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Kalmar Franken Murano hanging lamp
By Carlo Nason
Located in The Hague, NL
Beautiful Kalmar Franken (Austria) Hanging lamp. It’s made of beautiful Murano glass, smoked glass
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Chrome

Kalmar Franken Clear and Amber Shaped Glass Chandelier
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in New York, NY
was designed by Kalmar Franken, Austria 1960s. The glass pieces were likely made by AV Mazzega in
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Nickel

Set of eight crystals ice glass Kalmar Franken 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Benalmadena, ES
Eight large crystals from the prestigious Austrian house JT Kalmar Franken who, in 1960, created
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Glass

Materials

Glass

1960s Lamp Light Wall Lamp Kalmar Franken Carlo Nason Ice Glas Design
By Carlo Nason, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
1960s lamp light wall lamp Kalmar Franken Carlo Nason Ice Glas Design Object: wall lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

1960s Lamp Ceiling Lamp Plafoniere Kalmar Franken Ice Glas Design
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
1960s Lamp ceiling lamp Plafoniere Kalmar Franken Ice Glas Design Object: ceiling lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Flush Mount

Materials

Metal

1960s Lamp Ceiling Lamp Plafoniere Kalmar Franken Ice Glas Design
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
1960s lamp ceiling lamp Plafoniere Kalmar Franken Ice Glas Design Object: ceiling lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Flush Mount

Materials

Metal

Hanging lamp in Frosted Ice Glass by J. T. Kalmar for Kalmar Franken KG, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Delft, NL
Hanging lamp in frosted ice glass by J. T. Kalmar for Kalmar Franken KG, 1960s.
Category

Vintage 1960s Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Petite Ice Glass Ceiling Lamp by Kalmar Franken KG, Germany 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Petite Ice Glass Ceiling Lamp by Kalmar Franken KG, Germany 1960s This petite ceiling lamp was
Category

Vintage 1950s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

kalmar franken mid century ice glass PENDANT LIGHT 1960s 70s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Mannheim, DE
Mid century pendant light manufactured in the 1960s / 70s by Kalmar Franken (model 3379/1, series 1
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

60s 70s Lamp Light Hanging Lamp Kalmar Franken KG Tulip Glass
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s lamp light hanging lamp Kalmar Franken KG Tulip glass 60s 70s Object: ceiling lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Chrome

60s 70s ceiling lamp chandelier Kalmar Franken KG Austria Space Age
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s ceiling lamp chandelier Kalmar Franken KG Austria Space Age Object: ceiling lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Vintage Set of Wall Lamps Kalmar Franken KG, Model Citrus 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Vintage Set of Wall Lamps Kalmar Franken KG, Model Citrus 1960s Discover the charm of the 60s
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Vintage Set of Wall Lamps Kalmar Franken KG, Model Citrus 1960s
Vintage Set of Wall Lamps Kalmar Franken KG, Model Citrus 1960s
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H 15.36 in W 9.06 in D 5.12 in
Midcentury 1950s Pendant Lamp Kalmar Franken Ice Glass Textured Glass Brass
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Mannheim, DE
Very beautiful and elegant 1950s hanging lamp produced by Kalmar Franken. The shade is a long tube
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

70s Lamp Lamp Hanging Lamp Kalmar Franken Ceiling Lamp Ice Glass Design
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
70s Lamp lamp hanging lamp Kalmar Franken ceiling lamp Ice Glass Design Object: ceiling lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Chrome

60s 70s ceiling lamp chandelier J.T. Kalmar Franken Austria ice glass
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s ceiling lamp chandelier J.T. Kalmar Franken Austria ice glass Object: chandelier
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

60s 70s ceiling lamp chandelier J.T. Kalmar Franken Austria ice glass
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s ceiling lamp chandelier J.T. Kalmar Franken Austria ice glass Object: chandelier
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

J.T Kalmar Franken Wall lamp Model Steen, 1970
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
J.T Kalmar Franken Wall lamp Model Steen, 1970 It doesn't get much nicer than lighting from
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Glass

J.T Kalmar Franken Wall lamp Model Steen, 1970
J.T Kalmar Franken Wall lamp Model Steen, 1970
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H 6.7 in W 7.09 in D 3.55 in
"Sierra" Ice Glass Wall Sconces with Nickel Tone Backplate by Kalmar Franken KG
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Stamford, CT
Kalmar Franken KG Austria, 1960s Excellent Kalmar ice glass wall sconces, each having three heavy
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

Tree Trunk Ice Glass Flush Mount by Kalmar Franken KG, Germany 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Tree Trunk Ice Glass Flush Mount by Kalmar Franken KG, Germany 1960s This large flush mount was
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal

Set of Two Midcentury Ice Glass Wall Lamps or Sconces by Kalmar Franken, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Munich, DE
Kalmar Franken, 1960s, Germany. Each lamp is executed in 17 square ice-glass elements with a metal base
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

1970s German J. T. Kalmar Kalmar Franken Frosted Glass & Chrome Pendant Light
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in London, GB
. Kalmar for Kalmar Franken KG. The light has a textured, frosted, iced-glass circular shade, with a
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Pair of Icicle Ice Glass Three-Light Sconces by Kalmar Franken KG, Austria
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Barntrup, DE
An impressive pair of Mid-Century Modern icicle ice glass wall sconces made by Kalmar, Franken KG
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Pair of Austrian Icicle Ice Glass Three-Light Sconces by Kalmar Franken KG
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Barntrup, DE
An impressive pair of Mid-Century Modern icicle ice glass wall sconces made by Kalmar, Franken KG
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Large Lucite Mirror by Kalmar Franken
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Vienna, AT
Made in the 1960s. Main frame steel plated with lucite elements, electric controled.  
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors

Materials

Brass, Steel

Large Lucite Mirror by Kalmar Franken
Large Lucite Mirror by Kalmar Franken
H 35.44 in W 21.66 in D 3.94 in
One of Two J.T. Kalmar Franken Amber and Clear Flush Mounts, Austria, 1960
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
A rare flushmount, gorgeous and stylish ceiling lamp, manufactured by Kalmar Franken, Austria
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass

Gorgeous 1960s J. T. Kalmar Franken Tulipan Ice Glass Ball Ceiling Lamp
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in München, DE
Beautiful large 1960s Kalmar Franken ceiling lamp model Tulipan. Stunning beautiful high-quality
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

One of Two J.T. Kalmar Franken Brown and Clear Flush Mounts Wall Lights, 1960
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Rijssen, NL
1 of the 2 flush mounts /wall lights, gorgeous and stylish, manufactured by Kalmar Franken, Austria
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass

Glass Wall Lamp by J. T. Kalmar - Franken
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Praha, CZ
- Austria, 1970s - Good original condition - Marked by maker.
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Glass Wall Lamp by J. T. Kalmar - Franken
Glass Wall Lamp by J. T. Kalmar - Franken
H 19.69 in W 10.24 in D 4.34 in
Granada Ice Glass Cascading Ceiling Lamp from Kalmar Franken KG, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
This ceiling lamp features a large frame with five cascading heavy ice glass elements which measure 11.5 x 11.5 x 24 cm with E14 bulb sockets.
Category

Vintage 1960s Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Chrome

Austrian Mid-Century Pair of Murano Wall Sconces by Kalmar Franken, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Badajoz, Badajoz
Beautiful Austrian Pair of "Kalmar" Wall Sconces, model 48327/011. These fixtures were designed and
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Glass and Brass Chandelier Palazzo by J. T. Kalmar, FRANKEN KG, 1970s, Austria
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Crystal glass and brass chandelier by J. T. Kalmar 'Palazzo', FRANKEN KG, 1970s, Austria Large
Category

Vintage 1970s Austrian Hollywood Regency Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Large Hollywood Regency Ice Glass Wall Light Made by J. T. Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: wall light Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Large Hollywood Regency 3-Ice Glass Wall Light Made by J. T. Kalmar Lights 1960
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: wall light Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Franken KG
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

J. T. Kalmar Ceiling Lamp, circa 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Wien, AT
A flush mount, ceiling lamp, manufactured by Kalmar Franken, Austria, 1960s, with a handcrafted
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Brass

Frosted Square Ice Glass Wall Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing wall lamp by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Square frosted ice
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

Frosted Square Ice Glass Wall Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
Frosted Square Ice Glass Wall Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
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H 7.09 in W 7.09 in D 3.55 in
Rare Triangle Ice Glass Sconce by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing wall lamp by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Triangle white ice
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Rare Triangle Ice Glass Sconce by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
Rare Triangle Ice Glass Sconce by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
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H 8.67 in W 9.06 in D 5.91 in
Frosted Square Ice Glass Wall Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing wall lamp by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Two Square frosted ice
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Kalmar Wall Lights, Vienna, Austria, 1980
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Bronx, NY
lights, a thick organically raw glass shade on a gilt frame in excellent condition, signed Kalmar Franken
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Art Glass

1 of 7 Frosted Square Ice Glass Wall Lamp by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing wall lamp by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Square frosted ice
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Frosted Square Ice Glass Wall Lamps by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing set of two wall lamps by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Square
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

Rare Rectangle Brass Ice Glass Flushmount by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing flushmount by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Rectangle white ice
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Brass

Pair of Frosted Ice Glass Wall Lamps by Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing wall lamps by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Frosted ice glasses
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

Large Hollywood Regency 2-Ice Glass Wall Light by Kalmar Lights, Austria 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Age: 1960s
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

JT Kalmar Wall Sconce in Murano Glass, Austria
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in RHEEZERVEEN, Overijssel
the use of frosted glass. Three fixtures available, each with manufacture tag Kalmar Franken FG. The
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Sheet Metal

Large Cubic Hollywood Regency Ice Glass Wall Light Made by Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Age: 1960s
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Rare Frosted Ice Glass Wall Lamp by Carlo Nason for Kalmar, Austria, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Amazing wall lamps by the Austrian brand Kalmar Franken made in the 1960s. Frosted ice glasses
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Chrome

J. T. Kalmar Three-Petal Icicle Flower, Melting Glass Table Lamp, 1960's
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Lisboa, PT
This table lamp was designed by J. T. Kalmar and produced by Kalmar Franken KG, in Austria, during
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Beautiful Murano Glass Flush Mount by Kalmar Leuchten, Vintage 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting
Located in Nuernberg, DE
glass on a white metal frame with lucite finals. Manufactured by Kalmar Franken Lighting, Germany in the
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal

Set of 2 Hollywood Regency Ice Glass Wall Light Made by Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light set of 2 Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Age
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Set of 3 Hollywood Regency Ice Glass Wall Light Made by Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar, Kalmar Lighting
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light set of 3 Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Large Hollywood Regency Ice Glass Wall Light Made by J. T. Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: wall light with 2 glass elements Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Large Cubic Hollywood Regency Ice Glass Wall Light Made by Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Age: 1960s
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Four-Tiered Kalmar Midcentury Ice Glass Chandelier, circa 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
A Kalmar Franken ice glass chandelier made in Austria in the 1960s. It is fascinating with its rare
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

unique Hollywood Regency MURANO Glass Wall Light Made by Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Age: 1960s
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

J.T Kalmar hanging lamp Pulegoso Foam glass, 1960
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
1960s by Kalmar Franken. This Austrian family business has been producing high-quality luxury lamps
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Glass

J.T Kalmar hanging lamp Pulegoso Foam glass, 1960
J.T Kalmar hanging lamp Pulegoso Foam glass, 1960
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H 22.05 in W 8.67 in D 8.67 in
Set of 2 Hollywood Regency MURANO Glass Wall Light Made by Kalmar Lights, 1960s
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Wall light set of 2 Producer: Kalmar Franken KG, Austria Design: J.T. Kalmar Age
Category

Late 20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Beautiful White/Brown Ice Glass Hanging Lamp by J. T. Kalmar for Kalmar, 1960
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
hanging lamp manufactured by Kalmar Franken KG in the 1960s to the early 1970s. The shade consists of 4
Category

Vintage 1960s Austrian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Glass

Midcentury Ice Crystal Glass Pendant Light or Chandelier by Kalmar, circa 1960s
By J.T. Kalmar
Located in Hagenbach, DE
This is a beautiful ice glass chandelier from Kalmar Franken made in Austria in the 1960s. It is a
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Midcentury Kalmar 'Flower' Petal Mazzega White Murano Glass Pendant Light, 1970s
By Kalmar Lighting, Kalmar Lighting, Carlo Nason
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Nason. Classic 1970s design. Requires a single E27 lightbulb (40 Watt max.) Kalmar Franken KG.  
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

Kalmar Two Tier Crystal Chandelier, Vienna, Austria, 1970
By Kalmar Lighting, J.T. Kalmar
Located in Bronx, NY
shade, this Kalmar Franken chandelier has great volume. Lid up by five candelabra sockets and one
Category

20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

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Kalmar Franken For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal kalmar franken for your home. A kalmar franken — often made from glass, metal and brass — can elevate any home. There are many kinds of the kalmar franken you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. A kalmar franken, designed in the Mid-Century Modern or Hollywood Regency style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. Many designers have produced at least one well-made kalmar franken over the years, but those crafted by Kalmar Lighting and J.T. Kalmar are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Kalmar Franken?

Prices for a kalmar franken start at $575 and top out at $4,729 with the average selling for $2,455.

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

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 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.

Finding the Right Lighting for You

The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.

Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.

Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat. 

Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. & L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.

As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.

There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation

With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.

The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.