Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9

Dunbar Edward Wormley Deep Blue Alpaca Sofa Mid-Century Modern

$16,000
£12,132.03
€14,012.35
CA$22,448.98
A$25,007.66
CHF 13,191.15
MX$303,225.60
NOK 167,810.40
SEK 156,326.02
DKK 104,635.68

About the Item

SALE ONE WEEK ONLY Rare Mid-Century Rich Royal Blue Alpaca Three-seat Sofa by Edward Wormley for Dunbar sits on square chrome legs. It has one tufted seat cushion and three loose back cushions and is covered in luxurious Alpaca fabric that maintains its rich color. Edward Wormley was an American designer for Dunbar Furniture. This sofa is an elegant and sophisticated structure with fully extended arm rests. In 1926 Wormley studied briefly at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before working as an interior designer for Marshall Fields & Company department store in Chicago. When he was introduced to the president of the Dunbar Furniture Company of Berne, Indiana, he was hired to upgrade their product line. And he did. With his creative designs, he made Dunbar’s name and furniture one to be admired, respected and desired. Wormley's inclusion in the Good Design Exhibitions staged by the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Merchandise Mart in Chicago between 1950 and 1955 elevated him to a respected place alongside more cutting edge designers like Bertoia, Nelson and Eames. Wormley understood the essential elements of Modernism but never limited himself to one ideology. His furniture represented a convergence of historical design and 20th century innovation that greatly appeals to today's collectors.
  • Creator:
    Edward Wormley (Designer)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 28 in (71.12 cm)Width: 85 in (215.9 cm)Depth: 33 in (83.82 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:
    1960s
  • Condition:
    This exceptional sofa is in an absolutely lovely condition and will enhance the atmosphere of whatever room in which it is placed lending a simple yet elegant sophistication.
  • Seller Location:
    Bloomfield Hills, MI
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU7781232474262

More From This Seller

View All
"Wassily" Club Chairs B3 Designed by Marcel Breuer Set of Two Chrome & Leather
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
Wassily Club Chair by Marcel Breuer designed in 1925 - 26 for Knoll also known as the Model B3 chair. Breuer designed this chair while he was the head of the cabinet-making workshop at the Bauhaus, in Dessau, Germany. These chairs are in excellent condition and as strong and beautiful as when they were first created. Inspired by the frame of a bicycle and influenced by the constructivist theories of the De Stjil movement, Marcel Breuer was still an apprentice at the Bauhaus when he reduced the classic club chair to its elemental lines and planes, forever changing the course of furniture design. His revolutionary Wassily chair marries durable leather with the industrial-age aesthetic of cantilevered tubular steel. Functional, simple and distinctly modern. Protégé of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer embodied many of the School's distinctive concepts and was and one of the School's most famous students. He returned to teach carpentry from 1925-1928, during which he designed the tubular-steel furniture collection. His attention drifted towards architecture, and after practicing...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Henrik Worts Erik Worts Danish Mid-Century Modern Mahogany Table & Chairs
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY Rare Mid-Century Modern dining table and eight dining chairs with black leather seats by Erik Worts for Henrik Worts Mobelsnedkeri, Denmark. A beautiful hand-c...
Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Leather, Rosewood

Bertoia Diamond Chairs, White, Set of Two, Welded & Painted Steel
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY Bertoia Diamond Chairs, White, Set of Two, Welded & Painted Steel. They are as elegant, strong and functional as when they were manufactured. The chairs will add a touch of class to any setting. Harry Bertoia's career began in the 1930s as a student at Cranbrook Academy of Art where he re-established the metal-working studio and later became head of the department before the school closed during WWII due to wartime restrictions on materials in 1943. During the war, Bertoia moved to California and is credited with developing new techniques for molding plywood with Charles and Ray Eames also from Cranbrook. Harry Bertoia is one of the many well-known artists and designers who attended The Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, The school & buildings were designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. It is the country’s top ranked, graduate-only program in architecture, design and fine art. Each year, just 75 students are invited to study and live on the landmark Saarinen-designed campus which features: private studios, state-of-the art workshops, the renowned Cranbrook Art Museum and 300 acres of forests, lakes and streams, all a short drive from the city of Detroit. The focus at Cranbrook is on studio practice in one of ten disciplines including Architecture, 2D and 3D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. The program is anchored by celebrated Artists- and Designers-in-Residence, one for each discipline, all of whom live and practice on campus alongside the graduate students. Numerous creative artists who are alumni of Cranbrook include: Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Nick Cave, Hani Rashid, George Nelson, Urban Jupena (Nationally recognized fiber artist), Artis Lane (the first African-American artist to have her sculpture, "Sojourner Truth," commissioned for the Emancipation Hall in the Capital Visitor Center in Washington DC), Cory Puhlman (televised Pastry Chef extraordinaire), Thom O’Connor (Lithographs), Paul Evans (Brutalist-inspired sculpted metal furnishings), Eugene Caples (small bronze images/abstract), Morris Brose (Bronze Sculptures), Herb Babcock (blown glass), Larry Butcher (mixed media), Lauren Anais Hussey (Abstract), Andrea Eis (film, photography), Lilian Swann Saarinen (Sculpture), Douglas Semivan...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Bertoia, Eight White Welded Steel Chairs with Four Red Cushions
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY This set of eight side chairs & four red cushions are as elegant, strong and functional as when they were manufactured. The colors are bright and the cushions are in very good condition. The chairs will add a touch of class to any setting. Harry Bertoia's career began in the 1930s as a student at Cranbrook Academy of Art where he re-established the metal-working studio and later became head of the department before the school closed during WWII due to wartime restrictions on materials in 1943. During the war, Bertoia moved to California and is credited with developing new techniques for molding plywood with Charles and Ray Eames also from Cranbrook. Harry Bertoia is one of the many well-known artists and designers who attended The Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, The school & buildings were designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. It is the country’s top ranked, graduate-only program in architecture, design and fine art. Each year, just 75 students are invited to study and live on the landmark Saarinen-designed campus which features: private studios, state-of-the art workshops, the renowned Cranbrook Art Museum and 300 acres of forests, lakes and streams, all a short drive from the city of Detroit. The focus at Cranbrook is on studio practice in one of ten disciplines including Architecture, 2D and 3D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. The program is anchored by celebrated Artists- and Designers-in-Residence, one for each discipline, all of whom live and practice on campus alongside the graduate students. Numerous creative artists who are alumni of Cranbrook include: Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Nick Cave, Hani Rashid, George Nelson, Urban Jupena (Nationally recognized fiber artist), Artis Lane (the first African-American artist to have her sculpture, "Sojourner Truth," commissioned for the Emancipation Hall in the Capital Visitor Center in Washington DC), Cory Puhlman (televised Pastry Chef extraordinaire), Thom O’Connor (Lithographs), Paul Evans (Brutalist-inspired sculpted metal furnishings), Eugene Caples (small bronze images/abstract), Morris Brose (Bronze Sculptures), Herb Babcock (blown glass), Larry Butcher (mixed media), Lauren Anais Hussey (Abstract), Andrea Eis (film, photography), Lilian Swann Saarinen (Sculpture), Douglas Semivan...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal, Steel

Tony Rosenthal Abstract Sculpture Blackened Steel Red Blushes
By Tony Rosenthal
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY UNTITLED is an abstract blackened steel sculpture that has a continuous lively movement. The positioning of the heavy metal is suggestive of dance. There are similarities to the sculptors, Robert Sestok and Tony Smith, who both worked in bronze and painted steel with similar cut out pieces and abstract designs. Untitled has a joyous aura and its small size makes it a charming intimate piece. It might have been a maquette for a much larger piece. The design works in this 14" height as it would in a 14' height. There is a Letter of Certification that will accompany the sculpture. Tony Rosenthal (1914 - 2009) is best known for creating a staggering list of monumental public art sculptures. For over seven decades Tony Rosenthal created an arc of sculpture in a variety of sizes, styles and media, including wood, steel, bronze, brass, cement and aluminum. Every day millions see, enjoy and interact with art created by Rosenthal in cities around the world. In New York City alone, five Rosenthal public art sculptures have been beloved and visible 24/7 for over four decades, yet Rosenthal is not a household name. Art dealer Joseph K. Levene, told The New York Times, Tony Rosenthal "reminds me of a character actor. You know the face but not the name. With him, you know the art." Tony Rosenthal dedicated his life to creating art and actively created sculpture everyday in his Southampton, New York studio until he passed away at the age of 94, July 28, 2009. At nine Rosenthal learned the fundamentals of carving sculpture when his mother, an opera singer enrolled him in children's classes at the Art Institute of Chicago where he learned how to carve sculptures in soap. In 1936 Rosenthal earned a B.F.A. from the University of Michigan, and in 1952 became the first instructor of sculpture at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1950 Rosenthal was recipient of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s sculpture award; in 1967, Rosenthal received the outstanding achievement award from the University of Michigan and in 1963 a Ford Foundation Grant. 
After graduating from the University of Michigan, Rosenthal became studio assistant to Alexander Archipenko, the figurative master sculptor, casting bronzes in exchange for sculpture lessons; at night, Rosenthal taught evening classes in drawing and sculpture. In 1939, Rosenthal enrolled at Cranbrook Academy of Art, studying with Carl Milles, Cranbrook's sculptor in residence; there, Rosenthal forged friendships with husband and wife designers Charles Eames and Ray Eames and the sculptor Lilian Swann Saarinen the wife of architect, Eero Saarinen.   Decades later Rosenthal acknowledged his gratitude to Cranbrook by donating his archives to them. The Cranbrook Cube, 1984, a 90" painted aluminum cube is in the Cranbrook Museum collection. In 1942, Rosenthal was drafted into the U.S. Army; while stationed in Paris Rosenthal forged friendships with George Braque, Andre Derain, Le Corbusier and Constantin Brancusi, routinely organizing and accompanying groups of soldiers on studio visits. Through multiple visits to Brancusi's Paris studio, Rosenthal learned to create and forge metal sculpture...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Robert Sestok "Cass Corridor Artist" Detroit Abstract Welded Steel
By Robert Sestok
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
The "Untitled" abstract sculpture by Robert Sestok has a very deliberate aura of strength in its columnar shape. Upon closer inspection details emerge su...
Category

Vintage 1980s American Expressionist Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Steel

You May Also Like

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Janus Collection Angle Sofa in Blue Mohair
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
Such a classic sofa and so beautiful. We gave this beauty an update with gorgeous blue mohair and added piping to better define the edges, making it a pristine addition to any sophis...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Mahogany

Completely Restored Blue Velvet Grand Sofa by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, c1960
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Edward Wormley for Dunbar sofa with tapered rosewood legs and newly upholstered in a plush soft blue velvet. Every inch of this grand sofa has been painstakingly restored/replaced a...
Category

Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Velvet

Two-Tone Blue Mohair Paulo Buffa Mid-Century Modern Italian Sculptural Sofa
By Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern Italian blue mohair sculptural sofa by Paulo Buffa. Very nice Mid-Century Modern form sofa.
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Mohair

Oasis Sofa by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Very Rare. Priced for Reupholstery.
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare, Iconic "Oasis Sofa" designed by Edward Wormley and manufactured by Dunbar, 1950s. Super stylish curved design that's both functional and comfortable. This ultra rare example ...
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery

Dunbar Single Arm Sofa Designed by Edward Wormley
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Palm Desert, CA
This is a wonderful example of a period sofa by Edward Wormley for Dunbar Furniture. Circa 1960s, it is a single left arm sofa and sits on two wood runne...
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Sofa in Blue Velvet
Located in Greenwich, CT
This Mid-Century Modern inspired sofa (known as "The Carlton") was hand built at our studio in Norwalk, Connecticut. The three cushioned sofa features sleek track arms and firm loose...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Velvet