Wendell Castle was an American furniture maker celebrated for his experimental creations in wood and plastic. He was one of the first to create seating, lighting and tables that resemble sculpture, otherwise known as art furniture.
A founding father of the American Studio movement, Castle was known for his craftsmanship and broke new ground in the 1960s with the stack-laminate technique, which involves layering and then sanding thin sheets of wood. In the ’70s, he transitioned to using gel-coated plastic in bright colors.
Castle integrated both mediums in his designs from the 2000s, which, like his vintage pieces, are characterized by curved, biomorphic lines and whimsical undertones (his Molar chair emphasized playfulness and a venturesome sensibility). Ever the innovator, he integrated computers and robots in his later production process to come up with wildly imaginative forms. Castle was working on a new body of work when he passed away in 2018 at the age of 85.
Find a collection of original Wendell Castle furniture on 1stDibs.
Tall Cabinet in Carved Black and Blonde Wood by Wendell Castle
By Wendell Castle
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Wendell Castle Tall Cabinet, 1992 Carved black wood base, blonde wood doors 18 x 11 x60 in Wendell Castle received a B.F.A. from the University of Kansas in Industrial Design in 195...
Wood
Samba Cabinet by Wendell Castle, Late 20th Century, Signed with Impressed WC.
By Wendell Castle
Located in Kansas City, MO
Samba cabinet from the Wendell Castle Collection for Icon Design, late 20th century. Finished on all sides. Hand carved and stained ash with leather pulls. Signed with WC. The drawe...
Leather, Ash
Wendell Castle, Bird of Paradise
By Wendell Castle
Located in LAGUNA BEACH, CA
Wendell Castle's "Bird of Paradise," created in 1996, is a significant piece that falls within the realm of contemporary art and furniture design. Experience the artistic brilliance...
Wood, Birdseye Maple, Mahogany, Maple
20th Century Rustic Pine Cabinet
Located in Southampton, NY
20th Century Rustic Pine Cabinet A simply constructed pine cabinet with two doors and a central rail. A grey-ish painted wash gives creates a beautiful patina. Two porcelain knobs a...
Pine
Pretty Black Chinoiserie Cupboard Decorated with Birds and Flowers
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Pretty Black Chinoiserie Cupboard Decorated with Birds and Flowers The cupboard is in black lacquer and has colourful applied and painted decoration of birds and chrysanthemums, it ...
Lacquer
1940s French Carved Wood Cabinet by Charles Dudouyt
By Charles Dudouyt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible carved wood cabinet by Charles Dudouyt from France, 1940s. Beautiful carved wood circle and square detail on two front doors. Original brass hardware with one original key...
Brass
$11,000
H 58.86 in W 42.52 in D 12.6 in
Ernesto Valabrega for Vittorio Valabrega Tall Cabinet in Carved Solid Oak
By Vittorio Valabrega
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ernesto Valabrega for Vittorio Valabrega, tall cabinet, oak, Italy, 1930s This exceptional cabinet, designed by Ernesto Valabrega for Vittorio Valabrega, is a distinguished example...
Oak
French Faux Bamboo Bird's Eye Maple Cabinet
Located in Bradenton, FL
French Faux Bamboo Bird's Eye Maple Cabinet. Cabinet features a beautifully figured birds-eye-maple facade accented with carved bamboo moldings. This was an iconic decorative motif p...
Faux Bamboo, Birdseye Maple
$3,700
H 49 in W 42 in D 21 in
Antique Walnut Gothic Revival Carved Liquor Cabinet Birds Fox Mythical Faces
Located in Toledo, OH
Antique carved walnut Gothic Revival liquor cabinet. Knights, birds, foxes and mythical faces depicted. Rope turned pillars with a bottom shelf. Draped carved back panels. Measure: 4...
Walnut
$94,875
H 180 in W 160 in D 50 in
Original 18th Century Monumental Cabinet on Stand / Italian Bargueno / European
Located in Miami, FL
Important monumental cabinet on stand. The case of the cabinet is walnut, veneered with rich rib boned ebony and luxuriously decorated with turtle ...
Walnut, Glass
Late 20th Century Oak Two-Drawer Letter Size Filing Cabinet with lock
Located in Germantown, MD
A Late 20th Century Oak Two-Drawer Letter Size Filing Cabinet with lock. Will hold legal size and letter size file folders. Come with two keys. Measures 16" w x 16"D x 27.5"H.
Oak, Wood
20th Century Antique French Cabinet
Located in Fullerton, CA
Large vintage cabinet with drawers and cabinets. There are 18 small drawers on the top half of the piece and three cabinet at the bottom, one of which has 2 shelves inside. The patin...
Wood
$4,921Sale Price|20% Off
H 101.58 in W 51.19 in D 20.48 in
Breton Cabinet, Carved French Sideboard, Oak, Late 19th Century, circa 1880
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique carved Breton cabinet. A carved French sideboard crafted in oak in the late 19th century, circa 1880. An ornate example of French,...
Oak
Venetian Painted Side Cabinet, Italy, Late 19th / Early 20th Century
Located in Morristown, NJ
This delightful Venetian painted side cabinet exemplifies the enduring appeal of Italian vernacular Rococo revival furniture. Finished in a warm yellow-ochre ground, the cabinet is ornamented throughout with hand-painted teal foliate scrollwork, arranged in lively asymmetrical cartouches across the top, drawer, door, and sides. The decorative painting retains a charming, freehand quality typical of Venetian workshop production, emphasizing surface decoration over formal carving. The cabinet features a single drawer over a cupboard door opening to an interior storage compartment, raised on elegant cabriole legs with a shaped apron. Brass pulls accent the drawer and door, adding subtle contrast to the painted surface. The piece is unmarked, as expected for provincial Italian furniture of this period. The softly undulating form, curvilinear legs, and scrolling ornament reflect Rococo influences filtered through later 19th-century and early 20th-century revival tastes, often produced for domestic interiors and export. Its scale and function make it ideal as a bedside cabinet, small side table, or accent piece. Dimensions: 27"h x 17"w x 15"d Condition: Good/Fair. General discoloration, surface marks, and staining throughout consistent with age and use. Visible ring stains to the top, along with cracking to the top and drawer. Paint wear and minor surface imperfections are present and contribute to the cabinet’s authentic patina and character. Provenance: The Iris Apfel Collection Remarks: A highly decorative and characterful example of Venetian painted furniture...
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Chinese Cabinet
Located in Copenhagen, K
Beautiful Chinese cabinet in mainly black and red lacquer with red decorations. Contains several shelves and four drawers, all with original brass hardware.
Wood