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Pierre Jeanneret "Square” Table Solid Teak Chandigarh Project India Le Corbusier
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Munster, NRW
famous Chandigarh project in India, directed by Le Corbusier’s cousin Pierre Jeanneret and now a UNESCO
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo Chair, Circa 1950s, Chandigarh, India
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Edogawa-ku Tokyo, JP
Armless lounge chair called "Kangaroo chair" designed by Pierre Jeanneret for the Chandigarh
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Lounge Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo Chair, circa 1950s, Chandigarh, India
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Edogawa-ku Tokyo, JP
Armless lounge chair called "Kangaroo chair" designed by Pierre Jeanneret for the Chandigarh
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Lounge Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Writing Chair, Circa 1960s, Chandigarh, India
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Edogawa-ku Tokyo, JP
Writing chair designed by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh project. Circa 1960s. The cane seat and
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Rectangular Coffee Table by Pierre Jeanneret, Chandigarh, 1960s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Antwerp, BE
joined his cousin in Chandigarh, India, where they embarked on a massive urban-planning project, laying
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Rope, Glass, Teak

Two Pierre Jeanneret Sofa Chairs / Authentic Mid-Century Modern, Chandigarh
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Zürich, CH
Le Corbusier he was involved in countless projects that had a major impact on our understanding of
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cowhide, Teak

Rare Pierre Jeanneret Dining Office "Box Chair" Produced for Chandigarh, 1950s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Stockholm, SE
Corbusier for their Chandigarh project in India 1950s. In good condition and professionally cleaned by us
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Rattan, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Chandigarh Prototype Stool, Woven Linen Seating, India, 1960's
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Antwerp, BE
the design of Chandigarh's large civic architecture project. A lot of his work was alongside his
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Linen, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret Teak Mid-Century "Office Chair" for Chandigarh, India, 1950s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare "office chair" in teak designed by Pierre Jeanneret for his and Le Corbusier's Chandigarh
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Rattan, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret 'Senat' Chair Designed for Chandigarh's High Court, 1959-60
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
court of Chandigarh although they were also used in smaller numbers among some of the other
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Teak, Upholstery

Four X Frame Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret & Eulie Chowdhury, Chandigarh India 1959
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in London, GB
connected by a rail at the back. Provenance: University Library in Chandigarh. High Court in Chandigarh
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Teak Coffee Table PJ-TB-05-B by Pierre Jeanneret, Chandigarh, 1960s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Antwerp, BE
Pierre Jeanneret; India; Chandigarh; Teak; Coffee Table; Lounge Table; 1960s; PJ-TB-05-B; Le
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass, Teak

Pair of Mid Century Office Chairs in Teak by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Stockholm, SE
rattan. Great condition and patina with nice letterings. Produced for the Chandigarh project in India
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Rattan, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-TB-05-A Coffee Table Chandigarh, Stained Teak, Glass, 1960s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Antwerp, BE
Pierre Jeanneret coffee table Chandigarh in stained teak and glass, 1960's Pierre Jeanneret
Category

Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass, Teak

Mid Century Office Dining Chair in Teak by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh 1950s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Stockholm, SE
Corbusier for their Chandigarh project in India 1950s. In good vintage condition. Signed "W/9-14" on the
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs

Materials

Rattan, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Sofa Chair PJ-SI-36-A / Authentic Mid-Century Modern Chandigarh
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Zürich, CH
designers of the modernist period. Alongside Le Corbusier he was involved in countless projects, which had a
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cowhide, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Demountable Armchair Model PJ-SI-07-A
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in New York, NY
One of the earliest and rarest chairs from the Chandigarh project, model PJ-SI-07-A, This chair is
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Teak

Chest of Drawers by Pierre Jeanneret (MODEL PJ-R-11-A)
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Long Island City, NY
furniture for various government buildings and housing projects in Chandigarh during the 1950s and 1960s
Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dressers

Materials

Teak

A Pair of Handcrafted Take Down Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret ( Model PJ-SI-20-A)
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Long Island City, NY
government buildings and housing projects in Chandigarh during the 1950s and 1960s. Dimensions: 34"H x 20"W
Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Dining Table by Pierre Jeanneret, circa 1961 (Model PJ-TA-01-A)
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Long Island City, NY
housing projects in Chandigarh during the 1950s and 1960s. Dimensions: 60”L x 28.75"H x 36”W Period: 1960
Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Teak

Rectangular rope coffee table by Pierre Jeanneret, circa 1960s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Long Island City, NY
buildings and housing projects in Chandigarh during the 1950s and 1960s. Dimensions: 13.39"H x 54.34"W x
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Rope, Glass, Teak

Teak Bench PJ-SI-33B by Pierre Jeanneret, India, 1950s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Antwerp, BE
. hostels in Chandigarh, India. The cane tabletop is supported by a pair of V-shaped legs, characteristic of
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Cane, Teak

Rare Settee and Pair of Low Lounge Chairs by Pierre Jeanneret
By Pierre Jeanneret, Le Corbusier
Located in Long Island City, NY
projects in Chandigarh during the 1950s and 1960s. Dimensions: Sette Measures: 54.5"W x 17"D x 31"H x 18
Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Settees

Materials

Cowhide, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Teak and Cane Stool, Model no. PJ-SI-21-B
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in London, Charterhouse Square
furniture designer, most famous for his role in the design of Chandigarh's large civic architecture project
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cane, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Wood, Leather

Pierre Jeanneret 057 Civil Bench with Cushion by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
joined his cousin in Chandigarh, India, where they embarked on a massive urban-planning project, laying
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Cane, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 056 Capitol Complex Table Black Stained by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret v-leg sofa set with 2 armchairs in black hide
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Khet Ratchathewi, TH
fifties Le Corbusier and Jeanneret set out for an urban planning project in Chandigarh, India, designing
Category

Antique 16th Century Indian Living Room Sets

Materials

Hide, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret, Writing Chair, circa 1960
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Paris, FR
This piece comes from the famous Chandigarh project in India, as when India gained independence in
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Wicker, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Writing Chair, circa 1960
Pierre Jeanneret, Writing Chair, circa 1960
H 32.68 in W 25.2 in D 21.66 in
Pierre Jeanneret, Reading Table, ca 1961-62
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Paris, FR
This piece comes from the famous Chandigarh project in India, as when India gained independence in
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Reading Table, ca 1961-62
Pierre Jeanneret, Reading Table, ca 1961-62
H 28.35 in W 44.89 in D 25.99 in
Pierre Jeanneret, Chair, ca. 1960
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Paris, FR
This piece comes from the famous Chandigarh project in India, as when India gained independence in
Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Wicker, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Chair, ca. 1960
Pierre Jeanneret, Chair, ca. 1960
H 28.35 in W 14.97 in D 17.92 in
Pierre Jeanneret, Type Chair, ca. 1958-59
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Paris, FR
This piece comes from the famous Chandigarh project in India, as when India gained independence in
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, Type Chair, ca. 1958-59
Pierre Jeanneret, Type Chair, ca. 1958-59
H 31.89 in W 17.52 in D 20.67 in
Pierre Jeanneret, Desk, circa 1960
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Paris, FR
This piece comes from the famous Chandigarh project in India, as when India gained independence in
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Pierre Jeanneret, Desk, circa 1960
Pierre Jeanneret, Desk, circa 1960
H 27.96 in W 44.89 in D 29.93 in
Set of Two Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 056 Capitol Complex Dining Set, by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s most mature work that
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood

Rosewood Pierre Jeanneret Floating Back Office Chair, 1950s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in New York, NY
. Chairs and other pieces were only produced in rosewood at the very beginning of the Chandigarh project
Category

20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Rosewood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

"Office Armchair" by Pierre Jeanneret, circa 1955
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in London, GB
Authentic 'Office Chair' from the administrative buildings of Chandigarh (Ref. PJ-SI-28-B). In
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

Set of Two Pierre Jeanneret Capitol Complex Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret Stool
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A very rare modernist stool by Pierre Jeanneret for the Chandigarh Project circa 1956 Model PJ
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Stool
Pierre Jeanneret Stool
H 18.12 in W 16.15 in D 11.82 in
Pierre Jeanneret Stool
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A very rare modernist stool by Pierre Jeanneret for the Chandigarh Project, circa 1956 Model PJ-SI
Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret Stool
Pierre Jeanneret Stool
H 18.12 in W 16.15 in D 11.82 in
Jute Pitcher Basket for Dried Branches
By J'Jute
Located in Sydney, AU
project in Chandigarh. About J'Jute J'Jute is a luxury all-natural, sustainable brand based in Bondi
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Decorative Baskets

Materials

Jute

Jute Pitcher Basket for Dried Branches
Jute Pitcher Basket for Dried Branches
Free Shipping
H 13.78 in Dm 17.72 in
Pierre Jeanneret Civil Bench, Wood and Woven Viennese Cane by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s most mature work that summarises
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Cane, Wood

Set of Four Pierre Jeanneret 051 Capitol Complex Office by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s most
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Le Corbusier Der Modulor Book, 1956
By Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
early 1950s Jeanneret joined his cousin in Chandigarh, India, where they embarked on a massive urban
Category

Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Books

Materials

Metal

Le Corbusier Der Modulor Book, 1956
Le Corbusier Der Modulor Book, 1956
H 5.71 in W 5.71 in D 0.6 in
Set of Two White Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Teak Wood Green Leather Armchair by Cassina
By Cassina, Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Set of Two Pierre Jeanneret 051 Capitol Complex Office Chair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s most
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo Low Armchair, Wood and Woven Viennese Cane
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s most mature work
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Set of Four Pierre Jeanneret 055 Capitol Complex Chairs by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is considered Le Corbusier’s
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Set of Two Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchairs by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

"Box Chair" by Pierre Jeanneret, circa 1960
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in London, GB
Chandigarh. Jeanneret remained for over 15 years as the project’s chief architect and the city remains a
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Teak

"Box Chair" by Pierre Jeanneret, circa 1960
"Box Chair" by Pierre Jeanneret, circa 1960
H 30.71 in W 16.15 in D 18.12 in
Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pierre Jeanneret 053 Capitol Complex Armchair by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
meeting point between modern European ideals and the traditional Indian spirit. The Chandigarh project is
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

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Project Chandigarh For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic project chandigarh available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, hardwood and teak, every project chandigarh was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for a project chandigarh, we have 121 options in-stock, while there are 75 modern editions to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer project chandigarh, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. Each project chandigarh bearing mid-century modern or modern hallmarks is very popular. A well-made project chandigarh has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina and Charlotte Perriand are consistently popular.

How Much is a Project Chandigarh?

Prices for a project chandigarh start at $150 and top out at $125,000 with the average selling for $17,312.

Pierre Jeanneret for sale on 1stDibs

If his famed cousin and longtime colleague Charles-Édouard Jeanneret — better known as Le Corbusier — was the visionary, then Pierre Jeanneret was the member of the architecture and design team who got things done. In recent years, Jeanneret has emerged from Le Corbusier’s shadow, as collectors have discovered his simple and striking chairs, benches, coffee tables and other furniture creations.

Jeanneret studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva and after he graduated in 1921 he became a partner in Le Corbusier’s office in Paris. The pair collaborated on numerous residential projects, most notably the Villa Savoye, the iconic modernist house in suburban Paris completed in 1931.

Jeanneret also worked with the great Charlotte Perriand on the Grand Modele line of tubular metal furnishings that was a sensation at the annual Salon d’Automne design expo in 1929. A rift developed between Jeanneret and his cousin during World War II, as the former joined the French resistance, while Le Corbusier cooperated with the occupying authorities in Vichy. The two did not work together again until 1950, when Le Corbusier persuaded Jeanneret to help execute the master plan for the new city of Chandigarh in Punjab, India. Jeanneret lived and worked there until the final years of his life.

A hallmark of Jeanneret’s furniture designs is his great sensitivity to materials. In contrast to the tubular-steel chairs produced by Marcel Breuer and other members of the Bauhaus, the chromed metal pieces designed by Jeanneret and Perriand — including such as the now-classic LC4 chaise longue and the Grand Confort lounge chair — have a sensuous, relaxed and welcoming look. Conversely, while Jeanneret uses essentially geometric forms for his wooden seating pieces, they exude warmth by nature of the material.

One of Jeanneret’s first manufactured designs in wood is the Model 92 Scissors chair, licensed by Hans and Florence Knoll when they were touring postwar France. But Jeanneret’s finest work in furniture was done in Chandigarh, and these are the pieces that have earned him recent renown.

Crafted of teak, the Chandigarh designs range from low-slung lounge chairs and armchairs with cane seats to desks and tables, most with Jeanneret’s signature drafting compass-shaped legs. Many such pieces on the market today are refurbished, having been found by dealers languishing in scrapyards in India in the late 1990s. Chandigarh is now taking better care of its modernist heritage, making available Jeanneret works all the rarer.

Find authentic vintage Pierre Jeanneret chairs, case pieces, tables and other furniture today on 1stDibs.

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.

Questions About Pierre Jeanneret
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    A Jeanneret chair is a piece of furniture designed by Pierre Jeanneret or in his style. Many of his pieces feature wood construction and clean, understated lines. Some of his most famous chairs include the Model 92 Scissors chair and the 055 Capitol Complex chair. On 1stDibs, find a range of Pierre Jeanneret chairs.