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.
Teak and Steel Desk or Table by American Studio Craft Artist, David N. Ebner
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
Industrial steel and teak desk or table by American studio craft artist David N. Ebner. Can be crafted to any specification. Note: All works signed by the artist, David N. Ebner. ...
Steel
Superb David N. Ebner Studio Craft Tripod Table
By George Nakashima, Dean Santner, David Ebner, Wendell Castle
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Exceptional midcentury styled tripod table with incredible figuring, likely a tropical hardwood, featuring circular dished top raised on a stylized one-piece tripod base, monogrammed...
Hardwood
$2,470Sale Price|25% Off
H 28.5 in W 60 in D 35.75 in
David Parmelee for Founders Staved Rosewood X-Form Desk or Table, Circa 1970s
By David Parmelee, Founders Furniture Company
Located in Peabody, MA
Mid-century modern writing desk featuring a staved rosewood top over an X-form chrome base, designed by Dave Parmelee for Founders Furniture, circa 1970s.
Chrome
Early Vintage Florence Knoll Dining Table or Desk
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Chicago, IL
Early vintage Florence Knoll dining table. Model 301 Literature: Knoll Furniture 1938-1960, Rouland and Rouland, pg 105 Comes with 1 (18") leaf. Measures: 60" wide without le...
Wood
Danish Modern Tile Inlay Teak Desk or Dining Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a beautiful tile inlay teak desk or dining table. In great vintage condition. This is a trestle style table with center support. The tiles are in gr...
Teak, Ceramic
$18,000
H 30.5 in W 84 in D 30 in
Dos Gallos Studio Custom Walnut Desk or Dining Table with Wishbone Stretcher
By Dos Gallos Studio
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is our custom wishbone winery table that can be made in any size and with any finish, in a range of colors and distresses. This particular table was going to be used as a desk s...
Walnut
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...
Scrap Wood
$3,932Sale 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.
Walnut
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...
Stone, Chrome
1970s Italian Drop Leaf Dining Table or Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
Italian drop leaf dining table or desk, Italy, circa 1970s. Interesting drop leaf joinery on either side. This would be the perfect size for an NYC apartment...
Metal, Chrome
$7,950
H 29.5 in W 34.5 in D 17 in
David Ebner Wall-Mounted Console Table in Australian Lacewood Studio Craft
By David N. Ebner
Located in San Diego, CA
There are furniture makers, and then there are those rare individuals who treat wood the way a sculptor treats marbel — coaxing form from the material rather than imposing it. David ...
Wood
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.
Rattan
$15,975
H 30.32 in W 98.43 in D 42.52 in
Large Spanish Dining or Desk Table with Carved Legs and Iron Stretcher
Located in Miami, FL
Spanish refectory desk table with solomonic legs and iron stretcher Original perfect condition Top table in perfect shape. Very heavy piece Between legs 81.10 in
Iron
David Ebner Tubular Steel Desk
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
A tubular gun metal finish three-level glass desk by internationally renowned American studio furniture artist David Ebner. Pencil polished ...
Steel
Dining Room/Desk by American Studio Craft Artist David N. Ebner.
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
A magnificent table or desk designed by internationally renowned American Studio Craft Artist David N. Ebner. Made from American Walnut and Wenge woods. Book matched on all sides,wit...
Sold
H 30 in W 84 in D 40 in
Teak & Steel Dining Table/Desk by American Studio Craft Artist, David N. Ebner
By David N. Ebner
Located in Bellport, NY
Industrial Steel and Teak dining room table (or desk) by American Studio Craft Artist David N. Ebner. Can be crafted to your specifications. Note: All works signed by the artist, ...
Teak