The Bauhaus was a progressive German art and design school founded by the architect Walter Gropius that operated from 1919 to 1933. Authentic Bauhaus furniture — sofas, dining chairs, tables and more — and the school’s followers married industrial and natural materials in simple, geometric forms. The goal of the Bauhaus was to erase the distinction between art and craft while embracing the use of new technologies and materials.
ORIGINS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGN
BAUHAUS FURNITURE DESIGNERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
AUTHENTIC BAUHAUS FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The name Bauhaus is derived from the German verb bauen, “to build.” Under the school’s innovative curriculum, students were taught the fine arts, such as painting and sculpture, as well as practical skills like carpentry and metalworking.
The school moved from Weimar in 1925 to the city of Dessau, where it enjoyed its heyday under Gropius, then Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The period from 1932 to 1933 when it operated in Berlin under Mies was its final chapter. Despite its brief existence, the Bauhaus has had an enduring impact on art and design in the United States and elsewhere, and is regarded by many as the 20th century’s chief crucible of modernism.
The faculty roster at the Bauhaus reads like a who’s who of modernist creative genius — it included such artists as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and László Moholy-Nagy along with architects and designers like Mies and Marcel Breuer, who became known for his muscular brutalist-style concrete buildings in the postwar years. In 1925, while he was head of the Bauhaus carpentry workshop, Breuer gave form to his signature innovation: the use of lightweight tubular-steel frames for chairs, side tables and sofas — a technique soon adopted by Mies and others. Breuer’s Cesca chair was the first-ever tubular steel frame chair with a caned seat to be mass produced, while the inspiration for his legendary Wassily chair, a timeless design and part of the collection crafted to furnish the Dessau school, was the bike he rode around campus.
Bauhaus design style reflects the tenets by which these creators worked: simplicity, clarity and function. They disdained superfluous ornament in favor of precise construction. Seating pieces such as side chairs, armchairs or club chairs for example, were made with tubular metal or molded plywood frames, and upholstery was made from leather or cane. Above all, designs in the Bauhaus style offer aesthetic flexibility. They can be the elements of a wholly spare, minimalist space, the quiet foundation of an environment in which color and pattern come from one’s own collection of art and artifacts.
Today, from textiles to typefaces, architecture, furniture and decorative objects for the home, Bauhaus creations continue to have an outsize influence on modern design.
Find a collection of authentic Bauhaus furniture on 1stDibs.
Series01 Small Sconce, Polished Unlacquered Brass, Ash Leather Shade, Pivoting
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in polished unlacquered finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for th...
Brass
Series01 Large Sconce, Dark Patinated Brass, Sable Brown Leather Pivoting Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in dark patinated finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the bett...
Brass
Series01 Upright Sconce, Nickel-Plated Brass, Graphite Gray Leather Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in polished nickel plated finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the bette...
Brass
Large Bauhaus wall lamp
Located in Purkersdorf, AT
Very large and heavy wall lamp in the Bauhaus style; made in the 1930s. Chrome-plated brass; 2 original E14 lamp sockets Rewired
Brass, Nickel
Mercury Glass Wall Lights By Zeiss Ikon Circa 1930s
By Zeiss Ikon
Located in Gloucester, GB
Mercury Glass Wall Lights By Zeiss Ikon Circa 1930s - Original branded wall brackets - Mercury glass shades - Takes E27 fitting bulbs - Made by Zeiss Ikon, Jena - German ~ 1930s - 2...
Mercury Glass
Philips NWS 33 Bauhaus Geometric Wall Sconces, White and Gray
By Phillips
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Philips Model NWS 33 wall sconces in white enameled metal with a custom gray painted center band. The form is built from three staggered rectangular volumes arranged in a cross confi...
Metal, Enamel
Pair of Bauhaus Chrome Wall Lights by Napako, Czechoslovakia, 1940s
By Napako
Located in Praha, CZ
An exceptional pair of original Bauhaus wall lights produced by Napako in Czechoslovakia during the 1940s. These rare chrome-plated fixtures embody the clean geometry and refined pro...
Metal, Chrome
Huge Adjustable Bauhaus Scissor Wall Lamp by Wilhelm Bäder Germany 1930s
Located in München, BY
Huge, articulated Bauhaus scissor wall lamp. Adjustable and extendable arm. Lamp shade adjustable in every position. Extendable between 15.75 – 55.12 in. (40 – 140 cm). A real work ...
Metal
Pair of Wilhelm Wagenfeld Wall Lights No. 356, 1950
Located in Los Angeles, CA
wonderful pair of wall lights designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld for Lindner, in ivory porcelain with opaque glass bulb covers, Werksverzeichnis Nr. 356, Wilhelm Wagenfeld for Lindner Gmb...
Porcelain, Opaline Glass
Bauhaus Chrome and glass Wall Lamp, 1930s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition,refreshed,polished - US compatible - one bulb any wattage possible - newly wired - good original condition with patina jr
Chrome
Series01 Large Sconce, Dark Patinated Brass, Ash Leather Pivoting Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in dark patinated finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will cha...
Brass
Series02 Lg. Sconce, Polished Nickel Brass, Stitched Goatskin Parchment Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined polished nickel plated brass, hand-stitched goatskin parchment shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better with time a...
Brass
Rare Megaphos Sistrah Wall Lamp By C.F Otto Mueller
By C.F. Otto Muller, Sistrah-Licht GmbH, Megaphos/Sistrah
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare wall lamp by Sistrah/Megaphos desiged in the 1930s by Otto Müller in Germany. Brass arm chrome-plated fitted with one E27 socket up to 60Watts (nowadays LED), milk glass shade.
Brass, Chrome
Series02 Large Sconce, Dark Patinated Brass, Stitched Goatskin Parchment Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined dark patinated brass, hand-stitched goatskin parchment shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better with time and use. ...
Brass
Bauhaus Wall Lamp with Adjustable Shade, Chrome Finish, 1930s Design
Located in Praha, CZ
A superb example of 20th-century industrial design, this Bauhaus wall lamp features a streamlined tubular silhouette in polished chrome. The centerpiece of the design is its adjustab...
Chrome
XXL Bauhaus brass and glass Wall Lamp, 1930s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition,refreshed,polished - US compatible - 2 bulbs any wattage possible - newly wired - good original condition with patina jr
Brass
Bauhaus Chrome and milk glass Wall Lamp, 1940s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition,refreshed,polished - US compatible - one bulb any wattage possible - newly wired - good original condition with patina jr
Chrome
Series02 Small Sconce, Polished Unlacquered Brass, Goatskin Parchment Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined polished unlacquered brass, hand-stitched goatskin parchment shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change...
Brass
Series01 Small Sconce, Matte Blackened Brass, Ash Leather Shade, Pivoting shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in matte blackened finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. "Matte Blackened Brass" is a heavily textured, roughened finish with tool markings...
Brass
$2,935
Bauhaus Rare Wall Light
By Bauhaus
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful rare Bauhaus lamp, a heavy metal version in nickel with 5 plexi clear plates with white lines giving an abstract accent of a play of light,...
Chrome
Series01 Upright Sconce, Dark Patinated Brass, Lead Gray Leather Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in dark patinated finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better with t...
Brass
Series01 Upright Sconce, Smoke Acid Patinated Brass, Blush pink Leather Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in "Smoke" acid patinated finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the bette...
Brass
Chrome design Bauhaus Wall Lamp, 1930s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition with patina - US compatible - two bulbs any wattage possible jr
Chrome
Brass and Mahagony Wall Sconces by Eckart Muthesius for Tecnolumen, 1930s
Located in Rijssen, NL
A pair of halogen wall sconces by Eckhart Muthesius for Tecnolumen, Germany, Europe. Model WAD 37. Brass lighting with mahagony wood base. Eckart Muthesius was a renowned German arc...
Brass
Rare Chrome Bauhaus Art Deco Wall Lamp Napako, 1940s
Located in Praha, CZ
- very nice style of lighting - rare type - adjustable - marked
Chrome
1930s Bauhaus Chrome and Opaline Glass Wall Light, Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
Original Bauhaus wall light manufactured in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s, executed in chrome-plated metal, lacquered metal, and opaline glass. The clean cylindrical diffuser and p...
Metal, Chrome
German Designer, Wall Lights, Brass, Glass, Germany, 1920s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and alabaster-imprinted opaline glass wall lights designed and produced in Germany, c. 1920s. Overall Dimensions (Inches): 12.5” H x 3.5” W x 3“ D Back Plate Dimens...
Brass
Series01 Upright Sconce, Polished Unlacquered Brass, Graphite Leather Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in polished unlacquered finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the better ...
Brass
Kaiser Idell Bauhaus industrial scissor factory wall light by Christian Dell
Located in Bern, CH
Bauhaus industrial scissor factory wall light designed by Christian Dell. Produced by Kaiser Idell in Germany during the 1930s. Metal construction with black powder coated metal. The...
Metal
Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Wall Light, Brass, Germany, 1950s
By Peill & Putzler, Wilhelm Wagenfeld
Located in High Point, NC
A sizable wall light designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld and produced by Peill & Putzler, Germany, c. 1950s. Overall Dimensions (Inches): 20” H x 6.6” W x 5.25“ D Back Plate Dimensions (...
Brass
Bauhaus Chrome and milk glass Wall Lamp, 1940s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition,refreshed,polished - US compatible - one bulb any wattage possible - newly wired - good original condition with patina jr
Chrome
Industrial Task Lamp by Kaiser Dell
By Kaiser Dell
Located in Oakland, CA
1950s task lamp by Kaiser Dell, done in the Bauhaus style as these originated during the Bauhaus movement. Light gray paint with an adjustable base and arm which can be adjusted via ...
Metal, Chrome
Bauhaus Porcelain Base and Glass Globe Wall/Ceiling Light, Germany, 1930s
Located in Almelo, NL
Bauhaus Porcelain Base and Glass Globe Wall/Ceiling Light, Germany, 1930s This original Bauhaus wall or ceiling light from 1930s Germany is a superb example of early modernist desig...
Porcelain, Glass
$1,560 / item
LUglo Sconces by Lumfardo Luminaires
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Geometrical and iconic globe sconces. Playing with the balance of weight perception and strength, these sconces show the tension created by a sphere rolling over a an edge. The soft ...
Aluminum, Brass
German Designer, Wall Lights, Brass, Glass, Germany, 1930s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and opaline glass wall lights designed and produced in Germany, c. 1930s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 16” H x 4” W x 9.5” D Back Plate Dimensions (Inches): 3.8...
Brass
Series01 Small Sconce, Dark Patinated Brass, Sable Brown Leather Shade, Pivoting
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in dark patinated finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for the bett...
Brass
Pair Wilhelm Wagenfeld Bauhaus Glass Sconces, White, Lindner Germany 1950s
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Set of two original vintage wall sconces by German designer Wilhelm Wagenfeld. They were manufactured by Lindner Wandleuchten ca 1950s. This set, which is very suitable for a bathro...
Ceramic, Glass, Wood, Porcelain
German Bauhaus style wall lamp by Heinrich Siegfried Bormann & Ugo Pollice 1950s
By Ugo Pollice
Located in MIlano, IT
German Bauhaus style wall lamp by Heinrich Siegfried Bormann & Ugo Pollice 1950s. Bauhaus style arm wall lamp, with red metal structure and part of the chromed diffuser. Foldable and...
Metal
Vintage Industrial Adjustable Articulated Telescopic Task Lamp
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Vintage black industrial adjustable articulated telescopic task lamp made in Germany in the 1920s-1930s. Can be used as wall or table lamp. Wall arm measures max. 44.5" in. (113 c...
Metal, Steel
Series01 Lg Sconce, Polished Unlacquered Brass, Gochu Red Leather Pivoting Shade
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in polished unlacquered finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for th...
Brass
$560Sale Price|20% Off
Scandinavian Design Functionalist Wall Lamp / Sconce, Brass
By Høvik Verk, Høvik Lys
Located in Skien, NO
Stunning Scandinavian Design / Nordic Design / Functionalist Design 2-arm wall sconce / wall light by Høvik Lys / Hovik Lys, Norway. From the second half of the 20th century. Made f...
Bronze, Brass
XXL big Chrome design Bauhaus Wall Lamp, 1930s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - very good original condition with patina - US compatible - two bulbs any wattage possible - small damage of glass,not proceeding and not seen - newly wired jr
Chrome
Wall Light -LIAISON, Cast Bronze with Alabaster, Cinabre Gallery
By Thomas Mang
Located in PARIS, FR
Out of the intense dialogue between Thomas Mang Studio and Cinabre Gallery emerges a sculptural lighting piece that unites bronze artistry and holistic architectural thinking. Inspir...
Alabaster, Bronze
Set of Two Rare Art Deco Bauhaus Bedside Sconces or Wall Lamps Germany 1950s
Located in München, BY
Set of two rare, elegant and minimalistic Bauhaus or Art Deco wall lights / sconces. Designed and manufactured in Germany, 1950s. Executed in brass and metal, each lamp needs 1 x st...
Metal, Brass
Adjustable 'Megaphos' Wall Applique by C.F Otto Mueller, Sistrah, Germany, 1930s
By C.F. Otto Muller, Megaphos/Sistrah
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
A rare Megaphos adjustable wall applique by C. F. Otto Meuller for Sistrah Licht GmbH Beautiful construction and functional Bauhaus wall applique This lamp features a left to right...
Brass, Nickel
S01 Sm. Sconce, Polished Unlacquered Brass, Tennis Green Leather Shade, Pivoting
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass in polished unlacquered finish, hand-dyed soft unstructured leather pivoting shade. All material finishes are living finishes: they will change and patina for th...
Brass
$2,058 / set
Zeppelin Wall Lights – Bauhaus Modernism, 1930s
Located in Berlin, DE
This rare pair of chromed wall lights dates to the 1930s and exemplifies the refined industrial aesthetics of the Bauhaus and Functionalist movements. Their distinctive zeppelin-shap...
Metal
Bakelite Wall or Ceiling Industrial Lamp from 1940s
Located in Vienna, AT
Bakelite wall of ceiling industial or factory lamp from late 1940s. Up to 20 pieces available.
Bakelite, Glass
Rare & Huge Adjustable Bauhaus Scissor Wall Lamp by Wilhelm Bäder Germany 1930s
Located in München, BY
Huge, articulated Bauhaus scissor wall lamp. Adjustable and extendable arm. Lamp shade adjustable in every position. Extendable between 18.11 – 66.93 in. (46 – 170 cm) A real work s...
Metal
1940s Bauhaus Wall Light by Napako, Czechoslovakia
By Napako
Located in Praha, CZ
- cleaned ,polished and rewired - 2x , E12/E14 bulb - US wiring compatible- signs of use
Chrome
Set Of Four White Bakelite and Opal Glass Bo Niko Wall Lights 1930s
By Bo-Niko
Located in Antwerp, BE
Bo Niko Wall Light In Bakelite Holder, 1960s. White opal frosted conical glass lampshade. Perfect wall lamps for your bathroom or hallway. Bakelite E14 ...
Opaline Glass, Bakelite
Chrome design Bauhaus Wall Lamp, 1930s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition with patina - US compatible - one bulb any wattage possible - newly wired jr
Chrome
$1,900 / set
Pair of Industrial Wall Lights, 1920
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great pair of German indoor/outdoor industrial wall lights with bakelite housings, enameled metal shades and a metal cages enveloping glass domes, currently wired with external j-box...
Metal
Bauhaus Porcelain Base and Opaline Glass Wall/Ceiling Light, Germany, 1930s
Located in Almelo, NL
Bauhaus Porcelain Base and Glass Globe Wall/Ceiling Light, Germany, 1930s This original Bauhaus-era light fixture from 1930s Germany embodies the core principles of modernist design...
Porcelain, Glass
Big Chrome milk glass Bauhaus / Functionalist Wall Lamp - 1930s
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930S, Czechoslovakia - polished, new electricity - patina(see the details) - US wiring compatible - one bulb any wattage - can be used bot vertically and horizontally on wall jr
Chrome
Brass and Opaline Glass Wall Light by Glashütte Limburg Germany 1980s
Located in München, BY
Elegant Mid Century Modern sconces or wall lamps. Designed and manufactured by Glashütte Limburg, Germany, 1980s. Executed in brass and opaline glass, the lamp needs two TC 11W. 220...
Brass
Brass design Bauhaus Wall Lamp, 1930s - Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930s, Czechoislovakia - original condition with patina jr
Brass
Bauhaus Wall Sconces, Dark Bronze & Bakelite, Austrian Design, 1940s
Located in New York, NY
Fantastic pair of Bauhaus influenced dark bronze sconces with articulating shades and amber bakelite detail on back plates. Sconces have a strong a...
Bronze
Wall lamp by Ernst Rademacher, Bauhaus, 1930
Located in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FR
Wall lamp from the Bauhaus period designed by German designer Ernst Rademacher in the 30s All in black metal Signed Height is adjustable Wall arm: 93 cm Length arm 1: 88 cm - Length ...
Metal
Chrome milk glass Bauhaus / Functionalist Wall Lamp - 1930s
Located in Praha, CZ
- 1930S, Czechoslovakia - polished, new electricity - US wiring compatible - one bulb any wattage - can be used bot vertically and horizontally on wall jr
Chrome