Master woodworker David N. Ebner is an integral contributor to the American Studio furniture movement. Along with like-minded artisans such as George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Arthur Espenet Carpenter and Wharton Esherick, the New York native advocates for the craft of well-made furniture that is not mass-produced. As Ebner himself has stated, “[I am] creating the antiques of tomorrow.”
Ebner was born in 1945 in Buffalo and attended the School for American Craftsmen at the Rochester Institute of Technology. There, he studied under celebrated American furniture maker Wendell Castle who taught Ebner “the artistic approach” to woodworking. After graduating, Ebner sought to further his education at the London School of Furniture Making. Then, following a two-year stint in the US Armed Forces, he decided to pursue a career as a woodworker and furniture designer, opening a studio on Long Island, New York, in 1973.
As a devotee of Castle’s teachings of creating furniture as a form of functional art, Ebner eschewed the trend of making furniture out of plastics and other synthetic materials — which gained steam with the likes of venturesome Scandinavian modernist designer Verner Panton during the 1960s and 1970s — embracing instead the American Craftsman style that formed the basis of the American Studio furniture movement.
Working with a range of woods, Ebner has designed sculptural live-edge dining room tables, shapely bamboo stools and side tables characterized by swooping organic curves, and statement-making cabinets in lustrous sapele wood, each elegantly hand-carved. “... Each piece is treated as an art object with concern for my material and honesty to its inherent qualities,” Ebner has said. “For me, one’s creative ability is demonstrated in the diversity of the pieces and what one learns from change.”
Ebner has exhibited extensively throughout his career, including shows at the American Crafts Museum and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and the Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton. His works are in permanent collections at the Smithsonian Institute, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Art Institute of Chicago.
Find vintage David N. Ebner chairs, tables, benches and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
$23,500 / item
David N Ebner, Bookmatched Carpathian Burl Desk
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
American Studio craftsman, David Ebner's magnificent bookmatched Carpathian desk with hand-forged bronze pulls, seven pull-out drawers, three left and right and one large center draw...
Bronze
American Studio Craft Artist David N. Ebner, Sapele Wood Chest of Drawers
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
David N. Ebner, American Studio Craft artist: Sapele wood chest of drawers is a sculptural masterpiece. There are three pull-out drawers, other woods on request. Originally designed ...
Wood
Seven-Drawer Chest by American Studio Craft Artist David N. Ebner
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
Excellence and perfection in this superb work (seven-drawer chest) by renowned American Studio Craft artist, David N. Ebner. Also available in other woods. Note: All works signed by...
Cedar
David N Ebner NY "The Onion Chest" 3/5
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
David Ebner's iconic onion chest. Chiseled red oak with bleached and painted green details. Removable top for storage. This chest is 3/5
Wood
Restored American of Martinsville 6 Drawer Chest- Pair Available
By American of Martinsville
Located in Atlanta, GA
An exquisite example from a rare series by American of Martinsville, circa 1960. Stout, expertly made mahogany case construction restored in cream lacquer. Fabulous, chunky solid bra...
Brass
Turn of the Century Bleached Oak Drawer Chest
Located in High Point, NC
An oak chest of drawers from turn of the century France. Elaborate columns create a Neo Renaissance aesthetic, their intricate contours framing the right-angled paneling of the drawe...
Oak
$22,000
H 31 in W 65 in D 20.75 in
Dramatic Restored Nine-Drawer Chest by American of Martinsville, circa 1950
By American of Martinsville
Located in Atlanta, GA
A beautiful example from a rare series by American of Martinsville, circa 1950. Stout, expertly made mahogany case construction finished in cream lacquer. Fabulous wormhole detail on...
Mahogany
American 4 Drawer Antique Salesman's Sample Cherry Veneered Chest
Located in Morristown, NJ
19th c., American, four drawer miniature chest with Sheraton style pulls, on scalloped blocked feet. This attractive salesman sample is characterful with a lovely deep aged cherry co...
Wood, Cherry
Brass-Clad Three Drawer Chest, Hand-Crafted in Spain, Circa 1980s
By Sarried Ltd., Sarreid Ltd.
Located in Round Top, TX
Brass-clad and hand-tacked three-drawer chest in the style of Sarreid, Spain. A beautifully crafted and weighty piece, fully wrapped in richly patinated brass sheeting with hand-appl...
Brass
$4,775
H 30.75 in W 59 in D 32 in
French burl walnut + nickel executive office desk / writing table/ bureau plat
Located in New York City, NY
Large and exceptional original French Art Deco executive desk featuring a stunning book-matched walnut veneer top with rich grain patterning and warm, medium-honey brown tones. Clean...
Bronze, Nickel
American Art Deco Tall Chest of Drawers by R-Way
By Eliel Saarinen, R-Way Furniture Company
Located in Hanover, MA
American Art Deco highboy dresser with Machine-Age lines in its tiered appearance and curved edge drawers. Produced circa 1947 by R-Way Furnit...
Mahogany, Burl
19th C. Large Fine Figured Wood Chest of Drawers
Located in Bridgeport, CT
The top made of book matched figured wood with cross banding and fine herringbone string inlay. With a bull nose edge. The tall chest with two short over three long drawers with book matched fronts and matching herringbone string inlays, and fine pierced brass bales and a key. The carved skirt rail raised on all bracket feet. Measures Width. 47 1/2", Depth 23", Height. 45 1/4" Condition: Please see all detail photos. The chest top with some expected scratches and some loss to the finish, slight alligatoring, chipped top front edge corners, some chips and breaks to the drawer moldings (a few preserved for...
Brass
Early American Tall Blanket Chest with One Drawer
Located in Sheffield, MA
Antique pine American country blanket chest. The wood has great patina and a deep rich warm tone. The tall lift top chest has one dovetailed drawer below with original drawer pulls. ...
Pine
Pristine Paul Evans Cityscape Burl Walnut Executive Desk.
By Paul Evans
Located in South Charleston, WV
Expertly restored with painstaking detail. Signed Paul Evans cityscape desk with ideal dimensions of 72" x 32" and 28.5" tall (though feet adjust it 1" higher if need be). Patchwork...
Chrome
$5,802
H 44.1 in W 49.22 in D 23.63 in
Antique Original Chest on Chest from the Gustavian Period from Stockholm, Sweden
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique Swedish chest on chest in gustavian style made around 1780 in Stockholm, Sweden. The chest is made in a classic, straight gustavian styl...
Pine
$2,502Sale Price|35% Off
H 38 in W 46.5 in D 21.25 in
Italian Neoclassical Marquetry Decorative Crafts Three drawer Chest or Commode
By Decorative Crafts
Located in Plainview, NY
A neocliassical Italian mahogany three drawer chest or commode, characterized by its exquisite craftsmanship and elaborate marquetry. The front features intricate inlaid designs, s...
Mahogany