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Dunbar Wall Decorations

American

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.

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Creator: Dunbar
Wall Mounted Shelf by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An Edward Wormley designed shelf in solid walnut supported by two (2) laminated mahogany brackets in the original black lacquer finish. Manufactured by Dunbar in the 1960s. Shelf is ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Wall Decorations

Materials

Walnut

Edward Wormley Long John Shelf for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Chicago, IL
Designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Long John Shelf can be used as shelf or console. Walnut wood with great sapwood striped details.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Wall Decorations

Materials

Walnut

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Previously Available Items
Floating Wall Console Demilune by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
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Pair of Floating Wall Console Demilunes by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
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Floating Wall Console Demilune by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
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1950s Burled Wall Console by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
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A burled Finnish birch demilune wall shelf with single drawer. Mirror sold separately.
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1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Wall Decorations

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Edward Wormley Floating Cabinet
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Edward Wormley Floating Cabinet
Edward Wormley Floating Cabinet
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Edward Wormley for Dunbar "Long John" 72in Hanging Shelf
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
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Wall Shelf by Edward Wormley
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A finely crafted, substantial and elegant wall shelf in rich walnut having three laminated continuous loop wood brackets supporting a slatted shelf with a beveled edge.
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Wall Decorations

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Wall Shelf by Edward Wormley
Wall Shelf by Edward Wormley
H 11 in W 72 in D 12 in
Floating Demilune by Edward Wormley
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Here we have an all original wall Bracket No. 4905 in Finnish birch burl with a single drawer & gold Dunbar badge within.
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Wall Decorations

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Floating Demilune by Edward Wormley
Floating Demilune by Edward Wormley
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Edward Wormley Floating Wall Shelf
Edward Wormley Floating Wall Shelf
H 2.5 in W 30.75 in D 10.75 in

Dunbar wall decorations for sale on 1stDibs.

Dunbar wall decorations are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Dunbar wall decorations, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original wall decorations by Dunbar were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 1950s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider wall decorations by Paul Evans, Herman Miller, and John B. Lear. Prices for Dunbar wall decorations can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $4,515 and can go as high as $7,200, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,858.
Questions About Dunbar Wall Decorations
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Dunbar furniture is made in High Point, North Carolina. The original location of the company was Berne, Indiana. Its relocation occurred after Currey & Co. bought Dunbar from founder James Wormley in 1970. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Dunbar furniture.

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