Rex Dolmith

Rex Dolmith was a design documentarian and technical illustrator active in 1936. Their primary documented work is associated with the 5 index of american designs, a project focused on cataloging historical examples of furniture and decorative arts. Dolmith’s output consisted of detailed renderings and archival drawings rather than fine art production, functioning as essential documentation for historical preservation and study.

Five renderings by Dolmith are currently represented in museum collections, establishing the importance of their contribution to American design history. These works are held by the National Gallery of Art and document specific pieces of historical furniture. Noted studies include the Pier-glass, two separate indices of the Looking-glass, the Gate-leg Table, and the Three Legged Gate-leg Table.

Due to their nature as governmental or archival records, many of the indices containing Dolmith’s work are now considered public domain, making high-quality prints and downloadable artwork available to researchers and enthusiasts of historical American decorative arts. The meticulous detail in these studies ensures their continued use as museum-quality reference materials.