Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.
ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.
Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini — a onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.
Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group, which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.
Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals.
After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.
On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.
$2,459 / item
Volta Lamp by Marta Bonilla
Located in Geneve, CH
Volta lamp by Marta Bonilla Dimensions: D28 x H41 cm Materials: Brass, cotton, raffia. Piece modeled by hand. Enameled in matte white, with shades. Brass pieces, cotton wiring. ...
Brass
Brown Marble Pipo Duoble Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Brown Marble Pipo Duoble Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: D 35 x W 35 x H 60 cm. Materials: Cotton and brown marble. Also available in different marble and wood options and...
Marble
Nuit Blanche #30 White Stoneware Sculpture by Elisa Uberti
Located in Geneve, CH
Nuit Blanche #30 White Stoneware Sculpture by Elisa Uberti Limited Edition of 4 Pieces + 1AP Dimensions: Ø 60 x H 78 cm. Materials: White stoneware. The diameter of this piece is ap...
Stoneware
$1,365 / item
White Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
White Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Ø 40.6 x H 56 cm. Materials: Brass, acrylic and white alabaster. Also available in di...
Alabaster, Brass
Medium Rio Clay Table Lamp by Harshita Jhamtani Designs
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Rio Clay Table Lamp by Harshita Jhamtani Designs Dimensions: D 22.9 x H 25.4 cm Materials: Stoneware clay. Available in Egg White, Blush Pink, and Charcoal Black. Please cont...
Clay, Stoneware
Mario Botta, 'Shogun' Postmodern Table Lamps, Artemide Milano, 1980s
By Mario Botta
Located in Argelato, BO
Pair of postmodern table lamps by the famous architect Mario Botta. The adjustable lampshade in painted metal reproduces the hat of the ...
Metal
$2,777 / item
Lapis Rhodes Table Lamp by Danny Kaplan Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Lapis Rhodes Table Lamp by Danny Kaplan Studio Dimensions: ⌀ 51 x H 69 cm Materials: Glazed Ceramic, Unfinished Brass, Linen This item is handmade, and may exhibit variability withi...
Brass
Tobacco Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Tobacco Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Ø 40.6 x H 56 cm. Materials: Brass, acrylic and tobacco alabaster. Also available i...
Alabaster, Brass
Light Blue Pret-À-Porter Table Lamp by Antonio Norero
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Blue Peggy Table Lamp by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: D 26 x W 26 x H 37 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Available in different color options. Prices may vary. This product is suitab...
Other
Lescot Lamp in Plywood and Amboyna Burl Veneer by Animate Objects
Located in Geneve, CH
Lescot Lamp in Plywood and Amboyna Burl Veneer by Animate Objects. Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 64 cm. Materials: Plywood, Amboyna Burl Veneer. All our lamps can be wired according t...
Amboyna, Plywood
Folia Solid Oak and Cast Bronze Table Lamp by Federico Stefanovich
Located in Geneve, CH
Folia Solid Oak and Cast Bronze Table Lamp by Federico Stefanovich. Dimensions: W 33 x D 33 x H 48 cm. Material: Solid Oak, Cast Bronze, Brass. All our lamps can be wired according ...
Brass, Bronze
Post Modern Roxter Eyeball Spotlight Desk Lamp Model 7039, circa 1970s
By Roxter Lighting
Located in New York, NY
Cool architectural, classic eyeball, spotlight, style desk, table lamp(s) which can also mount to the wall and function as a sconce. Classic Roxter / Tensor Model 7039, having a ball...
Metal
$1,047 / item
Verre’ Raye’ Marble Vase by Laboratorio
Located in Geneve, CH
Verre’ Raye’ Marble Vase by Laboratorio Dimensions: Ø 8 x H 30 cm. Materials: Hand-painted blown glass and marble. Available in marble and pink onyx. Prices may vary. All our lamps ...
Marble
$3,989 / item
Papiro Alabaster Table Lamp by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Papiro Alabaster Table Lamp by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: D 24 x W 24 x H 30 cm Materials: Alabaster Finish: Natural Honed Alabaster All our lamps can be wired according to each countr...
Alabaster
$1,203 / set
Pair of large blue crakle glaze lamps
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Smart pair of large blue crackle glaze lamps on turned ebonised wood bases. This decorative pair of lamps date to the 1980's and are in good condition just waiting to be re-wired to...
Ceramic
$1,365 / item
White Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
White Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Ø 40.6 x H 56 cm. Materials: Brass, acrylic and white alabaster. Also...
Alabaster, Brass
Hand-Anodised Aluminium Ambient Light from Cosmos collection Pink / Purple / Red
By Tino Seubert
Located in London, GB
Cosmos extends the exploration into manually anodised aluminium pieces. Building on the success of Grow-UP planters for MCQ in 2021, the collection showcases abstract anodising dye p...
Aluminum
$6,397Sale Price / set|50% Off
Pair of Horse Claude Victor Boeltz 1980 Gold Bronze Crystal French Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A luxurious gold dore bronze and rock crystal horse table lamps. The gold bronze sculptures are on polished brass bases and they have complimentary ...
Rock Crystal, Gold, Brass, Bronze
$4,200 / item
Frank L Table Lamp by Veermakers
Located in Geneve, CH
Frank L Table Lamp by Veermakers Dimensions: D 24 x H 45 cm, Shade Ø 34. Materials: Travertine stone / Cream textile. About: After years of successful collaboration on luxury interi...
Travertine
Pair of Gibigiana Lamps, Designed by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1980
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
A pair of Gibigiana lamps, designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1980. Enameld steal and aluminium, plastic. Manufactured by Flos in the early to mid 19...
Steel
$1,129 / item
Marquise Buccia Table Lamp by MM Lampadari
Located in Geneve, CH
Marquise Buccia Table Lamp by MM Lampadari Dimensions: Ø 17 x H 29 cm. Materials: Metal and gold leaf. Different finishes are available. All our lamps can be wired according to each...
Metal, Gold Leaf
Rare Antonio Macchi For Arteluce Pair of '610' Table Lamps
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Antonio Macchi For Arteluce, pair of table lamps, model '610', chrome-plated steel, lacquered steel, lacquered aluminum, Italy, 1973 Antonio Cassia is an Italian industrial designer...
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Lattice Flower Lamp, Small Luminous by Pestacle Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Lattice Flower Lamp, Small Luminous by Pestacle Studio Dimensions: Base: D 4 x H 7 cm, Flower Bulb: L 7-8 x H 7-8 cm, Total aprox: W 8 x D 8 x H 15 cm. Materials: Wood. All our lamp...
Wood
Spider, Floor Lamp Sculpture, Vincent Darré and Ludovic Clément D’armont
Located in Geneve, CH
Spider, floor lamp sculpture, Vincent Darré and Ludovic Clément d’Armont Blown glass, textile, brass Dimensions: 55 x 37 x 37 cm. Created in cooperation with designer Vincent Da...
Brass
Grenat Foncé Table Lamp in Deep Burgundy Glazed Ceramic by Gazar Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Grenat Foncé Table Lamp in Deep Burgundy Glazed Ceramic by Gazar Studio Unique Piece Dimensions: Ø 13 x H 37 cm. Materials: Clay with deep burgundy glaze. All our lamps can be wire...
Clay
Swedish Designer, Table Lamps, Pine, Sweden, 1970s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of pine table lamps designed and produced in Sweden, 1970s. Dimensions of Lamp (inches): 12" H x 5.65" Diameter Dimensions of Shade (inches): 4.5” Top Diameter x 10” Bottom D...
Pine
$575 / item
Lamps From The "W" Hotel
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Funky and practical lamps from the W Hotel (Ft.Lauderdale). Could be used indoors or outdoors. Made of steel and heavy weighted bases. Twenty (20) available.
Steel
$3,500 / item
Ron Rezek Galvanized Steel Table Lamp
By Ron Rezek
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Postmodern table lamp by Los Angeles lighting designer Ron Rezek, c.1980s. The lamp features a galvanized steel frame and removable steel shade with brass ring accent that sits at th...
Brass, Steel
Aua Unique Table Lamp in Pink Marble & Aluminum by Andres Monnier
Located in Geneve, CH
Aua Unique Table Lamp in Pink Marble & Aluminum by Andres Monnier Unique Piece Dimensions: D 15 x W 20 x H 20 cm. Materials: Aluminum and pink marble. Available in different finishe...
Marble, Aluminum
Hathor Table Lamp in Saint Rafael Stone and Brass by Farrah Sit
By Farrah Sit
Located in Geneve, CH
Hathor Table Lamp in Saint Rafael Stone and Brass by Farrah Sit. Dimensions: W 23 x D 23 x H 23 cm. Materials: Saint Rafael Stone and Brass. All our lamps can be wired according to ...
Stone, Brass
$788 / item
Anaka Table Lamp by Saadia Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Anaka Table Lamp by Saadia Design Dimensions: D 28 x W 28 x H 46 cm. Materials: Wood, linen, and rope. All our lamps can be wired according to each country. If sold to the USA it wi...
Linen, Rope, Wood
Lovoa Trichilioides Tree African Walnut Kuadra Table Lamp by Hodan Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Lovoa Trichilioides Tree African Walnut Kuadra Table Lamp by Hodan Design Dimensions: W 60 x D 20 x H 10 cm Materials: Lovoa Trichilioides Tree African Walnut. Finish color: Charred ...
Walnut
$2,353Sale Price / set|20% Off
Postmodern Table Lamps Italy 1980s Attributed Giorgetti
Located in Den Haag, NL
Two outstanding and rare Postmodern table lamps. Brass wings and base. Frosted glass tube shade beautiful made. Like a totem. Halogen with good work...
Brass
$1,494 / item
Capri Table Lamp by G.Luce
Located in Geneve, CH
Calipso Table Lamp by G.Luce Dimensions: D 40 x H 61 cm Materials: Ceramic. Weight: 6.3 Kg. G.Luce is the result of a thirty-year history of commitment, research and collaboratio...
Ceramic
$1,235 / item
White Medium Sonora Linen Table Lamp by NASSI
Located in Geneve, CH
White Medium Sonora Linen Table Lamp by NASSI Dimensions: W 35 x D 35 x H 58 cm. Materials: Lampshade: coated iron, warm white Cotton Lining. Base: wood-fired clay with beeswax fini...
Clay, Cotton
Pair of Memphis Style Banker's lamps attr. to Robert Sonneman, USA 1980s
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a distinctive pair of Postmodern table lamps design attr. to Robert Sonneman, showcasing his signature approach to architectural lighting and material c...
Metal
Bespoke Italian Post Modern Rose Pink Murano Glass Geometric Couture Table Lamp
Located in New York, NY
A fun modernist table / desk lamp, a contemporary organic creation entirely hand made in Italy, the geometric shape inspired by a fashion tailored suit design, the waisted middle par...
Brass
$2,059 / item
Wireless Cala Table Lamp by United Alabaster
Located in Geneve, CH
Wireless Cala Table Lamp by United Alabaster Dimensions: ⌀ 22 x H 20 cm (Customizable Height) Materials: Alabaster, Copper (Matt Black finish) Also Available: Satin Gold, Nickel, Mat...
Alabaster, Copper
Mid 20th Century Postmodern Ceramic Swirl Lamps, a Pair
By Royal Haeger
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Awesome pair of post modern glazed ceramic lamps in the style of Royal Haeger. Black circular design invoking a nautilus feel. Shades are for staging and not included.
Ceramic
Embossed Brown Umu Sculptural Table Lamp by Drusch Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Embossed Brown Umu Sculptural Table Lamp by Drusch Design Dimensions: W 27 x D 27 x H 43 cm Materials: 2-inch iron pipe and 13cm diameter frosted glass screen. Weight: 5 kg. The UM...
Iron
Sweet Thing Small Lamp in Patinated Cast Bronze by William Guillon
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Thing Small Lamp in Patinated Cast Bronze by William Guillon Hand Sculpted, Dated and Signed Dimensions: Ø 25 x H 40-45 cm (custom dimensions upon request) Materials: Patinated...
Bronze
Pamela GM Table Lamp in Solid Beech with Lacquer and AJ Linen by POPUS EDITIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Pamela GM Table Lamp in Solid Beech with Lacquer and AJ Linen by POPUS EDITIONS. Dimensions: Ø 34.5 x H 87 cm. Materials: Hand-turned solid beech wood with a high-gloss lacquer finis...
Linen, Wood, Beech, Lacquer
Shogun Mario Botta black and white Table Lamp for Artemide, 1986 set of 2
By Mario Botta
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Shogun Mario Botta Table Lamp for Artemide. The project is one of the most iconic examples of design of the Eighties, in which geometric rigor and formal experimentation come togethe...
Metal
Mini Bigflow Lamp in Resin and Steel by Kimy Gringoire
Located in Geneve, CH
Mini Bigflow Lamp in Resin and Steel by Kimy Gringoire. Dimensions: W 18 x D 10 x H 25 cm. Materials: Resin and Steel. All our lamps can be wired according to each country. If sold ...
Steel
Vintage Postmodern Brushed Steel and Brass Columnar Lamps Metal Shade
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Striking post modern steel and brass columnar lamps. Dramatic presence with a metal shade topped with a heavy brass finial and brass interior to cast soft yet adequate lighting. 5 sl...
Brass, Steel
LOP Big Square Orange by BằNG - Unboring Object
Located in Geneve, CH
LOP Big Square Orange by BằNG - Unboring Object Dimensions: W 24 x D 25.5 x H 24 cm. Materials: Casted acrylic, stainless steel, matte opal glass. Light bulb included and replaceab...
Stainless Steel
X-shaped table lamp, black ceramic, glazed and angled, handmade
By Manolo Eirin
Located in Carballo, ES
Handmade ceramic table lamp, designed and signed by the artisan Rulo and the artist Manolo Eirin. Vitrified piece in black. The electrical connection of the lamp is suitable for both...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Postmodern Steel Cafe Table Lamp With Cone Shaped Glass Shade Pair, 10 Available
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Post Modern steel cafe table lamp with a glass cone-shaped, half-frosted,/half-clear shade. This design was popular in New York City in areas like SoHo's Cast Iron district during th...
Steel
Metropolis Contemporary Sculptural Brass Table Lamp by Jan Garncarek
Located in Geneve, CH
Metropolis Contemporary Sculptural Brass Table Lamp by Jan Garncarek Dimensions: 81 x 52 x 25 cm Material: Brass Handcrafted by Jan Garncarek. Signed Information: weight:15 kg / 33 lb voltage: 120V, 240V lamping: 1 x E27 dimmable, 60W, 50-60 Hz lumens: 800 Im kcolortemperature: 3000 K tightness class: IP 21 certificates: CE approved, RoHS Lamp created as a result of fascination with the possibilities offered by the metallurgy. The lamp exposes what is most beautiful in brass. Here I see the beauty in two different forms. The first are various types of dishes or shields. Their phenomenon is the occurrence of irresolvable forms. The flat sheet is flaccid and prone to deformation. Only after its extrusion and giving its sphericity, it gains its constitutionality. The second form are the heavy machine parts, simple and perfectly matched "geometries". Metropolis is a clash of both of these fascinations. The lamp is made by hand with a full brass, using traditional methods of metalworking, as well as other methods, slowly fading into obscurity. An example of which are the plates executed by metal spinning method. Jan Garncarek is an important contemporary designer, graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He gained extra qualifications at Politecnico di Milano. He has acquired professional experience in the design society. He took part in projects such as: design of visual information for the Museum of the history of Polish Jews, interior design project of the Polish cultural...
Brass
$976 / item
Popcorn Lamp Up in Ceramic by Liliana Silva
Located in Geneve, CH
Popcorn Lamp Up in Ceramic by Liliana Silva. Signed by Liliana Silva. Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 55 cm. Materials: Ceramic, Fabric lampshade. “Popcorn L...
Ceramic
$917 / item
Shiro Table Lamp by Deetee Home
Located in Geneve, CH
Shiro Table Lamp by Deetee Home Dimensions: W 27.94 x D 27.94 x H 45.72 cm Materials: Metal All our lamps can be wired according to each country. If sold to the USA it will be wired...
Metal
$1,565 / item
Mademoiselle Paper Light Sculpture by Papier à êtres
Located in Geneve, CH
Mademoiselle Paper Light Sculpture by Papier à êtres One of a Kind Dimensions: D 25 x W 25 x H 45 cm. (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Craft paper. Available in 45, 60, 75, 120, and...
Paper
Vintage Postmodern Jackson Pollock Style Splatter Glaze Lamps - a Pair
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Pair of vintage, pink and white graphic splatter glaze over black finish table lamps in the style of Jackson Pollock. Height to top of socket is approx. 20" Chrome neck, lucite base ...
Glass
$1,164 / item
The Seeker’s Lamp by Deetee Home
Located in Geneve, CH
The Seeker’s Lamp by Deetee Home Dimensions: W 34.29 x D 34.29 x H 66.04 cm Materials: Stoneware All our lamps can be wired according to each country. If sold to the USA it will be ...
Stoneware
$4,353 / item
Umbra Alabaster Table Lamp by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Umbra Alabaster Table Lamp by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 36 cm Materials: Alabaster Finish: Natural Honed Alabaster All our lamps can be wired according to each country...
Alabaster
BHA Table Lamp in Travertine and Handcrafted Shoji Paper by Megarisiotis
Located in Geneve, CH
BHA Table Lamp in Travertine and Handcrafted Shoji Paper by Megarisiotis Dimensions: Ø 52 x H 52 cm. Materials: Travertine, paper, and acrylic. All our lamps can be wired according ...
Travertine
Gioiello III Table Lamp in Stainless Steel and Glass by Studio Marine Breynaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Gioiello III Table Lamp in Stainless Steel and Glass by Studio Marine Breynaert. Dimensions: Ø 14 × H 17.5 cm. Materials: Solid stainless steel, Cast glass shade. Available in bespo...
Stainless Steel
Pair of Goffredo Reggiani 4 Arm Post Modern Chrome Table Lamps
Located in Chicago, IL
Stunning pair of post-modern chrome spotlight lamps by Goffredo Reggiani. These Italian made lamps each feature four spotlight heads. The heads are are articulating, they adjust - bo...
Chrome, Metal
$1,070 / item
Venice Laguna Table Lamp by Morici
Located in Geneve, CH
Venice Laguna Table Lamp by Morici Dimensions: W 21 x D 21 x H 46 cm, Lampshade H 20 cm Materials: Wood, inlay veneer. Finish : Gloss brushed polyest...
Wood
$711Sale Price / set|30% Off
Set of "Delta" and "Disco" Table Lamps by Mario Bertorelle for JM RDM, 1980s
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Set of two Postmodern Italian table lamps by Mario Bertorelle, from 1980s. These fixtures were made during the 1980s in Massanzago by JM RMD. Dimension "Delta" table lamp: H 30 cm (...
Plastic