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Warren McArthur Sofas

American, 1885-1961

Few 20th-century designers had influential furniture that regularly flew at 30,000 feet, but Warren McArthur did. His work on seating for military aircraft came near the end of his career, following decades of Machine Age furniture shaped from tubular forms and made of steel, chrome and aluminum.

Warren McArthur Jr. graduated with an engineering degree from Cornell University in 1908. After moving to Los Angeles in 1929, he founded the Warren McArthur Corporation a year later. His initial output of sleek, metal designs were popular in offices and hotels. 

At the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, Americans witnessed a new “Streamlined America” campaign, which included everyday furniture made from metal, opening the door for McArthur and other Machine Age designers to a residential audience. With this increase in demand for metal furniture, the Warren McArthur Corporation relocated to Rome, New York, and sold their aluminum furnishings out of a showroom on Park Avenue in New York City. 

Actors Marlene Dietrich, Fredric March and Clark Gable were among his A-list clientele. McArthur also produced furniture for the dining cars on the Union Pacific Railroad and the Chrysler Headquarters. His designs were featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 1934 exhibition “Contemporary American Industrial Art.”

During World War II, McArthur pivoted production after a ban on the private use of aluminum. McArthur made an estimated three-quarters of all American military aircraft seating, including adjustable seats for the Beechcraft C-45 and revolving seats for navigators aboard the Grumman HU-16 Albatross. 

Warren McArthur closed his business in 1948. He died in 1961.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Warren McArthur armchairs, tables and other seating.

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Creator: Warren McArthur
Industrial Modernist Art Deco Anodized Aluminum Warren McArthur Park Ave Sofa
By Warren McArthur
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Beautiful and rare McArthur sofa created in the early thirties, an icon of the Hollywood era. His signature grid with aluminum curved tubing, tootsie roll armrests and black puck feet are all present on this sofa. Notched tubes and milled washers another feature well represented. This sofa carries his Park Ave...
Category

1930s American Modern Vintage Warren McArthur Sofas

Materials

Aluminum

Slat Back Three-Seat Sofa Warren McArthur 1930's
By Warren McArthur
Located in Camden, ME
A slat back three-seat sofa, an early design by Warren McArthur manufactured in Rome, New York in 1933-1934. The slat back seating of Warren McArthur is his first seating design intr...
Category

1930s American Machine Age Vintage Warren McArthur Sofas

Materials

Aluminum

Warren McArthur Pair of Matched Sofas Model 917-3 s C. 1938
By Warren McArthur Corporation, Warren McArthur
Located in Camden, ME
A Warren McArthur Corporation matched pair of model 917-3 3-seater sofas from the late 30s. The sofas are upholstered in an off white boucle with "tootsie roll" armrests. The design...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Machine Age Warren McArthur Sofas

Materials

Aluminum

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McArthur Terrace Settee
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Warren Mcarthur sofas for sale on 1stDibs.

Warren McArthur sofas are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Warren McArthur sofas, although beige editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original sofas by Warren McArthur were created in the modern style in united states during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider sofas by Lawrence Peabody, Drexel, and Ralph Lauren. Prices for Warren McArthur sofas can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $12,000 and can go as high as $24,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $16,900.

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