Edward Wormley Bench for Dunbar
About the Item
- Creator:Dunbar Furniture (Cabinetmaker)
- Dimensions:Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 49 in (124.46 cm)Depth: 19 in (48.26 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Reupholstered. Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:San Francisco, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU812521430902
Dunbar Furniture
Revered for its handcrafted and highly collectible mid-century modern sofas, coffee tables and other furnishings, Dunbar Furniture was founded in 1910 in Berne, Indiana, but it didn’t gain widespread recognition until the ’30s, following the introduction of its president to a designer who would leave an indelible mark on the company’s legacy: Edward Wormley.
After a stint at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Oswego, Illinois-born Wormley worked as an interior designer for Marshall Field’s before joining Dunbar in 1931. Initially focused on developing the company’s cheapest furniture line, which could be bought with soap coupons, he was soon leading Dunbar Furniture into a new era of residential furniture for modern American homes. He would serve as the company’s design director for over three decades, designing about 150 pieces each year.
During that time, he oversaw the production of designs in a wide range of materials, with influences ranging from Scandinavian modernism to Art Deco. There were modern upholstery pieces, like swiveling lounge chairs and low-slung sofas, and experiments with textural wood on bar carts and cabinets as well as minimal, sculptural tables and functional office furniture. A passionate collector of Tiffany Studios lamps, Wormley used their glass tiles in Dunbar tables in 1956. He also worked on the reproduction of pieces by designers such as Jean-Michel Frank and Richard Riemerschmid.
One standout Dunbar Furniture collection was Janus, introduced in the 1960s, with Austrian-born ceramicists Otto and Gertrud Natzler. These pieces see the Natzlers’ uniquely artful ceramic tiles set into several styles of wooden tables. They remain some of the most sought-after mid-century modern Dunbar pieces on the vintage market today. During the peak of his design career and, indeed, the height of Dunbar Furniture’s history, Wormley amassed a whopping 30 Good Design awards between 1950 and 1955 through the “Good Design” exhibition, hosted by the Chicago Merchandise Mart and the Museum of Modern Art. Dunbar today produces a limited selection of archival Wormley designs, but many sales of original Dunbar pieces are through the resale market.
Find a collection of authentic vintage Dunbar Furniture today on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Mohair, Mahogany
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Ash, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Twill, Walnut
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Upholstery, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
Textile, Zebra Wood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Settees
Upholstery, Ash, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Wood
Vintage 1950s Benches
Brass
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Cane, Oak
Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
