Joyce Anderson and Edgar Anderson - Design New York Thursday, June 8, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Joyce and Edgar Anderson – contemporaries of Sam Maloof, George Nakashima, and Wharton Esherick – are important figures of 20th century American woodworking, though their work has gone largely underrecognized. Both Joyce and Edgar grew up in New Jersey and they met in high school, kickstarting a life—both personally and professionally—together. After studying mechanical engineering and architecture at Pratt Institute, Edgar moved to Chicago to continue his studies. Joyce, though not formally trained as a designer or architect, moved with Edgar and continued to develop her interest in the field, becoming one of the first professional female woodworkers in the United States at the time. After graduating and working on several architectural projects, the Andersons realized that they preferred designing furniture, as it allowed them full control of the project – from conceptualization to execution.

    “We went into furniture because it was a process for which we alone could be totally responsible.”
    —Edgar Anderson

    The pair each had their own unique skill set: Joyce focused primarily on woodturning, aesthetic decisions, and finances while Edgar focused on the more technical and mechanical aspects of their furniture production. Describing this division of labor, a 1983 American Craft article noted, “Joyce specializes in the lathe and performs all of the turning and is more adept at selecting colors, matching grains and performing mathematical calculations to estimate cost and amount of materials – Edgar is more technically inclined and mills most of the lumber they use.” Oftentimes each of them would come up with a design separately and then would present to each other or the client, who would then pick the best design.

     

    Joyce and Edgar Anderson working outside of their studio.

     

    In the 1950s, the couple acquired fifteen acres of land outside of Morristown, New Jersey, where they built their studio and home. The area was surrounded by various tree species, from spruce to walnut, oak, birch, ash, and beech, and they often used this wood in their projects. Working independetly, they took on various private and public commissions. Though their style changed over the span of the second half of the 20th century, their work represents a steadfast commitment to exploring the material possibilities of wood. The Andersons preferred to imbed the functional elements of a piece of furniture, such as knobs and pulls, into the design itself; the present cabinet, for example, opens by simply pushing onto the front of the cabinet. Many of their designs also incorporate mosaics. Though they did work with mosaicists Hugh Wiley in certain early projects, it is likely that Joyce herself completed the mosaic on the top of the present cabinet.

    “Sometimes you have a design and then you go look for the right wood for the kind of design or for the kind of place you want to put it. Other times, you look at a wonderful piece of wood and you say, ‘I'm going to make a—whatever it is—out of it.’”
    —Joyce Anderson

    The present wall-mounted cabinet previously belonged to Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan, San Diego-based philanthropists who supported various art and cultural institutions. Upon their passing in 2007, the couple bequeathed much of their design collection to the Mingei International Museum, a museum dedicated to craft, design, and folk art. While the present cabinet was included in the gift, it was subsequently sold in support of the museum. 

     

    A select group of works by Joyce and Edgar Anderson are held in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Their furniture rarely comes to market, particularly in this scale and the current offering represents the first time that a significant work by the Andersons has appeared at auction – an important and rare opportunity for collectors.

    • Provenance

      Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan, San Diego
      Mingei International Museum, San Diego, acquired at the bequest of the above, 2008
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

    • Literature

      Michael Stone, "Partners in Craftsmanship," American Craft, June-July 1983, p. 8 for a similar example

48

Wall-mounted cabinet

1960s
Walnut, inset stone mosaic.
18 x 76 x 17 1/2 in. (45.7 x 193 x 44.5 cm)

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
$4,000 - 6,000 

Sold for $5,080

Contact Specialist

Benjamin Green
Associate Specialist
Associate Head of Sale
bgreen@phillips.com
+1 917 207 9090

Design

New York Auction 8 June 2023