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.
Mid Century Modern Sculptural Bar Cart with a Surfboard Top by Arthur Umanoff
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Beautiful design for a indoor outdoor, (poolside), iron bar cart with an surfboard shaped oak top. Top was refinished and varnished. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. Plenty of storage below with two wide shelves.
Wrought Iron
$6,404 / set
H 79.53 in W 55.12 in D 22.84 in
Rare Italian Mid-Century Walnut Bar Cabinet with Hammered Copper Top
Located in Antwerp, BE
This exceptional Italian bar cabinet, originating from Rome, is a striking example of sophisticated mid-century Italian craftsmanship. Designed as a two-piece ensemble, the mobile lower bar seamlessly rolls into the wall unit, creating an elegant and highly functional composition. The cabinet is distinguished by its beautifully sculpted geometric doors, each inset with faceted smoked glass panels that catch and reflect the light, giving the piece a refined architectural presence. The rich walnut veneer, combined with the dramatic hammered copper countertop...
Brass, Copper, Metal
Arthur Umanoff 39 Bottle Wine Rack with Round Top
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in Highland, IN
Ready to hold 39 wine bottles, this iron wine rack by Arthur Umanoff has a delightful curved top echoing the round shape of the bottle holders and a terrific graphic quality.
Iron
$5,699
H 28.25 in W 55.75 in D 19.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Burl Wood Credenza by Arthur Umanoff for Dillingham
By Arthur Umanoff, Dillingham Manufacturing Company
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-Century Burl Wood Credenza by Arthur Umanoff for Dillingham --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you purchase vintage furnitu...
Burl, Lacquer
$2,250
H 42 in W 41.5 in D 20.5 in
Mid Century Modern Arthur Umanoff Slat Dry Bar for Shaver Howard, 1950's
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Features Umanoff's signature vertical wood slatting and a minimalist black iron base that eliminates "utilitarian bulkiness". Designed for both style and utility, it includes a dura...
Wrought Iron
$2,037
H 28.35 in W 25.2 in D 16.15 in
1950s Art Deco Mid-Century Italian Dry Bar Cabinet Liquor Cart Tray
By Guglielmo Ulrich, Vittorio Dassi, Ico & Luisa Parisi, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti
Located in Carimate, Como
Unique and very elegant Italian Mid-Century Regency dry bar cabinet cart with two glass tiers and highlighted by the great wooden veneer design and overall shape completed by the det...
Glass, Wood
Mid Century Modern Burl Credenza by Arthur Umanoff
By Dillingham Manufacturing Company, Arthur Umanoff
Located in Raleigh, NC
Exceptional 1970s Burl Wood Credenza by Arthur Umanoff for Dillingham This remarkable credenza showcases Arthur Umanoff's distinctive design aesthetic for Dillingham, dating to appr...
Burl
$1,513
H 24.81 in W 18.9 in D 31.5 in
1960s Italian Two-Tier Brass and Glass Bar Cart with Dark Glass Top
By Willy Rizzo, Maison Jansen, Maison Baguès, Milo Baughman, Romeo Rega
Located in Carimate, Como
Beautiful and stylish 1960s Hollywood Regency Italian two-tier brass and smoked glass bar cart. A great piece that perfectly adds to every home decor the typical glitz, glamour and g...
Brass
$4,995
H 28.5 in W 55.5 in D 19.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Burl Wood Credenza by Arthur Umanoff for Dillingham
By Arthur Umanoff, Dillingham Manufacturing Company
Located in North Hollywood, CA
An exceptional vintage burl wood credenza designed by American designer Arthur Umanoff for Dillingham, circa 1970s. Widely recognized for his refined approach to mid-century design, ...
Burl, Lacquer
$2,445
H 29.93 in W 33.08 in D 18.51 in
Elegant Italian Mid-Century Modern Bar Cart Serving Trolley in Beechwood, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Elegant Italian serving trolley from the 1950s, crafted in beautifully shaped beechwood with glass shelves and brass-mounted castors. A refined mid-century design featuring flowing o...
Brass
Alvar Aalto Tea Trolley 900 Modern Bar Cart
By Alvar Aalto
Located in North York, ON
Alvar Aalto tea trolley 900 Modern bar cart. Iconic Scandinavian modern design by Alvar Aalto. The trolley features ceramic tiles, and a ra...
Ceramic, Rattan, Birch
$4,050
H 30.25 in W 40 in D 20 in
Paul McCobb for Directional Black Lacquered Flip Top Server Bar Cart, Refinished
By Directional, Paul McCobb, Calvin Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern flip top extension rolling bar cart server By Paul McCobb for Directional and produced by Calvin Furniture, "Calvin Group" USA, 1950s Black lacqu...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server Bar Cart By White Furniture Co.
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This Mid-Century Modern server (also referred to as a credenza, bar cart, or console table) embodies the classic design principles of the 1950s and 60s, combining elegant aesthetics ...
Brass