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Smoked glass Citrus chandelier from J.T. Kalmar
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in München, DE
Stunning CITRUS chandelier by Kalmar from the 1960s. The 6 beautifully shaped and heavy smoked
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Large Murano Smoked Glass Chandelier by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Wonderful Murano glass chandelier by Kalmar, 1970s Smoked swirl ice glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Murano Smoked Glass Pendant Light by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Murano glass chandelier by Kalmar, 1970s. Smoked swirl ice glass, clear twisted crystal glass
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Kalmar Wall Sconces Hand Blown Smoke Glass 1970's
By Kalmar Lighting, Jan Franken
Located in London, GB
Two pairs of handkerchief shaped wall light, designed and produced by J. T. Kalmar for Franken Kg
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Blown Glass, Smoked Glass

Large Murano Smoked Glass Chandelier by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Stunning Murano glass chandelier by Kalmar, 1970s Smoked swirl ice glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Large Kalmar Chandeliers Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass, Austria, 1969
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Rijssen, NL
high quality murano glass chandelier by Kalmar, 1960s smoked swirl ice glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Murano Smoked Glass Pendant Light by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Murano glass chandelier by Kalmar, 1970s. Smoked swirl ice glass, clear twisted crystal glass
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Pair of Kalmar Chandeliers Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Rijssen, NL
A pair of gorgeous Murano glass pendant lights by Kalmar, 1960s. High quality smoked swirl ice
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

1 of 2 Murano Smoked Glass Chandelier by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Wonderful Murano glass chandelier by Kalmar, 1970s Smoked swirl murano glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Large Kalmar Murano Smoke Glass Sconces or Wall Lights, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful and large Murano glass wall sconces or lights or ceiling lamps by J.T. Kalmar for Franken
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Smoked Glass Citrus Chandelier from J.T. Kalmar
By Hans-Agne Jakobsson, J.T. Kalmar, AVMazzega, Carlo Nason, Kalmar Lighting
Located in München, DE
Stunning CITRUS chandelier by Kalmar from the 1960s. The 18 beautifully shaped and heavy smoked
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Set of Eight Large Kalmar Sconces, Smoked Glass by J.T. Kalmar, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar, Carlo Nason
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful and elegant large modern brass wall light or sconce, manufactured by J.T. Kalmar Austria
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Art Glass

1 of 2 Large Murano Smoked Glass Table Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Stunning Murano glass table lamp by Kalmar, 1970s Smoked swirl Murano glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

1 of 2 Large Murano Smoked Glass Table lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Stunning Murano glass table lamp by Kalmar, 1970s Smoked swirl Murano glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

Pair of Small Kalmar Chandeliers Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
A pair of gorgeous murano glass pendant lights by Kalmar, 1960s. High quality smoked swirl ice
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Other Flush Mount

Materials

Brass

1 of 2 Large Murano Smoked Glass Table Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Stunning Murano glass table lamp by Kalmar, 1970s Smoked swirl Murano glass, clear twisted crystal
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

Pair of Kalmar Style Pendant Lights, Smoked Glass and Brass, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
A nice pair of pendant lights in the style of Kalmar. Three smoked tone murano glasses are mounted
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Unique Austrian Set of Six Murano Smoke "Citrus" Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Unique, beauty and stunning Set of Six Austrian MidcCentury smoke Murano Glass Wall Sconces, model
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass, Metal

Set of Four Large Kalmar Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass Light Fixtures, Austria, 1969
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Rijssen, NL
Set of high quality Murano glass light fixtures by Kalmar, 1960s. Clear twisted crystal glass
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Set of 7 Six-Light Fixtures Kalmar Chandeliers Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Rijssen, NL
A set of gorgeous hand blown Murano glass light fixtures by Kalmar, 1970s. High quality smoked
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass Wall Lights or Sconces from J.T. Kalmar, 1968
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
Kalmar swirl sconces wall lights with smoked citrus shaped glass, designed and manufactured in
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

1 of the 3 Kalmar Chandelier Pendant Lights, Smoked Glass and Brass, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
A very nice pendant light by Kalmar Franken KG manufactured in midcentury, circa 1970. Three smoke
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Set of 2 Smoked Glass Wall Lamps by J.T. Kalmar
By Palwa, Glashütte Limburg, J.T. Kalmar, Doria Leuchten Germany, Hans-Agne Jakobsson
Located in München, DE
Stunning smoked glass wall lamps from the 1960s. Fantastic design and very high quality workmanship
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Murano Glass Chandelier Designed by Kalmar, Germany, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
A stunning Murano smoked glass chandelier designed by Kalmar , Austria manufactured in the 1960s
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Brass

1of 2 Large Kalmar Flushmount Lights, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
1 of 2 large flushmount lights designed by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s Wonderful large organic Murano
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Murano Glass

1of 2 Large Kalmar Flushmount Lights, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
1 of 2 large flushmount lights designed by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s Wonderful large organic Murano
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Murano Glass

1of 2 Large Kalmar Flush Mount Lights, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
1 of 2 large flushmount lights designed by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s Wonderful large organic Murano
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Murano Glass

Kalmar Pendant Light Chandelier 'Citrus', Brass Amber Glass, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
A gorgeous penant light model 'Citrus' by Austrian light maker J.T. Kalmar, manufactured in
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

1 of 2 Large Kalmar Flushmount Lights, Undine, Austria, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Large flush mount lights designed by Kalmar, Austria, 1970s Wonderful large organic Murano glass
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Murano Glass

Large Murano Glass Brown Flower Chandelier by Kalmar, Austria, 1970
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Rijssen, NL
Midcentury brass chandelier in the shape of a flower by J.T. Kalmar, Austria around 1970
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Midcentury Austrian "Citrus" Murano Glass Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty and stunning Austrian midcentury "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus". These sconces were
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Austrian Midcentury Pair of Murano "Florian" Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty and stunning Austrian Pair of Mid-Century "Kalmar" Large Wall Sconces, model "Florian
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Austrian Midcentury Set of Three Murano "Florian" Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty and stunning Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Large Wall Sconces, model "Florian" 4402.06.50
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Austrian Midcentury Set of Three Murano "Citrus" Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty and stunning Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus" 4663/2. These
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Kalmar Chandelier Pendant Light, Amber Glass and Brass, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
A very nice pendant light by Kalmar Franken KG manufactured in midcentury, circa 1970. Three smoke
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Austrian Mid-Century Pair of "Citrus" Murano Glass Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty and stunning Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus" 4663/2. These
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Pair of Large Kalmar Chandeliers Citrus Swirl Smoked Glass, Austria, 1969
Located in Rijssen, NL
Pair of high quality murano glass chandeliers by Kalmar, 1960s smoked swirl ice glass, clear
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Austrian Mid-Century Set of Eight Murano "Citrus" Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Unique, beauty and stunning Set of Eight Austrian Mid-Century smoke Murano Glass Wall Sconces
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Austrian Mid-Century Pair of "Citrus" Murano Glass Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty and stunning Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus" 4663/2. These
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass, Metal

1 of 2 Murano Glass Chandelier Designed by Carlo Nason for Kalmar, Germany, 60s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
A stunning large Murano smoked glass chandelier designed by Carlo Nason for Kalmar , Germay
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Austrian Mid-Century Set of Four Murano "Citrus" Wall Sconces by Kalmar, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beauty, stunning and unique Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus" 4663/2
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Set of Two Ice Glass Table Lamp by "Kalmar" Vienna
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Vienna, AT
glass and one with smoked glass. Excellent condition.
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Austrian Vintage Sculptural Murano Glass Wall Lights Sconces by Kalmar
By J.T. Kalmar, Carlo Nason, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of organic smoked and clear blown Murano glass and chrome sconces by J.T. Kalmar. Austria
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass, Metal, Chrome

Pair of 1960 Austria Kalmar Swirl Citrus Wall Sconces Amber Murano Glass & Brass
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful and stunning Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus" 4665/3. These
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Pair of 1960 Austria Kalmar Swirl Citrus Wall Sconces Amber Murano Glass & Brass
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful and stunning Austrian Mid-Century "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model "Citrus" 4664/2. These
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Signed Large Kalmar Round Flush Mount Clear Brown Murano Glass 1970s Lamp Venini
By Kalmar Lighting, Venini
Located in Nierstein am Rhein, DE
by Kalmar, Germany or Austria around 1960s to 1970s. Made of a white enameled metal frame which holds
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass, Aluminum

Signed Large Kalmar Round Flush Mount Clear Brown Murano Glass 1970s Lamp Venini
By Kalmar Lighting, Venini
Located in Nierstein am Rhein, DE
by Kalmar, Germany or Austria around 1960s to 1970s. Made of a white enameled aluminum metal frame
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass, Aluminum

Pair of Brass and Brown Glass Hand Blown Murano Glass Wall Lights by J. Kalmar
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
Pair of high end wall sconces made of hand blown clear and opal and brown (smoked) murano glass on
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

1 of the 2 Pair of Smoked Clear Hand Blown Flushes /Sconces By Nason
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
chrome hardware are produced by Nason for J.T. Kalmar, Austria, in the 1970s. Illuminates beautifully
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Stunning Murano Pendant Light Designed by Carlo Nason for Kalmar, 1970s
By Carlo Nason, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Aachen, NRW
Wonderful floral pendant light with four hand-made clear and smoked Murano glass petals which are
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Murano Glass

Mid-Century Kalmar 'Flower' Petals Mazzega Murano Glass Pendant Light
By Carlo Nason, Kalmar Lighting, AVMazzega
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Large (62cm in diameter) vintage midcentury smoked and clear glass hanging pendant lamp or light
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

1 of the 6 Citrus Swirl Ice Glass Wall Lights or Sconces from J.T. Kalmar, 1969
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
Pair of Kalmar swirl sconces wall lights with slight goldish amber color swirl. Beautiful, thick
Category

Antique 1660s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Steel, Nickel

1 (of 2) 1960 Kalmar Citrus Swirl Chandelier Murano Glass & Brass by Carlo Nason
By Carlo Nason, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
glasses on a brass frame. The heavy handblown amber and clear Murano glasses have smoke-colored accents
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Cascading 25" Amber Murano Chandelier Interlocking Glass Carlo Nason Kalmar 1960
By Mazzega, Carlo Nason, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Elegant cascading ceiling light with 30 clear and 24 smoked amber interlocking Murano glasses on a
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Pair of 1960 Austria Kalmar Citrus Swirl Wall Sconces Amber Murano Glass & Brass
By AVMazzega, Carlo Nason, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Elegant set of two beautiful J.T. Kalmar 'Citrus' wall lights with three pieces of swirl patterned
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Smoked Bubble Glass Pendant Lamp by Limburg
By Gaetano Sciolari, Peill & Putzler, J.T. Kalmar, Glashütte Limburg, Hans-Agne Jakobsson
Located in München, DE
Fabulous bubble glass pendant lamp from the 1960s. The lamp is very elegant and an eye-catcher in every room. The structure in the glass creates a spectacular play of light. Manufac...
Category

Vintage 1960s German Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Smoked Bubble Glass Pendant Lamp by Limburg
By Gaetano Sciolari, Peill & Putzler, J.T. Kalmar, Glashütte Limburg, Hans-Agne Jakobsson
Located in München, DE
Fabulous bubble glass pendant lamp from the 1960s. The lamp is very elegant and an eye-catcher in every room. The structure in the glass creates a spectacular play of light. Manufac...
Category

Vintage 1960s German Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Pair of Kalmar Amber Citrus Wall Sconce Swirl Murano Glass & Brass, Austria 1960
By AVMazzega, Carlo Nason, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
frame with brass and chrome applications. The heavy handblown amber and clear Murano glasses have smoke
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Kalmar Franken Murano hanging lamp
By Carlo Nason
Located in The Hague, NL
Beautiful Kalmar Franken (Austria) Hanging lamp. It’s made of beautiful Murano glass, smoked glass
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Chrome

20th Century Swedish Orrefors Small Smoked Glass Office Light by Carl Fagerlund
By Orrefors, Carl Fagerlund
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
slightly smoked Orrefors glass, designed by Carl Fagerlund and produced by Orrefors in good condition. The
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Chrome

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Kalmar Smoked For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic kalmar smoked available at 1stDibs. Each kalmar smoked for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using glass, metal and brass. There are many kinds of the kalmar smoked you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. When you’re browsing for the right kalmar smoked, those designed in Mid-Century Modern, Modern and Scandinavian Modern styles are of considerable interest. Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar and Carlo Nason each produced at least one beautiful kalmar smoked that is worth considering.

How Much is a Kalmar Smoked?

Prices for a kalmar smoked can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $1,091 and can go as high as $9,800, while the average can fetch as much as $2,600.

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

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 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.

Finding the Right lighting for You

The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.

Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.

Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat. 

Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. & L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.

As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.

There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation

With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.

The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.