$2,400
H 34 in W 26 in D 27.25 in
Tandem Sling Armchair by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller, c 1970
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This single 'Tandem' sling armchair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, is part
Aluminum
$3,800
H 34.25 in W 96 in D 28 in
Mid Century Eames for Herman Miller Black Tandem Sling Seating 1990s
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Detroit, MI
aluminum frame. Released to the market in 1962, the Eames Tandem Sling Seating range was specifically
Aluminum, Steel
Tandem Five-Shell Seating by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
Tandem Five-Shell (side scoops) Seating by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller,, Seldom seen
Aluminum, Steel
$6,300Sale Price|25% Off
H 34 in W 47 in D 25 in
Restored Charles Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Seating System w Edelman Leather
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This exemplary Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller 'Tandem' seating system was designed in 1962
Aluminum
$2,935
H 31.75 in W 64 in D 23 in
Herman Miller Eames Tandem Bench with Brown Naugahyde Pad Shell Chairs
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This listing is for one bench. The second matching bench has been sold. Vintage Charles Eames 3
Metal, Aluminum
$5,883 / set
H 33.86 in W 70.87 in D 26.78 in
Tandem Sling Bench ETS Eames bordeaux by Vitra Herman Miller
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Designed in 1962 by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, the iconic 'Tandem' seating system was
Aluminum
$3,800Sale Price / item|22% Off
H 34 in W 24 in D 25 in
Charles Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Aluminum Lounge Chairs in Edelman Leather
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
, Tandem modular seating that was originally designed for Chicago O'Hare Airport, where we sourced our sets
Aluminum
$2,376
H 13.78 in W 71.66 in D 22.05 in
Tandem Eames for Herman Miller for Three Shells and a Table Top
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
Tandem Base and Table without shells. Show signs of use. 35 cm H incl the height of the bar of the
Metal
$2,935 / item
H 31.575 in W 64 in D 23 in
Herman Miller Eames 3-Seat Tandem Bench Eastern Air Lines Red Orange Naugahyde
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Iconic Mid-Century Modern Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller tandem bench. This modular system
Metal, Aluminum
$8,500
H 32 in W 132 in D 24 in
Three-Seat Shell Tandem Sofa By Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller C.1974
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Bernville, PA
Rare tandem shell seating designed by Charles & Ray Eames, USA 1974. This piece features three
Chrome
Unavailable
H 31.7 in W 100.4 in D 16.54 in
Mid-Century Charles & Ray Eames Tandem Seating for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Beirut, LB
Iconic three-shell seating tandem by Charles & Ray Eames, black fiberglass shells on an aluminium
Aluminum, Steel
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Seating Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Oisterwijk, NL
A Mid-Century Modern tandem seating chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames and made by Herman
Aluminum
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller Fiberglass Tandem Seating
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Portland, OR
A rare tandem seating system by Charles and Ray Eames. Originally intended for bus or train stops
Aluminum
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Seating Sofa
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
A very nice a three-seat Eames Tandem Sling sofa. The seats are black vinyl and are attached to a
Vintage Herman Miller Eames Tandem Sling Seating
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
Vintage three-seat Eames tandem sling seat. The seats are black vinyl and are attached to a
Aluminum
Eames For Herman Miller Three Seat Tandem Seating
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
A mid century modern Tandem Seating unit designed by Charles and Ray Eames and made by Herman
Aluminum
Eames Tandem Sling Seating Five-Seat for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Dronten, NL
Eames Tandem sling seating serves millions of travellers every day and does it comfortably and
Aluminum, Steel
Eames For Herman Miller Tandem Seating Sling Chair
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
A rare mid century modern Tandem Seating Sling chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames and made by
Aluminum
Sold
H 32.09 in W 87.41 in D 18.9 in
Tandem shell seating system by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
the modular principle also applies to the tandem shell seating system by ray and charles eames. any
Aluminum, Steel
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Airport Bench
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in South Bend, IN
Offering an iconic tandem sling airport bench designed by Ray & Charles Eames for Herman Miller
Aluminum
Charles & Ray Eames Three-Seat Shell Tandem Chairs for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Vintage tandem seating by Eames for Herman Miller, the seating has three fiberglass seats in sunny
Fiberglass
Sold
H 31.5 in W 64.57 in D 20.48 in
Charles & Ray Eames Three-Seat Shell Tandem for Herman Miller Vitra
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Munster, NRW
A rather rare and very cocky tandem shell seating designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller
Sold
H 33.47 in W 90.56 in D 25.6 in
Sofa "Tandem" 3 Seater Design Charles Eames for Herman Miller 60s
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in taranto, IT
Rare three-seater chair with side table, designed in 1962 by charles eames for herman miller and
Metal, Aluminum, Other
Custom Restored Tandem Sling by Eames for Herman Miller, Edelman Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray and Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Bench in Black Edelman Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray & Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Mid-Century Modern Eames 3 Tandem Sling Airport Bench for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Eames 3 tandem sling airport bench for Herman Miller Iconic black leatherette
Aluminum
Sold
H 31.5 in W 65 in D 24 in
Eames 3 Seat Orange Fiberglass Shell Chair Tandem Bench Herman Miller 1960s
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Troy, MI
Tandem seating group bench designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller circa 1960s 3 seat
Aluminum
Sold
H 34.75 in W 49.5 in D 27.5 in
Edelman Leather Two-Seat Tandem Sling by Charles Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In 1962 Ray & Charles Eames were commissioned to design the optimal utilitarian seating for the
Aluminum
Sold
H 31.75 in W 64 in D 23 in
Pair Herman Miller Eames Tandem Benches with Brown Naugahyde Pad Shell Chairs
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Pair of two Mid-Century Modern Eames tandem benches. The benches feature original brown Naugahyde
Metal, Aluminum
Tandem Sling by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller, Four-Seat
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Dallas, TX
Ray and Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Sold
H 34 in W 47 in D 25 in
Custom Restored Tandem Sling by Eames for Herman Miller, Red Edelman Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray and Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Sold
H 34 in W 24 in D 25 in
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Airport Chair in Cream Edelman Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray & Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Sold
H 34 in W 24 in D 25 in
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Airport Chair in Black Edelman Leather
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray & Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Sold
H 34.25 in W 96 in D 28 in
Four Seat Tandem Unit by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, No Middle Arms
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Kansas City, MO
Tandem sofa seating for four designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. This piece only
Aluminum
Charles & Ray Eames “Tandem Sling” Seating
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Charles & Ray Eames “Tandem Sling” seating.
Steel, Aluminum
Sold
H 32 in W 109 in D 24 in
Vintage Mid-Century Eames Herman Miller Tandem Fiberglass Armchairs Seating
By Charles Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
in airports around the world today. Tandem seating four chairs Charles and Ray Eames
Aluminum
'Tandem' Seating by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Charles & Ray Eames “Tandem” Sling Chair for Herman Miller (One seater / chair). Iconic mid
Aluminum
'Tandem' Seating Set by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lobby room set of 'Tandem' seating group by Ray and Charles Eames for Herman Miller. This custom
Aluminum
Eames Tandem Sling Sofa by Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Highland, IN
Designed in 1962 by Charles and Ray Eames, the tandem sling seating group was created in response
Aluminum, Steel
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Airport Bench
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Dallas, TX
Offering an iconic tandem sling airport bench designed by Ray & Charles Eames for Herman Miller
Aluminum
Ray & Charles Eames, Divers Tandem Benches for Shells
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
. :-) Super rare, original, heavy tandem base for 3 chairs or a table and two chairs or ..., with some work
Metal
Eames Tandem Shell Chair Bench by Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
(Two) Shell chairs seats in original blue fabric and (one) off-white fiberglass seat positioned in the center sit atop a metal and aluminum frame. Originally used in commercial setti...
Metal, Aluminum
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Chair in Copper Edelman Leather
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray & Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Sold
H 32.75 in W 126 in D 23.25 in
Four-Seat Shell Tandem by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Vitra
By Charles and Ray Eames, Vitra
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Rare tandem shell seating designed by Charles & Ray Eames and produced by Vitra of Switzerland
Aluminum, Steel
Eames for Herman Miller Tandem Sling Bench in Red Edelman Leather
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
*Price Updated to be a QTY of 3* Ray and Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect
Aluminum
Sold
H 32 in W 78.5 in D 24 in
Tandem Three-Seat Shell Chairs by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in South Bend, IN
Three tandem shell chairs in original blue leather designed by Charles & Ray Eames in the 1960s
Aluminum, Steel
Custom Edelman Three-Seat Tandem Sling Bench by Eames for Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray & Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Sold
H 31.575 in W 87 in D 23 in
Vintage Herman Miller Eames 4-Seat Tandem Bench Orange Blue Parchment Fiberglass
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Iconic Mid-Century Modern Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller tandem bench. This modular system
Metal, Aluminum
Tandem Sling by Eames for Herman Miller, Restored in Edelman Leathers
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
, Tandem modular seating that was originally designed for Chicago O'Hare Airport, where we sourced our sets
Aluminum
Sold
H 34 in W 47 in D 25 in
Tandem Sling by Eames for Herman Miller, Restored in Edelman Leather, circa 1962
By Charles Eames, Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ray and Charles Eames were commissioned to design the perfect utilitarian seating for the first
Aluminum
Herman Miller Tandem Seating Bench by Charles and Ray Eames
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The longest version of the tandem seating bench unit designed by Charles & Ray Eames and made by
Aluminum, Steel
Herman Miller Eames Fiberglass Ochre Chairs on Tandem Seating, 1968
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
Vintage 1968 Herman Miller Ochre color fiberglass chairs on rare bench/tandem seating. The price is
Sold
H 33.86 in W 118.12 in D 27.56 in
Eames Original 1960s Tandem Sling Airport Seating/Sofa for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller
Located in London, GB
Charles and Ray Eames designed their Tandem Sling seating for Chicago’s O’Hare International
Aluminum
1983 Mid Century Charles & Ray Eames For Herman Miller Tandem Seats
By Charles Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Spring Valley, CA
Here’s your chance to own a 1983 Herman Miller tandem 5 seat set. This coveted set boasts an array
Fiberglass
Tandem Three-Shell Seating by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Dorchester, MA
Charles and Ray Eames developed this tandem shell seating for Herman Miller in 1963 as a
Aluminum, Steel
Sold
H 31 in W 78 in D 24 in
Charles and Ray Eames Tandem Three-Shell Upholstered Seating for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller
Located in Madison, WI
Charles and Ray Eames Tandem three-shell upholstered seating for Herman Miller, circa 1950s. Solid
Steel, Stainless Steel
Sold
H 32 in W 131 in D 24 in
Tandem Four-Shell Seating with Table by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Dorchester, MA
Charles and Ray Eames developed this tandem shell seating for Herman Miller in 1963 as a
Aluminum, Steel
Sold
H 31.7 in W 109.45 in D 23.63 in
Four-Seat Shell Tandem by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller Vitra
By Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Munster, NRW
Rare tandem shell seating designed by Charles & Ray Eames, USA in the 1950s. This piece features
$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 Glendale, 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
Bertu Counter Stools, White Oak Counter Stool, Chile Stool
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Counter Stools, White Oak Counter Stool, Chile Stool This White Oak Chile Counter Stool is beautifully constructed from solid wood in Ohio, USA. The stool is chunky and modern...
Wood, Oak
Crackle Textured Handmade Ceramic Mushroom Lamp, Blue
By Ethan Streicher, Streicher Goods
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Every mushroom lamp is hand-made and hand-painted by Ethan Streicher, the founder and designer behind the Streicher Goods brand in Brooklyn, NY. The lamp's silhouette is simple and c...
Brass
Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Monumental size Bamboo lamps. Crafted in Italy and made to order, these lamps are modern and chic. Production lead time 2-4 weeks. Base diameter 8 inches, hat diameter 20 inches, he...
Brass
$4,200Sale Price|23% Off
H 65.75 in W 71 in D 1.25 in
Brazilian Hardwood, Leather and Mirrored Panel Folding Screen, Brazil, c 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful four-paneled Brazilian Hardwood folding screen with leather panels on one side and mirrored paneling on the reverse. Produced in Brazil in circa 1960s, this folding scree...
Wood, Leather, Mirror
$34,000
H 26.5 in W 92.75 in D 32 in
Warren Platner Walnut and Leather Floating Case Sofa for Lehigh Leopold, c. 1970
By Warren Platner, Lehigh Leopold
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This exceptionally rare and highly sought-after collectors piece (with celebrity provenance) is a Warren Platner Executive Leather Case Sofa designed for Lehigh Leopold in circa 1970...
Chrome
Original Eames Fiberglass Shell Chairs by Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage 1960s molded fiberglass side shell chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Gleaming shells are in original condition, each with a distinct thready texture...
Fiberglass
$20,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 28 in W 133 in D 57 in
Spectacular Vladimir Kagan Curved 3-Piece Cloud Sofa Sectional Directional
By Vladimir Kagan
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Spectacular Vladimir Kagan curved 3-piece cloud sofa sectional with Directional label. This rare sofa sectional retains its original orange brown fabric in presentable condition. Thi...
Upholstery
$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 Herman Miller, George Nelson
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
$55,000
H 22.5 in W 175.5 in D 87.5 in
'Tucroma' Leather Bed and Nightstands by Guido Faleschini for i4Mariani, Italy
By Guido Faleschini, i4 Mariani
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This famous 'Tucroma' bed design, as seen in the Lenny Kravitz Architectural Digest magazine photoshoot, was designed by Guido Faleschini in the 1970s and produced by i4Mariani (Ital...
Chrome
Charles Eames for Herman Miller Compact Sofa
By Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Pasadena, TX
The Eames sofa compact works where bulkier sofas don’t. The clean profile and crisp, light scale evolved from a built-in sofa that Charles and Ray Eames designed for the living room ...
Other
$5,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 31.25 in W 81.25 in D 26.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Heavy Steel Airport Tandem Sofa, circa 1950s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A striking example of mid-century American contract design, this three-seat tandem sofa was sourced directly from the Long Beach Airport (used in the 1950s and 60s) and embodies the ...
Steel
1960s Cinema 5-Seats Bench by TON, Czechoslovakia
By Thonet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use - The wooden parts has been re-polished - Height of seat 45 cm.
Wood
$2,950
H 31.11 in W 69.69 in D 27.56 in
Geoffrey Harcourt Leather Bench for Artifort, the Netherlands, 1960s
By Geoffrey Harcourt, Artifort
Located in Almelo, NL
Geoffrey Harcourt Leather Bench for Artifort, The Netherlands 1960s This mid-century modern bench, designed by Geoffrey D. Harcourt for Artifort in the 1960s, is the perfect addit...
Aluminum, Steel
Warren Platner for Knoll Easy Chair
By Warren Platner, Knoll
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Warren Platner for Knoll, easy chair and ottoman, model '1705', steel, fabric, United States, design ca. 1962, production later. This iconic lounge chair by Warren Platner is create...
Steel
2 parts sofa in stainless steel by Studio Glustin
By Glustin Creation
Located in Saint-Ouen (PARIS), FR
2 parts sofa in stainless steel with seating upholstered with a fabric by Dédar. Creation by Studio Glustin. France, 2023.
Stainless Steel
No other business of its kind did more than the Herman Miller Furniture Company to introduce modern design into American homes. Working with legendary designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Alexander Girard, the Zeeland, Michigan-based firm fostered some of the boldest expressions of what we now call mid-century modern style. In doing so, Herman Miller produced some of the most beautiful, iconic and, one can even say, noblest chairs, sofas, tables and other furniture ever.
Founded in 1923, Herman Miller was originally known for grand historicist bedroom suites: heavily ornamented wood furniture that appealed to a high-minded, wealthier clientele. The company — named for its chief financial backer — began to suffer in the early 1930s as the Great Depression hit, and D.J. De Pree, the company’s CEO, feared bankruptcy. In 1932, aid came in the form of Gilbert Rohde, a self-taught furniture designer who had traveled widely in Europe, absorbing details of the Art Deco movement and other modernist influences. After persuading De Pree that the growing middle class required smaller, lighter household furnishings, Rohde set a new course for Herman Miller, creating sleek chairs, tables and cabinetry that were the essence of the Streamline Moderne style.
Rohde died suddenly in 1944. The following year, De Pree turned to George Nelson, an architect who had written widely about modern furniture design. Under Nelson’s leadership, Herman Miller would embrace new technologies and materials and audacious biomorphic forms.
Some of the pieces the company produced are now emblems of 20th century American design, including the Eames lounge chair and ottoman and Nelson’s Marshmallow sofa and Coconut chair. Such instantly recognizable furnishings have become timeless — staples of a modernist décor; striking, offbeat notes in traditional environments.
Find a range of vintage Herman Miller office chairs, desks, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
The brand that turned Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson into mid-century household names is just as relevant today as it was six decades ago.