Arthur Umanoff Seating

American, 1923-1985

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.

Creator: Arthur Umanoff

Set of 3 Arthur Umanoff "Grenada" Stools

$1,200 / set

Set of 3 Arthur Umanoff "Grenada" Stools

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Three swivel stools with a strong iron frame desgined by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver Howard's "Grenada" collection. Decorative scrolled seat back and round footrest. Measures: Adjusts ...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Iron, Metal, Chrome

Rare Arthur Umanoff Mid-Century Slatted Oak and Wrought Iron Stool, 1950s

$1,600

Rare Arthur Umanoff Mid-Century Slatted Oak and Wrought Iron Stool, 1950s

By Arthur Umanoff, Raymor

Located in Miami, FL

This exceptional, backless stool is a rare and highly collectible iteration of Arthur Umanoff’s celebrated slatted wood designs. While his slatted bar stools are iconic MCM staples, ...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Iron

Set of Four Mid-Century Modern Bar Stools by Arthur Umanoff

$2,520 / set

Set of Four Mid-Century Modern Bar Stools by Arthur Umanoff

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Stamford, CT

A set of four mid-century Mayan sun face back iron bar stools by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver Howard. Seats are red and white and yellow and lime green vinyl. A...

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Iron

Arthur Umanoff Set of 4 Rattan Wrought Iron Bar Stools with Matching Bar

$3,400 / set

Arthur Umanoff Set of 4 Rattan Wrought Iron Bar Stools with Matching Bar

By Paul McCobb, Arthur Umanoff

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff wrought iron and rattan bar and bar stools.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Rattan

Pair of Umanoff Slatted Wood and Iron Stools

$1,000 / set

Pair of Umanoff Slatted Wood and Iron Stools

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in New York, NY

Pair of stools designed by Arthur Umanoff for Raymor, in good original condition. Both show some cosmetic wear to finish, normal and consistent with age, measures seat H 28 inches.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Wrought Iron

Mid-Century Modern Bar Stools by Arthur Umanoff, Wrought Iron, 1960

$1,100

Mid-Century Modern Bar Stools by Arthur Umanoff, Wrought Iron, 1960

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Stamford, CT

The swinging 1960s! Two 1960s wrought iron stools by Arthur Umanoff, Rye and Gin with orange vinyl seats. Seat height is 29.5 inches.

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Wrought Iron

Arthur Umanoff Mid Century Modern Rattan Wrought Iron Dining Chairs - Set of 4

$1,200 / set

Arthur Umanoff Mid Century Modern Rattan Wrought Iron Dining Chairs - Set of 4

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Arthur Umanoff Mid Century Modern Rattan Wrought Iron Dining Chairs - Set of 4. Item features woven rattan backs, wooden slat seats, black painted finish (not original), wrou...

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Iron

Patinaed Armchair in Solid Oak in the Manner of Arthur Umanoff, USA, c. 1960s

$775

Patinaed Armchair in Solid Oak in the Manner of Arthur Umanoff, USA, c. 1960s

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Deland, FL

This handsome Mid-Century Modern armchair in solid oak captures the casual sophistication and honest materiality characteristic of Arthur Umanoff’s influential designs from the 1960s...

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Oak

Arthur Umanoff Hoop Stools

$1,800 / set

Arthur Umanoff Hoop Stools

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Refinished pair of Mid-Century Modern stools by Arthur Umanoff. Features hoop back with rattan, metal frame has been given a bare metal look. (Please co...

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Model F-34 Iron Stools by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver-Howard Inc, 1960

$4,500 / set

Mid-Century Model F-34 Iron Stools by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver-Howard Inc, 1960

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in North Hollywood, CA

Mid-century modern Model F-34 iron stools designed by Arthur Umanoff for Shaver-Howard Inc., manufactured in the United States during the 1960s. This iconic set of four showcases Uma...

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Enamel, Iron

Pair of Chairs by Arthur Umanoff for Madison in Original Knit Fabric, c. 1960s

$1,995 / set

Pair of Chairs by Arthur Umanoff for Madison in Original Knit Fabric, c. 1960s

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Deland, FL

A highly collectible model designer by Arthur Umanoff for Madison Furniture. The legs and seat frame are constructed from brilliant cuts of walnut. The contoured back is rests perfec...

Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Walnut

Arthur Umanoff Walnut Spindle Stools, USA 1960's

$5,750 / set

Arthur Umanoff Walnut Spindle Stools, USA 1960's

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in New York, NY

A set of spindle stools by Arthur Umanoff in walnut, upholstered in wool. Priced by the pair. Two pairs available.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Walnut

Arthur Umanoff Wicker & Iron Bar Stools – Authentic MCM Sculptural ( Set of 3 )

$2,840 / set

Arthur Umanoff Wicker & Iron Bar Stools – Authentic MCM Sculptural ( Set of 3 )

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in West Hollywood, CA

This set of three Arthur Umanoff bar stools exemplifies the designer’s mid-century modern aesthetic, combining handwoven natural materials with sculptural ironwork. Each stool featu...

Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Wrought Iron

Arthur Umanoff Wood and Rush Sculptural Chairs

$1,450

Arthur Umanoff Wood and Rush Sculptural Chairs

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Early sculptural chairs by Arthur Umanoff. Chairs with signature rush back, slatted wood seat, and iron legs. Floating backrest. Look great from all angles. Good vintage condition. T...

Category

1950s American Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Iron

Three Stools by Arthur Umanoff, Walnut Spindle Base, Leather Seats, Excellent

$4,500 / set

Three Stools by Arthur Umanoff, Walnut Spindle Base, Leather Seats, Excellent

By Arthur Umanoff

Located in Kansas City, MO

Set of 3 stools designed by Arthur Umanoff, 1950s. Expertly refinished and reupholstered with new off white / ivory leather tops. Together they also make a nice substitute for a benc...

Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arthur Umanoff Seating

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Arthur Umanoff seating for sale on 1stDibs.

Arthur Umanoff seating are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Arthur Umanoff seating, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original seating by Arthur Umanoff were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider seating by Steelcase, Drexel, and Charles Pollock. Prices for Arthur Umanoff seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $450 and can go as high as $12,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,995.