I'm Leigh Trimble, co/owner of Lewis Trimble Decorative Art and Antiques and Lewis' Mother. We are accustom to getting all sorts of varied comments from the people who come into our shop. Some people don't understand the vintage design pieces. Others just love them and sometimes people say that they remind them of things that saw when they were younger. We usually take comments with a grain of salt. One couple came in yesterday and kept saying that our things reminded them of things that were in their uncles home. Finally Lewis said who was your uncle? They said Ben Seibel. Wow, Lewis was impressed. Ben Seibel the Designer?
Ben Seibel, 1918-1985, was born in New Jersey a brought up by a single Mom, who made a living by sewing and designing jewelry. The family moved to New York City where their Mother opened a shop selling her designs. Ben inherited her creativity. He began his studies at Columbia studying Architecture. Served time in the Air Force during World War II, came home and resumed his studies at Pratt.
Best know for his bookends that appear as miniature sculptures, he also designed china, flat ware, lamps, and furniture. He was comfortable working with metal. In his furniture designs he often combined steel, metal mesh and wood in his upholstered pieces. This gave him the ability to exaggerate the lines of his designs. He designed tables using birch plywood tops and wrought iron legs at very affordable pricing.
"We've been in a functional design straitjacket for too long...I think we're ready to stop making furniture just because it's practical and has six tea trays in its belly. From now on I think furniture is just going to be something good to look at." Stated Ben Seibel in 1956.
cool! i only knew of his groovy jenfred bookends and his dinnerware patterns, but dang, those chairs and lamps are some good stuff!
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