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Warren McArthur Desks and Writing Tables

American, 1885-1961

Few 20th-century designers had influential furniture that regularly flew at 30,000 feet, but Warren McArthur did. His work on seating for military aircraft came near the end of his career, following decades of Machine Age furniture shaped from tubular forms and made of steel, chrome and aluminum.

Warren McArthur Jr. graduated with an engineering degree from Cornell University in 1908. After moving to Los Angeles in 1929, he founded the Warren McArthur Corporation a year later. His initial output of sleek, metal designs were popular in offices and hotels. 

At the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, Americans witnessed a new “Streamlined America” campaign, which included everyday furniture made from metal, opening the door for McArthur and other Machine Age designers to a residential audience. With this increase in demand for metal furniture, the Warren McArthur Corporation relocated to Rome, New York, and sold their aluminum furnishings out of a showroom on Park Avenue in New York City. 

Actors Marlene Dietrich, Fredric March and Clark Gable were among his A-list clientele. McArthur also produced furniture for the dining cars on the Union Pacific Railroad and the Chrysler Headquarters. His designs were featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 1934 exhibition “Contemporary American Industrial Art.”

During World War II, McArthur pivoted production after a ban on the private use of aluminum. McArthur made an estimated three-quarters of all American military aircraft seating, including adjustable seats for the Beechcraft C-45 and revolving seats for navigators aboard the Grumman HU-16 Albatross. 

Warren McArthur closed his business in 1948. He died in 1961.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Warren McArthur armchairs, tables and other seating.

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Creator: Warren McArthur
Warren McArthur Anodized Aluminum Study Desk, State Library of Virginia, 1939
Warren McArthur Anodized Aluminum Study Desk, State Library of Virginia, 1939

Warren McArthur Anodized Aluminum Study Desk, State Library of Virginia, 1939

By Warren McArthur Corporation, Warren McArthur

Located in Camden, ME

This rare study desk is a documented, site-specific design by Warren McArthur, produced for the Rare Book Room of the State Library of Virginia and installed in 1939. The commission ...

Category

1930s American Machine Age Vintage Warren McArthur Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

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Warren McArthur Art Deco Desk and Chair
Warren McArthur Art Deco Desk and Chair

Warren McArthur Art Deco Desk and Chair

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1930s American Art Deco Vintage Warren McArthur Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

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Warren Mcarthur desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Warren McArthur desks and writing tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Warren McArthur desks and writing tables, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original desks and writing tables by Warren McArthur were created in the Art Deco style in united states during the 1930s. Prices for Warren McArthur desks and writing tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $8,500 and can go as high as $12,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $10,500.