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Russel Wright Lighting

American, 1904-1976

While industrial designer Russell Wright may be known to modern furniture enthusiasts for his streamlined end tables, dining chairs and other pieces, he is universally revered for a line of tableware he created called American Modern. Efficient, practical, and striking in their elegant forms and warm colors, the American Modern ceramic pieces, which included bowls, pitchers, dishes, and other items, became the best-selling dinnerware of all time. Today, vintage Russell Wright American Modern tableware is an evergreen favorite of art collectors and interior designers alike.

Born in 1904 in Ohio, Wright was surrounded by inspiration for the furniture he would one day design. He was raised in a Quaker household and grew up with the spare, meticulously handcrafted furniture for which the Quakers are known. As a young man, he studied art and sculpture at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the Art Students League of New York, going on to study law at Princeton University in New Jersey. But Wright loved the arts and abandoned his pursuit of a law degree to create stage sets in Princeton and Paris alongside fellow noted designer Norman Bel Geddes.

In 1927, Wright married artist and sculptor Mary Einstein. Together, they moved to New York City, where Wright began to create sculptures. Mary convinced him to create metal bookends from his sculptures, and later, when he began to craft bar accessories from chrome, he turned to aluminum, a much cheaper material for the purposes of mass production (his barware was eventually included in the "Machine Art" show at the Museum of Modern Art in 1934, which was curated by Philip Johnson).

Mary worked on marketing Russell's products, successfully proposing everyday uses for Wright's beautifully designed housewares. She is said to have been a pioneer in the world of lifestyle marketing, coining the terms "American Modern" and "blonde" to describe the charming, light-colored maple furniture he created for Conant Ball, which was known at the time for its reproductions of American Colonial furniture.

While Wright had created some Art Deco furnishings for Heywood-Wakefield, it was this group of bedroom furniture for Conant Ball that got its name, American Modern, from Mary. Under her guidance, Wright's attractive, functional designs for the home gained renown, leading to commissions by prestigious companies like the Steubenville Pottery Company.

In 1935, Wright formed Russell Wright Associates with Irving Richards, an entrepreneur who had worked with Lightolier and would later establish Raymor. In collaboration with Richards, Wright debuted the first line of American Modern dinnerware in 1939, which was initially produced by Russell Wright Associates and then manufactured by Steubenville for two decades. The line sold over 200 million pieces during its 20 years of production. In 1955, Wright was selected by the U.S. State Department to research handicraft industries in Southeast Asia, a trip that influenced his later designs.

Throughout his life, Wright continued to design furniture and housewares, with the works' signature earth tones, curved forms, and clean silhouettes of his floor lamps, lounge chairs, and serveware remaining popular staples in American households. In his later years, he focused on designing and building his home, Manitoga, and working with the National Parks Service to develop the "Summer in the Parks" program.

Upon Wright's death in 1974, Manitoga was given to the Nature Conservancy. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and today houses the Russell & Mary Wright Design Gallery, where many of Wright's works stand on permanent display. In 2011, stamps from the U.S. Postal Service featured Wright's image as one of the United States' twelve most influential industrial designers.

Find vintage Russel Wright lighting, seating, tables, serveware, ceramics and glass on 1stDibs. 

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Creator: Russel Wright
Art Deco Machine Age Torchiere in Brushed Aluminum & Glass signed Russel Wright
By Russel Wright
Located in New York, NY
This Art Deco Machine Age torchiere, signed by the renowned American industrial designer Russel Wright, is a stunning piece from circa 1940. The torchiere features a sophisticated bl...
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1940s American Art Deco Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Pair Russel Wright Faux Bamboo Brass Wrap Table Lamps, Mid Century Modern
By Russel Wright
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of original Russel Wright Table Lamps, faux bamboo and brass. Table Lamp is 5.75” in diameter. Shade is 18.25” in diameter. Current lampshades have some spots and will be repl...
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1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

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Metal, Brass

Restored Stacked Rattan Torchère Floor Lamps Brass Shade by Russel Wright, Pair
By Russel Wright
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Restored Russel Wright Designed Brass and Rattan Mid-century torchère floor lamps. Crafted with 6 stacked rattan poles mounted to a brass base with brass wrappings and topped off with a spun aluminum brass Plated shade, this set combines Mid-century styling with Hawaiian charm...
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Rattan

Russel Wright, Table Lamps, Ceramic, Brass, Wood, USA, 1940s
By Russel Wright
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of freeform grey-glazed ceramic, brass and black-lacquered wood table lamps, designed by Russel Wright, USA, 1940s. Dimensions of Lamp (inches): 29.75” H x 8” Diameter Dimens...
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1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

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Brass

Pair of Art Deco Stacked Black Lacquer & Glass Ball Table Lamps by Russel Wright
By Russel Wright
Located in New York, NY
This unique and sophisticated Pair of Art Deco Stacked Black Lacquer and Glass Ball Table Lamps are by Russel Wright and originate from the United States, Circa 1930. They feature a...
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1930s American Art Deco Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

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Art Deco Machine Age Table Lamps in Brushed Aluminum & Glass by Russell Wright
By Russel Wright
Located in New York, NY
This refined pair of Art Deco Machine Age table lamps were realized by the fabled industrial Designer Russell Wright in the United States circa 1935. They feature circular volumetric...
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1940s American Art Deco Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Pair Russel Wright Tall Table Lamps, 1940s. Glazed Ceramic, Brass, New Shades.
By Russel Wright
Located in Kansas City, MO
Pair of Russel / Russell Wright table lamps in mustard yellow glazed ceramic with brass ring. Original round wooden switch. Very good condition ...
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1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Brass

Rare Russel Wright Floor Lamp Spun Aluminum Oak Wright Accessories Inc
By Russel Wright
Located in Fraser, MI
Please feel free to reach out for efficient shipping quote to your location. Rare Russell Wright Torchiere Floor Lamp.. Made by Wright Accessories Inc: Catalog #28. Spun Aluminum T...
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1930s Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

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Aluminum

Russel Wright Pivoting Floor Lamp for Fairmont Lamp Company
By Russel Wright
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Russel Wright pivoting floor lamp for Fairmont Lamp Company, circa 1954. Amazingly very original example! Original Fiberglass shade, original paint...
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1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

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Metal, Brass

Russel Wright Lamp
By Russel Wright
Located in New York, NY
Table lamp designed by Russel Wright, bamboo body wrapped by copper wire, on brass base. This example shows cosmetic wear to finish, normal and consistent with age, working, original...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Brass, Copper

Art Deco Hardrock Maple & Spun Aluminum Torchère Floor Lamp by Russel Wright
By Russel Wright
Located in San Diego, CA
A very rare Art Deco hardrock maple and spun aluminum torchère floor lamp by Russel Wright, circa 1940s. Overall, the lamp is in good vintage condition with some wear to the finish o...
Category

Early 20th Century North American Art Deco Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Pair of Russel Wright Art Deco Uplighter Table Lamps
By Russel Wright
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Art Deco, uplighter table lamps by Russel Wright are spun aluminum with glass details. The lamps take a mogul bulb.
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

1940s Russel Wright Art Deco Hardrock Maple Spun Aluminum Torchiere Floor Lamps
By Russel Wright
Located in Monrovia, CA
Rare 1940s Russel wright hardrock maple and spun aluminum torchiere floor lamps Art Deco Mid-Century Modern. Beautiful rare pair of Russel wright torchiere...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Torchiere Floor Lamp in Spun Aluminum with Brass Detail by Russel Wright
By Russel Wright
Located in Kansas City, MO
Russel Wright spun aluminum and brass torchiere floor lamp. All original. Three way light switch with the round wooden knob. Very good condition wit...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Pair Rare Russel Wright Ceramic Nude Form on Spun Aluminum Base
By Russel Wright
Located in New York, NY
Pair Russel Wright ceramic nude table lamps. The ceramic body is mounted on its original spun aluminum base, with the original spun aluminum sock...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Aluminum

Russel Wright Figural Female Nude Mid-Century Table Lamp Circa 1950s
By Russel Wright
Located in Southampton, NJ
An elegant design in this sculptural lamp depicting a turning nude female form designed by Russel Wright. Ceramic with turned wood base and brass hardware. In excellent vintage condi...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Brass

Russel Wright Style Raffia Wrapped White Floor Lamp with Glass Shade, 1950s
By Russel Wright
Located in Bainbridge, NY
American Modern Russel Wright White and Raffia wrapped Floor Lamp. Featuring a tubular white enameled metal column and round white enameled metal base with raffia details. With (8H) ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Brass, Metal

Russel Wright Mid Century Floor Lamp
By Russel Wright
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very well crafted floor lamp with milk glass funnel shade , round wood ball switch , spun brass shade holder and base mounted on a combed oak pole . Designed by Russel Wright who's...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Brass

Russel Wright Fairmont Table Lamp
By Russel Wright
Located in Dallas, TX
A rare carved oak 'Fairmont' table lamp designed by Russel Wright, 1935.
Category

1930s Vintage Russel Wright Lighting

Materials

Oak

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Russel Wright Turned Wood Table Lamp by Fairmont Lamps
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Pair of Art Deco Machine Age Brushed Aluminum & Glass Lamps by Russell Wright
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This sophisticated and sculptural pair of Art Deco Skyscraper style Machine Age table lamps were designed by the legendary Russell Wright i...
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Russel Wright Pivoting Floor Lamp by Fairmont Lamp Company
By Russel Wright
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Very original Russel wright floor lamp from the early 1950s. Done for Fairmont Lamp Company for the easier living line. Stem of the lamp pivots in multiple directions for ease of dir...
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Russel Wright lighting for sale on 1stDibs.

Russel Wright lighting are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Russel Wright lighting, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original lighting by Russel Wright were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider lighting by Paul Evans, Hansen, and Frederic Weinberg. Prices for Russel Wright lighting can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $575 and can go as high as $15,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,800.
Questions About Russel Wright Lighting
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Russel Wright designed many things over the course of his life. He is well known for his vibrantly colored American Modern dinnerware produced from 1939 to 1959. Wright also created furniture, lighting and other home accents. Find a range of Russel Wright furniture and decorative accents on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 27, 2025
    Russel Wright pottery was made in Steubenville, Ohio, through a partnership with the Steubenville Pottery Company. In 1935, Wright formed Russel Wright Associates with Irving Richards, an entrepreneur who had worked with Lightolier and would later establish Raymor. In collaboration with Richards, Wright debuted the first line of American Modern dinnerware in 1939. Steubenville continued to produce it for two decades. The line sold over 200 million pieces during its 20 years of production. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Russel Wright furniture and tableware.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 27, 2025
    The Steubenville Pottery Company made Russel Wright pottery. Russel Wright was a furniture maker as well as an industrial designer. Steubenville began producing his line of pottery in 1939. Production continued for two decades. On 1stDibs, find an assortment of Russel Wright pottery.

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