Vintage Postmodern Italian Zelig Table Lamp by Walter Monici for Lumina, 1990s
Located in Hamburg, DE
The table lamp version of the culinary of the Italian manufacturer Lumina after a design by Walter Monici from 1990. The elegance of the culinary is based on the game of asymmetry a...
Metal
Set of 2 Postmodern Italian Virgo Table Lamps by Ilalia Gibertini, 1990s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Two rare table lights from the Italian manufacturer Nemo after a design by Ilaria Gibertini from the early 90s. A rarity that has not been on the market for years. The shape of the ...
Aluminum
Set of 2 Postmodern Italian Model Gilda Table Lamps by Silvia Capponi, 1990s
By Silvia Capponi
Located in Hamburg, DE
Table lamps from the Italian manufacturer Artemide based on a design by Silvia Capponi from the early 90s. A playful design in the formal language of the late postmodern era. The sp...
Plastic
Postmodern Bent Glass Ashtray Bowl Catchall, 1990s
Located in New York, NY
A transparent bent glass ashtray or bowl/catchall, Modern style or Postmodern period, circa late-20th century, late 1990s to early 2000s. Two indents at top. Excellent condition as s...
Glass
Pair of Vintage Weiman Lounge Chairs, 1990s
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair of vintage Weiman lounge chairs with a bold, sculptural presence and unmistakable postmodern character. Each chair features generously rounded proportions, oversized looping arm...
Upholstery
Green, Blue, Bronze and Clear Murano Glass Vase by Irene Paolo, Italy 1990s
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1990s. This tulip vase is made with three-colored Murano hand-blown glass canes. It can also be used as a candleholder. It is a vintage piece, therefore it might sho...
Murano Glass
Italian Postmodern Model Pao T2 Table Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, 1990s
By Arteluce
Located in Hamburg, DE
The large T2 table lamp version from the Pao lamp series by Matteo Thun. The Pao lamps captivate with their characteristic diffuser made of frosted glass. However, it is rather the ...
Glass, Wood
Transparent Murano Glass Vase by Carlo Moretti, Signed and Labeled, Italy 1990s
By Carlo Moretti
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1970s. Made in hand-blown and hand-polished Murano glass. It is signed and labeled by Carlo Moretti. This vase might show slight traces of use since it's vintage, but...
Murano Glass
Postmodern Silver Pao T1 Table Lamps Matteo Thun Arteluce Italy, 1990s, Set of 2
By Arteluce, Matteo Thun
Located in Hamburg, DE
The small T1 table lamp from Matteo Thun’s Pao lighting series. Shown here in a rare silver version, sold as a set of two. The Pao lamps captivate with their characteristic diffuser...
Metal
Italian Postmodern Model Pao T2 Table Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, 1990s
By Arteluce
Located in Hamburg, DE
The large T2 table lamp version from the Pao lamp series by Matteo Thun. Here in a rare version in chrome and silver. The Pao lamps impress with their characteristic diffuser and ba...
Glass, Wood
Postmodern Black Pao T1 Table Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, Italy, 1990s
By Arteluce, Matteo Thun
Located in Hamburg, DE
The small T1 table lamp version from Matteo Thun's Pao lamp series. Here in a rare version with a high-gloss black lacquered shaft. The Pao lamps captivate with their characteristic...
Glass, Wood
Model "MG31" Easy Chair by Martin Godsk for Godsk Snedkeri, Denmark ca 1990s
By Martin Godsk
Located in Utrecht, NL
The 1990s saw a revival of Scandinavian design as ‘New Nordic Design’ with the resurgence of an appetite for mid-century modernism that had been perfected in Denmark in the post-war ...
Fabric, Rope, Wood
Ezio Didone “Mira S” UFO Pendant Light for Arteluce / Flos, Italy, 1990s
By Arteluce, Ezio Didone
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Postmodern UFO or flying saucer pendant light giving diffused upward and downward light. A real eye-catcher even unlit. Gem from the time. Designed in the 1990s by Ezio Didone and ma...
Metal, Chrome
Postmodern "Bonsai" Pair of Wood Table Lamps by Jordi Lluscà for Blauet, 1990s
By Josep Llusca, Blauet
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Unique and pretty Postmodern Spanish Pair of "Gran Bonsai" Beech Wood Table Lamps by Blauet. Model: B1458-12 Cherry / Satin Nickel. These Table Lamps were designed by Jordi Lluscà fo...
Metal
Italian Postmodern Model Pao T2 Table Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, 1990s
By Matteo Thun
Located in Hamburg, DE
The large T2 table lamp version from the Pao lamp series by Matteo Thun. Here in a rare version with a shaft made of light beech wood. The Pao lights impress with their characterist...
Glass, Wood
Italian Postmodern Model Drop 1 Silicone Rubber Wall Lamp by Marc Sadler, 1990s
By Marc Sadler
Located in Hamburg, DE
Markant wall lamp from the Italian manufacturer Arteluce/I flated a draft from Marc Sadler from the early 90s. A functional lamp and a striking object of special materiality. The fr...
Plastic
Italian Postmodern Model Drop 1 Silicone Rubber Wall Lamp by Marc Sadler, 1990s
By Marc Sadler
Located in Hamburg, DE
Markant wall lamp from the Italian manufacturer Arteluce/I flated a draft from Marc Sadler from the early 90s. A functional lamp and a striking object of special materiality. The fr...
Plastic
1990s Postmodern Teapot Mikasa Millennium Helena Uglow
By Mikasa
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1990s Postmodern Teapot Mikasa Millennium Helena Uglow Japan 4.75 h x 8.75 w x 7.13 diameter Original vintage condition missing lid top Refer to images
Ceramic, Pottery
Penguin Table Lamp from Massive, 1990s
By Massive Lighting
Located in Delft, NL
The Penguin table lamp was designed and produced by Massive, in Belgium, during the 1990's. It is a different lamp because it wobbles on its foot if you push it. The shape of the lam...
Plastic
Postmodern Italian Model Pao T1 Table Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, 1990s
By Arteluce
Located in Hamburg, DE
The small T1 table light version from the Pao light series by Matteo Thun. The Pao lights impress with their characteristic diffuser made of matt glass. However, the material combin...
Glass, Wood
Postmodern Italian Model PAO T1 Table Lamp by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, 1990s
By Arteluce
Located in Hamburg, DE
The small T1 table light version from the Pao light series by Matteo Thun. The Pao shines impress with their characteristic diffuser made of matt glass. However, the material combin...
Glass, Wood
Set of 3 Postmodern German Wandering Finger Wall Lamps by Ingo Maurer, 1990s
By Ingo Maurer
Located in Hamburg, DE
The Wandering Finger is a delicate wall lamp by the lighting designer Ingo Maurer. The materials and workmanship are of high quality, you can see the attention to detail. The reflec...
Metal
Italian wooden sideboard with sliding doors, 1990s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Gorgeous italian wooden sideboard with very nice sliding doors. The large wooden top gives the sideboard more volume and appeal. The handy sliding doors reveal a lot of storage spa...
Wood
Postmodern Corten Steel Sculptures in Bern, Switzerland, 1990s
Located in London, England
Postmodern free standing cut away sculptures, constructed in beautifully weathered Corten steel, a material famously used by Anthony Gormley for, ‘The Angel of the North’. Bern, Swi...
Steel
Set of Two Table Lamps Giocasta Notte by Andrea Anastasio for Artemide 1990s
By Artemide, Andrea Anastasio
Located in München, BY
Set of two amazing table lamps. Model 'Giocasta Notte'. Designed by Andrea Anastasio for Artemide, Italy, 1990s. Executed in metal and Murano glass, each lamp comes with 2 x E14 / E...
Metal, Chrome
$1,650 / item
Frans Van Praet Dining Chairs, Belgium, 1990s
By Frans van Praet
Located in Antwerp, BE
Frans van Praet; Green Velvet dining chairs; Contemporary; Post-Modern; Perforated Metal; Sevilla Chair: Belgian Pavilion; Sevilla World Expo; Belgium; Green Velvet Dining Chairs...
Metal
Aulia coffee table by Henk Vos for Linteloo, 1990s
By Linteloo
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Large hand made coffee table designed by Henk Vos and produced by Linteloo. Model Aulia The table consists of inlaid exotic woods in different shades creating a beautiful and playf...
Teak
Dining table Filicudi by Ettore Sottsass for Zanotta - 1990s
Located in Uccle, Bruxelles
Filicudi dining table designed by Ettore Sottsass for Zanotta in the 1990s. This magnificent round pearwood table features a stunning patterned laminate tabletop. The combination of...
Wood
Pair of foldable stools by Calligaris, 1990s
By Calligaris
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Pair of tripod foldable bar stools by Calligaris made from black lacquered wooden bases and blue velvet upholstery 1990s - Italy Good condition with normal age related wear Dimens...
Velvet, Wood
Italian Model Pao T2 Table Lamp Spare Glass by Matteo Thun for Arteluce 1990s
By Matteo Thun
Located in Hamburg, DE
Replacement glass for the large t2 table lamp version from the pao lamp series by matteo thun. a very rare replacement glass for the pao t2. Unfortunately, pao table lamps are somew...
Glass
Postmodern Starck Coffee Table Book, First Edition, 1990s
By Philippe Starck
Located in New York, NY
“STARCK,” a collectible hard‑cover coffee table book on French designer Philippe Starck, Postmodernism, published in 1996 as the First Edition by Taschen, Cologne, Germany. Printed i...
Paper
Postmodern Natural Mactan Stone Entry Console Table With Wall Mirror. C 1990s
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Postmodern Natural Mactan Stone Entry Console Table With Wall Mirror. C 1990s Features a half-moon fractured Mactan Stone facade with a removable glass top resting on four ...
Stone
Set of 2 Vintage Italian Model Pao W Sconce by Matteo Thun for Arteluce, 1990s
By Matteo Thun
Located in Hamburg, DE
The wall lamp version from the Pao lamp series by Matteo Thun. The Pao lights impress with their characteristic diffuser made of frosted glass. What is particularly special, however...
Wood, Glass
$2,443 / item
Nomos Dining Table by Norman Foster for Tecno, 1990s
By Sir Norman Foster, Tecno
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
This dining table was designed by Sir Norman Foster for Tecno. Originally designed for use in his London office, this design became a succes and is a classic still for sale today. ...
Chrome
Pair of High-Quality Black Throw Pillows by Gianni Versace, Italy, 1980s-1990s
By Gianni Versace
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy. These pillows features a high-quality velvet foam rubber upholstery, covered in fabric with a suggestive and elegant pattern on it by La Maison Versace. They might s...
Foam, Fabric
Vintage italian glass and wooden dining table, 1990s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
1990s italian design dining table consisting of a clear glass rectangular top with 4 elegant sculpted wooden legs. The legs interlock with the glass. Good condition. 1990s - Ital...
Glass, Wood
Postmodern Earthenware Vessel, Double Studio Design, Germany, 1990s
Located in London, England
Postmodern earthenware vessel with two joined vases etched with fluid markings and various glaze finishes. 1990s Germany H 36.5cm x W 23cm x D 13cm
Earthenware
Set of 2 Postmodern Dutch Pendant Lamps by Studio Brandend Zand, 1990s
By Studio Brandend Zand
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmoderne Pendelleuchten des niederländischen Herstellers Studio Brandend Zand. Die Leuchtenkörper haben eine schlichte Kegelform. Die Schirme sind aus Aluminium gefertigt und im...
Metal
Extra-Large Postmodern Animal Print Sofa, Germany, 1990s
By Bretz
Located in Rīga, LV
Striking postmodern sofa with a biomorphic silhouette and bold tiger-stripe patterned velour upholstery. The spring legs of the sofa create a gentle, bouncy feel when you sit on it. ...
Metal
Italian Postmodern Modernist "Jocauro" Armchair, Arrben in Leather, Italy, 1990s
By Arrben
Located in Deland, FL
Introducing a rare Italian postmodern 'Jocauro' armchair produced by the lauded luxury furniture makers of Arrben. The "Jocauro" chair features a contoured leather seat and back that...
Chrome
Airbag Lounge Chair by Suppanen & Kolhonen for Snowcrash, Finland, 1990s
Located in DE KWAKEL, NL
A striking Airbag lounge chair, designed by Finnish designers Ilkka Suppanen and Pasi Kolhonen for Snowcrash in the 1990s. The unconventional design combines a soft, oversized seat w...
Nylon, Polyester
Eero Saarineen Set of Two Black and White Low Tables in Wood and Aluminum 1990s
By Eero Saarinen
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Set of two coffee tables with a black pedestal base in painted die-cast aluminum and an oval-shaped top in white lacquered wood. These two tables were manufactured in the 1990s in t...
Aluminum
Swedish Postmodern Aperitif Glass Kosta Boda, 1990s
By Kosta Boda
Located in New York, NY
A Swedish crystal and art-glass aperitif glass, hand-painted and initialed by artist, for Kosta Boda, Postmodern period, circa late-20th century, 1990s, Sweden. Beautiful colors incl...
Crystal
Vintage crossed legged lounge chair by Fabiaan Van Severen, 1990s
By Fabiaan Van Severen
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Late 1990s lounge chair designed by Fabiaan Van Severen consisting of a grey tubular metal crossed legged frame with a red canvas and rope upholstery. Beautiful design piece which w...
Metal
Nomos Dining Table by Norman Foster for Tecno, 1990s
By Tecno, Sir Norman Foster
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
This dining table was designed by Sir Norman Foster for Tecno. Originally designed for use in his London office, this design became a succes and is a classic still for sale today. ...
Chrome
Pair of Leather Swivel Armchairs by Poltrona Frau, Italy, 1990s
Located in DE KWAKEL, NL
A refined pair of swivel armchairs by Poltrona Frau, expertly crafted in Italy. Defined by their clean architectural lines and generous proportions, the chairs reflect the timeless e...
Aluminum
Ray Hollis ashtray by Philippe Starck, XO, 1990s
By Philippe Starck
Located in PARIS, FR
French modern aluminum table ashtray Ray Hollis by Philippe Starck, 1986 Fantastic and iconic table ashtray mod. Ray Hollis with rectangular aluminum base. The structure tends to sh...
Iron
$2,400Sale Price / set|50% Off
Pair of French Sunburst 1990s Lights
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful orange and tea colored resin prisms on a golden brass fixture. Rewired. Six light sources. Can be used on the ceiling or wall.
Brass
Nathalie du Pasquier Sculpture Badger by Sarri 1990s
By Nathalie du Pasquier, Alessio Sarri Ceramiche
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Terracotta sculpture representing a badger realized by Nathalie du Pasquier and produced by Alessio Sarri in the 1990s. The lion sculpture is part of Gli Animali che Fanno La Parte ...
Terracotta
$1,770 / set
Sinus Dining Chairs from KFF, 1990s, Set of 6
By Karl Friedrich Förster
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Vintage 'Sinus' dining chairs by KFF Germany with a metal frame and a new red fabric upholstery. Timeless design, very good condition 1990s - Germany Dimensions: Height: 80cm Seat...
Metal
Skymning (Twilight) Lamp by Ehlén Johansson, 1990s
By IKEA
Located in Hanover, MA
Skymning (Twilight) lamp by Ehlén Johansson, 1990s for Ikea, Sweden. Chrome, brass, and opaline glass shade. Single Edison screw socket takes a 60 watt lightbulb.
Chrome, Brass
Set of five Italian dining chairs in cognac leather, 1990s
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
A distinctive set of five Italian dining chairs dating from the 1990s, combining a light-toned wooden frame with cognac leather and sculptural metal detailing. The design is defin...
Leather, Wood
$380Sale Price|20% Off
Postmodern Black Marble Desk Pen Pencil Holder, 1990s
Located in New York, NY
A '90s Postmodern black and brown polished marble stone desk pen pencil holder, circa 1990s. Dimensions: 2.5" square x 4.19" height. Matching desk accessory also available, search...
Stone, Marble
Set of 6 Finn dining chairs by Ligne roset, 1990s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Set of 6 Finn dining chairs designed by Thibault Desombre and produced by Ligne Roset, France. Made out of carefully crafted wooden frames with a yellow suede backrest. Striking c...
Suede, Wood
Large handmade metallic glazed ceramic bowl, circa 1980s–1990s.
Located in Landgraaf, NL
Large handmade metallic glazed ceramic bowl, circa 1980s–1990s. The richly textured surface features visible concentric lines, emphasizing the handcrafted character of the piece. Th...
Ceramic
1990s Multicolored Lucite and Chrome Time Tunnel Lamp
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A fantastic cylindrical table lamp with blue and red lucite rings, a mesh interior, and a chrome frame that gives perfect 1990s vibes! In very good vintage condition with wear con...
Chrome
Emmanuel Babled Baobab Porcelain Vase Duo for Rosenthal, 1990s
By Emmanuel Babled, Rosenthal
Located in Berlin, DE
Baobab porcelain vase duo designed by Emmanuel Babled for Rosenthal Studio-Line and produced in Germany during the late 1990s. The set comprises one glossy black vase with a broad, g...
Porcelain
Vintage Chair Louis XX by Philippe Starck for Vitra, 1990s
By Philippe Starck, Vitra
Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie
Indulge in the iconic design and rich history of Philippe Starck's Louis XX chairs. Inspired by the opulence of 18th-century French furniture, these chairs boast a contemporary twist...
Aluminum
Armchairs 'Tlinkit' by Gae Aulenti for Tecno, Italy, 1990s
By Tecno, Gae Aulenti
Located in Antwerp, BE
'Tlinkit' armchairs, Gae Aulenti's iconic design manufactured by Tecno. Made in the 1990s in Varedo, Italy, these armchairs have a sophisticated aesthetic with a sleek, black rattan ...
Cane, Rattan
Vintage Pelope dining chairs by Francesco Binfarè for Cassina, 1990s
By Francesco Binfaré, Cassina
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Set of 6 Pelope chairs designed by Francesco Binfarè; artist, designer, art director and head of the Research Center for Cassina for long time Beautiful curved wooden backrests, ori...
Fabric, Wood
Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.
ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.
Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini — a onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.
Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group, which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.
Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals.
After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.
On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.
It's hard to resist the allure of a beautiful pool. So, go ahead and daydream about whiling away your summer in paradise.
Alessandro Mendini, Michael Graves, Ettore Sottsass and other design luminaries contributed to this unusual collection of porcelain wares representing a time capsule of late-20th-century decorative art.
Aided by photos taken of the maestro in his Milan studio, we honor the influential design talent who died last month at 87.
Adam Charlap Hyman and Andre Herrero, rising young design talents, are debuting a new, eclectic line of textiles.