Italian Midcentury Cocktail Bars
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Mid Century Italian Bar Cart Cocktail Trolley C1950
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Trensacq, FR
Vintage Mid Century Bar Cart c1950s Italy. A stylish and practical, two-tiered, drinks trolley
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Italian Mid-Century Modern Brass Bar Cart
By Maison Jansen, Maison Ramsay, Romeo Rega, Milo Baughman, Maison Baguès
Located in Houston, TX
Italian Mid-Century Modern brass bar cart.
Italian Mid-Century Modern seamless brass bar cart
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Italian Cocktail Bar Cart of 20th Mid Century on Decorated World Map , Globe
By Angelo Zoffoli
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Italian 20th century on decorated world map cocktail bar cart. The globe rotates and is supported
Category
Mid-20th Century Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Walnut
Italian Mid-Century Chinoiserie Cocktail Bar Set Attr. to Osvaldo Borsani
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Rome, IT
Striking Italian Design Chinoiserie painted wood Cocktail bar set .
The cocktail bar includes a
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Wood
H 83.86 in W 53.94 in D 53.94 in
Vintage Mid Century Modern Italian Old World Zodiac Globe Cocktail Bar Cart
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Mid Century Modern Italian Old World Zodiac Globe Cocktail Bar Cart on Turned Wood Leg
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Wood, Paint
Aldo Tura Bar Cart or Mid-20th Century Bar Cart
By Aldo Tura
Located in Miami, FL
An Aldo Tura Mid-Century Modern Bar Cart/trolley. Two lacquered goatskin tiered shelves with brass
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Italian 1960s Mid-Century Modern Wine Dry Bar Cocktail Cabinet Side Table
By Vittorio Dassi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa, Ico & Luisa Parisi
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian wallside table or cabinet, ideal as wine holder dry bar or side table with the
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Wood
H 33.86 in W 34.26 in D 15.36 in
Italian 1940s Art Deco Mid-Century Walnut Burl Dry Bar Cocktail Side Table
By Vittorio Dassi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa, Ico & Luisa Parisi
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern end or side table ideal as drinks dry bar cabinet
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Dry Bars
Materials
Wood
H 25.6 in W 25.6 in D 15.36 in
Mid-Century Dry Cocktail Bar attributed to Paolo Buffa
By Paolo Buffa
Located in London, GB
Cocktail bar in walnut and mixed exotic woods. Three panel door open to reveal ample storage
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Brass
Italian Bar Cart or Cocktail Trolley in Brass and Smoked Glass
Located in London, GB
This is an unusual elegant bar cart, cocktail or serving trolley in brass and smoked glass Italy
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Italian Silver Cocktail Cart
Located in Norwalk, CT
Glamorous cocktail cart, made in Italy, featuring fluted column legs, glass top and lower glass
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Vintage Serving Bar Cart, Italy, 1970s
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Vintage Italian trolley on 4 wheels. This cocktail bar drinks cart was made in Italy in a 1970s
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Italian 1970s Dry Bar Cocktail Cabinet Side Table
By Vittorio Dassi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti, Ico & Luisa Parisi
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian 1970s drinks dry bar cabinet with beautiful wood and great designed wooden
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Wood
Cesare Lacca Bar Cart Cocktail Trolley Brass and Wood
By Cesare Lacca
Located in London, GB
Stylish modernist bar cart or cocktail trolley by Cesare Lacca, Italy 1950's in brass and ebonized
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
20th Century Italian Narrow Polished Walnut Cocktail Bar - Vintage Cabinet
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A light-brown, vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian narrow cocktail bar with an elevated L-form top
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Metal, Brass
No Reserve
H 30.25 in W 46.5 in D 37.5 in
Aldo Tura, Bar Cart, Red Goatskin, Italian Midcentury / Hollywood Regency
By Aldo Tura
Located in Stockholm, SE
Two story bar cart by italian designer Aldo Tura. In wood with colored goatskin and transparant
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Free Shipping
H 21.66 in Dm 17.13 in
20th Century Italian Walnut Cocktail Dry Bar - Vintage Glass Vitrine Cabinet
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A small, vintage Mid-Century modern Italian cocktail dry bar made of hand crafted polished Walnut
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Glass, Walnut
H 31.5 in W 35.5 in D 15.5 in
Fantastic Italian Design Cocktail Bar Set 1970' Attributed to Willy Rizzo
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Rome, IT
Striking Willy Rizzo Italian Design burl birch wood and gilt brass Cocktail bar set .
Hollywood
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Wood
H 82.68 in W 63 in D 47.25 in
1950s Art Deco Mid-Century Italian Walnut Wood and Brass Tall Dry Bar Cabinet
By Vittorio Dassi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti, Ico & Luisa Parisi
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern dry bar cocktail cabinet, in beautiful walnut
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Dry Bars
Materials
Brass
H 57.49 in W 40.16 in D 16.93 in
20th Century Italian Large Mahogany Cocktail Bar Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A large vintage Mid-Century modern Italian cocktail bar with a counter made of hand crafted
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Marble, Metal, Brass
H 68.5 in W 56 in D 44.5 in
Mid Century Modern Italian Bar Cart 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Mid Century Modern Italian Bar Cart from the 1960s, featuring brass tires and a metal frame
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
1980s Hollywood Regency Lucite and Brass Italian Bar Cart by Fratelli Orsenigo
By Orsenigo Furniture
Located in Aci Castello, IT
This Italian bar cart by Fratelli Orsenigo is a statement piece that epitomizes the elegance and
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
H 27.96 in W 28.75 in D 18.51 in
Italian Hollywood Regency Brass Faux Bamboo & Wood Bar Cart circa 1960s
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Roll into cocktail hour in style with this chic Italian Hollywood Regency brass bar cart. The
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Hollywood Regency Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Cocktail Bar in Stainless Steel & Brass, circa 1970
Located in London, GB
A beautiful demi-lune cocktail bar. The core is made out of stainless steel and brass, whereas the
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Brass
Trolley Serving Bar Cart "Pipe" in Goatskin and Brass by Aldo Tura, Italy 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
polarizing figures to emerge in Italian design, Aldo Tura is an outlier in the world of mid-Century Furniture
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal, Brass
H 28.35 in W 39.38 in D 20.08 in
Italian Cocktail Table with Dry Bar Compartment
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cocktail table, lacquered wood, glass, Italy, 1960s.
This cocktail table is a very fresh and clean
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Glass, Wood, Lacquer
Pair of Italian Cocktail Cabinets
Located in London, GB
An elegant pair of Italian Dry Bar fitted with brass hinges and solid legs, wood interior with
Category
Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Brass
Willy Rizzo mirrored bar / cocktail table. Italy c1970
By Willy Rizzo, Cidue
Located in London, GB
Mirrored bar / cocktail table by Willy Rizzo for Cidue.
Grey mirrored top slides back to reveal a
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Chrome
StunningItalian Cocktail Dry Bar Cabinet in the style of Willy Rizzo – 1970
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Stunning 1970's Italian cocktail dry bar in Ebonized wood and Brown teddy fabric covering. The bar
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Chrome
H 75.6 in W 48.43 in D 53.55 in
Mid-Century Modern Massimo Papiri "Harry's Bar" Green Coffee Table, Italy
By Massimo Papiri, Mario Sabot
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Massimo Papiri "Harry's Bar" Green Coffee Table by Mario Sabot, Italy, 1970s
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal
20th Century Italian Standing Bamboo Tiki Bar c.1960
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A fun vintage cocktail bar adorned with bamboo finishes, hail from the stylish era of the mid-1960s
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Country Dry Bars
Materials
Bamboo
Italian Bar or Console Table of Cane, Bamboo, and Rattan
Located in Austin, TX
A fine Italian drinks bar for cocktails or console serving table of rattan, bamboo, and woven cane
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Natural Fiber, Cane, Rattan, Wood, Bamboo
Stunning and rare Hollywood Regency Bar in the style of Willy Rizzo - Italy
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
Rare Hollywood Regency cocktail bar : chromed metal, suede, mirror and brass, Italy, 1970s
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Brass
H 198 in W 233 in D 50 in
Italian Brass and Marble Drinks Table
Located in San Francisco, CA
Italian midcentury brass and carrara marble drinks table or stand. Lovely compact table with 13
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Carrara Marble, Brass
Italian Mid-Century Modern Round Yellow Laminate and Black Metal Bar Table 1950s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern round yellow laminate and black metal bar table, 1950s.
Round table
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal
H 56.7 in W 20.08 in D 22.05 in
Aldo Tura Rolling Bar Cabinet
By Aldo Tura
Located in Hanover, MA
1960 Aldo Tura "Organetto" cocktail bar cabinet trolley in beautifully grained pallisander and
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Materials
Brass
Italian Coffee Table Bar by Gervasoni
By Gervasoni
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
: 1960s
In style: Mid Century Modern
Materials & Techniques: Metal & Wood
Condition: Good condition, wear
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Bar Cart Two Tiered Round Coffee Table by Paolo Buffa per Brugnoli
By Paolo Buffa, Brugnoli Mobili Cantú
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Mid Century Modern Bar Cart Two Tiered Round Coffee Table by Paolo Buffa per Brugnoli Mobili
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Barware Cocktail Glass Pitcher with Leather Handle, Italy 1960s
By Design Editions Italy
Located in Atlanta, GA
This is a stunning Italian mouth-blown glass cocktail pitcher crafted in the 1960s. This lovely
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware
Materials
Leather, Glass, Blown Glass
H 12.63 in W 6.88 in D 5.5 in
Vintage Bar Cart Attr. to Cesare Lacca, Italy, 1970s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage bar cart is an original design item attributed to the Italian designer Cesare Lacca in the
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
Vintage Italian Travertine and Glass Top Cocktail Table
Located in North York, ON
Vintage Italian travertine and glass top cocktail table with brass accents. Brand new round glass
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Travertine, Brass
Brass and Mahogany Cart by Cesare Lacca
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Stylish modernist bar cart by Cesare Lacca in brass and ebonized lacquered ash. Striking profile
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Cesare Augusto Nava dry bar coffee table Italy 1970
By Claudio Salocchi, Sormani
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice and versatile dry bar coffee table by Cesare Augusto Nava, Italy 1970. This recognizable
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table by Willy Rizzo for Cidue, 1970
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sober, elegant Italian Mid-Century Modern cocktail table or dry bar by Willy Rizzo for Cidue. The
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Chrome
Vtg Italian Hollywood Regency Iron Gold Rope Bar Coffee Table Round Mirror Top
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Italian craftsmanship, great style and form, currently 2 available. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements
Category
Mid-20th Century Hollywood Regency Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Iron
H 18.5 in W 31.5 in D 24 in
Mid-Century Modern Italian Glass Brass and Faux Bamboo Coffee Table, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
table is perfect for a living room or a midcentury bar.
Measures (cms):
Width - 80
Depth - 80
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 16.15 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Massimo Papiri Cocktail Table by Mario Sabot Italy, 1970
By Mario Sabot, Massimo Papiri
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
, Italy 1970. If you want to feel like James Bond, this table is what you need. This cocktail table is
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Stainless Steel
Harry’s Bar Rotating Coffee Table by Massimo Papiri for Mario Sabot Italy 1970s
By Mario Sabot
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
Glamorous, iconic & rare cocktail table “Harry’s Bar” with swivel out hidden internal illuminated
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Stainless Steel
H 17.33 in W 53.15 in D 47.25 in
Mid-Century Brass and Smoked Glass Squared Coffee Italian Table Mirror, 1970s
By Maison Jansen
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing small mid-century brass and smoked bronzed glass square coffee table with mirrored frame on
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 18.9 in W 25.2 in D 25.2 in
Ico Parisi Sculptural Open Bar Coffee Table Mod. Idra, Italy, 1960s
By Ico Parisi, Stildomus
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sculptural and masculine dry bar oval coffee table designed by Ico Parisi and produced by
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal
Dry Bar- or Coffee Table in Mahogany Veneer by Gervasoni, Italy 1960s
By Gervasoni
Located in Hellouw, NL
Italian dry bar that also amply meets the requirements of a coffee table.
Design
The basic shape of the
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Midcentury Side Table with Brass Bars and Smoked Glass, Italy, circa 1960
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Unique midcentury side table out of Italy from the early 1960s. The timeless design impresses with
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 18.1 in W 30.7 in D 30.7 in
Hollywood Regency Lucite, Brass and Glass Italian Square Cocktail Table, 1970s
By Charles Hollis Jones
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful mid-century Hollywood Regency coffee or cocktail table with two glass shelves. This
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 19.69 in W 33.47 in D 33.47 in
Charles Hollis Jones Plexiglass and Brass Italian Square Cocktail Table, 1970s
By Charles Hollis Jones
Located in Roma, IT
corners.
A stunning table that will smarten a midcentury living room or bar.
Dimensions (In
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 17.52 in W 27.56 in D 27.56 in
Coffee Table Bar Cart in Brass, Smoked Glass and Mirror, Italy 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Vintage bar cart / coffee table in smoked glass, smoked mirror and brass details.
It also
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
H 15.36 in W 53.55 in D 30.71 in
Rectangular Bar Table Movable Top in Steel and Black Wood Italy 1970 Stildomus
By Stildomus
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Rectangular bar table movable top in steel and black wood Italy 1970 Stildomus.
inside you will
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Steel
H 17.72 in W 39.38 in D 19.69 in
Two-Tiered Sliding Coffee Table with Hidden Bar by Aldo Tura, Italy 1970s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Utrecht, NL
an outlier in the world of mid-century furniture. The designer’s glamorous furniture pieces resist
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Wood, Mirror, Lacquer
H 11.03 in W 55.12 in D 31.5 in
Rectangular Cocktail Table by Willy Rizzo for Cidue, Italy, 1970s
By Willy Rizzo, Cidue
Located in Antwerp, BE
Hollywood Regency; Willy Rizzo; Black Formica; 1970s; Space Age; Italy; Mid-Century Modern; 20th
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal
Massimo Papiri Italy Turning Wood & Brass Dry Bar, Coffee Table by Mario Sabot
By Massimo Papiri, Mario Sabot
Located in Miami, FL
Original Massimo Papiri rotating wood and brass coffee table with dry bar manufactured by Mario
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
H 17.63 in W 54 in D 48 in
Monumental Cherry Coffee Table / Bar
By Cassina, Frank Lloyd Wright
Located in Dronten, NL
Monumental Italian coffee table in cherry wood with a sliding top concealing a storage space for
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Cherry
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Italian Midcentury Cocktail Bars For Sale on 1stDibs
There is a range of Italian midcentury cocktail bars for sale on 1stDibs. Frequently made of metal, glass and wood, all Italian midcentury cocktail bars available were constructed with great care. There are 303 antique and vintage Italian midcentury cocktail bars for sale at 1stDibs, while we also have 2 modern editions to choose from as well. Italian midcentury cocktail bars have been produced for many years, with earlier versions available from the 19th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. mid-century modern, Art Deco and Hollywood Regency Italian midcentury cocktail bars are consistently popular styles. Many Italian midcentury cocktail bars are appealing in their simplicity, but Willy Rizzo, Aldo Tura and Mario Sabot produced popular Italian midcentury cocktail bars that are worth a look.
How Much are Italian Midcentury Cocktail Bars?
Prices for Italian midcentury cocktail bars start at $65 and top out at $37,253 with the average selling for $1,706.
A Close Look at mid-century-modern Furniture
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
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
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 legendary 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.
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.
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Iconic Furniture Makes This 1958 Midwestern Home a True Mid-Century Gem
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The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
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Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
Welcome Back to Designer Russel Wright’s Mid-Century Hudson Valley Home
The industrial designer was known for his sleek, modern dinnerware, but his 1961 house and the landscape around it may be his most astonishing creation.
Cara Greenberg Wrote the Book on Mid-Century Modern Furniture. Here Are Her Auction Finds
The author and design expert was among the first to define the style and coined its alliterative name. She shares her favorite pieces on 1stDibs Auctions — including some steals.
Jochum Rodgers Has Long Brought the Best of 20th-Century Design to Berlin and Beyond
Opened by Hans-Peter Jochum some 40 years ago, the pioneering gallery specializes in mid-century gems but also spotlights contemporary pieces by European artists and makers.
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The prolific manufacturer has partnered with many of the world’s top designers since opening its doors in 1923. Here are some of the company’s greatest hits, which helped transform the American home and office.
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