Glass Sofa by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates
By Adrian Pearsall, Craft Associates
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. USA. Walnut end caps with glass legs. Reupholstered in Designtex floral.
Fabric
Gold Goop Brutalist Loveseat Sofa by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates
By Adrian Pearsall, Paul Evans, Craft Associates
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This Adrian Pearsall loveseat is a stunning fusion of mid-century modernism and sculptural bravado. Constructed in the 1970s for Craft Associates, its standout feature is a dramatic ...
Resin, Wood, Fabric, Upholstery
Unavailable
H 29.53 in W 102.37 in D 31.11 in
Very Rare Sculptural Sofa Attributed to Adrian Pearsall, USA, 1956
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Paris, FR
Very rare and very elegant floating (middle room) Sofa attributed to Adrian Pearsall (1925-2011) American architect and designer.
Brass
Adrian Pearsall Half-Round Sectional Sofa
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Chicago, IL
Rounded semi-circle sofa by Adrian Pearsall. Fully restored and reupholstered in silk velvet. 2-piece sectional.
Sold
H 24.5 in W 98 in L 24.5 in
Adrian Pearsall Signed Craft Associates Black and Yellow Midcentury Sofa
By Adrian Pearsall, Craft Associates
Located in West Hartford, CT
Magnificent and coveted signed Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates sofa with walnut front and V-shaped front legs integrated into the trim as well as two separate screw-on back legs.
Fabric, Walnut
Adrian Pearsall 829-S Sofa for Craft Associates
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Adrian Pearsall. Manufacturer: Craft Associates. Period or model: Mid-Century Modern. Specifications: Blonde wood, Mohair. Condition: This Adrian Pearsall 829-S ...
Mohair, Wood
Adrian Pearsall Cloud Sofa for Craft Associates Inc.
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Adrian Pearsall. Manufacturer: Craft Associates. Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern. Specifications: Walnut, high grade foam, velvet. Condition: This Adrian Pearsa...
Velvet, Walnut
Adrian Pearsall Craft Associates Rare Black and White 868-M Walnut Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in West Hartford, CT
Magnificent and coveted signed Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates 868-M 102" wide sofa with walnut hooks or fins on each side with removable bolster on back; quite remarkable!
Fabric, Textile, Walnut
Adrian Pearsall Craft Associates Rare Black and White 868-M Walnut Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in West Hartford, CT
Magnificent and coveted signed Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates 868-M 102" wide sofa with walnut hooks or fins on each side with removable bolster on back, quite remarkable!
Fabric, Textile, Walnut
Adrian Pearsall Craft Associates Rare Black and White 868-M Walnut Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in West Hartford, CT
Magnificent and coveted signed Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates 868-M 102" wide sofa with walnut hooks or fins on each side with removable bolster on back; quite remarkable!
Fabric, Textile, Walnut
Adrian Pearsall Deep Orange and Black Geometric Sectional Sofa Craft Associates
By Adrian Pearsall, Craft Associates
Located in West Hartford, CT
Adrian Pearsall semi-circular sectional sofa by Craft Associates, circa 1970s.
Fabric, Wood
MCM Adrian Pearsall Sofa, New Mohair Upholstery
By Harvey Probber, Adrian Pearsall, Craft Associates, Edward Wormley
Located in Raleigh, NC
This stunning gondola sofa by Adrian Pearsall represents the pinnacle of American mid-century modern design, showcasing the visionary designer's signature blend of sculptural form a...
Mohair
Mid-Century Modern Two-Piece Sofa Black Plinth Base Pearsall Attributed
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a truly magnificent sectional sofa set, with table and ottoman piece, attributed to Adrian Pearsall. In excellent condition. The dimensions of the sofa piec...
Pair of Adrian Pearsall Side Tables for Craft Associates
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of side tables in walnut with slate tops by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates.
Slate
Modern Upholstered Sofa, circa 1960
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Culver City, CA
Modern Upholstered Sofa, circa 1960. Newly upholstered in a selection of complimentary Maharam Fabrics, on original wooden frame. In the style of Adrian Pearsall.
Wool
MCM Chrome Flat Bar Sofa & Lounge Chair w/ Newly Upholstered- 2 piece
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Adrian Pearsall Chrome Flat Bar Sofa and Lounge Chair with Rosewood Bases for Craft Associates Newly Upholstered in High End Plush Italian "Midnight Black" Velvet ...
Chrome
Mid-Century Gondola Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall, Carsons
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Absolutely stunning Mid-Century gondola sofa. Amazing lines and details make it a real show stopper. It measures 9ft in length and is supported by a perfectly sculpted walnut tone ba...
Adrian Pearsall Chesterfield Brutalist Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Culver City, CA
This sofa is a stunning example of Mid-Century Brutalist design. The sofa features sculpted resin panel sides and is tufted in a black vinyl upholstery.
Resin
Sold
H 29 in W 72 in D 30 in
Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates Sofa Couch Chrome Walnut Wood Lane Tagged
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Great vintage Mid-Century Modern sofa by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates by Lane (Tag is present and pictured) The fabric is as found in good vintage condition. Chrome and walnu...
Chrome
Sold
H 27 in W 109 in D 30.5 in
Armless Sofa with Attached Tables by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Kansas City, MO
Nine foot long Adrian Pearsall sofa in charcoal ultra suede with walnut frame and attached end tables with drawers. Overall length is 9'1". Seating length is 76".
Brass
Sold
H 24.5 in W 102 in D 34 in
Original Adrian Pearsall Mid-Century Gondola Sofa Upholstered in Italian Leather
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Saint Louis, US
This lengthy low sitting Gondola sofa is a treasure in any space. The temptation to sprawl oneself about the length of the sofa is all to strong as it offers a very unique style and ...
Leather
Sold
H 28 in W 136 in D 32 in
Mid Century Sectional Sofa by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates c 1960's
By Adrian Pearsall, Craft Associates
Located in New York, NY
Architectural two piece sectional sofa, designed by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates. The sofa features an angled section, which has a storage cabinet on its end, with a drop dow...
Upholstery
Large Pearsall Sofa in Great Original Condition
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in New York, NY
Great long sofa by Adrian Pearsall in fine original condition. Hard form to find, especially in such clean, ready to use condition. Measures: Seat height 17, arm height 19 inches.
Brutalist Platform Sofa by Adrian Pearsall
By Paul Evans
Located in Chicago, IL
Brutalist platform sofa by Adrian Pearsall. Fully restored. Newly upholstered in biscuit tufted velvet. Built in side tables with drop down fronts for storage.
Velvet, Resin
Monumental Midcentury Gondola Sofa
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Culver City, CA
This sofa is simply stunning. With its gondola shape and deep indigo or navy blue colored fuzzy upholstery, it doesn't get more statement - piece than this. This incredibly comfortab...
Fabric
Handsome Adrian Pearsall Sofa in Walnut and Black Leather
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Berkeley, CA
Gorgeous restored Adrian Pearsall sofa for Craft Associates. New black leather with choice on seats of grey tweed one side/black leather on the other.
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 30 in W 118.75 in D 33.5 in
Adrian Pearsall Platform Sofa w/ Slate End Tables, New Grey / Black Upholstery
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Asheville, NC
Mid-Century Modern platform sofa with slate end tables designed by Adrian Pearsall. New charcoal/light grey tweed upholstery. The inferior pressboard base has been replaced with a ne...
Slate
Midcentury Sofa by Adrian Pearsall with Reversible Side Tables
Located in Munster, NRW
Beautiful sofa by Adrian Pearsall with two reversible side tables layered with black and white Formica on either side.
Adrian Pearsall Cloud Sofa
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Hadley, MA
Model 3600-8 craft associates "cloud" sofa, circa 1970, designed by Adrian Pearsall.
Adrian Pearsall Brutalist Style Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Houston, TX
Extremely rare plinth based Brutalist sofa with two built in end tables that open and close magnetically for hidden storage. All of the brutalist pieces that we have are covered in a...
$1,300 / item
H 14 in W 9 in D 9 in
Brutalist, Handmade Ceramic Table Lamp, Double Decker Lamp by Streicher Goods
By Ethan Streicher, Streicher Goods
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Double Decker lamp is a tall, brutalist-inspired table lamp, perfect for lighting in larger living spaces, created by Streicher Goods in Brooklyn, NY. The lamp is composed of a...
Brass
$14,500 / item
H 35.44 in W 19.69 in D 66.93 in
Contemporary Mexican Credenza Ramón in Solid Wood, Metal and Natural Fibers
By Comité de Proyectos
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Ramón is a credenza, a horizontal storage unit with a distinctive shape that gives it a concave surface. On the front, it has 4 doors, while inside it houses a pair of drawers and sh...
Steel
$24,500
H 29 in W 59.25 in D 29.25 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-Wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, Jansen Attr.
By Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, probably by Maison Jansen. The rectangular shaped Love Seats, each with scrolled carved armrests ending wit...
Fabric, Satin, Silk, Wood
$18,114 / set
H 32.29 in W 40.16 in D 33.47 in
Rare Pair of Authentic 1950s Roberto Menghi Hall Chairs, Italy, New Pure Mohair
By Roberto Menghi, Arflex
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
An original pair of Roberto Menghi Hall chairs, produced by Arflex, Italy, 1950s. Newly upholstered in a premium yellow gold pure mohair fabric. The metal frames have been restored ...
Steel
$6,979 / set
H 39.77 in W 34.26 in D 37.41 in
Pair of armchairs in the style of Gianfranco Frattini, Italy, 1950s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
A pair of comfortable bergère armchairs in fabric and wood, upholstered in velvet, in the style of Gianfranco Frattini, Italian manufacture, 1950s. The elegance of the bergère armch...
Fabric, Wood
Montgomery 3-Seater Quilted Yellow Soft by Studio 63
By Marioni
Located in Milan, IT
Hypnotizing with its eccentric sculptural silhouette, this stylish three-seater sofa is a statement-making design sure not to go unnoticed. The rigorous profiles characterizing the b...
Textile
Adrian Pearsall "Sculptura" Large Brutalist Drum Tables
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Lynn, MA
Pair of large brutalist drum tables designed by Adrian Pearsall for Craft from the "Sculptura" line. Formed in colored resin over wood. Brutalist designs and textures noted all aroun...
Resin
$721 / set
H 1.19 in W 6.3 in D 2.76 in
Arms Door Handles by Quintana Partners, Solid Brass & Chrome, Spain
Located in BARCELONA, ES
The Arm Door Handles combine elegance and originality in a unique proposal that transforms any space with its iconic and sophisticated design. With the stylized shape of an arm, thes...
Brass, Chrome
$22,720Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 7.49 in W 37.41 in D 37.41 in
Le Mah Jong Modular Sofa Hans Hopfer Roche Bobois Missoni Silk Velvet, Corduroy
By Hans Hopfer, Roche Bobois, Missoni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mah Jong modular sofa set by Hans Hopfer, designed in 1971 for Roche Bobois and in a current customized mix of textiles from Sonia Rykiel and the house of Missoni. Features multiple ...
Silk, Velvet
$7,640 / item
H 34.06 in W 24.02 in D 22.05 in
Modern Solid Brass, Handspun Wool Upholstered Luxury Dining Chair by Egg Designs
By Egg Designs
Located in Bothas Hill, KZN
The Strelitzia bespoke, dining chair is designed by Egg Designs and manufactured in South Africa. This luxury dining chair has a backrest of solid sand-cast brass, the method of sa...
Brass
Adrian Pearsall Cast Resin Brutalist Dining Table, 1960's
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Culver City, CA
Designed by the legendary Adrian Pearsall, this brutalist dining table base was his answer to Evans’ high-end, sculptural designs—because not everyone could afford a one-of-a-kind we...
Steel
Rare 1970's Jorge Zalszupin L'atelier Space-Age Plastic Desk
By L'Atelier San Paulo, Jorge Zalszupin
Located in Norwalk, CT
Rarely seen and even more rarely available Space-Age molded plastic desk manufactured by L'atelier, São Paulo, Brazil. Design attributed to Jorge Zalszupin a Polish naturalized Brazi...
Metal
$28,730 / item
H 103.94 in W 70.87 in D 82.29 in
21st Century The King's Bed Solid Oak and Tented Steel Superstructure
By Benedikt Bolza Design, B.B. for Reschio
Located in Lisciano Niccone, Perugia
With a distinct baroque headboard, this stylish grisaille oak four-poster bed has intricate posts with brass plated top and bottom Oriental inspired finials. The light natural linen ...
Steel
$12,532 / item
H 25.99 in W 45.28 in D 35.04 in
Carlo Scarpa Cornaro Armchair by Cassina, Upholstered, Mid-Century
By Carlo Scarpa
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Carlo Scarpa Cornaro Armchair Manufactured by Cassina SCULPTURAL ELEGANCE A favourable balance between geometric rigour and enveloping shapes designed by maestro Carlo Scarpa. Th...
Metal
9000 sofa by Tito Angoli for Arflex
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Milano, IT
Modular system sofa 9000 by Tito Agnoli for Arflex, composed by three separate units. Now re-edited by Arflex: sofa composition NV10 Backrest and armrests elastic straps. Shaped poly...
Fabric
$29,230 / item
H 25.99 in W 192.92 in D 102.37 in
Customizable Tacchini Le Mura XL Modular Sofa by Mario Bellini
By Mario Bellini, Tacchini
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for starting fabric. - Composizione, Composition LM7: 1 × left terminal 180 cm 1 × 30° corner 1 × right asymmetric terminal 0LMRTE180SX 0LMRXLEA02 0LMRXLTA01DX L 490 P...
Textile
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 celebrated 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.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. 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.
Black leather, silk velvet cushions, breathable bouclé fabric — when shopping for antique or vintage sofas, today’s couch connoisseurs have much to choose from in terms of style and shape. But it wasn’t always thus.
The sofa is typically defined as a long upholstered seat that features a back and arms and is intended for two or more people. While the term “couch” comes from the Old French couche, meaning to lie down, and sofa has Eastern origins, both are forms of divan, a Turkish word that means an elongated cushioned seat. Bench-like seating in Ancient Greece, which was padded with soft blankets, was called klinai. No matter how you spell it, sofa just means comfort, at least it does today.
In the early days of sofa design, upholstery consisted of horsehair or dried moss. Sofas that originated in countries such as France during the 17th century were more integral to decor than they were to comfort. Like most Baroque furnishings from the region, they frequently comprised heavy, gilded mahogany frames and were upholstered in floral Beauvais tapestry. Today, options abound when it comes to style and material, with authentic leather offerings and classy steel settees. Plush, velvet chesterfields represent the platonic ideal of coziness.
Vladimir Kagan’s iconic sofa designs, such as the Crescent and the Serpentine — which, like the sectional sofas of the 1960s created by furniture makers such as Harvey Probber, are quite popular among mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — showcase the spectrum of style available to modern consumers. Those looking to make a statement can turn to Studio 65’s lip-shaped Bocca sofa, which was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí. Elsewhere, the furniture of the 1970s evokes an era when experimentation ruled, or at least provided a reason to break the rules. Just about every area of society felt a sudden urge to be wayward, to push boundaries — and buttons. Vintage leather sofas of that decade are characterized by a rare blending of the showy and organic.
With so many options, it’s important to explore and find the perfect furniture for your space. Paying attention to the lines of the cushions as well as the flow from the backrest into the arms is crucial to identifying a cohesive new piece for your home or office.
Fortunately, with styles from every era — and even round sofas — there’s a luxurious piece for every space. Deck out your living room with an Art Deco lounge or go retro with a nostalgic '80s design. No matter your sitting vision, the right piece is waiting for you in the expansive collection of unique sofas on 1stDibs.