Inspired by pure geometrical forms — circles, rectangles, squares, cylinders and spheres — John Eric Byers’s furniture is deceptively simple. A closer inspection, however, shows that behind each coffee table, bench and chair there is great care and meticulous attention to detail. It is little wonder why the woodworker is considered to be among the foremost figures of the modern American Studio movement.
Born in Rochester, New York, in 1959, Byers trained in the workshop of Wendell Castle, “the father of the art furniture movement.” The renowned American sculptor greatly influenced Byers, and the New York native found inspiration in the work of other artist-designers while in Castle’s workshop such as Donald Judd and British ceramicist Hans Coper.
Following his studies under Castle, Byers established a studio and workshop in Newfield, New York. There, he uses a variety of specialized techniques in the design of his furniture, including wood milling, lamination, hand-shaping, hand-tooling and finishing, often with casein milk paint, which is believed to have been used in ancient Egypt.
Byers’s side tables, stools, sideboards, credenzas and other pieces are sculpted by hand in his preferred material — hard, blackened maple. Each design demonstrates his keen focus on detailed surface texture and structure.
Byers’s works have not gone unnoticed over the course of his decades-long career. He has won multiple awards, such as the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award and the New York Foundation of the Arts Award. He has been included in the Smithsonian’s Oral Archives of American Arts as well.
Byers’s pieces feature in permanent collections at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Mint Museum and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.
Find vintage John Eric Byers tables, seating, case pieces and storage cabinets.
$30,813 / item
Carved and Black Oak T5 Bench by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Carved and Black Oak T5 Bench by John Eric Byers Dimensions: W 142 x D 51 x H 36 cm. Materials: Carved, Blackened, White oak. John Eric Byers creates geometrically inspired pieces t...
Oak
$35,948 / item
Drum Bench for 3 by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Drum bench for 3 by John Eric Byers Dimensions: D41 x W122 x H41 cm Materials: carved + blackened + maple All works are individually handmade to order. John Eric Byers creates geom...
Other
John Eric Byers, "Reveal", Bench, 2022
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This solid maple piece from John Eric Byers merges modern, simplified geometries with traditional craft, painstakingly hand carved and lacquered with a...
Maple
Post-Modern Carved Maple Drum Bench for 4 by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Drum bench for 4 by John Eric Byers Dimensions: D41 x W163 x H41 cm Materials: carved + blackened + maple All works are individually handmade to order. John Eric Byers create...
Other
$23,109 / item
Maple Loft Bench for Two by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Maple loft bench for two by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 45.7 x 114.3 x 36.8 cm Materials: Carved blackened maple All works are individually handmade...
Maple
$16,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "OS4V", Bench
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oro, a new series by John Eric Byers, marks the artist’s 30th solo exhibition. An elegant balance of contrasts takes form in these visually stunning works. Blocks of wood are meticul...
Gold
$21,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "Loft Bench for Three"
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This elevated bench from John Eric Byers merges bold, modern geometries with traditional craft. The wood is hand-sawn and lacquered with a distinctive textured pattern to give a soph...
Maple
Carved, Blackened and Maple Loft Bench Revised by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Carved, Blackened and Maple Loft Bench Revised by John Eric Byers Dimensions: W 183 x D 38 x H 46 cm. Materials: Carved, Blackened and Maple. John Eric Byers creates geometrically i...
Maple
$23,109 / item
Maple Block Bench for Two by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Maple block bench for two by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 43 x 101.6 x 35.5 cm Materials: carved blackened maple All works are individually handmade to...
Maple
$28,245 / item
Maple Block Bench for Three by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Maple block bench for three by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 43 x 101.6 x 35.5 cm Materials: Carved blackened maple All works are individually handmade ...
Maple
$26,961 / item
Maple Loft Bench for Three by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Maple loft bench for three by John Eric Byers. Dimensions: 45.7 x 172.7 x 36.8 cm. Materials: carved blackened maple. All works are individually handmade to order. John Eric ...
Maple
$28,245 / item
Reveal Bench Sculpted by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Reveal bench sculpted by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 16” x 54” x 14 in Materials: Carved lacquered maple hardwood All works are individually handmade to order. John Eric Byer...
Maple
$17,974 / item
ORO, OS3 Bench by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
ORO - OS3 bench by John Eric Byers ORO collection Dimensions: W 76 x D 38 x H 38 cm Materials: maple hardwood + gold metallic lacquer Hand shaped + hand textured + hollow core...
Maple
$14,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "Os3", Bench
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oro, a new series by John Eric Byers, marks the artist’s 30th solo exhibition. An elegant balance of contrasts takes form in these visually stunning works. Blocks of wood are meticul...
Gold
John Eric Byers, "Block Bench for Three"
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This monolithic piece from John Eric Byers merges bold, modern geometries with traditional craft. The wood is hand-carved and lacquered with a distinctive textured pattern to give a ...
Maple
$18,000 / item
John, Eric Byers, "Block Bench for Two"
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This monolithic piece from John Eric Byers merges bold, modern geometries with traditional craft. The wood is hand-carved and lacquered with a distinctive textured pattern to give a sophisticated finish to a simplified silhouette. Available as a bench for two...
Maple
$18,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "Loft Bench for Two"
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This elevated bench from John Eric Byers merges bold, modern geometries with traditional craft. The wood is hand-sawn and lacquered with a distinctive textured pattern to give a soph...
Maple
Expandable Slat Bench by John Keal
By John Keal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Midcentury Brown Saltman expandable slat bench designed by John Keal. This bench has two ends that pull-out extending to almost 94” long creating a versatile solid oak walnut stained...
Oak
Circa 1900 English Oak Carved Bench
Located in High Point, NC
Circa 1900 oak bench from England. The top is nicely grained and has a beveled edge. The top follows down to a hand carved decorated apron, and supported on hand turned legs, joi...
Oak
e15 Taro Wood Bench by Philipp Mainzer
By Philipp Mainzer, e15
Located in New York, NY
The sides of bench Taro are pushed slightly inward to enhance stability, therefore this bench can be offered in a standard length of up to 3600 MM (141 3/4 inch). The wood is 40 MM (...
Wood
Tillikum Black Oak Bench by Autonomous Furniture
By Autonomous Furniture, Kirk Van Ludwig
Located in Victoria, BC
The Tillikum bench in Blackened Oak is set on matte black frame and legs for a dramatic statement. The minimalist design by Kirk Van Ludwig combines these elements to create a modern entrance bench. A tailored bench for contemporary design-driven people who like to make a statement. A welcome addition to any room, use this modern wood and acrylic bench as an entryway bench, under a window, pulled up to a table, or as a hallway bench. Handcrafted bench with sustainable materials - matte black frame and legs using solid surface material made of 65% recycled paper and a non-petroleum resin, FSC certified, with a torched and fumed solid oak top. Designed by Kirk Van Ludwig, eight-time Designer of the Year finalist for Western Living magazine. Autonomous Furniture...
Walnut, Paper, Oak
e15 Calle Wood Bench by Philipp Mainzer
By e15, Philipp Mainzer
Located in New York, NY
The solid wood bench Calle consists of a contoured seat, two sides flushed with the seat and a support beam underneath. The top surface tapers toward the middle to allow comfortable ...
Wood
Antique Victorian Carved Oak Bench
Located in London, GB
A wonderful antique Victorian carved oak bench, made in England and dating from around the 1870-1880 period. It is of outstanding quality, with profuse and intricate carving through...
Oak
Charlotte Perriand Long Pine Bench for Les Arcs, 1970s France
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Classic pine 4 seater bench designed by Charlotte Perriand for the Les Arcs Ski Resort in France. A beautiful example of iconic Perriand design in a gorgeous dark stain and an amazin...
Pine
Edward Wormley 'Long John' Bench for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A 1946 design by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, the bench, lovingly termed the “Long John" has a low profile with walnut segmented, tongue-and-groove construction atop four hairpin legs ...
Ash, Walnut
$12,000
H 14.25 in W 85.5 in D 14 in
Monumental Charlotte Perriand Pine Storage Bench for Les Arcs, 1960s
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare pine storage bench designed by Charlotte Perriand for the Les Arcs Ski Resort in France. Just over 7 feet long. Presently the only one of its kind for sale. Perfect patina to th...
Pine
Bertu Bench, Rockefeller Modern Black Bench, Oak
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Bench, Rockefeller Modern Black Bench, Oak This Modern Black Bench - The Rockefeller is made in the heart of Ohio with locally sourced wood. ...
Wood, Oak
$2,500 / item
H 25 in W 20 in D 60 in
Modern Solid Argentine Rosewood Outdoor Bench by Costantini, Serrano
By Costantini
Located in New York, NY
Part of the Serrano family, this solid wood bench gives a nod to the master artist and designer Donald Judd. Shown here in Argentine Rosewood but av...
Wood
$6,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 44 in W 42 in D 22 in
19th Century Antique Italian Carved Walnut Bench by Valentino Besarel Ca 1870
By Valentino Besarel
Located in Encinitas, CA
Magnificent walnut hand-carved bench attributed to master artist Valentino Besarel (b. July 29 1829, d. Dec 11 1902) of Venice, Italy. Renaissance Revival. High quality; soft, fi...
Walnut
