Forward-looking architect Walter Lamb is best known for his revolutionary and widely loved patio furniture — he salvaged metal tubing from sunken ships in Pearl Harbor in the 1940s to create alluring chaise longues and other pieces for the backyard. His vintage furniture designs have been adorning patios worldwide for almost a century.
Trained as an architect at the University of California Berkeley campus, Lamb found himself in Hawaii during the 1940s. This period was a time of growth for furniture designers and manufacturers, as veterans were returning to the United States, getting married and starting families. These folks needed practical furniture for their new homes, and as the movement we now call mid-century modern took shape, imaginative architects and furniture makers would fill that need. Lamb was one such innovator.
Lamb worked the shaped tubing and fittings he’d gathered from battleship wreckage into proper frames and wrapped the structures in marine-grade cotton cording to create comfortable, element-proof outdoor furniture. Today his patio furniture has an esteemed place in the history of design. In fact, furniture enthusiasts are eager to restore and collect his iconic aged furniture rather than purchase reproductions.
Postwar California would become reputable as a manufacturing center for versatile furniture intended for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Seating, tables and other items — often made with rattan — produced by the likes of McGuire and Brown Jordan became a defining feature of organic modern living, a style that still characterizes many California interiors and influences innumerable design firms. Pasadena’s then-new Brown Jordan picked up Lamb’s designs, which eventually included dining tables, side tables and coffee and cocktail tables. And along with these furnishings, Lamb's sculptural vintage seating — his curvaceous lounge chairs and armchairs with cotton cord seats — while perfect for your fire pit, shouldn’t be relegated to outdoors-only settings.
Lamb received much acclaim for his work. The Museum of Modern Art in New York recognized his 1940s-era outdoor furniture for Brown Jordan with a design award.
On 1stDibs, find a noteworthy collection of vintage Walter Lamb furniture.
Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan Bronze Patio Wide Lounge Chair
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wide patio lounge chair by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The chair has a simple construction in tubular bronze with a patinated finish, with rounded squares serving as runners on e...
Bronze
Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan Bronze & Vinyl Patio Wide Lounge Chair
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wide patio lounge chair by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The chair has a simple construction in tubular bronze with a patinated finish, with rounded squares serving as runners on e...
Bronze
Bronze Patio Sleigh Chair by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A low lounge chair, known as the “Sleigh Chair,” by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. A continuous length of tubular bronze serves as the frame of a scooped seat, bends beneath the chair...
Bronze
Black Aluminum and White Vinyl Patio Set by Brown Jordan
By Brown Jordan
Located in Palm Springs, CA
1950’s iconic “Kantan” Patio set design by Tadao Inouye for Brown Jordan. The set has be newly professionally restored. Constructed of black powder coated aluminum and white vinyl s...
Aluminum
$1,850 / set
H 33 in W 71.25 in D 27.75 in
Pair of Walter Lamb Inspired Outdoor Poolside Chaise Lounge Chairs
By Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Walter Lamb inspired outdoor poolside chaise lounge chairs with metal frames and white elastic cording. In very original condition with heavy patina, fading and discoloration...
Metal
Pr. Vintage Brown Jordan Lounge Chairs c 1970/1980's
By Brown Jordan
Located in New York, NY
Pair of stylish lounge chairs by top quality maker, Brown Jordan. This pair of chic vintage lounge chairs are in very good, clean, ready to use condition, showing only light cosmeti...
Aluminum
$6,800 / set
H 29.25 in Dm 48.5 in
Silver Powder Coated Brown Jordan Patio Set with Round Table and 4 Chairs
By Brown Jordan
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Silver Brown Jordan Florentine round patio table with 4 chairs. Professionally stripped painted and powder coated in silver. Has the original glass top . Table 48.5” Diameter 29.25”...
Aluminum
$2,500 / set
H 34.5 in W 18.5 in D 21 in
Set of Four Brown Jordan Neoclassical Style Garden Dining Chairs
By Brown Jordan
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Neoclassical style set of four patio and garden dining chairs made by Brown Jordan. Heavy and solid cast aluminum construction with a lattice design influenced by Mario Papperzini fo...
Aluminum
Italian Brown Plastic Joe Chair by Heller
By Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi, Heller
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Cool Cast brown plastic Joe Glove chair designed by Gionathan de Pas, Donato D’Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi i...
Plastic
$6,720Sale Price|20% Off
H 20.5 in W 22 in D 70 in
Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan Bronze 'Waikiki' Rocking Chaise Lounge, circa 1960s
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sculptural bronze 'Waikiki' rocking chaise lounge by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. These collectible examples of functional art features curvy tubular bronze frames and rewoven with ...
Bronze
Walter Lamb, Chaise Longue, Bronze, Fabric, USA, 1955
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in High Point, NC
A bronze and fabric cord chaise longue designed by Walter Lamb and produced by Brown Jordan, USA, c. 1955. Seat Height (inches): 12.25" Arm Height (inches): 17.13" All items ship ...
Bronze
$1,650 / set
H 36.5 in W 22.75 in D 24.25 in
Brown Jordan “Florentine” Pair of Patio or Garden Arm Chairs - Hunter Green
By Richard Frinier, Brown Jordan
Located in St. Louis, MO
“Florentine” pattern one of the most sought after of the Brown Jordan designs by Richard Frinier, circa late 80s. Pair of patio or garden dining arm chairs . Round table in separat...
Aluminum
Walter Lamb Square Lounge Chair
By Walter Lamb
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Walter Lamb Bronze and Rope Lounge Chair Manufactured by Brown Jordan Beautiful natural patina
Bronze
$5,000 / set
H 30.25 in W 21.63 in D 24.63 in
Tadao Inouye for Brown Jordan Kantan Patio Table and four Chairs
By Tadao Inouye, Brown Jordan
Located in Denton, TX
Vintage set of four of Tadao Inouye for Brown Jordan Kantan dining chairs with round dining table Fully restored with new black powder coat on the frame ...
Metal
Meadowcraft Dogwood Garden Patio Poolside Spring Seat Lounge Chair
By Meadowcraft
Located in New York, NY
Wrought iron and metal mesh spring seat lounge chair by Meadowcraft, in the Dogwood pattern, circa 1950 - 1960's. The chair is in very good, original estat...
Wrought Iron
Pair of Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan Bronze Patio Wide Lounge Chairs
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of wide patio lounge chairs by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The chairs have a simple construction of tubular bronze with a patinated finish, with rounded squares serving as run...
Bronze
Bronze Patio Sleigh Chair & Ottoman by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A low lounge chair, known as the “Sleigh Chair,” by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The chair comes with an ottoman that slides beneath the chair seat for easy storage. A continuous length of tubular bronze serves as the frame of a scooped seat, bends beneath the chair to form two runners. A curved support bar stretches below the seat, which is wrapped horizontally with cotton sail cord. All Walter Lamb patio furniture has been restored with the utmost attention to the designer’s original specifications. We rope all seating...
Bronze
Early Model Bronze Patio Lounge Chair by Walter Lamb
By Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A 1940s Walter Lamb lounge chair predating his partnership with Brown Jordan, this piece has an angled backrest bisecting two rounded runner a...
Bronze
Four Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan Lounge Chairs and One Ottoman
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A set of four early production (original) lounge chairs by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan and one ottoman with gorgeous natural patina developed over decades of natural aging, priced f...
Copper
Pacific Iron Lounge Chair
By Pacific Iron, Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Walter lamb for pacific iron low lounge chair. Measure: Seat height 16 inches.
Iron
Sleigh Chair and Ottoman by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan, c 1960
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This rare set of 'Sleigh' chairs and ottomans by Walter Lamb are sought-after early production (1960s original) examples by Brown Jordan with gorgeous natural patina developed over d...
Copper
Sold
H 30.5 in W 24 in L 30.5 in
Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan Copper Lounge Chairs with New Rope Cording, c. 1960
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A set of four early production (original) lounge chairs by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan with gorgeous natural patina developed over decades of natural aging, offered and priced indiv...
Copper
Walter Lamb Chaise Lounges Model C-4700, circa 1960
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Walter Lamb chaise lounges model C-4700 for Brown Jordan, circa 1960. Beautiful matching Verdigris patina to each bronze frame.
Bronze
Single Wide Lounge Chair by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wide patio lounge chair by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The chair has a simple construction in tubular bronze with a patinated finish, with rounded squares serving as runners on e...
Bronze
Pair of Walter Lamb Sleigh Chairs with Single Ottoman
By Walter Lamb, Brown Jordan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A pair of low lounge chairs, known as the “Sleigh Chair” by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The pair comes with a single ottoman that slides beneath the cha...
Bronze
Single Walter Lamb Patio Lounge Chair and Ottoman Set
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wide patio lounge chair with matching ottoman by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan. The set has a simple construction in tubular bronze with a patinated finish, with rounded squares ser...
Bronze
Early Model Bronze Patio Lounge Chair by Walter Lamb
By Brown Jordan, Walter Lamb
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A 1940s Walter Lamb lounge chair predating his partnership with Brown Jordan, this piece has an angled backrest bisecting two rounded runner a...
Bronze