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Edward Wormley Dressers

American, 1907-1995

As the longtime director of design for the Dunbar furniture company, Edward Wormley was, along with such peers as George Nelson at Herman Miller Inc., and Florence Knoll of Knoll Inc., one of the leading forces in bringing modern design into American homes in the mid-20th century. Not an axiomatic modernist, Wormley deeply appreciated traditional design, and consequently his vintage seating, storage cabinets, bar carts and other work has an understated warmth and a timeless quality that sets it apart from other furnishings of the era.

Wormley was born in rural Illinois and as a teenager took correspondence courses from the New York School of Interior Design. He later attended the Art Institute of Chicago but ran out of money for tuition before he could graduate. Marshall Field hired Wormley in 1930 to design a line of reproduction 18th-century English furniture; the following year he was hired by the Indiana-based Dunbar, where he quickly distinguished himself. It was a good match.

Dunbar was an unusual firm: it did not use automated production systems; its pieces were mostly hand-constructed. For his part, Wormley did not use metal as a major component of furniture; he liked craft elements such as caned seatbacks, tambour drawers, or the woven-wood cabinet fronts seen on his Model 5666 sideboard of 1956. He designed two lines for Dunbar each year — one traditional, one modern — until 1944, by which time the contemporary pieces had become the clear best sellers.

Many of Wormley’s signature pieces — chairs, sofas, tables and more — are modern interpretations of traditional forms. His 1946 Riemerschmid Chair — an example is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art — recapitulates a late 19th-century German design. The long, slender finials of his Model 5580 dining chairs are based on those of Louis XVI chairs; his Listen-to-Me Chaise (1948) has a gentle Rococo curve; the “Precedent” line that Wormley designed for Drexel Furniture in 1947 is a simplified, pared-down take on muscular Georgian furniture. But he could invent new forms, as his Magazine table of 1953, with its bent wood pockets, and his tiered Magazine Tree (1947), both show. And Wormley kept his eye on design currents, creating a series of tables with tops that incorporate tiles and roundels by the great modern ceramicists Otto and Gertrud Natzler.

As the vintage items on 1stDibs demonstrate, Edward Wormley conceived of a subdued sort of modernism, designing furniture that fits into any decorating scheme and does not shout for attention.

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Creator: Edward Wormley
Dunbar Chest with Natzler Tiles by Edward Wormley
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare chest designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Solid walnut construction with exposed joinery and brass pulls with ceramic tiles by greta and Otto Natzler.
Category

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Walnut

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley for Dunbar Dresser
By Edward Wormley
Located in Boston, MA
Edward Wormely for Dunbar dresser, circa 1950s. Presented in mahogany, showing lovely woodgrain details. Five drawers with dovetail joints. Perfect smaller size. Leather wrapped plin...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Classic Edward Wormley for Dunbar Chest of Drawers/ Dresser
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Stunning walnut Dunbar chest designed by Edward Wormley. Four large scale drawers. Legs feature Japanese style- studio/ craftsman details. Leather wrapped handles (dark brown) show s...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Edward Wormley, Chest of Drawers, Mahogany, USA, 1950s
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in High Point, NC
A mahogany chest of drawers or dresser, designed by Edward Wormley and produced by Dunbar, Indiana, USA, c. 1950s.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley for Drexel 'Precedent' Highboy Dresser
By Edward Wormley
Located in Boston, MA
Edward Wormley for Drexel Precedent' Highboy Dresser by Drexel, circa 1950s. Features 7 drawers with original brass pulls and dividers. Clean, simple lines, structurally sound. Good ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Wood

Chest by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A walnut dresser with sculpted drawer fronts and rosewood handles and brass feet. Designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.
Category

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Walnut

Restored Edward Wormley Dunbar Walnut & Leather 8-Drawer Dresser or Cabinet
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This dresser was designed by decorated design icon Edward Wormly for equally revered manufacturer Dunbar Furniture. Known for hundreds of successful designs and exceptional quality, ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Chest by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A walnut dresser with rosewood handle and brass feet. Designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.
Category

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Walnut

Mid Century Dresser by Edward Wormley for Drexel, Precedent Series, 1950's
By Edward Wormley
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Beautiful mid century dresser by Edward Wormley for Drexel. This piece is from the Precedent series circa 1950's, very rare stained white elm, professionally refinished.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Elm

Dunbar Chest with Natzler Tiles by Edward Wormley
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare chest designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Solid walnut construction with exposed joinery and brass pulls with ceramic tiles by greta and Otto Natzler. Matching dresser avai...
Category

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Walnut

Dunbar Chest with Natzler Tiles by Edward Wormley
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare chest designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Solid walnut construction with exposed joinery and brass pulls with ceramic tiles by greta and Otto Natzler. Matching dresser ava...
Category

1950s Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Walnut

Edward Wormley for Drexel Precedent Dresser Set
By Edward Wormley
Located in Denton, TX
Edward Wormley for Drexel Precedent 10 and 5 Drawer Dresser Set. These dressers are made of stained elm with original solid brass h...
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Wood

Edward Wormley for Dunbar 4-Piece Black Lacquer Asian Modern Modular Credenza
By Renzo Rutili, Dunbar Furniture, John Stuart Inc., Edward Wormley
Located in Chattanooga, TN
At 8' 4" long, this modular credenza by Dunbar is a sight to behold. The fusion of British Colonial, Far East, Regency and Modern create a distinctive harmony, rarely found in such ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Edward Wormley for Drexel Precedent Black Lacquered Bachelor Chest, Refinished
By Drexel, Edward Wormley
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern five-drawer dresser chest By Edward Wormley for Drexel, "Precedent" Collection USA, 1948 Black lacquered elm wood, with original brass hard...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Restored Edward Wormley Dunbar White Enamel Walnut Leather Cabinet Dresser 1950s
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A stunning large double dresser in restored white enamel case, with warmly contrasting figured and book-matched walnut drawer fronts, having brown leather wrapped handles. This well-...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Enamel

Edward Wormley Ebonized Dresser for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Edward Wormley for Dunbar, c.1970s, USA. The mahogany dresser has been newly refinished and ebonized. It features three smaller drawers along the top of the dresser and four full len...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Low Chest in Walnut by Edward Wormley
By Edward Wormley
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A beautiful low chest by Edward Wormley for Dunbar ca' 1960's. Walnut with excellent graining, floating long rosewood handles with a sculpted design, brass sabots. The cabinet's back...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Rosewood, Walnut

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Ebonized Mahogany Dresser Chest, Newly Refinished
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern ebonized mahogany five-drawer chest of drawers By Edward Wormley for Dunbar USA, 1950s Measures: 34.13"W x 20"D x 31"H. Newly refinished...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Edward Wormley Mr. and Mrs. Tambour Chests
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Chicago, IL
Edward Wormley Mr. and Mrs. Tambour Chests, models 4723 and 4724, bleached mahogany cases on leather wrapped plinth bases. One case features 16 drawers ...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Pair of Edward Wormley for Dunbar Matching Dresser Set in Mahogany Wood
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair of Edward Wormley for Dunbar matching dresser set in mahogany wood, model 5272 triple dresser 12-drawer storage with matching smaller companion four dr...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Edward Wormley for Dunbar 12-Drawer Dresser
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Stunning model 5272A by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Bleached mahogany dresser consists of 12 drawers with drawer pulls built out of the sides of the drawers..   
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Edward Wormley, Pair of Rare Dressers, Walnut, Steel, Dunbar, America, 1950s
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of rare modernist cabinets or dressers. In stained walnut, legs in steel. Designed by Edward Wormley. Produced by Dunbar, Berne, Indiana, 1950s. Other designers of the per...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Steel

1950s Bleached Mahogany Chest of Drawers by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant and well proportioned eight (8) drawer bleached mahogany cabinet having distinctive laminated end pulls, on tapered dowel legs.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

1950s Solid Walnut Dresser by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An asymmetrical dresser in solid walnut with exposed finger jointed joinery, having a shelved compartment accessed by bi-fold doors flanked by a b...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Edward J. Wormley Model 5272A Dresser with Brass Taper Legs for Dunbar
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful dresser designed by Edward J. Wormley for Dunbar in the United States circa 1950’s. Featuring twelve spacious drawers that gradually increase in depth. This walnut-stained mahogany wood dresser features laminated bentwood pulls along the sides of the drawers that match the raised lip...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Six-Drawer Dresser
By Edward Wormley
Located in Ferndale, MI
Edward Wormley for Dunbar Six Drawer Dresser . Nicely configured shallow to deep graduated drawers .
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Walnut, Wood

Early Edward Wormley for Dunbar Chest of Drawers
By Edward Wormley
Located in St. Louis, MO
Mahogany chest of drawers with brass octagonal ring pulls, designed by Edward Wormley in late 1930s.
Category

1930s American Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Chest of Drawers by Edward Wormley
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant and well proportioned eight (8) drawer cabinet in ebonized mahogany, having distinctive laminated end pulls, on tapered dowel legs.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Pair of Mid Century Edward Wormley Drexel Precedent Black Ebonized Dressers
By Edward Wormley
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Mid Century Edward Wormley Drexel Precedent Black Ebonized 6 Drawer Dresser An exceptional mid-century modern six-drawer black lowboy ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Refinished Walnut and Brass Dresser by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, C 1965, Signed
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautifully refinished walnut and brass dresser by Edward Wormley for Dunbar Furniture, circa 1965. Signed with the Dunbar brass emblem in one of the pull-out drawers. This class...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Three Storage Cabinets by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Completely Original.
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Kansas City, MO
Edward Wormley for Dunbar Storage cabinets / dressers. Original bleached mahogany finish with solid brass pulls. Very good completely original condition. All three for $6850! Tw...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Brass

Edward Wormley Precedent Dresser for Drexel
By Edward Wormley, Drexel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Small chest of drawers from Drexel’s notable Precedent line, one of the few collections Edward Wormley produced outside of his work with Dunbar. The stately collection comprised over 100 pieces for each room of the home, featuring proprietary curled bar pulls in polished brass. This example in a dark stained elm wood has six drawers, with one top drawer and the third drawer down...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Beech, Elm

Expertly Restored - Edward J. Wormley Model-5562 Two-Tone Dresser for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Edward J. Wormley Model-5562 two-tone dresser for Dunbar. ________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history bac...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Wood, Mahogany

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Triple Dresser in Mahogany Wood
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Chicago, IL
Edward Wormley for Dunbar triple dresser in mahogany wood,1952 Model 5272 features 12-drawer storage with solid turned tapered legs and curved pulls. Labe...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Edward Wormley Dressers

Materials

Mahogany

Edward Wormley dressers for sale on 1stDibs.

Edward Wormley dressers 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 Edward Wormley dressers, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original dressers by Edward Wormley were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider dressers by Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Company, and John Stuart. Prices for Edward Wormley dressers can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,900 and can go as high as $16,800, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,800.

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