Essential Design 
3 October 2023
Essential Design 
151

John Risley

Chair

USA, c. 1965
enameled steel 46 h × 25½ w × 28 d in (117 × 65 × 71 cm)
estimate: $1,500–2,000
result: $3,780
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Signed to reverse at base ‘JR’.
provenance: Full House, New York | Acquired from the previous in 1989, Private Collection | Thence by descent

This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.

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Risley's art represents a continual seeking, exploring and analyzing of nature ... humanity and humor, in which serious messages are revealed in the guise of comical men-at-arms, ingenious mechanical marvels, nonfunctional machines, and wondrous boxes.

William Ward, fellow professor at Wesleyan University

John Risley 1919–2001

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John Risley was an accomplished sculptor, artist, and furniture designer from Waterville, Maine whose skills were honed while obtaining degrees from Amherst College, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Cranbrook Academy of Arts. He taught at Cranbrook and also served as the wood products designer for the United States Mutual Security Agency prior to becoming a professor at Wesleyan University in 1954, where he remained until retiring in 1987. He was best known for bringing a sense of humor to his work and received international acclaim for his satirical drawings and cartoons, even winning a first prize at the 1983 Festival of Humor and Satire in Bulgaria.

Auction Results John Risley

John Risley

Custom bench

estimate: $1,000–1,500

result: $5,000

John Risley

Suite of furniture (6)

estimate: $4,000–6,000

result: $5,000

John Risley

chairs, pair

estimate: $2,000–3,000

result: $4,800

John Risley

Table and set of six chairs

estimate: $5,000–7,000

result: $4,688

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