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 magazine racks 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 bar stools, tables, benches and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
Howard Miller Desk Clock by Design Office of George Nelson
By Howard Miller, Arthur Umanoff
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Arthur Umanoff for The Design Office of George Nelson for Howard Miller Desk or Table Clock. In great shape and running flawlessly! Been in use for about 6 months on my desk at th...
Chrome
Mid Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Rosewood Square Desk Clock for Howard Miller
By Arthur Umanoff, Howard Miller
Located in Troy, MI
Arthur Umanoff model 645 alarm clock for Howard Miller circa late 1960s Rosewood case with aluminum dial on a black background Plug in electric movement with black hour and minute ha...
Aluminum
$2,500
H 2.07 in Dm 12.13 in
Rare 1970s Vintage Howard Miller MCM Floating Lucite Wall Clock - Roman Numerals
By Howard Miller, George Nelson
Located in St. Louis, MO
This exceptionally rare vintage wall clock by the celebrated Howard Miller Clock Company is a phenomenal example of high-end Postmodern design. The clock features a unique, minimalist frame composed of a heavy-gauge clear Lucite (acrylic) C-shaped band. This outer ring is intentionally separated at the top and bottom, creating a striking architectural gap that frames the piece. Suspended inside the clear casing by small pins is an elegant, translucent inner dial fashioned from premium peach/copper-tinted acrylic. Rather than sitting on a surface, the clock is engineered to hang directly from its central black quartz movement housing, allowing the open Lucite frame to float weightlessly against the wall. In a bold design twist, the dial is printed with oversized, crisp white Roman numerals that appear to float mid-air, paired with sleek white hour and minute hands and a vibrant red sweeping second hand. Driven by a precision battery-operated quartz movement, this sculptural timekeeper beautifully bridges the gap between Space Age materials and 1980s Postmodern aesthetics. Can't find another example out there. Manufacturer: Howard Miller Clock Company (Zeeland, Michigan, USA) Designer Attribution: While many collectors automatically look for George Nelson when they see vintage Howard Miller lucite...
Metal
$1,250
H 14 in W 8.25 in D 14 in
Postmodern Howard Miller George Nelson 1984 Olympus Table Clock "Tempo 21"
By Howard Miller, George Nelson
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare "Olympus" table clock by Howard Miller Clock Company. From the 1984 "Tempo 21" collection. The circular red clock face is upheld by a green pyramid base...
Aluminum
Vintage George Nelson / Howard Miller Multi-color Spike / Starburst Clock
By George Nelson, Howard Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
Iconic Vintage George Nelson / Howard Miller Multi-color Spike / Starburst Electric Wall Clock,, Amazing colors,, wonderful patina,, retains original Howard Miller label,, Tested and...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Howard Miller Floor Clock
By Howard Miller
Located in Toledo, OH
Mid-Century Modern Howard Miller floor clock. Black lacquer with half round chrome trim. Wood paneled front. Chimes need adjustment does not ...
Chrome
Mid Century Modern Howard MIller Jefferson Tabletop Clock Brass
By Howard Miller
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a mid-century modern Howard MIller Jefferson tabletop clock. Finished in satin brass. Quartz movement. Tested and currently working without any issues. Includ...
Brass
Howard Miller George Nelson Grandfather Clock Model 677
By Howard Miller
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A newer sophisticated take on the grandfather clock with the case in smoked Lucite defining the outline of the clock. The face has a brushed aluminum face with mod hands in red and w...
Chrome
1970s Howard Miller Wall Clock designed by Arthur Umanoff Zebra Wood & Chrome
By Howard Miller, Arthur Umanoff, George Nelson, Irving Harper
Located in Miami, FL
This 1970s mid-century modern wall clock, designed by Arthur Umanoff for Howard Miller, features a striking Zebra Wood veneer, a polished chrome frame, and original George Nelson-style hands, making it a highly collectible decorative piece. The clock is model 616, created by Arthur Umanoff Associates in the 1970s for Howard Miller. It showcases a Zebra Wood veneer, referred to in the 1975/1976 Howard Miller catalog as "Leriex rosewood veneer," combined with chrome accents including the frame and hour markers. The hands are the original George Nelson-style metal hands, reflecting Umanoff’s mid-century modern aesthetic. This design harmonizes with other Vintage Retro Furniture pieces from the era, such as Peter Protzman desks...
Zebra Wood
$550
H 12.6 in W 14.57 in D 2.76 in
George Nelson for Howard Miller Model No. 522 Wall Clock, c. 1950s
By George Nelson
Located in Dronten, NL
Beautiful Model No. 522 wall clock designed by George Nelson & Associates, and manufactured by Howard Miller. In good working condition. While Nelson’s iconic “Ball Clock” (Model 475...
Aluminum
$4,240
H 78.5 in W 19 in D 11 in
Howard Miller 68th Anniversary Grandfather Clock, Brass & Glass, 2003
By Howard Miller
Located in Omaha, NE
A finely crafted floor clock by Howard Miller, presented in a warm Windsor Cherry finish with traditional bonnet pediment and fluted columns. This example features the sought-after i...
Brass
Howard Miller Iconic Clock by George Nelson
By Howard Miller
Located in Riverdale, NY
Iconic and classic Howard Miller ball clock from the 1950's by George Nelson. Wonderful Atomic style with a central clock motif with 50's styl...
Metal
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
H 12.25 in W 12.25 in D 2.25 in
MCM George Nelson Studio Model 4756 "Steering Wheel" Wall Clock by Howard Miller
By George Nelson
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Striking 1950 Model 4756 "Steering Wheel" Wall Clock by the George Nelson Design Studio for the Howard Miller clock company. The clock features a minimalist brushed brass open-face d...
Steel
Howard Miller Graham Bracket Mantel Clock
By Howard Miller
Located in Pasadena, TX
Finished in Windsor Cherry on select hardwoods and veneers. Brass finished dial offers a silver chapter ring and decorative corner spandrels. A high-precision, German-made, key-wound...
Brass
Sold
H 3.5 in W 6 in D 3.5 in
Mid Century Modernist Arthur Umanoff Howard Miller Rosewood Cylinder Flip Clock
By Howard Miller, Arthur Umanoff
Located in Troy, MI
Rare Arthur Umanoff model 4620 desk clock for Howard Miller circa 1960s Rosewood and acrylic cylinder case with exposed movement and flip numbers Original label intact Please note m...
Acrylic, Rosewood
Petite Arthur Umanoff Desk Clock for Howard Miller
By Howard Miller, Arthur Umanoff
Located in Oakland, CA
Petite desk clock by industrial designer Arthur Umanoff for the Howard Miller clock company. Crafted of walnut and aluminum with his trademark five circle p...
Aluminum
Arthur Umanoff for Howard Miller Walnut Desk Clock
By Howard Miller, Arthur Umanoff
Located in Oakland, CA
Desk clock by American industrial designer Arthur Umanoff (1923-1985) stylized walnut case with a aluminum face and black painted hands and numerals, this clock has hour, minute and ...
Aluminum
1960s Rosewood Desk Clock by Arthur Umanoff for Howard Miller
By Arthur Umanoff, Howard Miller
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A circular encasement of oiled rosewood encompassing a satin aluminum dial set on a cruciform form pedestal base of polished chrome.
Aluminum
Rosewood Desk Clock by Howard Miller
By George Nelson, Arthur Umanoff, Howard Miller
Located in South Charleston, WV
Arthur Umanoff (1923-1985) for George Nelson Associates desk clock Howard Miller Clock Co., Zeeland, Michigan, 1960s, walnut, steel, Howard Miller label on back Measures: 4" W x 3 1...
Steel, Chrome
Rare Arthur Umanoff Flip Table Clock
By Howard Miller, Arthur Umanoff
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Very rare and desirable Arthur Umanoff flip table clock. When plugged in all moving parts are visible. Made of solid rosewood and glass. A true collectors p...
Glass, Rosewood