Timeline
Arden’s earliest work was constructed of wrought iron, wood arms, cane, and draped with cushioned upholstery, like this lounge chair and ottoman, pictured in his home.
Arden’s stint with iron furniture was short-lived, with no pieces appearing in his official sales records. This upright lounge chair is pictured in his studio.
Arden constructed a limited number of pieces using tiles made by local Akron craftsperson Jane Parshall. Photographed in his studio, this plant stand including cane shelf, is the only known example.
Like other furniture makers of his time, Arden used readily available WWII military surplus materials such as parachute webbing in his designs, like on this early dining chair.
Arden used the name Arden Riddle Furniture Designs to identify his business on early upholstery tags.
Early on, Arden incorporated woven cane into select pieces of furniture, like on this early dining chair.
Arden built his studio with his family. One side was the workshop and one side was the showroom where he would meet with customers.
Arden experimented with glass-top tables and upholstered wood furniture early in his career.
Arden created this teacart constructed of walnut on casters, pull-out drawer, and two tiers of tiles by Jane Parshall. It is now on permanent display at the Canton Museum of Art.
A circular tile-top trivet produced by Jane Parshall, similar to the tile tops made for tables by Arden.
Arden produced a small number of tile-top coffee tables, including this fish motif table by Jane Parshall.
Arden designed many lamps and made his own lampshades in his studio. View more.
Arden took much influence from production designers such as Jens Risom, like in this early leather and walnut chair. His mentor, Jens Thuesen, worked for Risom in the late 1940s.
Arden’s signature logo was designed by Harry Wheeler, a close friend who not only created his logo, but hand-carved a wood sign that welcomed customers as they approached his shop.
As Arden grew his business, his interest in using stone tops continued. His records indicate natural, unfilled Roman travertine was often used for cabinet and table tops. View more.
Arden’s catalog allowed customers to view detailed images of finished pieces. This page includes multiple dimensions from which customers could choose based on the number of chairs and table size they wanted to purchase.
Chairs like this S308-R rocking chair became a signature of Arden’s work. Learn more.
Arden produced the highest quality dining tables. Of the various circular, oval and rectangular shapes, many incorporated a drop-leaf design for easy expansion, like this table photographed at his studio.
To get the proportions just right, Arden used large masonite hardboard templates for each section of the dining table tops.
Arden’s home was a short a walk from his studio. If a friend or customer was driving by, there was a good chance they could find Arden in his shop any day of the week.
During his more than five decades, Arden produced at least 229 sofas. Available in 2–4 seats, many customers purchased multiple sofas to furnish their homes.
Most of Arden’s servers, sideboards, cabinets, and hutches were custom-to-order, like this piece made of solid walnut and Roman travertine. View more.
When he was in Salesville, Ohio, Arden built this building to house his workshop and gallery.
Arden’s military service during World World II had a deep impact on both his personal and professional life. By all accounts, he was an American hero, though he thought nothing he did compared to those who lost their lives.
In the 2015 CMA exhibit, 85 objects by 50 artists — including Olga de Amaral, Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, Sam Maloof, Richard Marquis, Albert Paley, Ken Price, Peter Voulkos, and Toshiko Takaezu — highlighted important studio objects made from the mid-1960s to the 2000s with a focus on the 1960s–1980s.
The 2018 CMA show featured many pieces from Arden’s personal collection and the collections of his customers, in addition to art and sculpture he collected over the years, like this “Branch Bottle” by his dear friend Jane Parshall (ca. 1950s).
Arden Riddle is born on March 16
Born near Stumptown, West Virginia, to Judson and Naoma Stump Riddle, Arden was raised on a farm in Calhoun County. He had six brothers and sisters: Alpha, Geneva, Stella, Augusta, Paul, and Pauline.
Arden graduates high school
Arden attended the one-room Fairview School through eighth grade. Entering ninth grade, he walked a mile from his home to the transportation pick-up point and rode to high school in the back of a canvas-covered truck.
Arden enlists in the U.S. Army
As a Master Sergeant, Arden served primarily in France and Germany. He was a member of the Service Company, 393rd Infantry Regiment of the 99th Infantry Division. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and was engaged in constant contact with the enemy for 84 consecutive days. He earned the Bronze Star, among other military awards.
Arden completes his formal studies in furniture design
Arden enrolled in the David Wolcott Kendall Memorial School and the Gilbert School of Advanced Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Jens Theusen mentors Arden
Upon completing his studies at Kendall, Arden made his way to New York where he apprenticed with Danish furniture designer Jens Theusen.
Arden opens his furniture shop
The shop, located in Copley, Ohio, contained Arden’s primary workspace. Sales records show he sold 14 pieces in his first year.
Furniture production ramps up
Forty-eight total pieces are recorded in Arden’s sales records, revealing the increasing demand for his work.
Acclaim for Arden’s talent builds
He is featured in the Akron Art Institute’s “Young Designers of 1953,” alongside notable designers David Gil, Jane and Gordon Martz, and Arthur Umanoff.
Arden’s work earns praise at the May Show
He won first prize in the Akron Art Institute’s May Show for his early chair design featuring iron, wood arms, and rush cane. At this May Show, Arden also showed a wood coffee table with a tile top made by stoneware craftswoman Jane Parshall, with whom he shared a lifelong friendship.
Arden and Jane Parshall team up again
The pair won “outstanding prize” in the May Show’s crafts classification at the Akron Art Institute (now the Akron Museum of Art) for a wood coffee table with a tile top.
Production records show 79 furniture pieces
Arden’s father worked with him for several years after his retirement from Goodyear Aircraft. His brother Paul handled most of the upholstery work, while sisters Geneva and Pauline sewed cushions.
Arden’s customer base grows
The first ten years of production show Arden made many pieces for repeat customers, as well as word-of-mouth sales. Arden offered furniture to order in solid walnut, cherry, and birch. Additionally, his sales records indicate that he designed furniture in teak, mahogany, oak, poplar, and rosewood.
Arden creates his logo
Arden’s close friend, Harry Wheeler – a local artist and sign dealer – created his wood brand logo in 1965, which included his logo “AR” with “Arden Riddle” under it and the year of production under his name. Prior to 1965, only upholstered pieces with state-mandated tags marked his furniture.
Production records show 129 furniture pieces
Aside from family members, Arden hired few employees. He frequently indicated that finding employees who would be willing and able to meet his professional expectations would be, at best, exceedingly difficult.
Arden establishes a foothold in the marketplace
By 1970, sales records indicate that Arden had created over 1,000 pieces of furniture in his 20-year career. From beds to sofas and dining chairs to room dividers, Arden completed each piece with his signature finish.
Arden creates a catalog
By 1980, Arden created a catalog of his work for customers to view. The creation of the catalog allowed Arden to stabilize his business and focus on building pieces of furniture with pre-dimensioned parts that had already been cut from templates he made.
Producing a lifetime of woodwork
By 1980, Arden had created nearly 2,000 pieces of furniture for his Northeast Ohio customers, some of whom had moved across the country and were still ordering pieces to be delivered to California, Iowa and Massachusetts, among other locations.
Arden enters his golden years
By 1990, Arden was nearly 70 years old and taking far fewer orders. Much of his earlier customer base had grown older with him. The changes to the furniture marketplace and the expansion of the EPA through the 1970s and 1980s led most production American furniture makers to move overseas. Arden made only 19 pieces in 1990, with similar production in the preceding years.
Arden produces hundreds of custom-to-order pieces
By the end of his career, Arden produced at least 313 of what he called “custom-to-order” furniture pieces, including chairs, cabinets, desks, and wall units. While his sales records exist, it is suspected that Arden made pieces to trade for services and materials. Late in his career, he was also known to buy back pieces from customers.
The Arden Riddle Foundation is established
The foundation aims to recognize Arden’s contribution to studio craft furniture, to publicly display his works, and to make digitally available his knowledge base to customers and artisans.
Arden purchases property for expansion
Upon closing his shop in Copley, Ohio, Arden set up a workshop and gallery in Salesville, Ohio.
Arden dies at the age of 90
Arden died on Wednesday, July 27 at his home in Salesville, Ohio. He is interred with military honors at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio.
Arden’s work is featured at the Canton Museum of Art
The exhibition Beyond Craft: Decorative Arts from the Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection debuted at the Canton Museum of Art on August 27. The show featured works by major craftspeople of the midcentury modern era.
Arden’s work is displayed again at the CMA
The exhibition “Arden Riddle: Master of Mid-Century Design” debuted Thursday, August 16. The CMA is the largest repository of Arden’s furniture. His work is on display in galleries and used in the lobby and offices.