By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Before this desk was built in the early 1950s, top-class American furniture design was typically unrecognizable compared to the mid century design that exploded in the late 1950s. Across the pond in Europe, the mid century revolution had already happened, yielding huge success in the form of designers and architects like Ettore Sottsass and many more. This inspired Dunbar to produce this desk: one of the most conservatively designed Dunbar models ever at the time. Then, it probably looked incredibly sleek and handsome. Now, it stands as a piece of history not only for Dunbar, but for American design as a whole.
In classic Dunbar fashion, the construction of the desk is absolutely in the top of its class. Known for overbuilt pieces, this desk takes it to another level. A frame of black enameled square tubular steel supports a mahogany cabinet with four drawers of the same material, attached with beautiful solid brass hardware. The top is of a rare form of walnut called tawi, which has an interesting grain structure that's visibly more smooth than figured walnut, and is secured to the base with no less than 12 high-quality brass screws. The hinges for the drop side are also uncessesarily intricate, and feature exceptional stability and smoothness. When the drop side is extended, it feels like a perfect natural extension of the main work surface. To top it all off, the drop side has sliding support panel on the underside made of solid rosewood, one of the most expensive and premium woods. Signed in the interior of the second drawer with a metal label. An extraordinary construction for an extraordinary piece of history.
In good condition. Top has been refinished and is ready for another generation of use. Structurally excellent. Drawers slide smoothly with almost no dip when extended. Drop side is sturdy and hinges feel great.
If desired, we can restore this desk even more. We can repaint the frame black, we can refinish the cabinet, polish brass, etc. As it stands, it has a nice original patina that adds to the character of the desk. Let us know what you'd likle to see! We have decades of experience restoring vintage furniture...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Walnut Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
