Mid-Century Teak Foldable Serving Cart
Located in Hamburg, DE
Elegant teak tea trolley with striking shape and finely executed details. Especially eye-catching
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Foldable Tea Trolley
Folding Serving Tea - Bar Cart from Bremshey & Co, 1960s
Located in Antwerp, BE
design. The bar cart can be folded in two positions and easily stored. Made of formica laminate teak wood
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Vintage Chrome and Folding Serving Trolley, 1950's
Located in Praha, CZ
Mid-Century Modern, vintage serving tea cart consisting of and chrome. Produced in Russia
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Mid-Century Vintage Chrome and Plywood Folding Serving Trolley, 1950's
$376
H 31.5 in W 25.6 in D 16.15 in
Mid-Century Vintage Chrome and Plywood Folding Serving Trolley, 1950's
Located in Praha, CZ
Mid-Century Modern, vintage serving tea cart consisting of moulded plywood and chrome. Produced
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
VINTAGE ORiNETAL CHINESE ROLLING BAR CABINET MID CENTURY TEA OR LIQUOR CART
$1,701
H 31.89 in W 30.12 in D 14.97 in
VINTAGE ORiNETAL CHINESE ROLLING BAR CABINET MID CENTURY TEA OR LIQUOR CART
Located in Pulborough, GB
serving surface folds open to create an extended counter, perfect for mixing drinks or serving tea, and
Category
20th Century British Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Hardwood
Bent Lucite Studio Crafted Mid-Century Modern Tea Bar Cart on Wheels MINT!
$1,800
H 24 in W 24 in D 16 in
Bent Lucite Studio Crafted Mid-Century Modern Tea Bar Cart on Wheels MINT!
By Charles Hollis Jones
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very nice mid century modern bent lucite cart with folding handle
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Lucite
Italian Mid-Century Modern Drinks Trolley or Bar Cart with Removable Trays
$4,500
H 28.5 in W 28.13 in D 18.13 in
Italian Mid-Century Modern Drinks Trolley or Bar Cart with Removable Trays
Located in Austin, TX
A fine Mid-Century Modern drinks cart or tea and coffee serving table from Italy, featuring a large
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Folding Bar Cart or Trolly by Paul Nagel for JIE Gantofta Sweden
$1,765
H 26.78 in W 18.51 in D 26.38 in
Mid-Century Folding Bar Cart or Trolly by Paul Nagel for JIE Gantofta Sweden
By Paul Nagel, JIE Gantofta
Located in Munich, DE
Amazing and stylish Mid-Century Modern folding bar cart or tea trolley with elegant details and two
Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Early 20th Bar Cart with Three Tier and Two Leafs Convertible in Tea Table
$1,968Sale Price|20% Off
H 28.94 in W 28.55 in D 17.92 in
Early 20th Bar Cart with Three Tier and Two Leafs Convertible in Tea Table
Located in Miami, FL
folding and the cart is convertible in a functional coffee tea or table that you love it. It has wheels
Category
Early 20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Iron
Vintage Scandinavian Modern Teak Expanding Bar or Cocktail Cart by Poul Hundevad
$2,246Sale Price|25% Off
H 23.75 in W 29.5 in D 20 in
Vintage Scandinavian Modern Teak Expanding Bar or Cocktail Cart by Poul Hundevad
By Poul Hundevad, Hundevad & Co.
Located in Topeka, KS
, cabinets, trolley carts, and bookcases. Poul Hundevad was a quintessential Danish furniture designer. He
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Folding Tea / Bar Cart in Chrome and Molded Plywood
$610Sale Price|20% Off
H 31.5 in W 25.99 in D 17.72 in
Mid-Century Modern Folding Tea / Bar Cart in Chrome and Molded Plywood
Located in Lucenec, SK
Very nice molded plywood and chrome folding tea cart. Made in USSR.
Category
Mid-20th Century Russian Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Steel, Chrome
Midcentury Chrome Folding Serving Trolley, 1950s Germany
$470Sale Price|20% Off
H 27.17 in W 25.6 in D 15.75 in
Midcentury Chrome Folding Serving Trolley, 1950s Germany
Located in Debrecen, HU
Mid-Century Modern vintage serving trolley from Germany, dating back to the 1950s. This space
Category
Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Chrome
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Wood and Brass Italian Foldable Magazine Rack, 1950s
$974
H 21.26 in W 17.72 in D 11.03 in
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Wood and Brass Italian Foldable Magazine Rack, 1950s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Roma, IT
without strain or exaggeration”. Lacca designed a great many tea carts and serving trolleys in his career
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
Materials
Brass
Mid-Century Cesare Lacca Black Lacquered Beech Wood Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
$1,044
H 13.39 in W 22.84 in D 12.6 in
Mid-Century Cesare Lacca Black Lacquered Beech Wood Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Roma, IT
wonderfully with the brown shelves creating a striking mid-century balance and can be folded in order to
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
Materials
Wood, Beech
Recent Sales
Mid-Century Modern Asian Inspired Bar Tea Cart
Located in Hudson, NY
Beautiful tea or bar cart with two removable trays. Asian Inspired color combination. Red painted
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Iron
Rare Arthur Umanoff Wood Drop-Leaf Bar/Tea Cart, ca. 1950’s
Unavailable
H 28.75 in W 20.5 in D 29.5 in
Rare Arthur Umanoff Wood Drop-Leaf Bar/Tea Cart, ca. 1950’s
By Arthur Umanoff
Located in Hampstead, QC
A very rare drop-leaf bar/tea cart by the American industrial designer Arthur Umanoff (1923-1985
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Folding Tea Cart Trolley
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Unique, mid-century modern folding tea cart designed by Gerlinol with formica shelves and a metal
Category
Antique 19th Century German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Formica
1970s Modern Folding Tea Cart
Located in New York, NY
Stunning 1970s molded plywood and chrome folding tea cart.
Category
20th Century Russian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Vintage Mid Century Folding Bar Cart Chrome
Located in North York, ON
Vintage Mid Century folding tea bar trolley cart, chrome frame with laminated shelves. Made in
Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Mid Century Modern Folding Bar Trolley, Germany 60s
Located in Lucija, SI
Serving Trolley was made in Germany in the late 60's, it was primarily used as a tea trolley. It's
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Pair of 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Serving Table or Trolley Tea Cart
Sold
H 24.41 in W 22.45 in D 17.72 in
Pair of 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Serving Table or Trolley Tea Cart
By String Design AB
Located in Berlin, DE
Swedish Mid-Century Modern serving table, trolley with two teak wooden serving trays on a black
Category
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Bremshey & Co Dinette Trolley circa 1950s
Located in Vulpellac, Girona
A mid-century Bremshey & Co German Dinette Trolley. Made of chrome & lamented wood. It folds into a
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century German Mid-Century Modern Card Tables and Tea T...
Materials
Chrome
Grete Jalk For Poul Jeppesens Mobelfabrik Mid-Century Danish Rosewood Bar Cart
Sold
H 25.2 in W 27.56 in D 17.33 in
Grete Jalk For Poul Jeppesens Mobelfabrik Mid-Century Danish Rosewood Bar Cart
By Grete Jalk
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Grete Jalk for Poul Jeppesens Mobelfabrik midcentury Danish Rosewood bar cart trolley with a fold
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Rosewood
Vintage Italian Serving Trolley / Bar Cart by Cesare Lacca, 'circa 1950s'
Sold
H 28.94 in W 27.17 in D 17.13 in
Vintage Italian Serving Trolley / Bar Cart by Cesare Lacca, 'circa 1950s'
By Cesare Lacca
Located in London, GB
Vintage Italian serving trolley / bar cart (circa 1950s), midcentury chic, modern style and pure
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Vintage Serving Bar Cart, Italy, 1950s
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
craftsmanship. It has floral and scroll work inlay. The side wings can be folded down. Perfect for drinks, tea
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Samsonite Round Patio Dining Table and 4 Folding Sling Chairs
Sold
H 26.5 in Dm 42 in
Mid-Century Modern Samsonite Round Patio Dining Table and 4 Folding Sling Chairs
By Samsonite
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome Mid-Century Modern round patio dining table and 4 folding sling chairs by Samsonite. They
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets
Materials
Enamel, Steel
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Mahogany Wood and Brass Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
Sold
H 23.23 in W 18.12 in D 10.24 in
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Mahogany Wood and Brass Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Roma, IT
exaggeration”. Lacca designed a great many tea carts and serving trolleys in his career—which make up a
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
Materials
Brass
Campaign Style Dry Bar Black Flip Top by Drexel Attr to Accolade II Collection
Sold
H 32.5 in W 40 in D 19.25 in
Campaign Style Dry Bar Black Flip Top by Drexel Attr to Accolade II Collection
By Drexel
Located in Topeka, KS
design style be it Modern, Mid-Century Modern, Hollywood Regency, or traditional! Drexel Furniture
Category
Late 20th Century American Campaign Dry Bars
Materials
Metal, Brass
Mid-Century Foldable Bar Cart Tea Trolley In Chrome & Formica
By Ary Sweden 1, Nils Trautner
Located in Torquay, GB
1960s metamorphic bar cart tea trolley in the manner of Nils Trautner for Ary Nybro Sweden. Chromed
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Steel, Chrome
Unusual Iron Shape Folding Brass Tea Cart
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very nice unusual iron shape brass teacart server or side table.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Antique Industrial Black Iron Oak Folding Rolling Tea or Bar Cart Hotel Trolley
Sold
H 30 in W 26.5 in D 22 in
Antique Industrial Black Iron Oak Folding Rolling Tea or Bar Cart Hotel Trolley
Located in Topeka, KS
Fabulous Industrial chic antique rolling and folding tea cart, bar cart, or hotel serving trolley
Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Iron
Horst Brüning Tea Trolley Kill International, Germany, 1968
By Kill International, Horst Bruning
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
, 1968. This serving cart is made of matte chrome-plated steel and it has a teak wooden folding top. This
Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Steel
Early 20th Bar Cart with Three Tier and Two leafs convertible in Tea Table
Sold
H 25.79 in W 29.53 in D 17.72 in
Early 20th Bar Cart with Three Tier and Two leafs convertible in Tea Table
Located in Miami, FL
folding and the cart is convertible in a functional coffee tea or table that you love it. You also can
Category
Early 20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Iron
Mid-Century Modern Folding Tea Cart in Chrome and Molded Plywood
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very nice molded plywood and chrome folding tea cart. Made in USSR.
Category
20th Century Russian Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Chrome
Bauhaus Russian Tea Service Trolley Tray Bar Cart Folding Design, USSR
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your pleasure: Russian service tea cart foldable compact design trolley bar service bar by
Category
Vintage 1950s European Mid-Century Modern Tray Tables
Materials
Chrome
Stunning Mid-Century Modern Wood Gerlinol Folding Tea Cake Serving Trolly
Sold
H 30.71 in W 26.78 in D 16.34 in
Stunning Mid-Century Modern Wood Gerlinol Folding Tea Cake Serving Trolly
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
folding serving trolley A good looking and expertly made piece, the wood panels have a stunning patina
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Tray Tables
Materials
Chrome
Rare Midcentury Paul McCobb Bar Tea Serving Cart Maple Iron Planner Group
Sold
H 30 in W 30 in D 18 in
Rare Midcentury Paul McCobb Bar Tea Serving Cart Maple Iron Planner Group
By Paul McCobb, Calvin Furniture
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Rare Midcentury bar cart #1250 designed by Paul McCobb for planner group collection, circa 1950's
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Iron
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Wood lacquered black Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
Sold
H 15.36 in W 22.05 in D 12.21 in
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Wood lacquered black Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Roma, IT
seamlessly creating a striking mid-century balance and can be folded for easy movement. This piece is
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
Materials
Wood, Beech
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Mahogany and Brass Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
Sold
H 22.45 in W 18.9 in D 10.24 in
Midcentury Cesare Lacca Mahogany and Brass Italian Magazine Rack, 1950s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Roma, IT
exaggeration”. Lacca designed a great many tea carts and serving trolleys in his career—which make up a
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
Materials
Brass
Folding Bar or Tea Trolley 1950's
Located in Berlin, DE
Rare folding bar cart with a chromed gallery around the upper glass and a bottle holder at the
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Mid Century Danish Control Tea/Serving Cart
Located in Hudson, NY
A sleek and elegant teak serving cart with dovetailed corners. The cart folds up conveniently for
Category
20th Century Danish Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Teak
Mid Century Folding Formica and Chrome Trolley Bar Cart Italian Robex Style 70s
Sold
H 30.71 in W 25.79 in D 16.15 in
Mid Century Folding Formica and Chrome Trolley Bar Cart Italian Robex Style 70s
Located in Leamington Spa, GB
A vintage folding drinks bar cart / tea & cake serving trolley or a portable music stand
Category
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Aluminum, Chrome
Mid century Fold Up Extendable Teak Drinks Trolley Bar cart Danish Style 70s
Sold
H 25.99 in W 26.97 in D 17.33 in
Mid century Fold Up Extendable Teak Drinks Trolley Bar cart Danish Style 70s
Located in Leamington Spa, GB
Mid Century teak serving trolly. Danish style teak drinks trolley for sale. Charming and
Category
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Teak
Collapsible "Gerlinol" Tea or Bar Trolley Cart
Located in Mexico City, Cuauhtemoc
beautiful Mid-Century cart has been listed by Michael Hogben as one of the "100 Antiques of the Future
Category
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Danish Modern Teak Bar/Tea Cart
Located in San Francisco, CA
This is a vintage Mid-Century teak bar/tea cart. It rolls on four casters and can be folded for
Category
20th Century Danish Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Teak
BAKER Banded Mahogany Drop Leaf Tea Server Cart
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Charlotte, NC
A Federal style rolling drop leaf tea cart by Baker Furniture. Mahogany with banded top, brass
Category
Mid-20th Century American Federal Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal, Brass
Ary Fanérprodukter Nybro Tea / Bar Trolley model ‘Impala’, Sweden, 1950's
Sold
H 26.38 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Ary Fanérprodukter Nybro Tea / Bar Trolley model ‘Impala’, Sweden, 1950's
By Ary Sweden 1
Located in Antwerpen, BE
trolley with two teak veneer trays that can be taken off. It rests on a foldable, metal frame on wheels
Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
1950s Tea Trolley with Teak Trays from Denmark
Located in Berlin, DE
This mobile tea trolley with two removable round teak trays has a black lacquered metal frame that
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Danish Service Trolley in Teak
Located in Handewitt, DE
Mid-Century Danish service or tea trolley in teak. Service trolley is foldable. Very good quality
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Teak
1950s Rare Teak Plywood Trolley or Tea Cart by Cees Braakman for Pastoe
Sold
H 22.84 in W 25.6 in D 19.69 in
1950s Rare Teak Plywood Trolley or Tea Cart by Cees Braakman for Pastoe
By Cees Braakman, Pastoe
Located in Enschede, NL
produced by UMS Pastoe. The trolley has a solid teak frame and two plates with beautiful folded edges
Category
Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Teak, Plywood
Folding Bamboo Tea Cart
Located in New Orleans, LA
Bamboo bar cart with three fold out sides and hand painted aviary scene with red accents
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Bamboo
John Stuart Walnut Bar Tea Serving Trolley Cart
By John Stuart
Located in Chicago, IL
This well designed Mid-Century Modern John Stuart trolley bar cart in walnut is perfect for
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Walnut
Dry Bar or Tea Cart by Cesare Lacca for Baker
By Baker Furniture Company, Cesare Lacca
Located in Sacramento, CA
Ebony finish dry bar or tea cart by Cesare Lacca for baker with fold-out top, circa 1950s
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Dutch Teak Tea Trolley, 1960s
Located in Appeltern, Gelderland
Vintage tea trolley from the 1960s. The cart has 2 teak blades, a black metal frame and stands on
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Materials
Teak
Trolley Table Side Table Trolley Bar Gold Inlaid Tea
Located in Lage, DE
Beautiful Teacar Folding-out tea trolley with great intarsia Dimensions: Height 71 cm, width
Category
Mid-20th Century German Chippendale Tray Tables
Materials
Lacquer
People Also Browsed
Amuneal's Brass Pantry Cabinetry
By Amuneal
Located in New York, NY
Amuneal's Brass Pantry Cabinetry, part of our metal Kitchen Collection, is designed as a feature element for any space. The three doors on the upper cabinets are fabricated with a kn...
Category
2010s American Modern Cabinets
Materials
Brass
English Walnut Art Deco Drinks Cart
Located in Leicester, GB
Beautiful Walnut finish Art Deco Drinks Cart / Trolley / Side table. Two tiers with a slight shape to the table. Made in England in 1930s. Good condition for age, with small age-re...
Category
Vintage 1930s English Art Deco Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Walnut
1970's Italian Fratelli Guzzini Style White Bar Cart
$319Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.5 in W 24.25 in D 16.75 in
1970's Italian Fratelli Guzzini Style White Bar Cart
By Fratelli Guzzini
Located in San Carlos, CA
Elevate Your Space: Fratelli Guzzini Italian White Plastic Bar Cart Are you searching for that perfect blend of functionality and style to enhance your living space? Look no further...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Italian post-modern cart black laminate shelves and green metal structure 1980s
$469
H 30.71 in W 17.72 in D 34.65 in
Italian post-modern cart black laminate shelves and green metal structure 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian post-modern cart black laminate shelves and green metal structure 1980s Trolley with two shelves in black laminate with light wood profiles. The supporting structure is in sh...
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Vintage Gerlinol Folding Bar Cart 1970s
Located in Čelinac, BA
Gerlinol bar cart 1970s
Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Chrome
Vintage Chrome Serving Cart, 1950
Located in Marseille, FR
Vintage chrome 1950s serving trolley with smoked glass, height dimension 75 cm, width 76 cm and depth 46 cm. Additional information: Style: 40s 60s Material: Metal & wrought iro...
Category
20th Century Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Wrought Iron
80s food cart
Located in SAN PIETRO MOSEZZO, NO
1980s service trolley made of yellow lacquered metal. Convenient and suitable for all rooms in the home as well as the office. In good vintage condition.
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Space Age Carts and Bar Carts
Materials
Metal
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Mid Century Foldable Tea Trolley", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.
Mid Century Foldable Tea Trolley For Sale on 1stDibs
Find many varieties of an authentic mid century foldable tea trolley available at 1stDibs. A mid century foldable tea trolley — often made from metal, chrome and wood — can elevate any home. There are many kinds of the mid century foldable tea trolley you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 19th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. Each mid century foldable tea trolley bearing Mid-Century Modern hallmarks is very popular. A well-made mid century foldable tea trolley has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Carl Auböck are consistently popular.
How Much is a Mid Century Foldable Tea Trolley?
A mid century foldable tea trolley can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $1,350, while the lowest priced sells for $500 and the highest can go for as much as $6,800.
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 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.
Finding the Right Tables for You
The right vintage, new or antique tables can help make any space in your home stand out.
Over the years, the variety of tables available to us, as well as our specific needs for said tables, has broadened. Today, with all manner of these must-have furnishings differing in shape, material and style, any dining room table can shine just as brightly as the guests who gather around it.
Remember, when shopping for a dining table, it must fit your dining area, and you need to account for space around the table too — think outside the box, as an oval dining table may work for tighter spaces. Alternatively, if you’ve got the room, a Regency-style dining table can elevate any formal occasion at mealtime.
Innovative furniture makers and designers have also redefined what a table can be. Whether it’s an unconventional Ping-Pong table, a brass side table to display your treasured collectibles or a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk to add an air of nostalgia to your loft, your table can say a lot about you.
The visionary work of French designer Xavier Lavergne, for example, includes tables that draw on the forms of celestial bodies as often as they do aquatic creatures or fossils. Elsewhere, Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who looked to Roman architecture in crafting her stately Jumbo coffee table, created clever glass-topped mobile coffee tables that move on bicycle tires or sculpted wood wheels for Fontana Arte.
Coffee and cocktail tables can serve as a room’s centerpiece with attention-grabbing details and colors. Glass varieties will keep your hardwood flooring and dazzling area rugs on display, while a marble or stone coffee table in a modern interior can showcase your prized art books and decorative objects. A unique vintage desk or writing table can bring sophistication and even a bit of spice to your work life.
No matter your desired form or function, a quality table for your living space is a sound investment. On 1stDibs, browse a collection of vintage, new and antique bedside tables, mid-century end tables and more .
Read More
The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
May’s Most Popular Interiors on Instagram
Our feed is filled with the world's most beautiful spaces. See the rooms our followers have deemed the best of the best this month.
New Orleans’ Lee Ledbetter Makes Design Magic by Mixing Past and Present
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.
Desert Modern Designer Arthur Elrod Finally Gets His Day in the Sun
The Palm Springs interior decorator developed a mid-century style that defined the vacation homes of celebrities and other notables, including Bob Hope and Lucille Ball.
From the Hamptons to Palm Springs, FormArch’s Homes Embody Both Comfort and Cool
The houses from this New York studio cloak modernist tendencies within what are often more traditional trappings.
More Ways To Browse
Gerlinol Trolley
Oak Tea Carts
Oak Tea Trolley
Vintage Formica Folding Table
Antique Iron Tea Cart
John Stuart Bar Cart
Vintage Samsonite
Drexel Accolade Furniture
Folding Tea Trolley
Lucite Tea Cart
Rosewood Tea Trolley
19th Century Tea Trolley
Antique Oak Tea Trolley
Antique Walnut Tea Trolley
Cake Trolley
Drop Leaf Tea Cart
Drop Leaf Tea Trolley
Folding Tea Cart