While industrial designer Russell Wright may be known to modern furniture enthusiasts for his streamlined end tables, dining chairs and other pieces, he is universally revered for a line of tableware he created called American Modern. Efficient, practical, and striking in their elegant forms and warm colors, the American Modern ceramic pieces, which included bowls, pitchers, dishes, and other items, became the best-selling dinnerware of all time. Today, vintage Russell Wright American Modern tableware is an evergreen favorite of art collectors and interior designers alike.
Born in 1904 in Ohio, Wright was surrounded by inspiration for the furniture he would one day design. He was raised in a Quaker household and grew up with the spare, meticulously handcrafted furniture for which the Quakers are known. As a young man, he studied art and sculpture at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the Art Students League of New York, going on to study law at Princeton University in New Jersey. But Wright loved the arts and abandoned his pursuit of a law degree to create stage sets in Princeton and Paris alongside fellow noted designer Norman Bel Geddes.
In 1927, Wright married artist and sculptor Mary Einstein. Together, they moved to New York City, where Wright began to create sculptures. Mary convinced him to create metal bookends from his sculptures, and later, when he began to craft bar accessories from chrome, he turned to aluminum, a much cheaper material for the purposes of mass production (his barware was eventually included in the "Machine Art" show at the Museum of Modern Art in 1934, which was curated by Philip Johnson).
Mary worked on marketing Russell's products, successfully proposing everyday uses for Wright's beautifully designed housewares. She is said to have been a pioneer in the world of lifestyle marketing, coining the terms "American Modern" and "blonde" to describe the charming, light-colored maple furniture he created for Conant Ball, which was known at the time for its reproductions of American Colonial furniture.
While Wright had created some Art Deco furnishings for Heywood-Wakefield, it was this group of bedroom furniture for Conant Ball that got its name, American Modern, from Mary. Under her guidance, Wright's attractive, functional designs for the home gained renown, leading to commissions by prestigious companies like the Steubenville Pottery Company.
In 1935, Wright formed Russell Wright Associates with Irving Richards, an entrepreneur who had worked with Lightolier and would later establish Raymor. In collaboration with Richards, Wright debuted the first line of American Modern dinnerware in 1939, which was initially produced by Russell Wright Associates and then manufactured by Steubenville for two decades. The line sold over 200 million pieces during its 20 years of production. In 1955, Wright was selected by the U.S. State Department to research handicraft industries in Southeast Asia, a trip that influenced his later designs.
Throughout his life, Wright continued to design furniture and housewares, with the works' signature earth tones, curved forms, and clean silhouettes of his floor lamps, lounge chairs, and serveware remaining popular staples in American households. In his later years, he focused on designing and building his home, Manitoga, and working with the National Parks Service to develop the "Summer in the Parks" program.
Upon Wright's death in 1974, Manitoga was given to the Nature Conservancy. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and today houses the Russell & Mary Wright Design Gallery, where many of Wright's works stand on permanent display. In 2011, stamps from the U.S. Postal Service featured Wright's image as one of the United States' twelve most influential industrial designers.
Find vintage Russel Wright lighting, seating, tables, serveware, ceramics and glass on 1stDibs.
American Art Deco Set of 3 Candle Holders by Russel Wright for Chase
By Chase and Co., Russel Wright
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful and rare set of 3 art Deco candle holders designed by Russel Wright , for Chase circa 1940s in copper and bakelite one with a brass top .
Bakelite
Pair of Brutalist Candle Holders, American Studio Art Pottery
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage ceramic or pottery candelabras feature sculptural forms with large urn shaped candle holders mounted on tall bases with relief decor element...
Ceramic, Pottery
Art Deco Large Candle Holder by Just Andersen, Denmark, 1930s
By Sune Bäckström, GAB Guldsmedsaktiebolaget, Just Andersen
Located in Malmö, SE
A beautiful art deco candle holder for large candles. Designed by Just Andersen in 1930s and produced by his own company in Denmark. Made from Disko metal (an alloy of different meta...
Metal
$465 / set
H 10 in W 8.5 in D 4 in
Art Deco Chrome "Taurex" Candlestick Holders by Walter Von Nessen for Chase
By Chase and Co., Walter Von Nessen
Located in New York, NY
This stunning pair of "Taurex" candlestick holders, designed by Walter Von Nessen for the Chase Brass & Copper Company, exemplifies the elegance and innovation of American Art De...
Chrome
Pair of Patinated Bronze Art Deco Female Figure Candle Holders
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Pair monumental patinated bronze Art Deco candle holders. Designer and year unknown.
Bronze
$265 / set
H 2.5 in W 2.5 in D 2.5 in
Art Deco Chrome & Cobalt Blue Glass Candleholders by Walter Von Nessen for Chase
By Walter Von Nessen, Chase and Co.
Located in New York, NY
This stunning pair of Art Deco candleholders, designed by Walter Von Nessen for Chase in circa 1935, embodies the innovative elegance of Machine Age design. Von Nessen's work is cele...
Chrome
Pair of Dirilyte Art Deco Brass Candle Holders
By Tommi Parzinger, Dirilyte
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage pair of Art Deco style candle holders were fabricated by the Dirilyte company; the design dates to 1930s-1940s, but the model was present on company's catalogues for up to 1...
Brass, Metal
Geometric Art Deco Candle Holder
Located in South Charleston, WV
Production date unknown. Assumed 1950's. comprises of welded brass tube with 2 removable candle spouts for insertion of candles. No markings. Work would compliment a machine age or F...
Brass
$482 / set
H 5.91 in Dm 3.54 in
Art Deco Licorice Black Candle Holders, Italian Contemporary Design, Set of 4
By FEDERICA PAOLI, CASPAL
Located in Milano, Lombardia
This set of 4 Licorice Black candlesticks by Caspal features a clean, sculptural silhouette in hand-painted aluminum. Standing 15 cm tall, each piece is coated in a luminous Black gl...
Metal, Steel, Aluminum
Pair of German WMF Art Deco Three-Arm Candle Holders
By WMF Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik
Located in Barntrup, DE
A pair of German WMF Art Deco three-arm candle holders. An elegant pair of Art Deco nickel-plated brass three-arms candle holders by WMF, Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik, Germany...
Brass, Nickel
$482 / set
H 5.91 in Dm 3.54 in
Art Deco Butter Yellow Candle Holders, Italian Contemporary Design, Set of 4
By FEDERICA PAOLI, CASPAL
Located in Milano, Lombardia
This set of 4 Yellow Butter candlesticks by Caspal features a clean, sculptural silhouette in hand-painted aluminum. Standing 15 cm tall, each piece is coated in a luminous Butter gl...
Metal, Aluminum, Steel
Pair of German WMF Art Deco Two-Arm Candle Holders
Located in North Miami, FL
A pair of German WMF Art Deco two-arm candle holders. An elegant pair of Art Deco silver-plated candle holders by WMF, Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik, Germany, circa 1930s.
Silver Plate
$2,800
H 11.25 in W 3.75 in D 4.75 in
A Pair of Art Deco Ceramic Candle Holders by Roockwood Pottery, ca. 1920
By Rookwood Pottery Co.
Located in New York, NY
MARKINGS Each candle holder is fully marked on the bottom, including date XX (ca. 1920) and model number (2304). ROOCKWOOD POTTERY Roockwood is the synonym of the American Art Pottery. Founded on Thanksgiving Day in 1880 by Maria Longworth Storer, Rookwood made history – the first large manufacturing enterprise founded and owned by a woman in the United States and launching the art pottery movement in America. Within a decade, Rookwood pottery gained international acclaim, rivaling European and Asian firms that had been in existence for hundreds or thousands of years. Maria Longworth Nicholas, was the daughter of a wealthy art collector, she was inspired by Japanese pottery. When she discussed her desire to create fine pottery with her father, he provided the means and environment that allowed her to pursue her creative passions. And although it may have started as a hobby, the talented Maria quickly managed to establish Rookwood pottery as a quality producer of fine ceramic art potter. She setup the Rookwood company, hired artists like Japanese artist Kataro Shirayamadani who came to work for the company in 1887, and talented art students and encouraged them to use their creativity to experiment and create unique pottery pieces. Almost every piece designed by these artists sold for hundreds of dollars, and today they are regarded as highly collectible. A Rookwood piece by Japanese artist Kataro Shirayamadani sold for $198,000 in 1991. He was a Rookwood artist from 1887 until 1948. The Rookwood airbrush, called the mouth atomizer, was developed by Rookwood to apply glazes in an innovative way. The technique helped the company develop its own individual look. The atomizer helped add the beautiful layers of color Rookwood is known for, and the technique is still used at the Rookwood pottery today. More well-known pottery manufacturers and recognized artists doubted this female led company would have what it takes to succeed, but much to their surprise Rookwood turned out to be one of the best. By combining extraordinary attention to detail and innovative design Maria Longworth Nicholas made Rookwood the standard for ceramic pottery manufacturers to aim for. Today antique and vintage Rookwood Pottery...
Ceramic