$3,000 / set
H 33.5 in W 19 in D 23 in
Jens Risom attr., Mid-Century Modern, Side Chairs, Walnut, Fabric, USA, 1940s
By Jens Risom
Located in Manhasset, NY
Jens Risom attr., Knoll, Mid-Century Modern, Side Chairs, Walnut, Fabric, USA, 1940s Pair of
Fabric, Walnut
$4,000 / set
H 30 in W 20 in D 30 in
1940s Jens Risom Knoll Pair Upholstered Slipper Lounge Chairs Mid-Century Squirm
By Jens Risom
Located in Hyattsville, MD
A matching pair of Jens Risom's Vostra Lounge Chairs for Knoll, Germany. Feet in beechwood, from
Beech
Early Jens Risom Knoll Associates Armless Settee
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Southampton, NJ
Classic early Knoll Associates sofa designed by Jens Risom in the early 1940s. Solid birch base
Upholstery, Birch
$950
H 30.5 in W 17.5 in D 18 in
1940s Jens Risom For Knoll Associates 666 WSP Dining Chair with Webbing in Maple
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is an original Jens Risom for Knoll Associates 666 WSP dining chair, circa 1940s
Maple
Pair of Jens Risom 666 Side Chairs for Knoll
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare Jens Risom chairs made in the 1940s, model “666” of the 600 series from 1941.
Birch
$48,000 / set
H 30.5 in W 19.5 in D 24 in
Chic Restored Set of 12 Vintage Danish Style Dining Chairs by John Keal
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Atlanta, GA
fabulous back cushion detail is lovingly borrowed from the Jens Risom loungers of the 1940s and 1950s
Mahogany
$2,925 / set
H 30 in W 22 in D 24 in
Mid 20th Century Mid Century Dining Chairs by John Keal, Set of 4
By John Keal
Located in Wheat Ridge, CO
the Jens Risom loungers of the 1940s and 1950s. Extremely comfortable and ready to enjoy! Each
Fabric, Mahogany
$32,000 / set
H 30.5 in W 19.5 in D 24 in
Chic Restored Set of 8 Vintage Danish Style Dining Chairs by John Keal
By John Keal, Brown Saltman
Located in Atlanta, GA
the Jens Risom loungers of the 1940s and 1950s. Extremely comfortable and ready to enjoy. Rare seating
Mahogany
Signed Jens Risom U-420 Lounge Chair 1940s Walnut Stunner
By Jens Risom
Located in West Hartford, CT
A model U-420 lounge chair by Jens Risom in highly figured walnut. The low lounge chair, U-420 is
Fabric, Walnut
Jens Risom Early Bar Cabinet for Knoll, 1940s
By Jens Risom
Located in Coronado, CA
When Hans Knoll started his furniture company, he selected Jens Risom to design many of the first
Cherry
Pair of Jens Risom 21 Chair 1940s USA for Knoll Associates
By Jens Risom
Located in Berlin, DE
New upholstered pair of Jens Risom lounge chairs in a pinkish fabric. Condition is excellent.
Fabric, Beech
Jens Risom Lounge Chair
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lounge chair by Jens Risom for Knoll, circa late 1940s. This 1943 design was Risom's first design
Leather, Wood, Maple
Jens Risom 600 Cloud Table for Knoll, 1940s
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Kalamazoo, MI
Very early design by Jens Risom for Knoll in the 1940s. Made of solid maple, this amorphic table
Maple
Sold
H 29 in W 24 in D 28 in
Jens Risom for Knoll Associates Webbed Lounge Chair with Sage Straps, 1940s
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Early Jens Risom for Knoll Associates, Inc. Maple armchair with woven straps. Featuring Maple
Maple
Leather Midcentury Chairs Attributed to Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in London, GB
Woven leather side chairs. Attributed to Jens Risom for Knoll, circa 1940s, likely the model 666
Leather, Wood
Jens Risom Strapped Leather Lounge Chair
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lounge chair by Jens Risom for Knoll, circa 1940s. This 1943 design was Risom's first design for
Steel
Czech Lounge Chairs by Jens Risom for Knoll, 1960s, Set of Two
By Jens Risom
Located in Wien, AT
These Czech lounge chairs were designed by Jens Risom in the 1940s for Knoll. This particular pair
Birch, Hemp
Sold
H 25.99 in W 76.78 in L 25.99 in
Newly Upholstered Daybed by Jens Risom for Walter Knoll 1950s in Leather
By Jens Risom, Walter Knoll
Located in Berlin, DE
Newly upholstered daybed by Jens Risom for Walter Knoll 1950s in leather Designed by Jens Risom in
Leather, Wood
Slipper Chairs with Sculptural Bases by Jens Risom
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rare pair of slipper chairs with bases in walnut designed by Jens Risom for Knoll, American 1940’s
Vintage Woven Leather Side Chair
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage teak side chair with woven black leather in the style of Jens Risom. This possibly late
Sold
H 30 in W 20.5 in D 27.5 in
A pair or Jens Risom's Model 654 lounge chairs, designed in the 1940s for Knoll
By Knoll
Located in Houston, TX
A pair or Jens Risom's Model 654 lounge chairs, designed in the 1940s for Knoll. I am guessing they
Wood
Jens Risom Magazine Side Table, Model T539, USA, 1940s
By Jens Risom
Located in Round Rock, TX
Offered is an early design by Jens Risom. Model T539 appeared in the very first Jens Risom Design
Walnut
Sold
H 30.32 in W 20.08 in D 27.96 in
Jens Risom Pair of "No. 654" Chairs, Knoll Internationnal, USA, 1940s
By Jens Risom
Located in Forest, BE
Pair of lounge chairs designed by Jens Risom in 1941. Jens Risom’s designs were the first pieces
Leather
Early Jens Risom for Knoll Maple and Wool Settee, 1940s
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Rare and early settee by Jens Risom for Knoll in original vintage condition. This sculptural settee
Maple, Plywood, Wool
Sold
H 30 in W 21 in D 26 in
Rare Vintage Upholstered Jens Risom Vostra Easy Chair for Knoll Associates, NYC
By Jens Risom
Located in Morristown, NJ
A 1940s Jens Risom for Knoll Associates Inc. Vostra Easy chair upholstered in a cream, golden and
Steel
Mid Century Risom for Knoll Vostra Slipper Chair c 1940/50's
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Classic Mid Century armless slipper chair, known as the Vostra chair, designed by Jens Risom for
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 29 in W 23.5 in D 28 in
Early Slipper Lounge Chair by Jens Risom for H.G. Knoll Products, circa 1940s
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Southampton, NJ
Jens Risom left Knoll in the late 1940s I'd date this chair to that time. The upholstery is not brand
Fabric, Wood
Rare Jens Risom 1940s for Knoll "Coupe" Lounge Chair
By Jens Risom, Knoll
Located in Hudson, NY
Rare high back version of Risom's chair design for Knoll. Small jutting arms, wing back with
1940's Jens Risom Style Furniture Set With a Klaus Grabe Chaise
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Chicago, IL
+ one side table lounge chaise by Klaus Grabe. chairs + side table attributed to Jens Risom. USA, c
Wood
Pair of Walnut Stools by Jens Risom for H.G. Knoll, 1940s
By Jens Risom
Located in Basel, CH
Pair of solid walnut stools by Jens Risom for H.G. Knoll in Germany in the 1940s. They were new
Fabric, Walnut
Jens Risom Settee. Knoll 1943
By Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In the early 1940s Jens Risom was commissioned by Hans Knoll to design a line of furniture. Risom
Birch, Leather
Sold
H 31.11 in W 22.84 in D 29.93 in
All Original Slipper Lounge Chair by Jens Risom for Knoll, 1940s
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Basel, CH
Slipper lounge chair very early design by Jens Risom for Knoll Associates in 1946, manufactured in
Brass
Jens Risom Chair. Knoll 1943
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In the early 1940s Jens Risom was commissioned by Hans Knoll to design a line of furniture. Risom
Birch, Leather
Knoll Chair 666 WSP by Jens Risom 40s
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Basel, CH
Very rare Jens Risom chair maufactured in the 1940s, model “666 WSP” of the 600 series from 1941
Birch, Cotton
Pair of 1940s Grey Armless Slipper Chairs
By Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of chic slipper chairs newly reupholstered in grey cotton. Sold as pair.
Set of four Jens Risom 666W chair
Located in Maastricht, NL
A set of four Model 666 W dining chairs in oak and leather by Jens Risom for Knoll International
Wood, Leather
Jens Risom Webbed 654w Lounge Chair for Knoll, Germany, 1940s
By Walter Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Maastricht, NL
A model 654w beech lounge chair, designed by Jens Risom from his Vostra series for Knoll. The
Beech, Leather
Maple Side Chairs by Jens Risom for Knoll
By Knoll, Jens Risom
Located in Dorchester, MA
Designed by Jens Risom in the 1940s as part of Knoll’s 666 Line, these comfortable maple side
Textile, Maple
$74 / item
H 23.5 in W 23.5 in D 2 in
White Wash Brutalist Sculptural Collage Artwork, Mural from Upcycled Wood
By Peter Glassford
Located in San Antonio, TX
These WHITE WASH collage tiles are composed randomly from recycled wood remnants and when installed bathe any space with a warm feeling and texture which is meditative, sanded to a s...
Wood
Cream and Brass Swing Arm Sconce, Made in Italy
Located in Culver City, CA
Adjustable modern sconce with pivoting enamel shade. Made in Italy Please specify amount of cord, on / off switch location on cord, and hardwired or plug in. *Please Note: This f...
Brass
Opaline Teardrop Pendant, Made in Italy
Located in Culver City, CA
Opaline Teardrop Pendant Made in Italy Large opaline glass shade with brass hardware. 15.5”dia x 27.5"h ( fixture height, overall drop adjustable ) Ref. L3483 *4-6 Week Lead Time* *...
Brass
$14,350 / item
H 33.08 in W 115.36 in D 61.82 in
1950's Style Curved Velvet Sofa in Custom Velvet Colors
Located in NEW YORK, NY
The Sofa inspires itself nature where green is the predominant element and where valleys and hills prevail. The item’s details allow it to be the perfect statement piece for any cont...
Velvet, Walnut
$3,800 / item
H 15 in Dm 19.63 in
VOLARE Large Pendant Light in Dark Bronze & Blown Glass by Blueprint Lighting
By Josef Hoffmann, Blueprint Lighting
Located in New York, NY
Volare draws inspiration from a collection of ornate pendants discovered by founders Kelly and Josh during a family trip to Washington, D.C. Featuring a substantial 20" pressed-glass...
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
Solid Oak Cabinet, France, 1940s
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Discover the allure of French craftsmanship with this charming and compact oak buffet from the 1940s. Despite its smaller size, this piece exudes timeless elegance and showcases the ...
Oak
$3,800
H 34 in W 50 in D 32 in
Paul McCobb Curvaceous Wing Back Settee or Sofa Refinished Reupholstered
By Paul McCobb
Located in Atlanta, GA
Curvaceous Wing back settee or sofa, designed by Paul McCobb for Directional, American, circa 1950s. This sofa is currently being refinished and reupholstered and can be completed in...
Upholstery, Wood
$2,375 / item
H 5 in Dm 10 in
Semi Flush Mount in Hand Carved Travertine Marble, Piedra Lighting Collection
By L'Aviva Home
Located in New York, NY
Our Piedra lighting takes its inspiration from the stone masks of the ancient civilization of Teotihuacán. Carved in the Mexican city of Tecali, which means ‘stone house’ in Nahuatl,...
Onyx
Custom Made Oak and Velvet Bench by Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Bench designed by Danish master Kai Kristiansen in the 1950s and now produced under license by Dagmar. Hand-made to order, this upholstered bench has a fumed and oiled oak frame. Th...
Mohair, Oak
$1,275 / item
H 15 in W 13.5 in D 6 in
JENNY Large Wall Light or Sconce in Enamel & Brass by Blueprint Lighting
By Blueprint Lighting, Stilnovo, Mathieu Matégot
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 ...
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
Early Marco Zanuso Lady Chair, Italy, 1960s, New Pure Mohair
By Marco Zanuso
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
An early, authentic Marco Zanuso lady chair, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. Newly reupholstered in a luxurious, premium, burnt orange / rust coloured 100% mohair fabric. Brass feet with nat...
Brass
Pair of Martini Side Table in Wrought Iron, Art Deco style, in stock
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Martini Side Table in Wrought Iron, Art Deco style, in stock Hammered and forged iron Hand Made in France Warm black patina that gives it a timeless aesthetic. Available indi...
Wrought Iron
20th Century Italian Frosted Opaline Glass Suspension Chandelier by Stilnovo
By Stilnovo
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian chandelier, pendant made of hand blown frosted opaline glass, designed and produced by Stilnovo in good condition. The oval white shade of the ce...
Metal, Brass
$3,900 / item
H 7.75 in W 14 in D 14 in
Series03 Large Flush Mount, Polished Unlacquered Brass, Goatskin Parchment Shade
By Adam Otlewski
Located in Ozone Park, NY
Solid machined brass, hand-stitched accordian folded goatskin parchment shade with diffuser. Shades are made from genuine goatskin parchment, hand-selected for each lamp for its na...
Brass
Vintage Classic Armless Chairs by Jens Risom, 1950's
By Jens Risom
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A pair of classic slipper or armless chairs by Jens Risom-original, vintage 1950's production. Walnut frames have a beautiful patina, newly reupholstered in Brunschwig & Fils linen, ...
Upholstery, Walnut
$3,950 / set
H 31.5 in W 26.78 in D 31.5 in
Karel Koželka & Antonín Kropáček Re-upholstered Bentwood Armchairs, Czechia 1940
By Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek
Located in Almelo, NL
Karel Koželka & Antonín Kropáček re-upholstered bentwood Armchairs, Czechia 1940 We offer re-upholstered Karel Koželka & Antonín Kropáček bentwood armchairs, originally designed in ...
Upholstery, Bentwood
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.