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14 April 2021
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 1 of 4
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 2 of 4
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 3 of 4
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 4 of 4
Object & Home 
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 1 of 4
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 2 of 4
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 3 of 4
Edward Wormley, Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947 - Image 4 of 4
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Edward Wormley

Plant stand from a New York interior by Thierry Despont, model 4947

Dunbar
USA, 1953
mahogany 24¼ h × 15 w × 14 d in (62 × 38 × 36 cm)
estimate: $1,500–2,000
result: $3,500
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Brass manufacturer's label to underside ‘Dunbar Berne Indiana’.
provenance: Private Collection, New York
literature: Wormley Dunbar, Wabbes, pg. 11

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Works from a New York Interior

Designed by Thierry Despont, The Client Whisperer

The present lot comes from a Manhattan, New York interior designed by renowned architect and interior designer, Thierry Despont. A charming and gregarious Frenchman, he is beloved by wealthy clients across the globe for his empathetic approach and, in his own words, they come to him “because they know I’m a very good listener. My best clients have always been people who had very strong ideas, and it was my role to hold the pencil.” Trained at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris and Harvard University, his list of projects and clients is astounding in both its size and diversity and includes the Statue of Liberty, The Getty Center, the Ritz Paris, Bill Gates, and Calvin Klein. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Letters (1989) and Chevalier, Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur (1999).

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Furniture is needed for practical reasons, and because it must be there, it may as well be as pleasant as possible to look at, and in a less definable psychological way, comforting to the spirit.

Edward Wormley

Edward Wormley 1907–1995

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Born in rural Illinois in 1907, Edward Wormley’s interest in design originated early in life and led him to later study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Due to financial reasons, Wormley dropped out after 2 years and began his first job in an interior design studio before joining the Indiana-based Dunbar Furniture Company where he served as director of design for nearly 40 years.

Following World War II, Wormley became an independent consultant branching out to design textiles, globe stands, and showrooms. He designed award winning collections for Drexel Furniture Company and was included in the Good Design shows of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Characteristic of his design elements were functional engineering, decorative laminated plywood, and unconventional upholstery.

Wormley characteristically honored aesthetic qualities, following influences of Scandinavian modernism, while maintaining utilitarian qualities and “designing for the needs” of others. His work is timeless and of the highest quality. Wormley died in 1995, but his legacy is celebrated in collections including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Montreal.

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