin Dining Table by Arthur Vallin

$47,791

H 29.53 in W 110.24 in D 49.22 in

Solid Travertin Dining Table by Arthur Vallin

Located in 1204, CH

The Chubby Collection is an ode to the Colombian figurative artist Fernando Botero. Chubby borrows the roundness which becomes a sensual way to sculpt stone and give it an unique folded visual aspect. Each piece is hand-made and the stone is carefully selected to ensure the “fold” effect, a real sensation to have a folded piece of stone. Each elements of this console is carved in one single piece of Travertine Navona...

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2010s Italian Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Travertine

Amazing Italian Desk or Dining Table by Guglielmo Ulrich

$4,014Sale Price|40% Off

H 29.14 in W 78.75 in D 39.38 in

Amazing Italian Desk or Dining Table by Guglielmo Ulrich

By Guglielmo Ulrich

Located in Munich, DE

Wonderful organic shaped walnut base and silvered glass top. I was not able to get a good picture of the top.

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Walnut

Lacquered Desk or Dining Table by Jacques Jarrige

$26,000

H 30 in W 69 in D 34 in

Lacquered Desk or Dining Table by Jacques Jarrige

By Jacques Jarrige

Located in New York, NY

Luca is an elegant and sculptural piece by Jacques Jarrige that functions equally well as a refined desk or a small dining table. Hand-carved and finished in lustrous lacquer, the pi...

Category

2010s French Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Scrap Wood

Bookmatched Walnut Dining Table with Black Steel Legs "Lafayette Dining Table"

$7,500 / item

H 30 in W 84 in D 36 in

Bookmatched Walnut Dining Table with Black Steel Legs "Lafayette Dining Table"

By Anton Maka

Located in Shelby Twp, MI

The Lafayette dining table is made of a book-matched claro walnut top with a blackened steel base with walnut inserts. This piece has been finished in an extremely durable matte conv...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Steel

70's Tobacco Leaf Dining Table or Desk

$4,500

H 29.75 in W 77 in D 40 in

70's Tobacco Leaf Dining Table or Desk

By Aldo Tura, Milo Baughman

Located in Miami, FL

Textural, organic, and terribly chic. This 70's dining table or desk is sheathed in tobacco leaves and given a acrylic finish to complement its sleek simplicity.

Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Acrylic, Wood

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Rattan Desk or Table

$1,800

H 29 in W 48 in D 31 in

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Rattan Desk or Table

Located in Sheffield, MA

Mid-century 1950's French bamboo desk or dining table. Wicker, rattan, faux bamboo.

Category

Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Rattan

1970s Italian Travertine Dining, Conference Table, Desk, Rectangle Post-Modern

$5,895

H 28.5 in W 79.5 in D 36.5 in

1970s Italian Travertine Dining, Conference Table, Desk, Rectangle Post-Modern

By Willy Rizzo, Stone International

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Simple is so often better! This elegant rectangular dining table shows us that. Filled and polished travertine-marble, with just the right amount of attractive natural grain. And a b...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Travertine, Marble

Carina Dining Table Made from Reclaimed Pine (custom)

$18,000 / item

H 30 in W 52 in D 120 in

Carina Dining Table Made from Reclaimed Pine (custom)

By Petersen Antiques

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This reclaimed pine dining table is seen here in 120" x "52 x "30, but it can be made in any size; we also offer an expandable version. Because each table is bench-made in our own ...

Category

2010s American American Craftsman Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Reclaimed Wood

Italian Chrome X-Base Trestle Dining Table or Writing Desk

$3,200

H 29.5 in W 96 in D 42 in

Italian Chrome X-Base Trestle Dining Table or Writing Desk

By Pace Collection

Located in Danville, CA

Rarely seen X-base trestle style dining table base that can be used as either a dining table or writing desk. The base will easily support a glass or stone top as large as 48 x 108 x...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Stone, Chrome

Olavi Hanninen Vintage Black Brutalist Table Desk in Elm

$4,280

H 29.52 in W 70.86 in D 31.1 in

Olavi Hanninen Vintage Black Brutalist Table Desk in Elm

By Alexandre Noll

Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR

Olavi Tapio Hänninen (14 December 1920, in Lapinlahti – 16 June 1992 in Espoo) was a Finnish designer and interior architect. Olavi Hänninen's design projects ranged from furniture to trams and church silverware, including total interior designs for many public facilities. His modernist designs also included tables and chairs, and he was well recognized for his work on the Palace Hotel interiors together with Antti Nurmesniemi and Olli Borg. Hänninen designed a renowned plastic chair with metal structure for the hotel's cafe. In the 1970s his designs included the new Valmet Nr I trams for Helsinki City Transport. Before starting his own design office in 1961, Hänninen worked at architect Viljo...

Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Elm

Unique Red Lacquer and Brass Maison Jansen Dining Table or Desk, 1970s

$25,090

H 32.29 in W 98.43 in D 45.28 in

Unique Red Lacquer and Brass Maison Jansen Dining Table or Desk, 1970s

By Maison Jansen

Located in Paris, IDF

A rare piece from Maison Jansen, this large dining table was a commission by a private client. With its impeccable design, perfect proportions, and high-end materials like mother of ...

Category

1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Brass

Previously Available Items

SHIPPING FOR Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut & Enameled Steel Dining Table

Sold

H 28.5 in Dm 67 in

SHIPPING FOR Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut & Enameled Steel Dining Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This exquisite dining table (or monumental center table) by Arthur Espenet Carpenter, signed by the artist underneath: 'Espenet 8706', dating this work to 1987, features a monumental...

Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Steel

Arthur Espenet Carpenter (1920-2006) Solid Walnut and Bronze Custom Dining Table

Sold

H 28.5 in W 95 in D 42 in

Arthur Espenet Carpenter (1920-2006) Solid Walnut and Bronze Custom Dining Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Virginia Beach, VA

A custom solid walnut dining table by Master wood worker Arthur Espenet Carpenter. The boat shaped top with rounded edges sits atop a heavy cast bronze X - shaped base with a solid w...

Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Bronze

1967 Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table

Sold

H 29.25 in W 83.5 in D 42.5 in

1967 Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Oakland, CA

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Black Walnut Dining Table This exquisite dining table is characterized by its long rectangular top with gently curved side...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Walnut

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut & Enameled Steel Dining Table, 1987, Signed

Sold

H 28.5 in Dm 67 in

Arthur Espenet Carpenter Walnut & Enameled Steel Dining Table, 1987, Signed

By Arthur Espenet Carpenter

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This exquisite dining table (or monumental center table) by Arthur Espenet Carpenter, signed by the artist underneath: 'Espenet 8706', dating this work to 1987, features a monumental...

Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Arthur Espenet Carpenter Dining Room Tables

Materials

Steel

Arthur Espenet Carpenter dining room tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Arthur Espenet Carpenter dining room tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Arthur Espenet Carpenter dining room tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider dining room tables by and David N. Ebner. Prices for Arthur Espenet Carpenter dining room tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $30,500 and can go as high as $92,400, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $57,750.

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