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Dunbar Lighting

American

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.

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Creator: Dunbar
Edward Wormley for Dunbar Floor Lamp with Incorporated Table 1954 (Signed)
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in New York, NY
Floor lamp model 5410 with incorporated table in walnut with book-matched Carpathian elm and solid brass base by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, 1954 (signed “Dunbar Berne Indiana” on lab...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Lighting

Materials

Brass

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Floor Lamp
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Floor lamp designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Features a "snack" table base consisting of brass legs, walnut stem, carpathian elm burl wood table top trimmed in walnut. Light com...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Lighting

Materials

Brass

Dunbar Snack Table Floor Lamp, Model 4856, Designed by Edward Wormley
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Hanover, MA
Rare Dunbar floor lamp/snack table combo, Model 4856, designed by Edward Wormley circa 1948. Original Dunbar tag on underside. Slender tapered walnut leg and lamp stem. Round top, 25...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Dunbar Lighting

Materials

Brass

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Dunbar lighting for sale on 1stDibs.

Dunbar lighting are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Dunbar lighting, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original lighting by Dunbar were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider lighting by Edward Wormley, Paul McCobb, and C. Jeré Artisan House. Prices for Dunbar lighting can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $5,900 and can go as high as $7,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,900.
Questions About Dunbar Lighting
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Dunbar furniture is made in High Point, North Carolina. The original location of the company was Berne, Indiana. Its relocation occurred after Currey & Co. bought Dunbar from founder James Wormley in 1970. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Dunbar furniture.

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