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.
“Idleness is the mother of all vices” by Line Vautrin, circa 1945, France
By Line Vautrin
Located in Uccle, BE
“Idleness is the mother of all vices” by Line Vautrin. Natural bamboo inkwell. The gilded bronze lid is finely carved with a rebus, the bamboo interior houses a small glass receptacl...
Bronze
Danese Milano Pen Holder, Italy, circa 1970
Located in Labrit, Landes
White pen holder with clean lines typical of Danese Milano's style and 1970s design.
Wrought Iron
Baccarat Crystal Inkwell by Robert Rigot, Mid-Century Modern, 1980s
By Robert Rigot
Located in Queens, NY
French midcentury (1980s-1990s) limited edition (28/450) " Victor Hugo" crystal inkwell with a six-sided shape and a cut star base (signed BACCARAT). Baccarat Crystal has, from the...
Crystal
XX Century Silver Plated Hare Inkwell
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Decorative XX century inkwell or box representing a silver plated hare.
Silver Plate
English Art Moderne Silver Inkwell
Located in Queens, NY
English Art Moderne round silver inkwell. (Portsea 1941)
Green Leather Desk Set by Jacques Adnet, France, 1950s
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Rich brown leather desk set by Jacques Adnet, France, 1950s.
Brass
$400Sale Price|20% Off
Pukeberg Glass Company Mid-Century Crystal Pen Holder, Sweden, 1960s
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Pukeberg walther glass designed Solifleur rectangular single stem glass. Interesting and particularly striking pieces of Op Art glass . The front features a fun, light-hearted textur...
Crystal
Ronan Bouroullec Kvadrat Maroon Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ronan Bouroullec Kvadrat Maroon Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona The Baton collection was designed by Ronan Bouroullec and is produced by BD. Its sublime simplicity carves around the shape of a cane. The Baton finds its place in a room as a screen divider, a candleholder, a vase, a valet stand, a side table or a mirror. It strikes a balance between a fluent, curving line and a slim and unimposing frame. As a standalone or group, the Baton represents Bouroullec’s emphasis on refining function and form. The system changes interiors. It generates an intimate feeling in the home or a shared space, with an appealing design that is subtle and concise. A minimal frame with multiple uses. Dimensions and technical drawing Unfolded 138 x 28 x 220 cm 58 x 11 x 87 in Folded 28 x 28 x h.220 cm 11 x 11 x h.87 in Materials and finishes Base in gravity die casting steel, polished and powder coated in textured black. Inox steel polished curved tube. Steel rod fixed to the base, powder coated in black matt. Different options available for the fabric space divider. When folded, horizontal rod used to hang the fabric is stored fixed on the vertical rod by two clipping systems. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the Designer: Ronan Bouroullec is a French designer born in Quimper (Brittany) in 1971. He went to the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art when he was 17. The following year he exhibited for the first time at the Salon du Meuble in Paris. His brother joined him in Paris in 1998, and he opened a small studio in 1999, the same year he was awarded the New Designer Award by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec began partnerships with names such as Vitra, and their designs and ongoing partnership led to numerous other collaborations with international design companies. Their designs have spanned multiple fields of expression, from craftsmanship to mass production, beyond the realm of furniture design into technology and art. Permanent public space installations have been produced around the world, and they have been represented in some of the most important international institutions such as MoMA New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou in Paris, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. There have been numerous monographs published on Bourroullec’s work and had his first solo exhibition at the Centre Pompido in the Spring of 2024. Ronan focuses on practical and flexible designs. Designs that are refined, maintaining his creative flair and an era-defining ingenuity. About the manufacturer: We are an international design company run by a collective ownership —Apartamento Magazine (Nacho Alegre, Omar Sosa, Marco Velardi), Taller Bofill (Pablo Bofill, Ricardo Bofill, Luna Paiva...
Steel
Green Leather Documents Tray by Jacques Adnet, France, 1950s
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Green leather documents tray by Jacques Adnet, France, 1950s.
Brass
Ronan Bouroullec Chromed Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ronan Bouroullec Chromed Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona The Baton collection was designed by Ronan Bouroullec and is produced by BD. Its sublime simplicity carves around the shape of a cane. The Baton finds its place in a room as a screen divider, a candleholder, a vase, a valet stand, a side table or a mirror. It strikes a balance between a fluent, curving line and a slim and unimposing frame. As a standalone or group, the Baton represents Bouroullec’s emphasis on refining function and form. The system changes interiors. It generates an intimate feeling in the home or a shared space, with an appealing design that is subtle and concise. A minimal frame with multiple uses. Dimensions and technical drawing Unfolded 138 x 28 x 220 cm Materials and finishes Base in gravity die casting steel, polished and powder coated in textured black. Inox steel polished curved tube. Steel rod fixed to the base, powder coated in black matt. Different options available for the fabric space divider. When folded, horizontal rod used to hang the fabric is stored fixed on the vertical rod by two clipping systems. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: Ronan Bouroullec is a French designer born in Quimper (Brittany) in 1971. He went to the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art when he was 17. The following year he exhibited for the first time at the Salon du Meuble in Paris. His brother joined him in Paris in 1998, and he opened a small studio in 1999, the same year he was awarded the New Designer Award by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec began partnerships with names such as Vitra, and their designs and ongoing partnership led to numerous other collaborations with international design companies. Their designs have spanned multiple fields of expression, from craftsmanship to mass production, beyond the realm of furniture design into technology and art. Permanent public space installations have been produced around the world, and they have been represented in some of the most important international institutions such as MoMA New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou in Paris, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. There have been numerous monographs published on Bourroullec’s work and had his first solo exhibition at the Centre Pompido in the Spring of 2024. Ronan focuses on practical and flexible designs. Designs that are refined, maintaining his creative flair and an era-defining ingenuity. About the manufacturer: BD has been around for over half a century. It was founded in a nightclub in 1972 by a bunch of young architects and designers from Barcelona. They broke into the design world with a new vision: to produce and market their designs, and the designs of their friends with complete creative freedom and design criteria. Beginning with the designs of contemporaries like Ettore Sottsass, Rennie Mackintosh and Álvaro Siza, BD provoked a curiosity about design. These early pieces helped bring international recognition to the country’s design scene, and many of them still exist today. They are an international design company run by a collective ownership —Apartamento Magazine (Nacho Alegre, Omar Sosa, Marco Velardi), Taller Bofill (Pablo Bofill, Ricardo Bofill, Luna Paiva...
Steel
$241Sale Price|20% Off
Stone Inkwell, Souvenir from Oran Area, circa 1940, Morocco
Located in Labrit, Landes
Marocain stone inkwell The sculpture represents a horseshoe surrounded by branches of leaves The words "Souvenir oranais" are wroten in French on ...
Stone
Ronan Bouroullec Kvadrat Black Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ronan Bouroullec Kvadrat Black Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona The Baton collection was designed by Ronan Bouroullec and is produced by BD. Its sublime simplicity carves around the shape of a cane. The Baton finds its place in a room as a screen divider, a candleholder, a vase, a valet stand, a side table or a mirror. It strikes a balance between a fluent, curving line and a slim and unimposing frame. As a standalone or group, the Baton represents Bouroullec’s emphasis on refining function and form. The system changes interiors. It generates an intimate feeling in the home or a shared space, with an appealing design that is subtle and concise. A minimal frame with multiple uses. Dimensions and technical drawing Unfolded 138 x 28 x 220 cm 58 x 11 x 87 in Folded 28 x 28 x h.220 cm 11 x 11 x h.87 in Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the Designer: Ronan Bouroullec is a French designer born in Quimper (Brittany) in 1971. He went to the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art when he was 17. The following year he exhibited for the first time at the Salon du Meuble in Paris. His brother joined him in Paris in 1998, and he opened a small studio in 1999, the same year he was awarded the New Designer Award by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec began partnerships with names such as Vitra, and their designs and ongoing partnership led to numerous other collaborations with international design companies. Their designs have spanned multiple fields of expression, from craftsmanship to mass production, beyond the realm of furniture design into technology and art. Permanent public space installations have been produced around the world, and they have been represented in some of the most important international institutions such as MoMA New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou in Paris, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. There have been numerous monographs published on Bourroullec’s work and had his first solo exhibition at the Centre Pompido in the Spring of 2024. Ronan focuses on practical and flexible designs. Designs that are refined, maintaining his creative flair and an era-defining ingenuity. About the manufacturer: We are an international design company run by a collective ownership —Apartamento Magazine (Nacho Alegre, Omar Sosa, Marco Velardi), Taller Bofill (Pablo Bofill, Ricardo Bofill, Luna Paiva...
Steel
Traveling Inkwell Milk Churn Shape
Located in Vienna, AT
This figural traveling inkwell was made during the very early 1900s. It is made to look like a milk churn. We believe it is made of nickel plated brass; some of the plating has worn ...
Brass
Fontana Arte Turquoise Hand-Cut Glass Pen Holder, Italy, c.1950
By Fontana Arte
Located in Dublin, IE
Details Pen Holder by Fontana Arte Turquoise-toned hand-cut glass Italy, c.1950 Length 23 cm (9.1 in) Width 15.5 cm (6.1 in) Glass Depth 3 cm (1.2 in) Pen Holder Height 6.5 cm (2...
Metal
Ransomers Patent De La Rue 02 Antique Traveling Inkwell
Located in Vienna, AT
Beautiful antique traveling inkwell, made of wood and steel. Great condition. By De La Rue.
Metal
Ronan Bouroullec Kvadrat White Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ronan Bouroullec Kvadrat White Baton Paravant For Bd Barcelona The Baton collection was designed by Ronan Bouroullec and is produced by BD. Its sublime simplicity carves around the shape of a cane. The Baton finds its place in a room as a screen divider, a candleholder, a vase, a valet stand, a side table or a mirror. It strikes a balance between a fluent, curving line and a slim and unimposing frame. As a standalone or group, the Baton represents Bouroullec’s emphasis on refining function and form. The system changes interiors. It generates an intimate feeling in the home or a shared space, with an appealing design that is subtle and concise. A minimal frame with multiple uses. Dimensions and technical drawing Unfolded 138 x 28 x 220 cm 58 x 11 x 87 in Folded 28 x 28 x h.220 cm 11 x 11 x h.87 in Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the Designer: Ronan Bouroullec is a French designer born in Quimper (Brittany) in 1971. He went to the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art when he was 17. The following year he exhibited for the first time at the Salon du Meuble in Paris. His brother joined him in Paris in 1998, and he opened a small studio in 1999, the same year he was awarded the New Designer Award by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec began partnerships with names such as Vitra, and their designs and ongoing partnership led to numerous other collaborations with international design companies. Their designs have spanned multiple fields of expression, from craftsmanship to mass production, beyond the realm of furniture design into technology and art. Permanent public space installations have been produced around the world, and they have been represented in some of the most important international institutions such as MoMA New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou in Paris, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. There have been numerous monographs published on Bourroullec’s work and had his first solo exhibition at the Centre Pompido in the Spring of 2024. Ronan focuses on practical and flexible designs. Designs that are refined, maintaining his creative flair and an era-defining ingenuity. About the manufacturer: We are an international design company run by a collective ownership —Apartamento Magazine (Nacho Alegre, Omar Sosa, Marco Velardi), Taller Bofill (Pablo Bofill, Ricardo Bofill, Luna Paiva...
Steel
Sterling Silver Inkwell, XL Size, Mid-Century Modern, Denmark, 1920
Located in Paris, IDF
Sterling silver inkwell made in Denmark, 1920. Very large size silver inkwell holder made of sterling silver, weight 620 grams. Good condition, some engraving on the silver as seen...
Silver
$1,532Sale Price|20% Off
Scandinavian Desk Set in Bronze by Gusum, A 5 Pieces Set, Signed
By Gusums Bruk
Located in Paris, IDF
A very rare desk set of 5 pieces made by Gosum. Sweden. Signed Bronze.
Bronze, Brass
Vintage Wood Pen Holder and Lighter Set, Italian Design, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage wood pen holder and lighter is an original object realized in the 1970s. Original wood and metal. Made in Italy. The set includes: a geometr...
Metal
Letter Rack by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet, Compagnie Des Arts Français
Located in Henley-on Thames, Oxfordshire
Jacques Adnet & the Compagnie des arts Français letter rack. Chromed metal consisting of a series of vertical blades of curved section resting on rectangul...
Silver Plate, Brass, Chrome
$1,364
H 2 in W 5.5 in D 4.5 in
Sigi Pineda MCM Hinged Box Silver, Brass, Rosewood, Sodalite, Turquoise Stone
By Sigi Pineda
Located in North Miami, FL
This unique abstract signed Mid-Century Modern mixed media hinged box is by Sigi Pineda and from Taxco Mexico in the 1950s. It is signed Sigi Taxco 8. The box is silver, brass, rosewood interior with the crushed turquoise, sodalite and other crushed stones...
Silver, Brass
$300Sale Price|20% Off
H 20 in W 2.75 in D 1 in
MCM Brass / Leather Long Shoehorn in the Style of Jacques Adnet by Arfango
Located in San Diego, CA
A very cool MCM brass and leather long shoehorn in the style of Jacques Adnet by Arfango, circa 1960s. The piece has a brass handle and Horn attached by ...
Brass
$625
H 4.25 in W 5.75 in D 6.25 in
English Equestrian Horseshoe Silver Plate & Oak Desktop Inkwell Inkstand c. 1900
Located in Pearland, TX
A superb antique English Edwardian silverplate and oak inkwell inkstand with a pen rest, circa 1900. This fine inkstand has the original lovely cut cr...
Crystal, Silver Plate
Art Deco Sterling Silver Inkwell by John & William Deakin
Located in San Diego, CA
Art Deco sterling silver inkwell by John & William Deakin of Chester, England, circa 1921. The inkwell has a single back hinge to open the lid and a saucer cap as well as the origina...
Sterling Silver
Marble Desk Pen Holder Organizer
Located in New York, NY
A substantial marble desk pen/pencil/marker holder organizer, in the modern style, Midcentury Modern design period, circa mid-20th century. Organizer can hold small pieces of paper, ...
Marble
Elegant Red Leather Desk Set by Le Tanneur, France, 1950s
By Le Tanneur
Located in Paris, FR
Midcentury French modern full leather desk set by Le Tanneur composed by: Calendar L 18.5cm x L 11cm depth 5cm Pencil case L 23cm x L 8cm depth 2....
Stainless Steel
Jacques Adnet Art Deco Crystal Balls Table Lamp, France, 1930s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Jacques Adnet Art Deco crystal balls table lamp, France, 1930s. Stamped made in France. We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vi...
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century Baccarat Inkwell
Located in Tampa, FL
A Baccarat crystal inkwell with decorated bronze. Circa 19th century, France. The interior is two inches deep and the opening is one inch wide.
Crystal
Large Gilt Bronze Feuille Box by Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1945-1950. The box called "Feuille" (Leaf) features an irregular leaf form wit...
Bronze
French Gilt Bronze Brooch by Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A brooch in gilded bronze by French art jeweler Line Vautrin circa 1950s-1960s. The unusual model depicts the mathematical sign of infinity, on which appears in relief inscription of...
Bronze
Fabulous Vintage Modern Glass Ink Well with Silver Plate
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Modern Vintage Square Glass Ink Well Silver Plated 3 x 3 x 4.5 tall Original unrestored vintage condition. See images provided please.
Silver Plate
Vintage Mid-Century Geode and Bronze Pen Holder
Located in San Diego, CA
Incredible and unique vintage piece. This piece brings its natural elements to sculptural statues. Raw bronze is artistically handled to form a base ...
Quartz, Bronze
Firma Svenskt Tenn, Inkwell in Pewter, Sweden, 1932
By Svenskt Tenn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Inkwell made in pewter with glass insert. Made by Firma Svenskt Tenn, Sweden 1932 (F8).
Pewter
Early 19th Century Love Heart Ink Well
Located in Pease pottage, West Sussex
Early 19th century ink well in the form of a heart, charming naive decoration. Minor chips as expected for age. Wonderfully evocative item. Dim...
Pottery
Crystal Golf Club Pen Holder
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A unique pin holder disguised at a golf club - for the desk or the person that goes 18 holes and then some! The crystal club makes a great paper weight as well... a fathers day git f...
Crystal, Brass
Red Tortoise and Sterling Silver Ink Well with Gallery
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Boasting, from your desk, will come naturally, and in the purest form of flattery! The ink well is surrounded by Sterling Silver details with gallery atop the bold, but subtle 'Re...