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.
Mid Century Modern Cedar Walnut Hope Chest Bench Naugahyde Upholstery Tufted
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid Century Modern Cedar Walnut Hope Chest Bench Naugahyde Upholstery Tufted MINT!
Brass, Stainless Steel
Light Medium Walnut Gentleman's High Chest Dresser Cabinet Mid-Century Modern
By American of Martinsville, Paul McCobb
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Light medium walnut gentleman's high chest dresser cabinet Mid-Century Modern Mint.
Walnut
Mid Century Modern Cedar Lined Hope Chest w/ Brass Pulls One Bottom Drawer
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Nice one drawer cedar hope chest.
Mahogany, Cedar
$3,900Sale Price|25% Off
Gilbert Rohde Paldao Cabinet for Herman Miller
By Gilbert Rohde, Herman Miller
Located in Hanover, MA
Gilbert Rohde designed this chest for Herman Miller as part of his 1941 Paldao Line of streamline modernist and modular furniture in exotic veneer. This is model no. 4103, two-door cabinet with distinctively incised large round pulls, interior fitted with two adjustable shelves behind the left door and five pull-out drawers behind the right door, fronts finished in black enamel. The case top and sides are Paldao wood; the doors are in highly figured burl Acacia. The finish is called "Beaver" which is natural color, no stain, satin varnish. The back is numbered "4130." All of Rohde's designs for Herman Miller are marked with a 4-digit number; the first two numbers indicate the year, and the second two numbers indicate the individual piece. Newly refinished and ready to place in your home. The Herman Miller Furniture Company was devoted to manufacturing period reproduction furniture until Pioneer industrial designer Gilbert Rohde walked into their Grand Rapids showroom in 1930. A devout modernist, Rohde convinced D.J. De Pree to focus on modern furniture throughout the 1930s, and to produce exclusively modern furniture by the time Rohde died in 1944. Work by the pioneering American industrial and furniture designer, Gilbert Rohde, is notable for its thoroughly modern, informal, and multifunctional qualities. Rohde’s ability to create appealing modernist furnishings for middle-class homes, while also devising merchandising strategies to sell these goods, places him within a unique framework in American design history. Born and raised in New York, Rohde was the son of a cabinetmaker. He attended New York City public schools and his post-high school education included courses at the Art Students League and the Grand Central School of Art. Rohde’s visit to Europe in the spring and summer of 1927 (with later trips in 1931 and 1937) to see the Bauhaus in Dessau and the French modernist design that debuted in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, profoundly inspired his concept of design and the role it should play in daily life. The French Art Deco and German rationalist styles he saw in Europe influenced the furniture he designed from the late 1920s into the 1940s, pieces he created to suit a rapidly changing American lifestyle. In addition to his work for Herman Miller Inc., Rohde also designed for several other furniture firms, including Thonet, Troy Sunshade, and Heywood-Wakefield. What set Rohde apart from his contemporaries was his all-encompassing understanding of the furniture industry, from design and production to marketing and showroom display.[1] During his time with Herman Miller Inc. (1932-1944), Rohde set the standard for collaborative efforts between designers and furniture firms, with George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames later...
Mahogany
Lorin Jackson for Grosfeld House Double Door Chest of Drawers
Located in Hanover, MA
Early 1940's sideboard or linen press by Lorin Jackson for Grosfeld House. Two banks of four open drawers behind double doors. Carved foliate handles and curved notched corners. T...
Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Sculptural Walnut Rope Seat Clothing Valet Yugoslavia
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and so functional. A place for all your stuff. Storage under the seat. Folds up. Created from walnut with brass hardware. Stylish rope seat is 17.75 in height. In excellent ...
Brass
Very Large Louis Vuitton Transport Trunk
Located in BAUD, FR
Very beautiful large travel trunk by Louis Vuitton Beech wood slats Poplar frame Honey-coloured Lozine trim Locks and clasps stamped “LV” with solid brass studs Includes original int...
Leather
$3,000Sale Price|20% Off
Danish Modern Teak Tambour-Door Clothes Press, 1970s
Located in Chicago, IL
Clean and spacious teak tambour doors linen press or tall chest. There is an upper and lower section with multiple drawers. Seven cubbies and four drawers. Great choice for smaller b...
Teak
Pair of Italian Rationalist Nightstands or End Tables in Style of Terragni, 1930
Located in New York, NY
Elegant, sober pair of double level Italian Mid-Century Modern / Rationalist School nightstands, end or side tables / nightstands in solid wood with 2 thick glass partitions...
Glass, Fruitwood
Wood Dresser by Englander & Bonta, Argentina, circa 1950
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Wood dresser by Englander & Bonta. Argentina, circa 1950.
Wood
$9,897 / item
Mid Century Linen Press
Located in Westwood, NJ
Drawing the eye with its distinctive design, this tall chest or dressing cabinet introduces a bold, modern graphic to any interior. Thin wood strips applied to the door panels create...
Metal
Queen Anne Cedar Hope Chest by Lane Furniture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Simple yet ornate, this traditional cedar hope chest has all the features that made Virginia’s Lane Furniture one of the biggest names in 20th century American woodworking. Built in ...
Wood, Hardwood, Mahogany, Cedar
Gilbert Rohde Art Deco Bookshelf by Herman Miller Refinished
By Gilbert Rohde, Herman Miller
Located in Atlanta, GA
Clean Lined Art Deco Bookcase, designed by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller, American, circa 1930s. Part of Rohde's modular East Indian Laurel Group. This piece is currently being ref...
Metal
$2,600
H 52.5 in W 42.5 in D 19 in
American of Martinsville Mid Century Modern Tallboy Dresser Gentleman's Chest
Located in Dayton, OH
1960s American of Martinsville MCM Chest of Drawers. Features a walnut frame with bifold doors that open to three dovetailed drawers over two larger lower drawers. Drawers open via...
Brass
$1,200
H 52.5 in W 38 in D 20 in
Antique Victorian Revival Walnut Gentleman's Chest of Drawers Cabinet Console
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian gentleman's chest. Made of walnut featuring three drawers concealed behind paneled doors, flanked by multiple drawers, and supported by turned tapered fluted legs ...
Walnut
$3,850
H 40.5 in W 32 in D 15 in
Gilbert Rohde Art Deco Cabinet 1930s Herman Miller Mid Century Modern Refinished
By Gilbert Rohde, Herman Miller
Located in Atlanta, GA
Clean Lined Art Deco Cabinet, designed by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller, American, circa 1930s. This is from Rohde's Modular East Indian Laurel Line of furniture, which was Herman ...
Metal
$1,725Sale Price|50% Off
H 48 in W 34 in D 20 in
Mid-Century Modern Teak Tall 7 Drawer Dresser Brass Finger Pulls
By Dyrlund
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Modern teak tall 7 drawer dresser brass finger pulls. Very nice construction all drawers are clean inside and out and slide smooth. Very unique Brass finger pulls. Locate...
Brass
$1,600
H 22.84 in W 44.1 in D 21.66 in
Mid-Century Scandinavian Modern Oak Chest, Danish Cabinetmaker, 1960s
Located in Rødding, DK
A beautifully crafted solid oak blanket chest featuring timeless craftsmanship and elegant proportions. This handcrafted wooden storage trunk showcases rich natural grain, warm honey...
Brass
$2,240Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 36 in W 43 in D 19 in
Pr Art Deco Art Moderne Dressers by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller c 1930's
By Gilbert Rohde, Herman Miller
Located in New York, NY
Chic pair of streamline Art Moderne dressers designed by Gilbert Rohde, for Herman Miller c 1936. The dressers feature opposing right and left c...
Birdseye Maple, Walnut
$1,800
H 37 in W 40 in D 17 in
Art Deco Palladio Fall Front Desk by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller c. 1940’s
By Herman Miller, Gilbert Rohde
Located in New York, NY
Elegant and sophisticated drop front desk designed by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller as part of the much sought after Palladio series, circa 1940’s. The desk features a burl veneer ...
Wood, Burl
$2,095
H 30 in W 62.25 in D 18 in
Newly Refinished - Mid-Century Modern Walnut 7-Drawer Dresser by Lane
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Condition: Expertly Refinished With over 15 years of experience, our workshop has followed a careful process of restoration, showcasing our passion and creativity for vintage designs...
Walnut
$3,850
H 40.75 in W 24 in D 15 in
Gilbert Rohde Art Deco Cabinet 1930s Herman Miller Mid Century Modern Refinished
Located in Atlanta, GA
Clean Lined Art Deco Cabinet, designed by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller, American, circa 1930s. This is from Rohde's Modular East Indian Laurel Line of furniture, which was Herman ...
Metal, Nickel
$4,595
H 33.25 in W 76.5 in D 16 in
Vintage Mid Century Modern 9 Drawer Long Dresser with Sculpted drawer pulls.
Located in Seattle, WA
This vintage mid century modern long dresser features a clean-lined Scandinavian-inspired design with warm wood tones and sculpted integrated drawer pulls.The case is elevated on tap...
Wood
Sold
H 79.5 in W 23.5 in D 19 in
2 Drexel Heritage Accolade II Walnut Campaign Linen Press Chifferobe Cabinets
By Drexel
Located in Dayton, OH
A pair of vintage Drexel Accolade II clothing armoires, cabinets, closets. Made of walnut featuring Campaign styling with divided upper cubbies over lower chest of drawers with bras...
Walnut
Sold
H 82 in W 40 in D 18 in
Milo Baughman Style Burl Wood Armoire Dresser or Gentleman's Chest by Henredon
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Milo Baughman style Mid-Century Modern armoire dresser, gentleman's chest, or linen press By Henredon, "Scene Two" Collection USA, 1980s Burled olive wood, with ash cas...
Ash, Ebony, Burl
Italian Wardrobe by Paolo Buffa for Serafino Arrighi
By Paolo Buffa, Serafino Arrighi
Located in Milano, IT
Behold the majestic Mid-Century cabinet designed by Paolo Buffa for the prestigious Italian manufacturer, Serafino Arrighi, dating back to the glamorous 1950s. This imposing piece of...
Brass
Mahogany Dresser for Drexel Perspective
By Drexel
Located in Denton, TX
Mahogany eight drawer dresser designed by Milo Baughman for Drexel. The legs pictured are vintage but not the original.
Mahogany, Oak
Sold
H 79.5 in W 40 in D 19 in
Midcentury Palm Beach Regency Faux Bamboo White Lacquered Linen Press Cabinet
Located in West Hartford, CT
Stunning, brilliant white (not cream or off white) lacquered faux bamboo linen press cabinet with lattice motif front and Chinoiserie style brass do...
Metal
John Kapel for Glenn of California High Boy Dresser
By John Kapel, Glenn of California
Located in Denton, TX
Original condition John Kapel Designed tall wardrobe with adjustable shelves in the upper cabinet and central mirror concealing two more shelves. Easy gliding drawers in the lower ca...
Oak, Walnut
Mid-Century Tallboy Cupboard Chest from G Plan, 1960s
Located in South Shields, GB
- Mid-Century Modern cupboard chest tallboy. - Manufactured by G Plan. - Features 2 drawers and a cupboard with shelves.
Wood
Sold
H 17 in W 27.5 in D 17.25 in
Rare Linen Chest/Box/Bench, Mid-Century Modern, Attributed to Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Stamford, CT
'Dirty Linen' Basket with Cushion/Bench Top attributed to Pierre Jeanneret France, India, 1960s Provenance: M.L.A Flats Building in Chandigarh, India With markings indicating p...
Cane, Teak
Rare Leo Jiranek for Heywood Wakefield Niagara Blanket Chest
By Leo Jiranek, Heywood-Wakefield Co.
Located in Ferndale, MI
I have owned many pieces of Heywood Wakefield furniture . This is the first model number C3739 Blanket chest I have ever seen . Designed by Pre e...
Birch
Mid-Century File Cabinet with Roll-Up Tambour Door
Located in Dallas, TX
Mid-century file cabinet with roll-up tambour door was designed to be incredibly versatile, allowing one to organize a wide variety of files, fo...
Brass
Fratelli Reguitti Italian Bachelor’s Valet or Coat Rack
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage 1950s folding valet stand by FR Logo Italy. Glossy wooden frame with brass hardware and wheels. International Patent Made in Italy, by Fratelli Reguitti. Brass trousers press...
Brass
Midcentury French Riviera Round Bamboo and Rattan Italian Planter, 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury French Riviera round bamboo and rattan planter. This wonderful piece was designed in Italy during the 1960s. This piece...
Bamboo, Rattan