Edward Wormley

Dunbar made a good choice, as he met immediate success with Wormley's work. In 1944 the company decided to focus strictly on Modern lines, and Edward Wormley rose to the task, incorporating European and Scandinavian 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.[2]

Wormley's inclusion in the Good Design Exhibitions staged by the Museum of Modern Art and the Merchandise Mart between 1950 and 1955 elevated him to a respected place alongside more cutting edge designers like Bertoia, Nelson and Eames. In 1938 MoMA launched an exhibit they called Useful Objects, in which they showcased “design intended for present-day life, in regard to usefulness, to production methods and materials and to the progressive taste of the day.”

In the wake of America’s postwar prosperity, the exhibit was later renamed Good Design and largely focused on modern furnishings.

The exhibit reopened in 1950 under the name Good Design with three of Edward Wormley’s works on display: an adjustable upholstered wood armchair, a “Short John” coffee table with laminated wood legs, and a “Repartee” gray carpet.

Wormley’s inclusion in the exhibit proved that traditional forms still had a place in the modern design movement. During the exhibit’s run thirty Wormley pieces were awarded Good Design designation, cementing him as a peer among other high-profile designers of the era. Wormley understood the essential elements of Modernism but never limited himself to one ideology.[3] His furniture represented a convergence of historical design and 20th century innovation that greatly appeals to today's collectors.

Wormley's occasional tables for Dunbar includes his tile-topped tables created as part of the Janus line in 1957 which were a partnership between Modern production design aesthetic and the tile traditions of Tiffany and Otto Natzler. 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.

• Marie FERRAN-WABBES, Wormley - Dunbar. Edward J Wormley (1907 - 1995). Design Director of Dunbar Furniture, translated from French by Caroline SUNDERLAND-DE MOUBRAY, Paris, 2017, 117 pp. ISBN 978-1981874583