Black Vitsoe
1980s Vintage Dieter Rams for Vitsoe 620 Red Leather and Black Two Seat Settee
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a rare Dieter Rams for Vitsoe 620 two-seater loveseat with gorgeous red leather
Category
Vintage 1980s German Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather
H 25 in W 27 in D 56 in
60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Armchair Program 620 Design Couch Fabric
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe armchair program 620 design couch fabric
Object: 2-seater sofa
Category
Vintage 1970s European Sofas
Materials
Fabric, Plastic
H 35.83 in W 60.44 in D 31.89 in
60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Armchair Program 620 Design Couch Fabric Object
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe armchair program 620 design couch fabric
Object: 2-seater sofa
Category
Vintage 1970s European Sofas
Materials
Fabric, Plastic
H 35.83 in W 60.44 in D 31.89 in
Dieter Rams Cognac Leather Model 620 3-Seater Sofa for Vitsoe, 1980s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Iconic sofa by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. The black outer shell is made from a hot-pressed sheet
Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
H 27.56 in W 85.83 in D 31.11 in
Dieter Rams Lounge Chair + Ottoman Swivel Base by Vitsœ Leather 1962 Minimal
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munster, NRW
Lounge Chair + Ottoman from the chair program 620 - designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany in
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather
H 28.35 in W 33.86 in D 29.93 in
Otto Zapf Arcona set of 2 leather armchairs for Art Collection
By Otto Zapf
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This pair of Arcona leather armchairs by Otto Zapf comes in very good condition. The thick black
Category
Vintage 1980s German Post-Modern Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Otto Zapf Arcona Leather Living Room Set for Art Collection
By Knoll, Otto Zapf
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This Arcona leather set consists of a 2-seater sofa and two armchairs. The thick black leather is
Category
Vintage 1980s German Post-Modern Living Room Sets
Materials
Leather
Otto Zapf Sofalette Leather Lounge Chair 2 Seater
By Otto Zapf
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
the 70s. The black leather of the lounge chair moduls shows a fantastic Patina in some areas and comes
Category
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Materials
Leather
Otto Zapf for ZapfDesign 'Softline' Cabinet in Grey
By Otto Zapf
Located in Waalwijk, NL
. Frames and plastic sheets coated with lacquer foil in red, white, yellow, green, black, or blue allow any
Category
Vintage 1960s German Post-Modern Cabinets
Materials
Plastic, Fabric
People Also Browsed
Pierre Chapo T23 Three Legged Side Table in Elm, Chapo Création, France, 2023
By Pierre Chapo, Chapo Creation
Located in The Hague, NL
This striking low side table is the model T23 designed by Pierre Chapo in 1960. The table is made of solid elm wood with a beautiful grain. The iconic design is composed of a triangu...
Category
2010s French Modern Side Tables
Materials
Wood, Elm
H 13 in W 25.6 in D 25.99 in
JENNY Large Wall Light or Sconce in Enamel & Brass by Blueprint Lighting
By Blueprint Lighting, Mathieu Matégot, Stilnovo
Located in New York, NY
Introducing Jenny, the latest vintage-inspired fixture from Blueprint Lighting.
Named for multi-hyphenate Jenny Mollen; NYT best-selling author, actress, design enthusiast, mom of ...
Category
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
Bespoke Handmade Belgian Linen Sofa
Located in Jesteburg, DE
Introducing the home collection.
An iconic, unobtrusive design.
A small selection of timeless Flemish designs made by hand for us in a small third generation workshop in Belgium....
Category
2010s Belgian Modern Sofas
Materials
Linen
Maralunga 2-seater sofa by Vico Magistretti for Cassina Italy 1973
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in PARIS, FR
The Maralunga sofa was created in 1973 by Vico Magistretti for the Italian firm Cassina. Known for his creations using simple, essential forms and the use of innovative materials fo...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet
Vintage 1970s Braun Table Alarm Clock by Dieter Rams + Dietrich Lubs
By Dieter Rams
Located in Hyattsville, MD
It's works perfectly, and was never any leakage in the battery box. Keeps good time. Made in Germany. Good vintage condition. Power Supply / Battery / 1 - C, not included.
Measures:...
Category
Vintage 1970s German Post-Modern Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Plastic
Hans Gugelot designed radio for Braun, 1955
By Hans Gugelot, Braun
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Radio "Super" G11 by Swiss designer Hans Gugelot for Braun in 1955. Braun is of course well known for their iconic, Dieter Rams designed, audio equipment. This piece is not tested, w...
Category
Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments
Materials
Plastic, Wood
Braun SK61 Record Player and L1 floor speaker by Dieter Rams
By Braun, Dieter Rams, Hans Gugelot
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Braun SK61 record player designed by Dieter Rams and Hans Hugelot, 1961. Equip with record player and AM/FM radio. 1950’s Braun L1 speaker included. In good vintage condition. Fully ...
Category
Vintage 1960s German Industrial Musical Instruments
Materials
Metal
USM Haller Media O3 Storage System
By Paul Schaerer, Usm Haller, Fritz Haller
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L.
With two drop down doors elevated. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powder coated steel and chrome plated steel tubes...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Sideboards
Materials
Chrome, Steel
Pair of Amanta Lounges by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia in Original Upholstery
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Set of 2 iconic Organic Modern Amanta lounges by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia. Brown zig-zag fiberglass shell houses seating upholstered in a very particular and attractive original ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Organic Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Fiberglass
H 27.56 in W 33.47 in D 31.5 in
Postmodern BRAUN Model ABW-35 Wall Clock by Dietrich Lubs, Germany 1988
By Dietrich Lubs, Braun
Located in London, GB
A rare and iconic Model ABW-35 BRAUN wall clock designed by Dietrich Lubs in 1988.
With the ABW 35, Lubs devised a way for the clock to blend into whatever background it's placed o...
Category
Late 20th Century German Post-Modern Wall Clocks
Materials
Plastic
Soriana Ottoman by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Renens, CH
Soriana pouf or ottoman by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. Original 1970s cognac leather. The pouf can be easily moved around since it has castors attached to the underside.
Or...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Materials
Metal
Grand Repos Lounge Chair designed by Jean Prouve, Tecta Germany
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
This model Grand Repos lounge chair was designed by Jean Prouvé and produced by the German company Tecta.
This model is out of production. It's also sometimes referred to as the m...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Steel, Nickel
Coronado 3 Seater Sofa by B&B Leather Foam Italy 1960s
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Milano, IT
3 seater sofa, foam padding, leather upholstery. Good conditions, with small signs of usage.
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather, Foam
1 of 4 Charlotte Perriand Stools for Les Arcs, France 1960s
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Echt, NL
Original Les Arcs stools in very good condition.
The stools were designed by Charlotte Perriand for the Les Arcs ski resort in France.
The stool are made of solid pine wood and hav...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Stools
Materials
Wood, Pine
Airborne Sectional Sofa 'Patate' in Brown Suede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Airborne, sectional sofa, model 'Patate', light brown suede, France, 1970s
This well-designed sofa is fully executed in light brown suede that contributes to a unified look. This s...
Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Materials
Suede
HL-70 Personal Desk Fan by Reinhold Weiss for Braun
By Dieter Rams, Reinhold Weiss, Braun
Located in San Diego, CA
HL-70 personal desk fan by Reinhold Weiss for Braun, circa 1960s. The cylindrical fan, in white on acrylic base, features the fan blades in the left-hand section and a switch for two...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
Recent Sales
Dieter Rams, 606 Universal Shelving System Black, Vitsoe, 1960
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Grenoble, FR
Storage and shelves Vitsoe system designed by Dieter Rams. The shelves and cabinet are mounted on
Category
20th Century German Shelves
Pair of Otto Zapf Lounge Chairs for Vitsoe
By Otto Zapf
Located in Turners Falls, MA
Pair of Otto Zapf lounge chairs for Vitsoe, Germany, 1967.
Sculptural low deep lounge chairs
Category
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Fiberglass
Dieter Rams Black Leather Lounge Chair Model-620 for Vitsœ, 1970s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in The Hague, NL
Black leather lounge chair designed by Dieter Rams back in 1962 for German manufacturer Vitsœ
Category
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Dieter Rams, Black Leather Lounge Chair Model 620, Vitsœ, 1970s
By Dieter Rams
Located in Uppsala, SE
Black leather lounge chair deisgned by Dieter Rams back in 1962 for German manufacturer Vitsœ. The
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Dieder Rams sofa Model 620 High back and black leather for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Large and comfortable Dieder Rams sofa model 620. Black fiberglass shells with high back and black
Category
Vintage 1960s British Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
Vintage Dieter Rams Model 620 for Vitsoe Black Leather Lounge Chair and Ottoman
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in San Antonio, TX
Vitsoe. It's the first version of this model in all black. Very comfortable,
1970s, England.
Dimensions
Category
Vintage 1970s English Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather
H 36.25 in W 34 in L 36.25 in
Dieter Rams Black Leather Model 620 3-Seater Sofa For Vitsoe 1980s
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Nice three seater sofa in black leather by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. The black outer shell is made
Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
Dieter Rams Set of 2 Black Leather Lounge Chairs Model-620 for Vitsœ, 1970s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in The Hague, NL
Black leather lounge chairs designed by Dieter Rams back in 1962 for German manufacturer Vitsœ
Category
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Steel
H 35.83 in W 33.86 in D 31.89 in
Dieter Rams Model 620 Two Seater Sofa In Black Leather For Vitsoe, 1980s
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Nice two seater sofa in black leather by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. The black outer shell is made from
Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
H 27.56 in W 59.85 in D 31.5 in
Dieter Rams 620 Sofa and Lounge Chairs in Black Leather for Vitsoe, 1980s
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Amazing set of model 620 lounge chairs and sofa in black leather and white frames, designed by
Category
Vintage 1970s Living Room Sets
Materials
Leather
H 27.56 in W 59.85 in D 31.5 in
Pair Of Dieter Rams Model 620 Lounge Chairs In Black Leather For Vitsoe, 1980s
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Amazing pair of model 620 lounge chairs in black leather by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. The black outer
Category
Vintage 1970s Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
H 27.56 in W 34.65 in D 31.5 in
Set of Two Lounge Armchairs Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, RZ 62 620, Nubuck Leather
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Telgte, DE
Set of two lounge armchairs Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, RZ 62 620, Nubuck Leather
Set of two armchairs
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass, Down
H 35.44 in W 33.86 in D 29.14 in
RZ 620 High Back Four-Seat Leather Sofa by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Dronten, NL
RZ620 four-seat sofa in cognac leather and black fiberglass by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe.
Rare
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
Three-Seat Sofa and Armchairs by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, RZ 62 620
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Telgte, DE
Three-seat sofa and armchairs by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, RZ 62 620
Set of three-seat sofa and
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Fiberglass, Down
Otto Zapf, Sofalette Living Room Set and Table, 1967 by Vitsœ, Germany
By Otto Zapf
Located in Munster, NRW
Otto Zapf, seating group model sofalette with coffee table, 1967. Substructure and table made of white lacquered fiberglass shells, upholstered elements with wooden frame constructio...
Category
Vintage 1960s German Space Age Loveseats
Materials
Fiberglass
H 26.78 in W 24.02 in D 34.65 in
Highback Leather Lounge Chair Mod. 620 by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Black Leather
By Dieter Rams
Located in Berlin, DE
Great lounge / high back chair mod. 620 by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. Black Leather. Very comfortable
Category
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
H 32.29 in W 34.26 in D 35.44 in
Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Large Modular Wall Unit in Aluminum and Black Wood
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, wall unit model 606, aluminum, wood, Germany, design 1960
This grand
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
H 91.74 in W 161.23 in D 15.16 in
Dieter Rams, 620 Lounge Chair - rare Swivel Base by Vitsœ in black Leather, 1962
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munster, NRW
Lounge Chair from the chair program 620, designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany in 1962.
The
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather
H 28.35 in W 33.86 in D 29.93 in
Dieter Rams, 620 Lounge Chair - rare Swivel Base by Vitsœ in black Leather, 1962
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munster, NRW
Lounge Chair from the chair program 620, designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany in 1962.
The
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Leather
H 28.35 in W 33.86 in D 29.93 in
'620 Program' Lounge Chair and '621' table by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1966
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Steenwijk, NL
Beautiful lounge chair by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. We have two similar chairs available. Both chairs
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
H 26.78 in W 33.86 in D 29.14 in
Rare Otto Zapf 'Softline' Wall-Mounted Cabinet in Green and Black
By Otto Zapf
Located in Waalwijk, NL
of two detachable 'Softline' wall cabinets in green and black designed by the German designer Otto
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Materials
Metal
Dieter Rams Model 620 Brown Leather Lounge Chair and Ottoman
By Dieter Rams
Located in Bagshot, GB
Dieter Rams model 620 brown leather lounge chair with ottoman manufactured by Vitsoe, 1970-1979
Category
Late 20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Dieter Rams Model 620 for Vitsoe Leather Lounge Chair and Ottoman
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Dieter rams model 620 lounge chair and ottoman manufactured by Vitsoe.
It´s the 1st Version with
Category
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Dieter Rams Wall System, Shelf, Vitsoe, 1960s
By Niels Vitsoe
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Black shelf system by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany.
Black painted wood, Aluminum. Good
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Materials
Aluminum
Black Shelf System 606 by Dieter Rams, Vitsoe 1966
By Dieter Rams
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Black Shelf System 606 by Dieter Rams, Vitsoe 1966.
Four Cabinets, 14 x Metal shelves, 5 x Wall
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum, Metal
Deter Rams Stool / Side Table 1973, Vitsœ, Germany
By Dieter Rams
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Very rare Stool or Side Table by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ, 1973, Germany. Programm 740.
Plastic and
Category
Vintage 1970s German Modern Stools
Materials
Plastic, Leather
Shelves of System, Model 606, Black Dieter Rams for Vitsœ and Zapf, 1966
By Dieter Rams
Located in Grenoble, FR
This wooden 606 shelf system was manufactured in 1966 by Vitsoe following a design by Dieter Rams
Category
20th Century German Shelves
H 110.24 in W 71.66 in D 12.21 in
Collection Tables by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Zapf
By Dieter Rams
Located in JM Haarlem, NL
, which he designed for the company of Vitsoe + Zapf around 1960.
We offer one coffee table and four
Category
Antique 1660s German Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Materials
Plastic, Polyester
1960s Rare German Dieter Rams 601 Easy Chair with Foot Stool for Vitsoe
By Niels Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Beek en Donk, NL
This rare lounge chair model 601 and ottoman were designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe in Germany
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
H 26.78 in W 23.23 in D 22.84 in
Dieter Rams Chair 620 programm Vitsoe black leather
By Dieter Rams
Located in LA Arnhem, NL
shell with black leather cushions. Made by Vitsoe. All the chairs has a standard size, and also the
Category
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets
Materials
Leather
Dieter Rams Two-Seat Sofa, in Black Leather for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams
Located in LA Arnhem, NL
Two-seat sofa in black patinated leather. This settee has an interesting design with a sleek and
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Materials
Leather, Plastic
Vitsoe 620 by Dieter Rams
By Dieter Rams
Located in Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Very fine example of a Vitsoe 620. The German Designer Dieter Rams is well known for many
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather
Dieter Rams Vitsoe 620 Chair Programm Set Black Leather 1980
By Dieter Rams
Located in LA Arnhem, NL
shell with black leather cushions. Made by Vitsoe. All the chairs has a standard size, and also the
Category
Late 20th Century German Living Room Sets
Vitsoe 620 by Dieter Rams Black Leather Lounge chair, Mid-Century modern, German
By Dieter Rams
Located in Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Vitsoe 620 by Dieter Rams Black Leather Lounge chair, Mid-Century modern, German
Very fine example
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather
H 35.83 in W 33.86 in D 34.65 in
Rare Dieter Rams Lounge Chair, Vitsoe, Germany
By Dieter Rams
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Rams for Vitsoe.
Black Leather, aluminum Legs and padded Leather Armrests.
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather
Highly Comfortable, Cozy Armchair Designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s
By Dieter Rams
Located in Budapest, HU
The marvelous 620 high-back armchair by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, features swivel leg and black
Category
Vintage 1960s Armchairs
Materials
Steel
H 35.44 in W 34.26 in D 29.14 in
620 High back Leather Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s
By Dieter Rams
Located in Nürnberg, DE
The extremely comfortable 620 high back chair by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe with ottoman.
The shell is
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Leather, Fiberglass
H 35.44 in W 34.26 in D 32.29 in
Pair of Dieter Rams Midcentury Black Plastic German Side Tables for Vitsoe, 1967
By Dieter Rams
Located in Porto, PT
This side tables was designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe.
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Materials
Plastic
H 14.97 in W 25.99 in D 25.99 in
Atelier 3 HiFi Stereo and L715 Speakers by Dieter Rams for Braun, 1984
By Dieter Rams, Braun
Located in Porto, PT
speakers, model L715 from Braun and Vitsoe is made with a black lacquered body on skid-shaped frames. They
Category
Vintage 1980s German Modern Musical Instruments
Materials
Steel
H 29.53 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Black Vitsoe", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.
Black Vitsoe For Sale on 1stDibs
Find many varieties of an authentic black vitsoe available at 1stDibs. Each black vitsoe for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using animal skin, fiberglass and leather. There are many kinds of the black vitsoe you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. A black vitsoe is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Mid-Century Modern styles are sought with frequency.
How Much is a Black Vitsoe?
Prices for a black vitsoe can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $2,357 and can go as high as $7,984, while the average can fetch as much as $4,299.
Dieter Rams for sale on 1stDibs
German industrial designer Dieter Rams is revered for the pared-down, intuitive electronics and consumer goods he created for Braun — where he worked from 1955 to 1997, most of that time as chief design officer — and his timeless furniture for Vitsœ, a company with which he continues to collaborate today.
Less well known are Rams’s longstanding focus on sustainability and uneasy relationship with contemporary technology, even as Silicon Valley designers like Apple’s Jonathan Ive follow in his rational footsteps.
During Germany’s postwar rebuilding period, Rams and his team of designers at Braun, inspired by the Bauhaus and the Ulm School of Design, focused on extreme simplicity and usability while conceiving products with a modern, forward-looking appearance.
Among Rams’s most iconic designs is the SK 4 phonograph and radio, created in 1956, which had a compact white metal case topped by a revolutionary-at-the-time transparent Plexiglas lid that revealed simple gray controls inside (it was nicknamed Snow White’s Coffin). But it is the T3 portable radio, from 1958, that gets design aficionados most excited today: A white rectangular box with a perforated square for the speaker and a circular-dial control, it bears an unmistakable resemblance to Apple’s original iPod. (Many people also note that the iPhone’s calculator app looks remarkably similar to the Braun ET 66 calculator, with its circular color-coded buttons.)
In the late 1970s, Rams laid out his widely studied 10 principles for good design: It is innovative, makes a product useful, is aesthetic, makes a product understandable, is unobtrusive, is honest, is long lasting, is thorough down to the last detail, is environmentally friendly and is as little design as possible.
One of Rams’s principles that hasn’t translated to our contemporary era is his emphasis on longevity. “The time of thoughtless design and thoughtless consumption is over,” he said in 1976, stressing the need to conserve natural resources — even as he was busy designing plastic products.
Rams has also expressed reservations about how electronics have evolved in recent decades from tools for improving life to time-sucking obsessions. “Every time he crosses a street and sees people glued to their phones, he just can’t conceive of how we got to this point,” says filmmaker Gary Hustwit, whose feature-length documentary on Rams debuted in 2018. “I think he’s a little bit saddened by all this work they did in the fifties and sixties, which had a very idealistic point of view, being a stepping stone to where we are now, and the current lust for technology.”
If digital devices sometimes seem to be making life more complicated, Rams’s precept remains the same as always: “Back to purity, back to simplicity.”
Find vintage Dieter Rams furniture on 1stDibs.
More Ways To Browse
Space Age Bed Frame
Yellow Retro Table And Chairs
Avant Garde Cabinet
Wall Storage Space Age
Black Lounger
Vintage 1950s Kitchen Chairs
Leather Highback
Vintage Yellow Kitchen Cabinets
Plastic Modular Storage
Vintage 70s Chair Leather
Vintage 70s Leather Chair
Vintage 70s Chair Leather
Small Swivel Lounge Chair
Wall Mounted Display Shelves
Vintage Design 1970s Wall Unit
Red Space Age Chair
1950s Plastic Living Room Sets
Lounger Couch