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.
Carved, Blackened and Maple Loft Stool by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Carved, Blackened and Maple Loft Stool by John Eric Byers Dimensions: W 61 x D 37 x H 46 cm. Materials: Carved, Blackened and Maple. John Eric Byers creates geometrically inspired p...
Maple
$12,920 / item
Drum Stool by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Drum stool by John Eric Byers Dimensions: D51 x H38 cm Materials: carved + blackened + maple All works are individually handmade to order. John...
Other
$25,841 / set
Set of 2 Round Revert Table by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 square revert table by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 20" x 16" dia Materials: Carved blackened maple All works are individually handmade t...
Maple
$25,841 / item
Set of 2 Pillar Table by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 pillar table by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 50.8 x 50.8 x 35.5 cm Materials: Carved blackened maple All works are individually handmade to order. John Eric Byers cre...
Maple
$9,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "OS2V", Stool
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
$18,000 / set
John Eric Byers, "Block", Stools
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Block Stools are listed here as a set. Each design is also available for purchase separately at $8,000. This monolithic piece from John Eric Byers...
Maple
$12,920 / item
Pillar Table by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Pillar table by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 50.8 x 50.8 x 35.5 cm Materials: Carved blackened maple All works are individually handmade to order. John Eric Byers creates geom...
Maple
$14,212 / item
ORO-OS1 Stool by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
ORO - OS1 stool by John Eric Byers ORO collection Dimensions: 38 x 38 x 51 cm Materials: maple hardwood + gold metallic lacquer Hand shaped + hand textured + hollow core stacke...
Maple
$14,212 / item
ORO, OS2 Stool by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
ORO - OS1 stool by John Eric Byers ORO Collection Dimensions: W 38 x D 51 x H 38cm Materials: maple hardwood + gold metallic lacquer hand shaped + hand textured + hollow core ...
Maple
$25,841 / set
Set of 2 Square Revert Table by John Eric Byers
By John Eric Byers
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 square revert table by John Eric Byers Dimensions: 50.8 x diameter 40.6 cm Materials: Carved blackened maple All works are individually ...
Maple
$9,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "OS1", Stool
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
$18,000 / set
John Eric Byers, "Round Revert", Tables or Stools
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Round Revert Stool or Tables are listed here as a set. Each design is also available for purchase separately at $8,000. This solid maple piece from John Eric Byers merges mode...
Maple
$18,000 / set
John Eric Byers, "Square Revert", Tables or Stools
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Square Revert Stool or Tables are listed here as a set. Each design is also available for purchase separately at $8,000. This solid maple piece from John Eric Byers merges mod...
Maple
$9,000 / item
John Eric Byers, "Drum", Stool
By John Eric Byers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This stool from John Eric Byers merges modern geometries with traditional craft. The wood is hand-carved and lacquered with a distinctive textured patt...
Maple
Kurt-Eric Blücker, Stool, Birch, Sweden, 1970s
Located in High Point, NC
A birch stool designed and produced Kurt-Eric Blücker, Munkedal, Sweden, 1970s. Seat height 16.75”.
Birch
Oak Round Top Foundation Side Table / Stool
Located in Portland, OR
Solid wood stool / side table in white oak with round top. With a clean and minimal design, these stools are handmade in Portland, Oregon with mortise and tenon joinery in Material's...
Oak
Walnut Round Top Foundation Side Table / Stool
Located in Portland, OR
Solid wood stool / side table in stunning hand oiled Oregon Black Walnut. With a clean and minimal design, these stools are handmade in Portland, Oregon with mortise and tenon joiner...
Walnut
$2,114Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 14.97 in Dm 14.18 in
Pair of Bamboo Rattan Round Stools or Side Tables, Franco Albini Style
By Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, ES
Italian midcentury rattan and bamboo stools, 1950s-1960s These eye-catching stools / footstools can be used as end tables, side tables or nightstands. They were entirely made by hand and have a nice construction and a clean design inspired in Michael Thonet bentwood stools...
Bamboo, Rattan, Cane
From $1,470 / item
+ 1 moreH 18.51 in W 10.63 in D 10.63 in
e15 Backenzahn Side Table by Philipp Mainzer
By e15, Philipp Mainzer
Located in New York, NY
The original Backenzahn designed in 1996 by e15 founder and architect Philipp Mainzer is a modern design classic as well as an identifiable icon for e15. Crafted in Germany, the stoo...
Wood
$1,172Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 20.08 in Dm 18.12 in
Gervasoni Brise 43 Coffee Table by Federica Biase
By Federica Biasi, Gervasoni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Outdoor conviviality is the key of one of the collections by Federica Biasi. Brise, literally breeze, aims at taking us back to that pleasant sensation when a breeze makes the summer...
Concrete
Bertu Wood Stool, "Brinx" Wood Stool, Maple
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Wood Stool, "Brinx" Wood Stool, Maple Please scroll down to read important instructions about our stumps before purchase! Why buy Bertu Home stumps? Kiln Dried Our stumps a...
Cedar
$1,050Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 18 in W 16 in D 14 in
Pair of Oak & Rattan Side Tables / Stools by McGuire Furniture Co.
By McGuire
Located in San Diego, CA
A nice pair of oak and rattan side tables / stools by McGuire Furniture Co. of San Francisco, circa 1970s. These tables are difficult to find and are in very good vintage condition. ...
Leather, Rattan, Oak
Eric O'Leary Glazed Ceramic Stool
By Eric O'leary
Located in New York, NY
Glazed ceramic stool attributed to the American artist, Eric O'Leary ( 1949- ), circa 1980s, approximately 18 1/2 inches tall and 14 1/4 inches in diameter. 44 lbs. In 1972 the art...
Ceramic
e15 Backenzahn Stool by Philipp Mainzer
By e15, Philipp Mainzer
Located in New York, NY
The original Backenzahn designed in 1996 by e15 founder and architect Philipp Mainzer is a modern design classic as well as an identifiable icon for e15. Crafted in Germany, the stoo...
Wood
Modern Wood Stool by Pierre Sarkis
By Pierre Sarkis
Located in Guatemala City, Central America
Modern Wood Stool by Pierre Sarkis from Celine collection. Accent stool, butterfly outdoor set. Fine and selected tropical woods and natural fibers, ...
Upholstery, Wood
Contemporary Stool in Carved Maple, Brass and Leather
By Vincent Pocsik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bone Stool001 from Series 001 by Vincent Pocsik. Carved maple stool with leather cushion top and brass accents. Shown here in a bone and natural vegetan leather top. Vincent Pocsik finds the balance between old and new fabrication techniques working in conjunction to find an anatomical form that creates its own presence. Series 001 is about finding that point in each piece, personifying it, letting it find itself in the scale and figure, then stopping it at the place where it seems most stabile. All furniture pieces are made inside his shop in Los Angeles. All glass, metal and upholstery work is done with local Los Angeles craftsmen. Dimension: 16" L x 16" W x 18” H - Custom sizing available for: counter stool, bar stool and floor stool.
Brass