Raymor Decorative Art
Few had their finger on the pulse of American furniture like importer and distributor Raymor. Founder Irving Richards first had his eyes opened to the world of furniture while attending the 1928 Salon d’Automne art and design fair in Paris. He joined Lightolier two years later and developed its business relationships, including with designer Russel Wright.
Wright and Richards met in 1935 and Russel Wright, Inc. was formed in 1936. Its American Modern ceramic tableware, produced under the name Wright Accessories in 1938, was a notably lucrative collaboration. Following the early success of American Modern, Richards obtained the majority share of Wright Accessories and changed its name to Raymor Mfg Division Inc. in 1941.
By 1952, the exclusivity over American Modern had ended (the line was initially produced by Wright Associates and later manufactured by Steubenville for two decades). To keep up with American markets, Raymor worked with prominent designers such as George Nelson, Arthur Umanoff, Ray and Charles Eames, and Hans J. Wegner.
The company’s imports expanded to Denmark, which contributed to the rise of Scandinavian modern designs in the American market. Throughout the 1950s, Richards established relationships with factories in Scandinavia, Italy and Germany, as well as with the influential tastemaker and importer Charles Stendig.
The furniture company Simmons bought Raymor in 1963 and changed its name to Raymor Richards, Morgenthau Inc. in 1969. During that time, Raymor’s Omnibus range of Scandinavian-style wall units became widely popular, along with Italian glass and pottery like Bitossi ceramics designed by Aldo Londi and Bagni ceramics by Alvino Bagni.
Shifting styles coupled with rising competition, and the departure of Richards from the company, ended Raymor. By the late 1970s, Raymor faced a wave of international factories able to produce similar products of lesser quality for a lower cost. Buyers were eager to frequently change their interior styles, limiting the need for high-end, durable furniture, which Raymor had been importing.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Raymor ceramics, lamps, decorative objects and more.
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic
19th Century French Antique Raymor Decorative Art
Wood
Late 19th Century Scottish Victorian Antique Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic, Paint
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Raymor Decorative Art
Clay
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Raymor Decorative Art
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic, Stoneware
Early 20th Century Raymor Decorative Art
Late 20th Century French Raymor Decorative Art
Ceramic
1890s Italian Belle Époque Antique Raymor Decorative Art
Majolica
