103: EDWARD WORMLEY, desk, model 5735 and chair, model 5717 < Design, 22 October 2015 < Auctions

Design

22 October 2015

Design

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103

Edward Wormley
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desk, model 5735 and chair, model 5717

Dunbar
USA, c. 1957
walnut, stained walnut, mahogany, leather, brass 29 h × 63¼ w × 28 d in (74 × 161 × 71 cm)

estimate: $7,000–9,000

result: $8,750

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Chair measures: 21 w x 23 d x 35.5 h inches; desk features five drawers. Signed with applied gold rectangular manufacturer's label to each example: [Dunbar Berne, Indiana].
provenance: Wyeth, New York | Important private collection
literature: Edward J. Wormley Designs for Dunbar, manufacturer's catalog, unpaginated

Edward Wormley 1907–1995

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Born in rural Illinois in 1907, Edward Wormley’s interest in design originated early in life and led him to later study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Due to financial reasons, Wormley dropped out after 2 years and began his first job in an interior design studio before joining the Indiana-based Dunbar Furniture Company where he served as director of design for nearly 40 years.

Following World War II, Wormley became an independent consultant branching out to design textiles, globe stands, and showrooms. He designed award winning collections for Drexel Furniture Company and was included in the Good Design shows of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Characteristic of his design elements were functional engineering, decorative laminated plywood, and unconventional upholstery.

Wormley characteristically honored aesthetic qualities, following influences of Scandinavian modernism, while maintaining utilitarian qualities and “designing for the needs” of others. His work is timeless and of the highest quality. Wormley died in 1995, but his legacy is celebrated in collections including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Montreal.

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