Ward Bennett created everything from interiors and furniture to textiles and flatware. The unsung New York City-born modernist designer drew on the work of Le Corbusier and Auguste Rodin, studied art with the likes of Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann and counted legendary American luxury house Tiffany & Co. among his clients. For decades, Bennett created and filled spaces that were elegant, minimalist and deeply appealed to everyone who laid eyes on them.
Bennett left home and school at the young age of 13. He found work in Manhattan’s Garment District, and within a few years, Bennett traveled to Europe on behalf of a clothing manufacturer to gather ideas for modern garments. He lived abroad as a young man, and when he returned to New York, during the early 1940s, he assisted fashion entrepreneur Hattie Carnegie as a window dresser.
Bennett would also go on to share a sculpture studio with artist Louise Nevelson. He ventured into the world of jewelry design, creating necklaces, bracelets and other pieces with Richard Pousette-Dart. The Whitney Museum of American Art exhibited his sculptures, and it wouldn’t be long before the Museum of Modern Art included Bennett’s personal adornments with accessories by the likes of Alexander Calder, Harry Bertoia and Anni Albers in its 1946 “Modern Handmade Jewelry” show.
Bennett didn’t take the plunge into interior design work until he was 30 years old — his inaugural project was an apartment in Manhattan and his clients were family members. He had no formal training in architecture or decorating — and would ultimately design a mere handful of houses in his life — so for his inviting leather office chairs, marble-topped tables and sleek storage cabinets, Bennett relied only on what he learned in the fashion world. Soon, every time he redecorated his own home — an elaborate apartment comprising former maids’ quarters in New York City’s magnificent Dakota building — it earned splashy coverage in the newspapers.
Bennett’s client list eventually included David Rockefeller and Chase Manhattan Bank, Tiffany & Co., Sasaki, Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli, and others, and during the 1970s he became in-house designer for Brickel Associates, a role that would endure for more than two decades. His work is on permanent view at the Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Ward Bennett seating, decorative objects and more.
Ward Bennett Burlwood Cabinet for Brickel Associates Inc.
By Ward Bennett, Geiger International, Brickel Associates
Located in Amarillo, TX
Ward Bennett nine drawer cabinet Brickell Furniture burlwood USA c 1960s Nine drawer cabinet with inset chrome ring handles, includes two...
Olive
ALF Pisa Collection Cabinet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Gorgeous laquered cabinet with polished chrome accents. Master craftsmanship brings multiple wood grain inlays to make a great modern design. Made by ...
Walnut
$6,963 / item
H 45.28 in W 60.24 in D 20.08 in
Basalto cabinet, in green ash wood by Accardi Buccheri for Medulum
By Mauro Accardi & Silvia Buccheri
Located in Meolo, Venezia
A journey through the ancient history of earth, to search the origin of earth’s surface creation. Most of the oceanic crust is made up of an incredibly resistant volcanic rock: basalt. This rock is generated by the rapid cooling of the lava flows, basalt is often visible in its columnar conformation, examples are visible all over the world, spectacular formations with an artificial appearance. Basalto is a collection of containers inspired by the sculptural ability of nature itself, it consists of two monolithic cabinets...
Brass
Pair of Midcentury Italian Rosewood Cabinets
Located in Troy, MI
Pair of circa 1960s Italian rosewood cabinets. Each cabinet features two storage compartments with a single interior shelf and hinged doors with streamlined brass hardware. Unknown m...
Brass
$22,000
H 35 in W 97.5 in D 18 in
Torbjorn Afdal Book-Matched Brazilian Rosewood Cabinet for Bruksbo of Norway
By Torbjørn Afdal, Bruksbo
Located in Dallas, TX
Spectacular vintage 1960s book-matched, double bleached Brazilian rosewood credenza with mirror-polished plinth base. This cabinet was custom ordered from Bruksbo of Norway...
Rosewood
Midcentury French Modernist Cabinet Vaisselier, 1950s
Located in Paris, IDF
Warm light brown oak and rich copper form a beautiful color palette in this cabinet vaisselier from the 1950s. On the front and top of the cabinet, the oak displays a striped lightwood/dark wood pattern that feels fun and very much of the era, while the recessed portions of the oak appear to shift into burnt orange for a subtle injection of natural color. Opening the door at the front of the cabinet, a series of small drawers are revealed for hidden storage and organization; the left side of the cabinet is formed by transparent glass, ideal for stowing decorative items or glassware, as well as giving the piece a sense of being filled with light. Though it was created by an unknown French craftsman, this piece is reminiscent of avant-garde designer Jean Royere’s work. Place it in your living room for a unique midcentury French modernist...
Copper
$7,104 / item
H 45.28 in W 60.24 in D 20.08 in
Basalto cabinet, in pink lacquered wood by Accardi Buccheri for Medulum
By Mauro Accardi & Silvia Buccheri
Located in Meolo, Venezia
A journey through the ancient history of earth, to search the origin of earth’s surface creation. Most of the oceanic crust is made up of an incredibly resistant volcanic rock: basalt. This rock is generated by the rapid cooling of the lava flows, basalt is often visible in its columnar conformation, examples are visible all over the world, spectacular formations with an artificial appearance. Basalto is a collection of containers inspired by the sculptural ability of nature itself, it consists of two monolithic cabinets...
Brass
$48,500
H 31.75 in W 42 in D 21.75 in
Paul Evans 'PE-32' Patchwork Copper Cabinet with Slate Top for Directional, 1968
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning 'PE-32' copper clad bar cabinet on casters by Paul Evans for Directional, produced in 1968 per original receipt which we have a copy of...
Brass, Copper, Pewter
$5,975 / item
H 28.75 in W 48 in D 18 in
Dovetail for Sonos Vinyl Storage Cabinet 3 x 1.5 with Equipment Shelf
By Andrew Forseth, Matt Richmond, Blake Tovin
Located in Nyack, NY
Our Dovetail vinyl storage cabinets with equipment shelves are sized to fit the most popular Sonos speakers and works with Sonos one, play 1, play 3, play 5, Beam, Playbase & Playbar. The drawers in our Dovetail cabinets...
Brass
Drexel Declaration Walnut and Cane Cabinet
By Drexel, Kipp Stewart & Stewart MacDougall
Located in Denton, TX
Drexel declaration walnut & cane cabinet designed by Stewart MacDougall and Kipp Stewart. Iconic design with walnut and cane- which is very r...
Cane, Walnut
Art Deco American of Martinsville Burlwood Mirror China Cabinet
By American of Martinsville
Located in Chicago, IL
Art Deco American of Martinsville burlwood mirror China cabinet Stunning Art Deco American of Martinsville mirrored olive wood burl ch...
Brass
$8,755 / item
H 43.875 in W 63.375 in D 18 in
Dovetail for Sonos Vinyl Storage Cabinet 4 x 2.5 with Equipment Shelf
By Matt Richmond, Andrew Forseth, Blake Tovin
Located in Nyack, NY
Our Dovetail Vinyl storage cabinets with equipment shelves are sized to fit the most popular Sonos speakers and works with Sonos one, play 1, play 3, play 5, beam, Playbase & Pla...
Brass
$6,825 / item
H 28.75 in W 63.375 in D 18 in
Dovetail for Sonos Vinyl Storage Cabinet 4 x 1.5 with Equipment Shelf
By Matt Richmond, Andrew Forseth, Blake Tovin
Located in Nyack, NY
Our Dovetail Vinyl storage cabinets with equipment shelves are sized to fit the most popular Sonos speakers and works with Sonos one, play 1, play 3, play 5, beam, playbase and playb...
Brass
H Frame Storage Cabinet by Ward Bennett for Geiger, USA, 2000s
By Ward Bennett, Geiger International
Located in Skokie, IL
H Frame Storage Cabinet by Ward Bennett for Geiger, USA, 2000s. Ward Bennett devised this modular approach to storage, with flexible units of open shelving, enclosed cabinets, file d...
Chrome
Sold
H 29 in W 68 in D 18 in
Mid-Century Modern Ward Bennett for Lehigh Furniture Walnut Pair Credenzas 1965
By Lehigh Furniture Company, Ward Bennett
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a custom-made, pair of walnut wood credenzas, designed by Ward Bennett or Warren Platner for Lehigh Furniture Co, circa 1965. In excellent condition. The di...
Walnut
Sold
H 29 in W 65 in D 18 in
Mid-Century Modern Ward Bennett for Lehigh Furniture Walnut Credenza, 1965
By Lehigh Furniture Company, Ward Bennett
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a custom-made, walnut wood credenza, designed by Ward Bennett or Warren Platner for Lehigh Furniture Co, circa 1965. In excellent condition. The dimensions ...
Walnut