Wendell Castle (American, 1932-2018) Molar Dinning Chairs
| Lot #: 85 Wendell Castle (American, 1932-2018) Molar Dinning Chairs |
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Gel-coated fiberglass and vinyl. Signed 'W.C. 70'. |
| 29 x 22 x 22 in. |
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Provenance The artist. Thomas R. and Mary P. Markusen, Kendall, New York. |
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Condition A few abrasions and cracks in paint. |
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Auction Date Mar 19, 2026 |
| Estimate: $1,500-$2,500 |
Details:
Wendell Castle (American, 1932-2018)
Wendell Keith Castle was an American designer and sculptor widely regarded as a seminal figure – and often called the father – of the American Studio Furniture movement. Born in Emporia, Kansas, Castle studied at the University of Kansas, earning a BFA in industrial design in 1958 and an MFA in sculpture in 1961. Trained as both an industrial designer and sculptor, he emerged after World War II as part of the American studio craft movement, redefining furniture as a form of fine art. In 1961 he moved to Rochester, New York, where he began a long teaching career at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of American Craftsmen.
Castle was celebrated for coaxing wood and other materials into elegant, whimsical, and often mind-bending forms that blurred the boundary between functional furniture and sculpture. His works are characterized by bold color and inventive uses of materials including wood, fiberglass, plastics, metals, and veneers. In 1980, he founded the Wendell Castle School in Scottsville, New York, dedicated to passing on advanced techniques of woodworking and craftsmanship. Over the course of his career, Castle received numerous honors, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and lifetime achievement awards from major institutions. His work is held in the permanent collections of leading museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, LACMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.
Wendell Keith Castle was an American designer and sculptor widely regarded as a seminal figure – and often called the father – of the American Studio Furniture movement. Born in Emporia, Kansas, Castle studied at the University of Kansas, earning a BFA in industrial design in 1958 and an MFA in sculpture in 1961. Trained as both an industrial designer and sculptor, he emerged after World War II as part of the American studio craft movement, redefining furniture as a form of fine art. In 1961 he moved to Rochester, New York, where he began a long teaching career at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of American Craftsmen.
Castle was celebrated for coaxing wood and other materials into elegant, whimsical, and often mind-bending forms that blurred the boundary between functional furniture and sculpture. His works are characterized by bold color and inventive uses of materials including wood, fiberglass, plastics, metals, and veneers. In 1980, he founded the Wendell Castle School in Scottsville, New York, dedicated to passing on advanced techniques of woodworking and craftsmanship. Over the course of his career, Castle received numerous honors, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and lifetime achievement awards from major institutions. His work is held in the permanent collections of leading museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, LACMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.
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