Stackable mid-century brass hedgehog ashtrays by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in München, BY
Original mid-century stackable brass hedgehog ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller.
Brass
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of solid brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller around 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller around 1950s Original condition
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller around 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller around 1950s Original condition
Brass
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Ashtray Set for Bertha Baller, 1955
By Walter Bosse
Located in Barcelona, ES
Polished and patinated brass.
Brass
Original Mid-Century Modern Hedgehog Nesting Ashtrays by Walter Bosse for Baller
By Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Produced in Vienna by Herta Baller, this whimsical yet functional piece exemplifies Bosse’s "Black-Golden" line, which defined a generation of collectible brass miniatures. The set ...
Brass
$353Sale Price / set|20% Off
Walter Bosse Set of 6 Hedgehog Sculptures for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s
By Walter Bosse
Located in Camblanes et Meynac, FR
Walter Bosse Set of 6 hedgehog sculptures for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s Mid-century Walter Bosse hedgehog stackable ashtray made in Austria. This vintage ashtray includes all six...
Brass
Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, Stackable Hedgehog Ashtray Set Austria, 1950s
Located in Delft, NL
A midcentury brass stackable hedgehog set of six ashtrays. A design by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller Austria in the 1950s.
Metal
Wall Mounted Goats-Head Brass Bell in the Style of Walter Bosse, Austria, 1950's
By Walter Bosse
Located in Cork, IE
In good condition with small signs of its age and use, and still working after some 70 years of ringing, this wall mounted bell is very much in the the style of the ever popular Aust...
Metal, Brass
Unavailable
H 2.56 in W 4.53 in D 2.96 in
Hedgehog ashtray set Walter Bosse figurines brass patinated new Vienna Austria
By Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
The the characteristics of an original Walter Bosse hedgehog ashtray set: 6 pieces lenght 115 mm / 4,5" material is brass patinated, without any exeption eyes are small and concave ...
Brass
Unavailable
H 3.15 in W 3.15 in D 4.73 in
Hedgehog Set Ashtray in Brass by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller, 1955, Set of 6
By Walter Bosse
Located in CADALSO, ES
With all the pieces rare to find
Brass
Hedgehog Ashtrays by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller of Austria
By Walter Bosse
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful, brass nesting hedgehog set, designed by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller of Austria, full set of the original six brass "Hedgehog" bowls in ascending sizes, in signature bla...
Brass
Hedgehog #2 by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller of Austria
By Walter Bosse
Located in New York, NY
This vintage sculpture features a full set of the original six brass "Hedgehog" bowls in ascending sizes. Made of black metal.
Metal
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller of Austria
By Walter Bosse
Located in New York, NY
This vintage sculpture features a full set of the original six brass "Hedgehog" bowls in ascending sizes. Made of black patinated brass.
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of solid brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller. Complete set of six pieces.
Brass
Sold
H 23.63 in W 6.3 in D 3.94 in
Rare, Very Heavy 1960s Doorstop Made of Solid Brass in the Shape of a Hedgehog
Located in München, DE
Rare 1960s doorstop made of very heavy solid brass, inside not hollow. The doorstop is in the shape of a hedgehog with a rod and handle, also made of brass.
Brass
Hedgehog Sculpture by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller.
Brass, Iron
Walter Bosse Brass Hedgehog Figurine Pretzel Holder, Ring Holder
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Walter Bosse brass hedgehog figurine pretzel holder, ring holder Original condition.
Brass
Walter Bosse Brass Hedgehog Figurine Pretzel Holder, Ring Holder
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Walter Bosse brass hedgehog figurine pretzel holder, ring holder Original condition.
Brass
Sold
H 7.49 in W 1.38 in D 4.34 in
Walter Bosse brass hedgehog figurine pretzel holder, ring holder around 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Walter Bosse brass hedgehog figurine pretzel holder, ring holder around 1950s Original condition
Brass
Sold
H 2.56 in W 2.96 in D 4.53 in
Original Mid Century brass hedgehog ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in München, DE
Original Mid Century brass hedgehog ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller.
Brass
Sold
H 2.76 in W 2.96 in D 4.53 in
Original Mid Century brass hedgehog ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in München, DE
Original Mid Century brass hedgehog ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, 1950s
By Walter Bosse
Located in San Diego, CA
Cool solid patinated brass hedgehog sculpture can be used as an ashtray or ring catcher for jewelry, its in original condition.
Brass
Sold
H 2 in W 2.9 in D 4.7 in
Brass Walter Bosse Hedgehog Sculpture Stacking Ashtrays 1950s Austrian MCM
By Walter Bosse
Located in Toronto, CA
This charming 1950s Brass Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stacking Ashtray set is an iconic piece of Austrian Mid-Century Modern design.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Brass
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller brass We still have one in black.
Brass
Brass Walter Bosse Hedgehog Sculpture Stacking Ashtrays 1950s Austrian
By Walter Bosse
Located in Oakland, CA
Brass stacking ashtrays in the form of a hedgehog designed by Walter Bosse of Austria circa 1950s.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 4.5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Made of solid brass, in good condition with stunning patina.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in very good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in remarkable above-average good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in very good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in very good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with marginal patina.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with marginal patina.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in remarkable above-average good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in remarkable above-average good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 5 in D 3 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Brass Ashtrays, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of solid brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Sold
H 2.37 in W 4.73 in D 2.37 in
Brass Walter Bosse Hedgehog Sculpture Stacking Ashtrays 1950s Austrian
By Walter Bosse
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
The artist is Walter bosse, and this model is the luxury one. Brass Walter Bosse Hedgehog Sculpture Stacking Ashtrays 1950s Austrian
Bronze
Hedgehog Sculpture Stackable Ashtrays, 1950s
By Walter Bosse
Located in Barntrup, DE
A beautiful and complete set of six stackable hedgehog ashtrays, design by Walter Bosse. Austria, the 1950s. Dimensions: Height: 7 cm / 2.75 in; length: 12 cm / 4.72 in; depth: 7.5 ...
Brass
Sold
H 2.76 in W 4.53 in D 2.76 in
Two Hedgehogs, Brass Stackable Ashtrays by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, 1950
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Delft, NL
Two Hedgehogs, Austria Brass stackable Ashtrays by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller 1950s Blackened Brass set of 6 pieces each Hedgehog The smallest "baby" hedgehog has a early m...
Brass
Sold
H 2.37 in W 2.76 in D 4.73 in
1950s by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Austria Design Hedgehog Stackable Brass
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Brescia, IT
A complete set of six vintage stackable hedgehog ashtrays Excellent condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog Ashtray by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog ashtray by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Sold
H 2.76 in W 2.76 in D 4.73 in
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Ashtrays Hertha Baller Austria 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in München, BY
Made from brass. Version with three light and three dark hedgehogs.
Brass
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in very good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Ashtrays, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
Made of brass, in good condition with nice patina.
Brass
Pair of Stackable Hedgehog Ashtrays Attributed to Walter Bosse
By Walter Bosse
Located in Berlin, DE
Two complete sets of each six vintage stackable midcentury hedgehog ashtrays.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, circa 1950s Original condition.
Brass
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller around 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Wien, Au
Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller Original condition.
Brass
Walter Bosse Set of 6 Hedgehog Sculptures, Ashtray, circa 1950
By Walter Bosse
Located in Camblanes et Meynac, FR
Walter Bosse - Set of 6 hedgehog sculptures, circa 1950s Midcentury Walter Bosse hedgehog stackable ashtray made in Greece. This vintage ashtray includes all six trays.
Brass
Sold
H 2.76 in W 2.76 in D 4.73 in
Pair of Stackable Hedgehog Ashtrays Attributed to Walter Bosse, Signed
By Walter Bosse
Located in Berlin, DE
Two complete sets of each six vintage stackable midcentury hedgehog ashtrays.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 4.5 in D 2.88 in
Vintage 1950s Walter Bosse Hedgehog Stackable Ashtray for Hertha Baller
By Walter Bosse
Located in San Antonio, TX
Mid-century Walter Bosse hedgehog stackable ashtray in original condition made in Austria. This vintage ashtray includes all six trays and is in good condition.
Brass
Sold
H 3 in W 4.5 in D 2.88 in
Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller, Stackable Hedgehog Ashtray Set Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A midcentury brass stackable hedgehog set of six ashtrays. A design by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller Austria in the 1950s.
Brass
$4,900 / item
H 34 in W 86 in D 42 in
Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"
By Bloom Home Inc
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This beautiful english arm sofa has a modern twist, with its single bench cushion, and beautiful curved apron sides. It’s upholstered in a Linen Velvet Performance fabric. Shown in...
Linen, Velvet
$4,963 / item
H 56.11 in W 25.6 in D 19.1 in
Arcate sideboard, in Canaletto walnut by Accardibuccheri Medulum for Medulum
By Mauro Accardi & Silvia Buccheri
Located in Meolo, Venezia
Il settimanale Arcate fa parte di una collezione esclusiva che include comodini e comò, ideata dal rinomato studio milanese Accardi Buccheri per il brand MEDULUM. La scocca, realizza...
Walnut
Sold|$750
H 6.5 in W 6.5 in D 5.5 in
Natural Blue Coral Specimen, Real. Beautiful Deep Blue w/Whitish around Bottom
Located in Warrenton, OR
Natural Blue Coral Specimen, Real. Beautiful Deep Blue w/Whitish at Bottom. ***NOTE: Our 1stDibs store is closing end May and items will not be available thereafter.*** This is an ab...
Coral
$3,943 / set
H 13.78 in W 27.96 in D 3.75 in
Pair of Entomology Specimen Display Cases By J T Stockall London Taxidermy Curio
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A large and impressive pair of late 19th early 20th century Entomology specimen cases, containing a varied collection of over one hundred insects from around the world pinned to an e...
Natural Fiber, Glass, Pine
$1,634
H 34.45 in W 66.54 in D 13.78 in
1960s Woven Wicker Single Headboard Rattan Midcentury Rustic Provence
Located in London, GB
A single woven wicker headboard from Provence, with integrated circular bedside tables. French, c. 1960s. Between bedsides 100cm.
Wicker
ONIX Organic Modern Pouf Ottoman in Dedar Velvet Tiger Mountain
Located in Viseu, PT
- AVAILABLE TO SHIP FROM SEPTEMBER - Like a talisman for the home, Onix pouf exudes quiet luxury and natural beauty. Onix is upholstered with Tiger Mountain, an opulent and luxurio...
Jacquard, Velvet
$1,253Sale Price|20% Off
H 15.75 in W 13.39 in D 1.19 in
Spanish Colonial South American Painting Virgin folk art 18th C
Located in London, GB
A Spanish colonial South American folk art style painting of the Virgin and child South American Peru or Bolivia school 18th century or earlier Oil on canvas, framed size 40 x ...
Paint
Birds & Other Animals with Pablo Picasso
Located in New York, NY
A groundbreaking study of animals through the rarely seen sketches by legendary artist Pablo Picasso The masterful drawings of Pablo Picasso teach animal recognition to the youngest...
Paper
Fabric Pende Woka Chandelier
By Woka Lamps
Located in Vienna, AT
Handsewn fabric shade, dessin by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, hanging on a fabric-covered wire, brass-parts in the requested finish. Total drop custom made 2 x Edison screw sockets ...
Brass
Airplane in landscape - landscape painting
By Jeroen Allart
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful painting by Jeroen Allart is part of his minimalist landscape and animal painting he did in his home country the Netherlands. 'A farm stands before you on the horizon....
Canvas, Oil
$33,438Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 78.75 in Dm 70.87 in
Shell Bed for Little Girl Bedroom Nacre Painted
Located in Paris, FR
Shell bed for little girl bedroom. Made in fiberglass, nacre painted. Inside, it contains LEDs lighting. Only the mattress is included. Bedcover and eiderdown pillows not included.
Fiberglass
Boletto Blue Pig Figurine by Aldo Londi
By Bitossi
Located in Milan, IT
Boletto blue pig figurine from the Rimini Blu collection features a mold-made refractory white clay form. The vibrant blue glaze is enhanced by a finely incised decoration of varied ...
Ceramic
Walter Bosse Fish Midcentury Brass Bowl or Ashtray, Herta Baller, 1950s
By Herta Baller, Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist bowl or ashtray in the shape of a fish. A humorous design by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller Austria in the 1950s. Made of brass, in excellent condition....
Brass
$600
H 2.76 in W 6.5 in D 3.75 in
1950s Patinated Brass Storage Box with Lid by PAL-BELL, Iconic Israeli Design
By Pal-Bell
Located in Lejre, DK
This storage box with a lid is crafted from patinated brass and is an iconic design from the 1950s, produced in Israel by the renowned company PAL-BELL. The box features a unique, mo...
Brass
Credited with thousands of works and models for ceramic pieces, Walter Bosse was an intensely prolific designer. The modernist Austrian sculptor and ceramist was best known for his distinctive “Black Golden” series of decorative objects and figurines, particularly his hedgehog ashtrays. Bosse’s mid-century and Art Deco works were popular as gifts for politicians and royalty worldwide, remaining coveted among collectors today.
Bosse was born in Vienna in 1904 to artist parents — his father, Julius, was a portrait painter for the Austrian Imperial Court. Bosse studied at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna from 1918 to 1921 under Austrian sculptor Michael Powolny and Austrian painter Franz Cizek. Later, he continued at the Munich School of Applied Arts in Germany under Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann, a founder of the Vienna Secession movement.
Early in his career, Bosse worked as a designer at several ceramics manufacturers, including Augarten Porcelain Works in 1924, Goldscheider Porcelain Manufactory and Majolica Factory in 1926 and Metzler and Ortloff in 1927. In 1925, Bosse displayed several pieces at the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris, which introduced the Art Deco style to a global audience.
In 1931, Bosse opened a shop in Kufstein, Austria, selling ceramic gift items. Owing to the crippling economic effects of the Great Depression, however, Bosse was forced to close his shop in 1937. He returned to Vienna in 1938 and opened another business, Bosse Keramik, where he sold toys, glass, textiles and more. In the late 1940s, Bosse experimented with small-scale brass sculptures and desk accessories coated in black ceramic glaze. With Austrian designer Herta Baller, Bosse formed the Bosse-Baller company to manufacture the “Black Golden” line of figurines, which became wildly popular worldwide.
Despite Bosse’s success, he struggled financially and moved to Iserlohn, Germany, in 1953. Meanwhile, Baller continued to manufacture and sell Bosse’s designs, which were so popular that forgers copied and sold counterfeit editions of Bosse’s works around the world. The 1950s marked the debut of the artist’s whimsically zoomorphic hedgehog ashtrays — these were cast in brass, and a hedgehog ashtray in any other material is not a Bosse original.
Bosse spent the rest of his life embroiled in court battles to protect his designs, leaving him penniless by the time he died. Today authentic Bosse pieces — from wall-mounted sculptures to tableware — continue to be highly sought after by collectors.
Find vintage Walter Bosse serveware, wall decorations and more on 1stDibs.
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.