1970
s Roger Sprunger for Dunbar Office Executive Leather Desk Chair
About the Item
- Creator:Dunbar Furniture (Manufacturer),Roger Sprunger (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 43 in (109.22 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 30.5 in (77.47 cm)Seat Height: 19 in (48.26 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970 s
- Condition:Repaired: The leather on the left arm was repaired and blended as shown in the images. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Burbank, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7064235800442
Dunbar Furniture
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.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Linen, Ash
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Ash
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s American Club Chairs
Mohair, Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Bouclé, Mahogany
Vintage 1960s American Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Walnut
More From This Seller
View AllVintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Aluminum
1990s German Post-Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Brass
2010s Chinese Louis XVI Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Metal
