Wharton Esherick - Design New York Wednesday, June 9, 2021 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Lawrence and Alice Seiver, Pennsylvania
    Thence by descent
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Literature

    Mansfield Bascom, Wharton Esherick: The Journey of a Creative Mind, New York, 2010, p. 219 for a similar example

  • Catalogue Essay

    Wharton Esherick 1887-1970
    by Wendell Castle

    Esherick taught me that the making of furniture could be a form of sculpture; Esherick caused me to come to appreciate inherent tree characteristics in the utilization of wood; and finally, he demonstrated the importance of the entire sculptural environment.

    He was not a worshipper of wood for the sake of wood. His approach was that of a sculptor who knew and understood the structural and aesthetic qualities of his material. This feeling for material and a sure engineering sense produced furniture of unusual structure which was always sound. The wood used was local wood which he air dried in a shed near his studio. His work never showed a concern for decorative details or tricky craftsmanship: just good sound workmanship and that special personal sculptural quality that made the furniture uniquely Esherick’s. No one else could have done it.

    The importance of Esherick’s contribution to the American craft scene has perhaps been underestimated. Since he did not teach or train any apprentices, few craftsmen have followed him stylistically. His influence has not been so much that of creating a style as a life style.

    Reprinted with permission from "Wharton Esherick 1887-1970" by Sam Maloof and Wendell Castle, 1970. Craft Horizons, Vol. 30 No. 4, pages 10-17, Copyright 1970 by the American Craft Council.

59

Bench

1960
Maple.
20 x 50 x 25 in. (50.8 x 127 x 63.5 cm)
Edge of seat carved 1960/W E.

Estimate
$10,000 - 15,000 

Sold for $12,600

Contact Specialist

DesignNewYork@phillips.com
212-940-1268

Design

New York Auction 9 June 2021