Pair of Two-Tone Maple Wood Nightstands by Russel Wright
View Similar Items
Pair of Two-Tone Maple Wood Nightstands by Russel Wright
About the Item
- Creator:Russel Wright (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 32 in (81.28 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Newly refinished.
- Seller Location:Pasadena, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU82584680743
Russel Wright
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.
- Pair of White Nightstands by HenredonBy HenredonLocated in Pasadena, CAThis matching pair of white lacquer nightstands features drop-down front drawers, which also provide storage when closed. Each unit has a black lacquered and brass knob. They are wel...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsBrass
$1,600 Sale Price / set27% Off - Wood and Brass Nightstand by John Keal for Brown-SaltmanBy John Keal, Brown SaltmanLocated in Pasadena, CAPrecious night stand by John Keal for Brown-Saltman. Drawers are made of particleboard looking very much like cork, accented with a sculptural brass pull. Retains original labels.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsBrass
$1,280 Sale Price20% Off - 1960s Black Stained Walnut Four-Drawers Nightstand by Edward Wormley for DrexelBy DrexelLocated in Pasadena, CAThis mid-century nightstand of black stained walnut features steel drawer pulls and drawers in graduating sizes. The largest drawer, at the bottom, measures 7.50 inches high and the ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsSteel
$950 Sale Price20% Off - Pair of Blonde Oak Nightstands by LaneBy Lane FurnitureLocated in Pasadena, CAThis pair of mid-century nightstands features one drawer and a space to store books or magazines. They show the manufacturer's stamp and, what is very rare the past owner kept the ma...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsOak
- Matte White Circular Fiberglass Side TableLocated in Pasadena, CAThe base of this matte white fiberglass table is filled with concrete for more stability.Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsConcrete
- Pair of Dark Stained Solid Birch Nightstands/Side Tables- 1950sLocated in Pasadena, CAThese nightstands/side tables boast clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic that seamlessly blends form and function. Crafted from solid birch, each piece is thoughtfully designed wit...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBirch
- Pair of Mid-Century Modern Design Russel Wright Red Lacquer NightstandsBy Russel Wright, Conant BallLocated in BROOKLYN, NYPair of Mid-Century Modern design Russel Wright Dark Red lacquer Single drawer nightstands. Made from solid maple. Designed by the famous architect Russel Wright. In original conditi...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsWood, Maple, Lacquer
- Russel Wright for Conant Ball Mid Century Maple NightstandBy Conant Ball, Russel WrightLocated in Countryside, ILRussel Wright for Conant Ball Mid Century Maple nightstand This nightstand measures: 22 wide x 19 deep x 25 inches high All pieces of furn...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsMaple
- Pair of Mid-Century Modern Two Doors Nightstands by HenredonBy HenredonLocated in Rockaway, NJPair of Mid-Century Modern nightstands tables by Henredon in medium walnut finish. Featuring large decorative brass hardware section with pulls.Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern End Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Mid-Century French Nightstands In Birch WoodBy N.F. AmeublementLocated in Haddonfield, NJA pair of French design nightstands or small night tables in birch wood with the original brass handles and light warm pink glass on top. This unusual pair of vintage nightstands wer...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsMetal, Brass
$1,560 Sale Price / set20% Off - Pair of Nightstand White Lacquer Bamboo and Wood by DUX, Sweden, 1960By Dux of SwedenLocated in Paris, FRPair of nightstand white lacquer bamboo and wood by DUX, Sweden, 1960. Rare model in "torsade" wood in white lacquer on wheels. Good conditionCategory
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsBamboo, Rattan, Wood
- Pair of Vintage Walnut Nightstands by HokeBy Hoke Wood ProductsLocated in Brooklyn, NYStylish pair of midcentury American walnut nightstands by Hoke Wood Products make a unique addition to any interior as nightstands or end table. Spacious storage cabinets, unique dru...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
MaterialsWalnut
$1,600 / set
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Welcome Back to Designer Russel Wright’s Mid-Century Hudson Valley Home
The industrial designer was known for his sleek, modern dinnerware, but his 1961 house and the landscape around it may be his most astonishing creation.
Why This L.A. Designer Prefers Soulful Sophistication over Snobbism
Mallery Roberts Morgan practices a singular brand of creative fluidity as a writer and a quietly influential interior designer.