Hi Niki,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Arthur Umanoff did not sign or mark all of his designs, and in fact many authentic pieces carry no signature at all.

He worked primarily as a designer for manufacturers, not as an independent studio craftsman. Much of his furniture and decorative work (from the late 1940s through the 1960s) was produced by firms such as Washington Woodcraft, Shaver-Howard, and others. In those cases, pieces were often labeled with the manufacturer’s paper label or foil tag—or nothing at all—rather than the designer’s name.

Labels were frequently lost over time, especially on chairs, tables, and barware bases, which is why so many genuine Umanoff pieces are unmarked today. Because of this, attribution relies heavily on design characteristics—use of wrought iron with twisted or hairpin elements, walnut or birch components, leather or rush details, and distinctive mid-century silhouettes—rather than signatures alone.

Assuming these are originals - and it's impossible to determine that from these photos - the fair market for auction (secondary market) values typically range from $150-250 per chair, with a slight premium earned by this matching pair: $400-600. Note that retailers or private sellers will almost certainly be asking higher retail prices for examples they are selling.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A pair of wood, rattan and iron barstools
Attributed to Arthur Umanoff, mid 20th Century
Height: 37 1/2 inches, Width: 18 1/2 inches, Depth: approx 17 inches.
CONDITION: with minor wear commensurate to age and use
PROVENANCE: Acquired from a secondhand store
$400-600 for the pair*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia