$7,600Sale Price / set|20% Off
Ultra Rare Karpen of California Tufted Sofa Sectional Walnut Leg Mid-Century
By Karpen of California
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Ultra rare Karpen of California tufted back 2 piece sofa sectional. This super sexy sofa can be used as an L-shaped sectional or all lined up as a long sofa. We just flipped over the...
Brass
Fabulous Space Age Karpen Style Gondola Sofa, Mid-Century Modern
By Karpen of California
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Exciting Space Age Karpen style gondola sofa. Dramatic tapered legs are capped with out turned brass sabots. Re-upholstery is recommended because the fabric is dated and shows a bit ...
Brass
Rare 3-Seat Sofa Designed by Lou Hodges, California Design Group 1970 Modernist
By Lou Hodges
Located in Buffalo, NY
Extremely rare 3-seat sofa designed by Lou Hodges for California Design Group in the 1970s. Cantilever design oak frame features rounded edge, all original condition, retains origina...
Fabric, Oak
1960's California Studio Walnut Sofa Bench
By Sam Maloof
Located in Oakland, CA
1960’s California studio-craft walnut sofa hand carved of solid walnut with sculptural arms, fine joinery, slatted back, and two built-in tapered side tables. Raised on round tapered...
Walnut
$8,000Sale Price|20% Off
California Modern Rancho Style Sofa by the Monterey Furniture Company c. 1930's
By Monterey Furniture
Located in New York, NY
Incredible full size sofa by the Monterey Furniture Company, made in California, circa 1930's. The sofa features a solid wood ( probably Alder Wood ) frame with heavy wrought iron j...
Iron
Paul Láslzó Bench in Mahogany and Cane
By Glenn of California, Paul Laszlo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paul László for Glenn of California, bench or sofa, mahogany, cane, United States, 1950 Designed in 1950, this rare bench sofa occupies a significant position within Paul László’s p...
Cane, Mahogany
Pair of Two Seat Mohair 'California' Sofas, Jacques Charpentier, Paris, 1970
By Jacques Charpentier
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Superb and exclusive pair of two seat Mohair Velvet 'CALIFORNIA' sofas freshly reupholstered with Italian luxury Mohair Velvet fabric from Dedar Milano with inset stainless steel bas...
Stainless Steel
California Modern Rosewood Case Sofa by Loft Thirteen
By Loft Thirteen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Absolutely gorgeous rosewood Tuxedo or wood case sofa floating on polished brass frame by Loft Thirteen Gallery, also available in dark walnut burl wood. Any custom sizes please cont...
Karpen of California Sculptural Gondola Sofa
By Karpen of California
Located in Fulton, CA
Exceptionally rare Karpen of California gondola sofa in original, as-found condition. A striking, sculptural design with a wave-like depiction. It is, without exception, furniture in...
Fabric, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Sofa, Karpen 1960
By Karpen of California
Located in Chicago, IL
Rare modernist sofa by Karpen of CA Furniture. Fully restored and reupholstered in felted wool/alpaca blend upholstery.
Upholstery
Glenn of California Walnut Sofa by John Kapel
By John Kapel, Glenn of California
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Glenn of California Walnut Sofa by John Kapel
Walnut
Mid Century Modern Lou Hodges Sofa, California Design Group
By Lou Hodges
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Sofa designed by Lou Hodges for California Design Group. Oakwood frame with inserts of walnut wood. Original upholstery. Will recommend new upholstery. Measures: 28" H x 33&qu...
Fabric, Oak, Walnut
1960s Harris of California El Dorado Serpentine Cloud Sofa
By Harris of California, Vladimir Kagan
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A curvy serpentine shaped sofa by the furniture company Harris of California. This design was until very recently attributed to an early serpentine sofa designed by Vladimir Kagan. W...
Bouclé, Walnut
Mid Century Sofa Bench in Pink Naugahyde by California Furniture 1974
Located in Las Vegas, NV
This is a statement piece! Designed by California Furniture of Los Angeles. Tag states, upholstered in "shocking pink naug." and dated 6/15/74 Exceptional quality piece of furnitur...
Upholstery
California Sofa by Edelhard Harlis
By Eddie Harlis
Located in Munich, DE
Designed in 1958 and made by Hans Kaufeld. Heavy quality and massive comfort. The best sofa money could buy, if you could afford.
California Sofa by Edelhard Harlis
By Eddie Harlis
Located in Munich, DE
Designed in 1958 and made by Hans Kaufeld. Heavy quality and massive comfort. The best sofa money could buy, if you could afford.
Leather
Sofa by Lou Hodges for California Design Group
By Design Group, Lou Hodges
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Solid oak sofa by Lou Hodges for California Design Group.
Fabric, Oak
Sofa and Ottoman by Vista of California
By Donald Knorr, Vista Furniture
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Sofa and ottoman by Vista of California. Ottoman measures: 31" wide x 26" deep x 14.75" tall.
Iron
Mel Bogart California Modernist Sofa for Felmore Associates, 1950s
By Mel Bogart
Located in Coronado, CA
A lovely, California modernist sofa/daybed designed by Mel Bogart and manufactured by Felmore Associates in the 1950s. The sofa has been fully restored - the solid oak frame has been...
Iron
California Modernist Convertible Daybed Sofa by Mel Bogart for Felmore
By Felmore, Mel Bogart
Located in Dallas, TX
This unusual sofa was created in the early 1950s during the rise of the California Modernist Movement. When Joseph Eichler and Richard Neutra designing trend-setting architecture, Me...
Sold
H 29.53 in W 56.7 in D 36.23 in
Jacques Charpentier "Californian" Cognac Leather Sofa, Galerie Flat, Paris, 1970
By Jacques Charpentier
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
A very rare and exclusive "Californian" model sofa in original cognac leather and stainless steel by Parisian High Society designer Jacques Charpentier. This model was retailed by th...
Stainless Steel
Sold
H 31 in W 76 in L 31 in
1970s Modern Sling Sofa Lou Hodges California Design Group Oak Wood Frame
By Lou Hodges
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Sofa Lou Hodges Modern sling sofa California Design Group 1970s Attributed to Lou Hodges. Unmarked. Sofa rests on a beautiful solid oak wood frame. Extremely comfortable with fabu...
Faux Leather, Oak
California Modern Daybed by Mel Bogart for Felmore Associates
By Felmore, Mel Bogart
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designer: Mel Bogart Manufacturer: Felmore Associates Period/Style: Mid-Century Modern Country: United States Date: 1950s Dimensions: 26"H x 82"W x 30.5"D Seat height 15.5" ...
Steel
Sold
H 36 in W 44 in D 35 in
Karpen of California Modular Sofa Lounges Mid-century Mod 1950s Eames Probber
By Karpen of California, Karpen & Bros.
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Gorgeous and exceedingly rare design by the renowned midcentury producer of west coast luxury design - Karpen of California. Signature Karpen angled legs. Sold as pair ith their cle...
Wood
California Design Daybed Sofa Mel Bogart
By Mel Bogart
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Classic California modern design. Great for a studio, office, work space et cetra. Restored a few years ago. Iron base, lacquered wood with upholstery. Original sisal spring net. P...
Wood
1960s Harris of California El Dorado Serpentine Cloud Sofa
By Harris of California
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A curvy serpentine shaped sofa by the furniture company Harris of California. This design was until very recently attributed to an early serpentine sofa designed by Vladimir Kagan. W...
Bouclé, Walnut
Serpentine Alpaca Sofa
By Harris of California
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Serpentine alpaca sofa, Los Angeles, circa 1950s. The curved sofa has been reupholstered in a luxurious cream colored Italian high-pile alpaca fabric and sits atop chrome casters. Ma...
Chrome
Jacques Charpentier ‘California’ Sectional Sofa, France, 1970s
By Jacques Charpentier
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Modular 'California' sectional sofa by Jacques Charpentier, France 1970s. Interesting sleek design of a carved out cubic shape on a square polished stainless steel base, providing a ...
Stainless Steel
Sold
H 26 in W 78 in D 32 in
California Designer George Kasparian Yellow Velvet and Chrome Lounge Sofa
By George Kasparian
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Architectural sofa by George Kasparian wrapped in plush velvet in a canary yellow. Linear chrome steel frame and trim, circa 1970s, this sofa was just reupholstered including all f...
Metal
Sold
H 28 in W 172 in D 32 in
Expertly Restored - California Modern Sofa with Table Set by Martin Borenstein
By Martin Borenstein
Located in Los Angeles, CA
________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precis...
Steel
Sold
H 30 in W 53 in D 15.5 in
1950s Cerused Oak Black Console Sofa Table by Martin California after James Mont
By James Mont
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Mid-Century Modern, Asian inspired, ebonized cerused oak console table by Martin California in the manner of James Mont. Item features beautiful cerused oakwood grain through...
Oak
Paul László, Sofa / Bench, Woven Rattan, Mahogany, California, 1950s
By Glenn of California, Paul Laszlo
Located in High Point, NC
A sofa / settee / bench by Paul László for Glenn of California. Dark stained mahogany and original woven rattan / cane seat and back. Paul László is considered among the most impo...
Rattan, Mahogany
Sold
H 27.96 in W 83.47 in D 35.83 in
2 and 3 Seat Mohair 'CALIFORNIA' Sofas by Jacques Charpentier, Paris, 1970
By Jacques Charpentier
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Superb and exclusive two and three seat mohair 'CALIFORNIA' sofas freshly reupholstered in beautiful mohair fabric with inset stainless steel bases by Parisian high society designer ...
Stainless Steel
1940s Gondola Sofa
By Glenn of California
Located in Miami, FL
Gondola Sofa by Glenn of California Featuring solid Mahogany sculptural base in Ebony finish and new custom tufted silk Velvet upholstery. Another similar available. Displayed @...
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Sofa with Table by Vista of California
By Vista Furniture
Located in Pasadena, CA
This mid-century sofa by Vista of California features features three comfortable seats with an attached black Formica side table.
Metal, Wrought Iron
Stanley Young for Glenn of California Nightstands
By Glenn of California, Stanley Young
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Reconditioned nightstands. Great lines, look and functionality.
Wood
$2,800 / set
H 17.5 in W 10.5 in D 6.5 in
Pair of Art Deco Murano Smoked Glass Wall Sconces, Italy Contemporary
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Art Deco style Murano smoked glass wall lights, contemporary Smoked / fume color and horizontal striation texture Black opaline finial and brass accents Art Deco inspired de...
Brass
Rosso Glass Wall Mirror
By Specchi Veneziani
Located in Milan, IT
Crafted in the finest Murano tradition, this exquisite Venetian mirror is a true work of art. Assembled with crystal and gold elements, and adorned with red glass flowers, each piece...
Glass
$900 / item
H 38.59 in W 17.72 in D 20.08 in
Minimal Style, Solid Wood Stool, Bar or Counter Height, Caning and Leather
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Wing chair solid wood collection, flexibility, modern aesthetics, comfort and softness are the keywords for this collection. The concept is inspired by the B-52 plane design, thi...
Textile, Cane, Wood, Hardwood
$1,650 / item
H 16.1 in Dm 11.5 in
'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
By Örsjö Industri AB
Located in Los Angeles, CA
'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...
Textile
Mid Century Danish Brown Leather & Rosewood Sofa
By Galvano
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Simple Mid Century Danish Sofa with an executive sort of feel. Manufactured by Soda Gavano Sofa is dark chocolate leather with a rosewood base. Sofa is well loved. Leather shows ...
Leather, Rosewood
Paolo Buffa, Walnut Mid-Century Daybed, Italy 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Argelato, BO
Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) Rare and very elegant wooden daybed Varnished walnut and fabric Model created circa 1940 H 58 × L 205 × W 95 cm Paolo Buffa was an Italian furniture des...
Velvet, Walnut
$4,160Sale Price|20% Off
H 26.5 in W 115 in D 35 in
Wonderful 2 Piece Harvey Probber Sectional Sofa Mid-century
By Harvey Probber
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Wonderful 2 piece signed Harvey Probber sectional sofa. This piece is in vintage condition with it's original floral tapesty fabric which does show wear. This sofa will definitely n...
Upholstery
$7,850
H 26.78 in W 83.47 in D 31.11 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Bastiano” Sofa for Gavina, Brown Leather, 1962
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Bastiano” sofa for Gavina, brown leather, Italy, 1962 The "Bastiano" sofa by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, designed for Knoll in 1962, epitomizes architectural d...
Leather, Wood
$1,728 / item
H 15.75 in Dm 43.31 in
Contemporary Art Deco Mint green and Red powder coated Carousel 5 arms pendant
By Mambo Unlimited Ideas
Located in Lisbon, PT
Carousel suspension lamp has a delicate balance of form and function that produces a quiet, modern light ambiance for all to savour, with its Contemporary Art Deco lines. The struct...
Metal
$3,990 / item
H 34 in W 31 in D 40 in
Custom Made to Order Belgian Linen Slip Cover Club Chair with Down Cushion
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This White Linen Slip-Covered Lounge Chair fits as the perfect accent to any room. It's the perfect chair to have adjacent to a sofa, and can make every pillow look delightful in the...
Cotton, Linen, Wood, Down
Modernist Sculpted Walnut Gondola Sofa by Adrian Pearsall
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Buffalo, NY
The aptly named Adrian Pearsall Gondola Sofa is bold in its design, so clearly translating the character of a Venetian gondola to create a unique silhouette in a sophisticated living...
Fabric, Walnut
Murano Sputnik Spherical Green Glass and Brass Chandelier
Located in Roma, Lazio
A fantastic emerald green sputnik, with a surprising design and for its very low height, which allows it to fit in both high and low ceilings. Very elegant, it will furnish and decor...
Brass
$5,003
H 27.56 in W 94.49 in D 31.5 in
Vico Magistretti "Maralunga" 3-seater re-upholstered sofa For Cassina
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in The Hague, NL
If it's classic Italian style you're after, look no further! Maralunga 3-seat Sofa, designed 1973 by Vico Magistretti for Cassina. This sofa features folding back rests cushions tha...
Bouclé, Fabric
Alanda metal coffee table by Paolo Piva for B&B Italia 70s
By Paolo Piva, B&B Italia
Located in Padova, IT
The Alanda coffee table, an iconic piece that ushered in the 1980s, is reissued as a tribute to Paolo Piva, the great architect and designer. A highly successful classic and one of t...
Metal
The Lily, 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 Belgiu...
Linen
$14,000Sale Price|60% Off
H 79.5 in W 84 in D 108.5 in
Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Lafayette, IN
This remarkable piece is a one-off desk/wardrobe/bar/bookcase/storage cabinet custom-designed by George Nelson in 1949 to match his Basic Cabinet Series (BCS) for Herman Miller. The ...
Aluminum
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.
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