Barbini Apple Pear
1960s Murano Sommerso Art Glass Apple Pear Bookends Italy
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Alfredo Barbini
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Barbini Murano Sommerso Italy
Pear 7 h x 4 diameter
Apple 4.25 h x 4.25 diameter
Original preowned vintage
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Materials
Art Glass
Alfredo Barbini Bullicante Aventurine Murano Glass Fruit Teal Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Palm Springs, CA
. Made in Murano, Italy circa 1950's. Pear measures 5" by 3.5", apple 4.5" by 4". In very good vintage
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Blown Glass
Murano White and Baby Blue Italian Art Glass Pear Apple Fruit Sculpture Set
By Archimede Seguso, Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown bright white and baby blue Italian art glass pear / apple fruit
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Glass, Art Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass
Murano Art Glass Apple and Pear, Hand Blown, Blue, Purple, Excellent Condition
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kansas City, MO
Murano art glass apple and pear Sommerso blue and purple designed by Alfredo Barbini. Both have two
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Art Glass
Alfredo Barbini for Salviati Sommerso Aventurine Murano Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Palm Springs, CA
in Murano, Italy circa 1950's. Pear measures 6.5" by 5", apple 5" by 4.5". In very good vintage
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Blown Glass
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Organic Modern Small Table Lamp Natural Wood Handmade Fluted Shade
By Isabel Moncada
Located in San Antonio, TX
PATA DE ELEFANTE SMALL table lamp was designed for the Atomic collection by Mexican artist Isabel Moncada.
Named Pata de Elefante –Elephant's Foot– for the prominent shape at its ba...
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21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
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Textile, Wood
Alfredo Barbini Murano Signed Rib Cage Design Italian Art Glass Flower Vase
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and unusual, vintage Murano hand blown crystal clear, indented and ribbed Italian art glass flower vase. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini for Oggetti. Signed on the b...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vases
Materials
Crystal
H 12.75 in W 8 in D 5.5 in
Bitossi Aldo Londi Rimini Blu Vintage Mid Century Ceramic Sculpture , 1960s
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in VALENCIA, ES
The Bitossi ceramic rooster designed by Aldo Londi is indeed an iconic piece of Italian pottery from the 1960s. Aldo Londi was a prominent designer for the Bitossi Ceramiche company,...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
Art Glass Giant Octopus & Jelly Fish Aquarium Paperweight, Italy, 1980s
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown aquarium Italian art glass paper weight. Showing a giant octopuses on top of a Jelly Fish Aquarium, floating on controlled bubbles. Colors are a blue, yel...
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Materials
Murano Glass
French Ormolu Monkey Motif Green Crystal Controlled Bubble Paperweight
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
French Ormolu monkey motif green crystal controlled bubble paperweight.
France, Circa 1900s.
An extraordinary work, with fine cast ormolu mounts with continuous frame depicting mon...
Category
Early 20th Century French Paperweights
Materials
Crystal, Ormolu
Archimede Seguso Murano Pink White Gold Italian Art Glass Swan Bird Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown dark pink to opal white, and gold flecks Italian art glass swan sculpture / figurine. Documented to designer Archimede Seguso, with original "Arch...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Materials
Gold Leaf
H 5.75 in W 2.5 in D 4 in
Beautiful and Rare Murano Sommerso Apple by Alfredo Barbini
By Murano 5, Alfredo Barbini
Located in San Diego, CA
Delicious and beautiful mouth-blown glass apple, Made in Italy circa 1960s with a colorful orange center in excellent condition no chips or cracks.
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Blown Glass
Aldo Londi for Bitossi Italian Midcentury Blue Sculpture Ceramic Horse 1960s
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian midcentury modern design large blue glazed ceramic stylized horse sculpture designed by Aldo Londi and produced by Bitossi Fiorentino, Italy 1960s
Please note that the ceram...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
H 16.54 in W 16.93 in D 6.7 in
Archimede Seguso Murano 1950s Opal White Italian Art Glass Cat Kitten Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown opalescent white Italian art glass kitty cat sculpture or figurine. Documented to designer Archimede Seguso, circa 1950s. It has 2 "Archimede Segu...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Glass, Opaline Glass
H 6.13 in W 3 in D 3.13 in
Livio Seguso Venetian Murano Italy Art Glass Apple and Pear Bookends Sculptures
By Livio Seguso
Located in San Diego, CA
Murano Art Glass Apple and Pear Figurine, Sculptures or Bookends.
Heavy gold-filled glass with gold speckled leaves and stems each with a polished side and bottom.Beautiful colors an...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Blown Glass
Murano Bowl in Blue Mouth Blown Art Glass. Italian Design, 1960s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Murano bowl in blue mouth blown art glass. Italian design, 1960s.
Measures: 16 x 7 cm.
In perfect condition.
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Art Glass
Two Dolphins in Sea Murano Italian Art Glass Aquarium Paperweight
By Arte Nuova Murano
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown aquarium Italian art glass paper weight. Showing two blue dolphins in a Coral Reef, floating on controlled bubbles. Colors are a blue, yellow and clear. A...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Materials
Murano Glass
Caithness Glass Ascension Paperweight by Alastair Macintosh Scotland, Circa 1980s
By Caithness Scotland
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful Caithness glass paperweight named "Ascension", designed by Alastair Macintosh and dating to the last quarter of the 20th century.
The paperweight has a cone, ...
Category
20th Century Scottish Modern Glass
Materials
Blown Glass
Free Shipping
H 3.5 in Dm 2.75 in
Vannes Le Chatel (signed) Art Glass Apple Dish in Clear Crystal, France
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
French clear crystal art glass apple dish by Vannes Le Chatel. It is beautifully crafted from heavy crystal and the makers mark is fully acid etched on the botton (see photo). It cou...
Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Art Glass
Livio Seguso Genuine Venetian Murano Italy Art Glass Apple and Pear Bookends 60s
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Livio Seguso
Located in Miami, FL
Genuine Venetian Murano Art Glass Apple and Pear Figurine, Sculptures or Bookends.
Heavy gold-filled glass with gold speckled leaves and stem each with a polished side and bottom.
...
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Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Gold
Italian Murano Apple Art Glass Bowl after Barbini and Seguso
By Archimede Seguso, Alfredo Barbini
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful Italian Murano art glass bowl, hand-crafted, in the shape of an apple, Mid Century Modern period, after designers Archimede Seguso and Alfredo Barbini, circa mid-20th cen...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
Materials
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Recent Sales
Gorgeous Set of Handblown Murano Glass Pear and Apple by Barbini
By Barbini
Located in New York, NY
Hand Blown Murano Glass Pear with 24k Gold flecks. Gorgeous hues of wine and emerald with murines
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Mid Century Murano Sommerso Art Glass Apple and Pear Bookends by Alfredo Barbini
By Alfredo Barbini, Vintage Murano Gallery
Located in Vallejo, CA
A pair mid century art glass bookends by Alfredo Barbini for Murano in the shapes of an apple and
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Art Glass
H 6.75 in W 4 in D 3.5 in
Hand Blown Murano Glass Pear and Apple by Barbini
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in New York, NY
Teal, Magenta and Clear Hand Blown Murano Glass Pear and apple with 24k Gold flecks on the stem and
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Gorgeous set of Hand Blown Murano Glass Pear and Apple by Barbini
Located in New York, NY
Clear Hand Blown Murano Glass Pear and apple with 24k Gold flecks. Stunning decorative pieces with
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Murano Glass Fruit Bookends by Barbini
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in New York, NY
piece (Apple ) 5"m H x 4.5" D. Larger piece (Pear) 7" H x 4.5" D.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Art Glass
Pair of Murano Glass Fruit Bookends by Barbini Cranberry & Gold Gliter Combo
By Barbini
Located in San Diego, CA
piece (Apple ) 5"m H x 4.5" D. Larger piece (Pear) 7" H x 4.5" D. in Cranberry glass with gold gliter on
Category
20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Blown Glass
Murano Pear and Apple Sculptures in Lilac Glass with Gold Flecks, C. 1980
By Alfredo Barbini, Archimede Seguso
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pair of Murano glass figurative sculptures in the form of an apple and pear. Handblown glass in
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Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Gold Leaf
Alfredo Barbini Murano Italian Art Glass Bookends, Circa 1960
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Van Nuys, CA
features a Pear and Apple each with polished ends and bottoms.
Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini
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Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sculptures
Barbini Murano Purple Blue Sommerso Italian Art Glass Bookend Fruit Sculptures
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Delicious Murano set of Purple and Blue Sommerso Art Glass Pear and Apple Bookend Sculptures
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Blown Glass
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Purple Blue Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Blue over Purple Art Glass Pear and Apple Fruit Bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini, circa
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Blown Glass
Free Shipping
H 6.5 in Dm 4.5 in
Pair Of Murano Apple and Pear Bookends by Barbini
By Barbini
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
A striking pair of mic century hand blown Murano glass bookends by Barbini. Cased glass or as the
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Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Murano Glass
Beautifully Crafted Murano 1950s Clear Glass Apple and Pear, Barbini Sommerso
By Barbini
Located in San Francisco, CA
A beautifully crafted and large-scaled Murano 1950's clear art glass bullicante apple and pear with
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Barbini Sommerso Murano Glass, Decorative Apple and Pear Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Glasgow, GB
' method, which incorporates differing tones of glass. The apple and pear Murano Glass bookends are in a
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Murano Glass
Alfredo Barbini Murano Green Apple Pear Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bowls
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful Murano hand blown olive green over white, gold flecks Italian art glass apple and pear
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 2.75 in W 5.5 in D 7.5 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Red Sommerso Italian Art Glass Pear Apple Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful Murano handblown Sommerso red Italian art glass pear and apple fruit bookends. Documented
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Glass
Free Shipping
H 6.25 in Dm 3.75 in
Barbini Murano Sommerso Pink Gold Leaf Italian Art Glass Apple Pear Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
and apple fruit bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini, circa 1950-1960. Published in his
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Free Shipping
H 6.88 in Dm 4.25 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Green Apple Pear Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bowls
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Italian art glass apple and pear shaped bowls. Documented to Master glass artist and designer Alfredo
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls
Materials
Gold Leaf
1 bid
No Reserve
H 2.75 in W 5.5 in D 7.5 in
Venetian Murano Art Glass Sommerso Apple & Pear Bookends by Alfredo Barbini
By Alfredo Barbini, Vintage Murano Gallery
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful set of matched Venerian Murano art glass Sommerso pear and apple bookends designed by
Category
Mid-20th Century Bookends
Materials
Art Glass
Barbini Murano Sommerso Apple Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso green, gold flecks Italian art glass pear and apple
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 5.88 in Dm 3.5 in
Murano Art Glass Sommerso Apple and Pear Bookends Sculptures
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Miami, FL
A set of apple and pear bookends in Murano Sommerso art glass. Great set of vintage Murano glass
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Glass
Midcentury Murano Art Glass Fruit Sculptures, Apple, Citrus, Pear, Banana
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
apple, two oranges, a lemon, a green pear, a yellow pair and 2 bananas. Includes one porcelain hand
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Red Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
cranberry red art glass pear and apple fruit bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini. The pieces
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Purple Blue Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown, Sommerso blue over purple art glass pear and apple fruit
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Free Shipping
H 6.25 in Dm 3.5 in
Barbini Murano Sommerso Olive Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
glass pear and apple bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini, circa 1950s-1960s and published
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 6.25 in Dm 3.5 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Purple Blue Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
blue over purple art glass pear and apple fruit bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini, circa
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Free Shipping
H 7 in Dm 4 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Orange Blue Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Blue over Orange Art Glass Pear and Apple Fruit Bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini, circa
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Blown Glass
Free Shipping
H 7 in W 4 in D 4 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Orange Blue Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
blue over orange art glass pear and apple fruit bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini, circa
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Free Shipping
H 6.5 in Dm 4 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Yellow Orange Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Vaseline Yellow, Orange and Gold Flecks Art Glass Pear and Apple Fruit Bookends. Documented to designer
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 6.5 in Dm 4.25 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Cobalt Blue Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
light blue over cobalt blue art glass pear and apple fruit bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 5 in Dm 3.5 in
Midcentury Alfredo Barbini Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends in Orange and Gold
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in New York, NY
These Italian art glass pear and apple bookends by Alfredo Barbini, produced circa 1950s to 1960s
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Olive Gold Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Olive Green, Controlled Bubbles and Gold Flecks Art Glass Pear and Apple Fruit Bookends. Documented to
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 6.25 in Dm 3.5 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Orange and Aqua Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Aqua Blue over Orange Art Glass Pear and Apple Fruit Bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 7 in Dm 4 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Sommerso Orange and Aqua Italian Art Glass Fruit Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Aqua Blue over Orange Art Glass Pear and Apple Fruit Bookends. Documented to designer Alfredo Barbini
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 7 in Dm 4 in
Alfredo Barbini Murano Purple Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Fruit and Bowl Set
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
piece is profusely covered in gold leaf. There is a pear, an apple, banana, fig, cherries, lemon and
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Gold Leaf
Free Shipping
H 6.5 in Dm 13 in
Pair of Murano Glass Bookends Apple and Pear
Located in Rochester, NY
-20th century, Pear measures 6" H x 3.75" W x 3.5" D. Apple measures 4" H x 5" W x 4" D.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Glass
Mid-Century Modern Murano Art Glass Orange Gold Leaf Pear / Apple Bookends -2
By Vintage Murano Gallery
Located in Kennesaw, GA
Sommerso gold leaf Bullicante pear and apple bookends. They are hand blown and excellent examples of the
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Art Glass
Vintage Barbini Italian Murano Art Glass Fruit
Located in San Francisco, CA
. Group consists of a banana, pear, lemon, apple and an orange (or maybe a peach). The orange and the
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Materials
Glass
Murano White Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Conch Shell Bowl Fruit Sculptures Set
By Alfredo Barbini, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
throughout. It comes along with a pear, apple, fig and banana figural sculptures. They are all in white and
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Centerpieces
Materials
Gold Leaf
H 3.25 in W 13.25 in D 10 in
Pair of Sommerso Murano Barbini Blue Green Apple and Pear Art Glass Bookends
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A beautiful apple and pear with blue encapsulating the green handblown glass. Measures: The pear is
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Art Glass
Pair of Apple & Pear Murano Glass Bookends in Violet and Plum by Barbini
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Dallas, TX
Stunning Murano glass bookends by Alfredo Barbini in pear and apple form. Crafted in the Sommerso
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Bottles
Materials
Glass
Pair Barbini Bullicante Glass Bookends
Located in Miami, FL
Elegant pair of heavy solid glass bookends in pear and apple shapes each supporting leaves and
Category
20th Century Italian Bookends
Aqua Aventurine Barbini Murano glass bookends, c. 1950
Located in Dallas, TX
Aqua pear and apple aventurine Murano glass bookends
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Bookends
Materials
Murano Glass
Mid-Century Modern Italian Murano Alfredo Barbini Glass Bookends Pear / Apple
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Miami, FL
Hand blown Murano glass apple / pear bookends. Worn paper label. Colors are a light blue exterior
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Materials
Glass
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A Close Look at Mid-Century Modern Furniture
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
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
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 legendary 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.
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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Iconic Furniture Makes This 1958 Midwestern Home a True Mid-Century Gem
Designer Susan Yeley turned to 1stDibs to outfit an Indiana home with standout pieces that complement its modernist style.
The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
Welcome Back to Designer Russel Wright’s Mid-Century Hudson Valley Home
The industrial designer was known for his sleek, modern dinnerware, but his 1961 house and the landscape around it may be his most astonishing creation.
Cara Greenberg Wrote the Book on Mid-Century Modern Furniture. Here Are Her Auction Finds
The author and design expert was among the first to define the style and coined its alliterative name. She shares her favorite pieces on 1stDibs Auctions — including some steals.
Jochum Rodgers Has Long Brought the Best of 20th-Century Design to Berlin and Beyond
Opened by Hans-Peter Jochum some 40 years ago, the pioneering gallery specializes in mid-century gems but also spotlights contemporary pieces by European artists and makers.
A Guide to Herman Miller’s Most Iconic Furniture
The prolific manufacturer has partnered with many of the world’s top designers since opening its doors in 1923. Here are some of the company’s greatest hits, which helped transform the American home and office.
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