Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.
From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.
Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.
The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.
Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.
Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.
Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
White ceramic '60s 12-piece coffee & tea service by Wirkkala for Rosenthal
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Splendid 12-piece white & grey ceramic tea & coffee service with rare decoration, made in the 1960s and 1970s by Rosenthal based on a design by Tapio Wirkkala. The service is incom...
Ceramic
Multicolored ceramic & wood 1960s box by Ambrogio Pozzi for F. Pozzi, set of 4
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Set of 4 ceramic and wood containers with multicolred fruit decoration. Glazed ceramic and decorated with color decals fired at 820 degrees. The wooden lids are equipped with a rubbe...
Ceramic, Wood
$1,833 / set
Pair of Terracotta Gargoyles, 1960s
Located in Lisboa, PT
Pair of terracotta free shapes gargoyles. Portugal, 1960s.
Terracotta
1960 Angelo Mangiarotti Brambilla Yellow Ceramic Set of Oil
By Fratelli Brambilla, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Brescia, IT
Table Set Designer Angelo Mangiarotti Prod. Brambilla Italy, 1960 Ceramic mark on the bottom Perfect Condiction oil: h 20 x 6 x 6 cm salt: h 8 x 5 x 4 cm tray: h 4 x 20 x 18 cm
Ceramic
Italian Plates by Gio Ponti for Franco Pozzi, 1960s, Set of 2
By Gio Ponti
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Set of 2 decorative plates designed by Gio Ponti for Ceramica Franco Pozzi from the "Fantasia Italiana" serie. Good condition: Plates have b...
Ceramic
Grey & white ceramic 1960s coffee & tea service by Wirkkala for Rosenthal
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Splendid ceramic service with rare decoration, made in the 1950s and 1960s by Rosenthal based on a design by Tapio Wirkkala. The service is incomplete and consists of the following p...
Ceramic
Large Covered Stoneware Pot by Thierry & Chantal Robert, France, 1970s
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Large handcrafted covered stoneware pot by French ceramic artists Thierry & Chantal Robert, dating from the 1970s. This striking piece beautifully reflects the couple's organic appro...
Ceramic
White Ceramic Vase by Rosenthal, 1960s
By Rosenthal
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Signature of the manufacture beneath the base. Very good condition.
Ceramic
Italian Space Age White Vase in Glazed Ceramic by Bitossi 1970s
By Bitossi
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Stunning large Bitossi white vase with drops 1970s A little ware on some of the drops.
Ceramic
Studio Opi, space age mod. Ikebana A ceramic ashtray, Gabbianelli Italy 1970s
By Gabbianelli
Located in Firenze, IT
White modern ceramic / ashtray / vase mod. Ikebana A designed by Studio OPI (F. Bettonica, M. Melocchi) Italy ca. 1970 Marked and labeled under the base H 13 cm - 12 × 12 cm Cond...
Ceramic
$471Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Stackable Tea Set by Liisi Beckmann for Gabbianelli, 1967
By Gabbianelli, Liisi Meronen Beckmann
Located in BARCELONA, ES
The Vintage Stackable Tea Pot by Liisi Beckmann for Gabbianelli from the 1960s is a truly exceptional piece that embodies the epitome of mid-century modern design innovation. What se...
Ceramic
Abstract Vintage 1960s Space Age Ceramic Wall Plate: Red with Bold Blue/Green
Located in Hamburg, DE
Step back in time to the innovative and artistic world of the 1960s Space Age with our Ceramic Wall Plate. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this stunning piece encapsulat...
Ceramic
Coffee service in ceramic by Marius Giuge, Vallauris, 1960
By Marius Giuge
Located in PARIS, FR
Elegant and timeless, this emerald green glazed ceramic tea set by French ceramist Marius Giuge dates from the 1960s and reflects the exceptional craftsmanship of the Vallauris regio...
Ceramic
Ceramic Box, 1960s Italy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Glaze ceramic box made in Italy, circa 1970s. Slime green glaze along the top with an orange ring around the edge of the lid. Base is painted a matte brown. Green glaze covers the in...
Ceramic
Vintage Rosenthal Porcelain Coffee or Tea Set, 1960s
$1,444
H 15 in W 6 in D 6 in
Set of Three Vintage Rosenthal Ceramic Sculptural Paper Bags by Tapio Wirkkaia
Located in North Miami, FL
This vintage set of 3 complete white glazed ceramic crushed bags of white porcelain were manufactured by Rosenthal and designed by Tapio Wirkkala in the 1970s. They are called " The ...
Ceramic
$1,032Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.17 in W 13.78 in D 10.63 in
"Tremiti" Bowl by Angelo Mangiarotti for Danese, Italy, 1960s
By Angelo Mangiarotti, Danese Milano
Located in Berlin, DE
High glazed orange ceramic bowl by Angelo Mangiarotti for Danese, Italy from the late 1960s.
Ceramic
$1,236Sale Price|62% Off
H 9.26 in Dm 7.88 in
Rare Italian Vase 1930 Embossed Copper Gio Ponti for Nino Ferrari Attributed
By Gio Ponti
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Rare Italian vase 1930 embossed copper Gio Ponti for Nino Ferrari Attributed.
Copper
$1,101Sale Price / set|25% Off
H 1.97 in Dm 5.91 in
Angelo Mangiarotti Italian Ceramic Barbados Ashtrays Set for Danese Milano 1964
By Danese Milano, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian midcentury moderrn design wbrown enameled ceramic ashtray centerpiece set of three Barbados series designed by Angelo Mangiarotti for Danese Milano in 1964, marked Danese Mil...
Ceramic
$9,500
H 10 in W 8.2 in D 6.2 in
Gio Ponti Ceramic Sculpture" Il Pellegrino Stanco" for Richard Ginori, Milano
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great sample of one most important designers of the 20th century, Glazed ceramic, Gio Ponti, made for Richard Ginori and marked S Christoforo, Milano.
Ceramic
Ceramic Julia Dinner Plate by Fornasetti for Rosenthal
By Fornasetti, Rosenthal
Located in Atlanta, GA
A "Julia" porcelain plate with surrealism designs by Piero Fornasetti for Rosenthal, an iconic series from 'Temi e variazioni' (“Themes and Va...
Ceramic
Aldo Londi Terracotta Ceramic Rimini Blue Vase for Bitossi, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning sphere-shaped terracotta ceramic Rimini blue vase for Bitossi. This magnificent set was designed by Aldo Londi in Italy during 1960s. This...
Ceramic, Terracotta
36 Pieces Porcelain Rosenthal Tea Coffee Set for 12
By Rosenthal
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal porcelain tea or coffee set for 12.
Porcelain
$1,236 / set
H 5.52 in Dm 3.55 in
Mid-Century Set of 3 French Ceramic plates by Naumovitch Era Vallauris Capron
By Le Grand Chêne 1, Ljuba Naumovitch
Located in Camblanes et Meynac, FR
Mid-Century Set of 3 French Ceramic plates by Naumovitch Era Vallauris Capron Exceptional set of three plates decorated with women's faces. Emblematic creations of Ljuba Naumovitch in the Atelier Grand Chêne...
Enamel
Sold
H 8.27 in W 7.88 in D 7.88 in
1970s Space Age Yellow Ceramic Italian Cruet by Enzo Bioli for il Picchio
Located in Aci Castello, IT
Bold, playful, and unmistakably retro, this 1970s Space Age ceramic cruet set designed by Enzo Bioli for il Picchio brings a burst of vibrant color and sculptural flair to the table....
Ceramic
Space Age teapot / coffee pot By Sele Arte Nove, Italy, 1960S
Italian Deep blue ceramic 1970s sculptural vase by Ceramfata
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Sculptural ceramic vase in deep blue color manufactured in Italy around the 1970. Perfect condition. Original manufacture label.
Ceramic
Sold
H 8.08 in W 9.06 in D 11.03 in
Centrotavola in Ceramica Arancione - Attrib. a Gabbianelli - Italia - Anni '70
By Gabbianelli
Located in Milano, IT
Curioso gruppo di cinque ceramiche italiane, di un bel arancione brillante ed allegro e di forme e misure diverse che compongono un'unico centrotavola a spirale. Sul fondo, tutte, so...
Ceramic
Taste Seller by Sigma Ceramic Face Planter 1970s Italy
Located in Den Haag, NL
The most crazy and unique piece of vintage pottery or planter, is quite the conversation piece. Each side of the hexagon shape has a different part of the face. His back is a jeans p...
Ceramic
Green Cubic Glazed Ceramic Ashtray, Sicart, Italy, 1970s
By Sicart
Located in Firenze, IT
Green cubic ceramic ashtray. Sicart 1970s, Italy Measures : H: 9 cm 11.5 x 11.5 cm Conditions: Good consistent with age use. Small chip on one angle.
Ceramic
Rare Space Age Table Decoration Ceramic Italy 1960s
Located in München, DE
Rare colorful Space Age ceramic table decoration. Made in Italy. Manufactured in the 1960s. Typical Space Age Pop Art design of the 1960s. Versatile usable. Also as a container fo...
Ceramic
Italian Yellow Glazed Space Age Ceramic La Sfera 1970s
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Stunning Decorative Ceramic signed LA Sfera, very bright yellow glaze ceramic perfect as in interesting sculptural object to have on the sideboard or a table.
Ceramic
1960s Set of a Jug with Six Cups by Aldo Londi for Bitossi
Located in Milan, IT
1960s set of a jug with six cups by Aldo Londi for Bitossi (Blue Collection) in ceramic. Made in Italy The items are in excellent condition
Ceramic
Ashtray Red Ceramic Gabbianelli Studio OPI Space Age, Italy, 1970s
By Gabbianelli
Located in Rome, IT
Space Age ashtray in red ceramic made by Studio OPI Gabbianelli in Italy in the 1970s. It comes with its original label still attached on the bottom, as shown in the photos.
Ceramic
Sold
H 9.85 in Dm 8.67 in
White Ceramic "Vaso a 3 stadi" Sculpture Vase by Ambrogio Pozzi for Ceram, 1967
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This "vaso a tre stadi" (3-stage vase) was made from white glazed ceramic and it is composed by 3 stockable pieces which can be used as separated containers, such as candleholder, fl...
Ceramic
Angelo Mangiarotti Orange Ceramic Ashtray Made in Italy in 1967
By Fratelli Brambilla, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Aci Castello, IT
An iconic ashtray made in two parts of orange ceramic designed by Angelo Mangiarotti for Fratelli Brambilla. It's marked on the base.
Ceramic