Edward J Wormley (December 31, 1907 – November 3, 1995) was an American designer of

modern furniture Modern furniture refers to furniture produced from the late 19th century through the present that is influenced by modernism. Post-World War II ideals of cutting excess, commodification, and practicality of materials in design heavily influenced ...

. In 1926 he went to study briefly at the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...

. Funds ran out and he went to work as an interior designer for

Marshall Fields Marshall Field & Company (commonly known as Marshall Field's) was an upscale department store in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in the 19th century, it grew to become a large chain before Macy's, Inc acquired it in 2005. Its eponymous founder, Mar ...

& Company department store. During the Depression, Wormley was introduced to the president of Dunbar Furniture Company of

Berne, Indiana Berne (English: ɜːn is a city within Monroe and Wabash townships, Adams County, Indiana, United States, located south of Fort Wayne. The population was 4,173 at the 2020 Census. Berne is widely known for its Swiss heritage, architectur ...

, who hired him to upgrade their product line.

Working with Dunbar

Dunbar made a good choice, as Wormley's work met with immediate success. In 1944 the company decided to focus strictly on Modern lines, and Edward Wormley rose to the task, incorporating European and

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

n innovations. His eye for quality and the exacting craftsmanship at Dunbar made for furniture that was elegant, understated and exceptionally well-made. Wormley was never really at the forefront of Modern design. Instead, he took the best elements from classical, historical design and translated them into Modern vernacular. The result was furniture that was sophisticated, yet mainstream and very successful.

Good Design Exhibitions

Wormley's inclusion in the Good Design Exhibitions staged by the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

and the

Merchandise Mart The Merchandise Mart (or the Merch Mart, or the Mart) is a commercial building located in downtown Chicago, Illinois. When it was opened in 1930, it was the largest building in the world, with of floor space. The Art Deco structure is locate ...

between 1950 and 1955 elevated him to a respected place alongside more cutting edge designers like Bertoia,

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

and

Eames Eames is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Aled Eames (1921–1996), Welsh maritime historian * Arthur Johnson Eames (1881–1969), American botanist * Benjamin T. Eames (1818–1901), American politician, U.S. Representative ...

. Wormley understood the essential elements of Modernism but never limited himself to one ideology. His furniture represented a convergence of historical design and 20th century innovation that greatly appeals to today's collectors.

Wormley's tables

Wormley's occasional tables for Dunbar include his tile-topped tables created as part of the

Janus In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...

line in 1957 which were a partnership between Modern production design aesthetic and the tile traditions of Tiffany and

Otto Natzler Otto Natzler (January 31, 1908 – April 7, 2007) was an Austrian–born ceramicist. With his wife Gertrud Natzler, he produced what were considered some of the most admired ceramic pieces of the 20th century. Personal life The son of Dr. S ...

. Dining tables, stacking tables, and other occasional tables manufactured by Dunbar have been popular at auction but none have met with the success of these examples.

Working with Dunbar

Good Design Exhibitions

Wormley's tables

References

Further reading