Revered for its handcrafted and highly collectible mid-century modern sofas, coffee tables and other furnishings, Dunbar Furniture was founded in 1910 in Berne, Indiana, but it didn’t gain widespread recognition until the ’30s, following the introduction of its president to a designer who would leave an indelible mark on the company’s legacy: Edward Wormley.
After a stint at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Oswego, Illinois-born Wormley worked as an interior designer for Marshall Field’s before joining Dunbar in 1931. Initially focused on developing the company’s cheapest furniture line, which could be bought with soap coupons, he was soon leading Dunbar Furniture into a new era of residential furniture for modern American homes. He would serve as the company’s design director for over three decades, designing about 150 pieces each year.
During that time, he oversaw the production of designs in a wide range of materials, with influences ranging from Scandinavian modernism to Art Deco. There were modern upholstery pieces, like swiveling lounge chairs and low-slung sofas, and experiments with textural wood on bar carts and cabinets as well as minimal, sculptural tables and functional office furniture. A passionate collector of Tiffany Studios lamps, Wormley used their glass tiles in Dunbar tables in 1956. He also worked on the reproduction of pieces by designers such as Jean-Michel Frank and Richard Riemerschmid.
One standout Dunbar Furniture collection was Janus, introduced in the 1960s, with Austrian-born ceramicists Otto and Gertrud Natzler. These pieces see the Natzlers’ uniquely artful ceramic tiles set into several styles of wooden tables. They remain some of the most sought-after mid-century modern Dunbar pieces on the vintage market today. During the peak of his design career and, indeed, the height of Dunbar Furniture’s history, Wormley amassed a whopping 30 Good Design awards between 1950 and 1955 through the “Good Design” exhibition, hosted by the Chicago Merchandise Mart and the Museum of Modern Art. Dunbar today produces a limited selection of archival Wormley designs, but many sales of original Dunbar pieces are through the resale market.
Find a collection of authentic vintage Dunbar Furniture today on 1stDibs.
Stainless Steel Sculpture by Roger Sprunger for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Roger Sprunger
Located in Sagaponack, NY
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Stainless Steel
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Stainless steel abstract sculpture.
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Located in West Hollywood, CA
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By Paul Sisko
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A stainless steel sculpture by Paul Sisco, ca' 1969.
Stainless Steel
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Located in Maastricht, NL
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Stainless Steel Bolid Wall Sculpture by Zieta
By Zieta
Located in Geneve, CH
Stainless Steel Bolid wall sculpture by Zieta Dimensions: W 20 x H 80 cm Material: Stainless Steel. Finish: Polished. Available also in Emerald finish. BOLID, a streamlined object, inspired by the shape of a longboard and by the brightness of the bolide meteor, was originally created for the Pirelli flagship store in Milan. The object, made of polished steel using FiDU, aimed to meet Pirelli´s expectations of an inspirational product made in highly innovative technology. It accompanied and completed the display incarnating Pirelli’s approach to design. Now you can have your own BOLID – to decorate a wall or a designer shelf...
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel Sculpture by Elijah David Herschle, Signed and Dated
By Elijah David Herschler
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage stainless steel sculpture from the "Ribbon" series by well known sculptor Elijah David Herschle executed in the 1970s. The piece is 44" in height and 3.5" in width, it is ...
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$3,660
H 23.25 in W 11 in D 8.5 in
Modern Abstract Sculpture in Stainless Steel by Patrick Coard Paris
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Located in West Hollywood, CA
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