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Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE

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.

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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Candlestick Design by Timo Sarpaneva Iittala glass, 1960 Finland
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Glass Candlesticks Design by Staffan Gellerstedt, 1960s Vintage iittala glass candlestick.Scandinavia: signed Iittala festivo candlestick with multip...
Category

20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

Mid-century Danish Ceramic Three-armed Candleholder, Signed
Located in Praha, CZ
Vintage, all-ceramic candlestick with three arms. Signed at the bottom.
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Glass Candlestick Design by Staffan Gellerstedt, 1960s
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Vintage Glass Candlesticks Design by Staffan Gellerstedt, 1960s A glass candlestick from Scandinavia: candlestick/candle holder with multip...
Category

20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

Scandinavian Glass Tealight, 1980s fInland
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Scandinavian glass tealight made in the 1980s Beautiful tea light to place somewhere to create a nice intimate atmosphere. Beautiful thick glass a...
Category

20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

3 Bolero Timo Sarpaneva Kandelaars Finland, 1970
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Set of 3 Bolero Timo Sarpaneva Kandelaars Finland, 1970 This is a very nice set of 3 Iittala BOLERO candlesticks Designed by Timo Sarpaneva Vintage Finnish glass Finland 1970s. To...
Category

20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Art Glass

Biomorphic Candle Holder in the Style of Don Shoemaker
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand carved burl wood candelabra. The freeform candle holder features placement for three candle sticks perfect for a dining or coffee table. Dimensions 16.75" width x 7.5" depth x ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Wood, Burl

1960s Murano Sommerso Candlestick Vetreria Cenedese Amber & Green, Italy
Located in Andernach, DE
Gorgeous small candlestick by Vetreria Cenedese. Sommerso hand made glass sphere from heavy chunky Murano art glas. A many famous artists worked for this maker, this particular piece...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass

Vintage Set of 2 Glass Candlesticks Scandinavia, 1960s
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Vintage Set of 2 Glass Candlesticks Scandinavia, 1960s Additional information: Dimensions: 8 W x 8 D x 8 H cm Period of Time: 1960 Country of origin: Scandinavia Condition: In go...
Category

20th Century Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

Vintage Kerry Irish Art Glass Ice Block Votive Candle Holders a Pair
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage modern “Ice Cube” art glass taper candle holder pair. Set of 2 Vintage Kerry Glass Ireland swirl art Glass candlestick candle holders Vintage Kerry ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Irish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Pair of Hard-to-come-by Wrought Iron+ Rattan Floor Candelabras by Arthur Umanoff
Located in Kensington, MD
Pair of Wrought Iron candelabra with rattan detailing. Iconic design by Arthur Umanoff from the 1950s. 3 tall, elongated stems have a wrapping of rattan at the neck just below the ca...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Iron

Hard-to-come-by Wrought Iron + Rattan Floor Candelabra by Arthur Umanoff
Located in Kensington, MD
Hard-to-Come-By Wrought Iron + Rattan Floor Candelabra by Arthur Umanoff Additional information: Material: Iron Featured at Kensington: This single Wrough Iron floor candelabru...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Iron

Bruno Gambone Ceramic Candle Holders Set of 3
Located in Munich, DE
Wonderful candle sticks in greige stoneware with one brown stripe made by Bruno Gambone in the 1980s. Signed Gambone. 10.5 H x 12 D cm.
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Stoneware

Space Age Modern Stainless Steel Nagel Candleholders Werner Stoff Germany 1960
Located in Miami, FL
A set of 20 S-22 model stackable 3-legged chrome modular candleholders by Hans Nagel (1926-1978) and Werner Stoff (1940-2021) from the 1960s. Made in Germany, the special beauty of the design is that any number of candleholders can be combined into unusual geometric sculptural designs due to the plug-in feature or just used individually. Each with apertures for 3 candles. Quite a dining table centerpiece!!! Some of the candleholders with foil label; NAGEL – MADE in WEST GERMANY All in very good condition. Minor wear consistent with age and use. No issues. Measurements: 4 inches diameter x 2.4 inches high This design is often attributed to Caesar Stoffi. We have also listed a grouping of 24 candleholders plus stackable 3-leg S-44 Ashtray Bowl. The bowl is based on the three-legged shape of the candlestick and thus fits perfectly into the Stoff Nagel...
Category

1960s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Stainless Steel, Chrome

Pair of 24K Gold Single Branch Candleholders w/ Rock Crystals by Claude Boeltz
Located in New York, NY
This dramatic and stunning pair of modernist candlesticks were realized in France by the esteemed artisan Claude Victor Boeltz. They offer an exploded form sculpted, by hand, and cas...
Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Gold

Pair of Brass Lotus Candlesticks by Feldman
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Vintage pair of candlesticks crafted in brass, with a bronze like patina, in a lotus form and mounted on classic round bases.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Brass

Silver Plated Brass Mid-Century Modern Candleholders by Aldo Tura for Macabo
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Pair of silver plated brass candle holders designed by Aldo Tura for Macabo in the late 1940s. Manufacture's mark impressed on the base. Visible oxidation patina of the plating. As y...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Silver Plate, Brass

Set of Three Sculptural Bronze Candelabras
Located in London, GB
Three free form bronze cast candelabras folding candles on alternating heights. They hold candles from regular up to 6 cm Their organic shapes and textu...
Category

1960s European Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Bronze

Aldo Tura Green Goatskin Candle Holder Milan Italy
Located in Munster, NRW
An Aldo Tura table lamp in the shape of a lantern. The lantern has been lovingly crafted from lacquered goatskin - brass & wood. Normal signs of use. The lantern is in very good...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Brass

Midcentury Tony Paul Candle Holder
Located in San Diego, CA
Tony Paul atomic candle holder. Amazing design that holds three candles. USA, 1950s.
Category

1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Iron

Vintage Set of 2 Glass Candlesticks Design by Staffan Gellerstedt, 1960s
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Vintage set of 2 glass candlesticks Design by Staffan Gellerstedt 1960s A beautiful set of 2 glass candlesticks from Scandinavia: candlestick/...
Category

1960s Finnish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

Vintage Set of 3 Glass Candlesticks Design by Staffan Gellerstedt 1960s
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Vintage Set of 3 glass candlesticks Design by Staffan Gellerstedt 1960s A beautiful set of 3 glass candlesticks from Scandinavia: candlestick/ca...
Category

1960s Finnish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

Pair Modernist Silver Plated Candle Holders by Carl Cohr ATLA Denmark, 1960s
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Pair of danish modern silver plated candle holders by COHR ATLA Denmark. Characterized by modernist form tripod base with lovely sculptural shape. Maker stamped. Candle holders by Atla designed by Carl M...
Category

1960s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Silver Plate

Pedestal Floral Leaf Candle Holder Pair in Silver Plate PRIMA HGr Denmark 1960s
Located in Chula Vista, CA
We are presenting: Pedestal floral leaf candle holder pair in silver plate modern vintage Measures: .88 height x 3.5 Diameter inches Stamped by...
Category

1960s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Silver Plate

Set of Three Timo Sarpaneva Designed Candlestick Holders
Located in New York, NY
Lovely glass candlestick holders by Finnish designer Timo Sarpaneva. "Candlesticks, 3 pieces, “Festivo”. Tallest one is ~ 7.5 inches tall, but all three are different sizes, the ot...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Glass

Pair of Dorothy Thorpe Pretzel Lucite Candlesticks
Located in Westport, CT
Pair of Dorothy Thorpe twisted Lucite and chrome candlesticks In original condition. Slight imperfection interior line in Lucite, shown last two images.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Chrome

Vintage BMF Nagel Candleholder Sculpture 52 Elements Caesar Stoffi, Germany 1970
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: 50 metal candleholder elements and two shells Producer: BMF Nagel, Germany Design: Caesar Stoffi This original vintage set of 50 metal candleholder...
Category

Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Metal

1960s Brass and Glass Candleholder Made by Hans-Agne Jakobsson Ab, Sweden
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Candleholder element with super rare dark red shade Design: Hans-Agne Jakobsson Producer: Hans-Agne Jakobsson ab, Sweden This candlelight holder was design...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Metal, Brass

Pair of Black Marble Candlesticks Imported by Raymor, Italy, 1950s, Excellent
Located in Kansas City, MO
Beautiful pair of Italian solid black marble candleholders / candlesticks. These were imported from Italy by Raymor in the 1950s. Signed with...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Marble

Candleholder L 102/32 Hans Agne Jakobsson Candlesticks Markaryd Sweden
Located in Krefeld, DE
Beautiful candlestick by Hans-Agne Jakobsson. Amber glass and brass base with a spring mechanism that push up the candle while it burns. Very nice condition. Price for one cand...
Category

1950s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Brass

Pair of Midcentury Waterford Crystal and Brass Candlesticks
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of midcentury waterford crystal and brass candlesticks.
Category

Late 20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Crystal, Brass

Midcentury Split Leaf Brass Candleholders by Ivar Ålenius Björk Ystad Metall
Located in Esbjerg, DK
A Pair of brass candle holders designed by Ivar A°lenius Bjo¨rk. The model is called the "Lily" and was produced by Ystad Metall in Sweden. In beautiful original patinated condition.
Category

1960s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Brass

Pair of Signed Ceramic Candleholders French Vallauris, Mid-Century Modern
Located in Paris, FR
Two pairs of double original Vallauris French midcentury ceramic double candleholders beautifully decorated in a deep green and gold colors ornaments and golden pine nuts. Signed ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Candle Holders

Materials

Ceramic

Mid-century Modern candle holders for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern candle holders for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage candle holders created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, brass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern candle holders made in a specific country, there are Europe, Scandinavia, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original candle holders, popular names associated with this style include Tommi Parzinger, Jens Quistgaard, Dansk Designs, and Gunnar Ander. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for candle holders differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $28 and tops out at $43,358 while the average work can sell for $790.

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