$8,191
H 63.39 in W 40.95 in D 37.41 in
Center storage unit by G. Malacrida and P. Resmini, modular bookshelf, 1970s
By Malacrida and Co.
Located in Milano, IT
Modular Double-Sided Storage Unit - G. Malacrida & P. Resmini, 1970s This rare modular storage unit, designed by Milanese architects G. Malacrida and P. Resmini in the 1970s, stands...
Metal
$1,800
H 77.5 in W 28 in D 15 in
Faux Bamboo Arch Top Mid Century Modern Etagere Shaving Wall Unit Mid Century
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Faux Bamboo Arch Top Mid Century Modern Etagere Shaving Wall Unit Mid Century
Metal
Hand-Crafted Mid-Century Modern Open Shelving Unit, 1970s
Located in Round Top, TX
A striking example of 1970s studio craftsmanship, this sculptural open shelving unit embodies the era’s reverence for material honesty and architectural form. Executed entirely in ra...
Wood
Pine Storage Unit with Joinery 70 x 70 x 30 cm
Located in London, GB
This Danish pine modular shelving unit offers a highly versatile and stylish storage solution. Crafted from solid pine, with beautiful delicate exposed joinery this unit showcases a ...
Pine
$17,260 / item
H 32.68 in W 88.98 in D 19.3 in
Charlotte Perriand 513 Riflesso Storage Unit for Cassina, Italy, new
By Cassina, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Berlin, DE
Prices vary dependent on the material/finish. Available in anodized aluminum, black painted anodized aluminum and mahogany. The Riflesso storage unit, created in 1958 by Charlotte ...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Pair of Italian Wall Units, Walnut, 1970s
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Italian Wall Units, Walnut, 1970s
Walnut
$21,648 / item
H 32.68 in W 88.98 in D 19.3 in
Charlotte Perriand 513 Riflesso Storage Unit in Black by Cassina
By Charlotte Perriand, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
The Charlotte Perriand 513 Riflesso storage unit, reissued by Cassina, is a true work of art that reflects the designer's impeccable taste and sense of style. Originally designed in ...
Aluminum
$3,037
H 64.75 in W 40.75 in D 16.75 in
Primitive Rustic European Farmhouse Dresser Display Unit with Storage Shelves
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A beautiful unique rustic dresser unit, originates from a Hungarian village farmhouse. A very old piece, likely mid 19th century, and although primitive in construction it is very w...
Elm, Pine
$1,900 / set
H 61.5 in W 26 in D 12 in
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Pair of Glass & Chrome Shelving Units Etagere
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is this pair of vintage chrome and glass etagere shelving units. Dimensions: 26" W x 12" D x 61.5" H each.
Chrome
1960's Tall Glass Mid Century Shelving Unit
Located in Hook, Hampshire
1960’s Tall Glass Mid Century Shelving Unit. Produced by Tatra Pravenec in the Czech Republic.
Birch
Mid century Pilastro wall unit / rack , 1960’s
By Pilastro
Located in Delft, NL
Dimensions: 63,5 W, 47cmH,21,5cmD Condition: Good Color: Black , Yellow Material: Metal
Metal
$2,900
H 48 in W 36 in D 12.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit or Shelving Unit in Walnut with Milk Glass Shelves
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A very cool asymetrical design book shelf or wall unit circa early 1960's.. The unit features walnut framing with inlayed white milk glass shelving. Great mcm high contrast look with...
Brass
$9,500
H 90.25 in W 87.38 in D 24.5 in
Sculptural Modular Library Wall Unit Desk Gerald McCabe Mid Century Modern
By Gerald McCabe
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Sculptural Uprights. The unit is defined by dramatic, sweeping curved wooden vertical supports that echo the silhouettes of mid-century Studio Craft furniture.
Wood
Thomasville Mid Century Modern Modular 4pc Wall Unit c.1967
By Thomasville
Located in Lutz, FL
Mid Century Modern 4 piece modular freestanding wall unit, storage cabinets and display case with lighted dry bar.
Metal, Chrome
$2,800
H 71.5 in W 36 in D 14 in
Mid Century Brass Hollywood Regency Large Etagere, Wall Unit, or Shelving Unit
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A large statement piece in very good condition. This wall unit features anodized brass aluminum frame with clear glass shelves. Ready to use condition.
Aluminum
$2,900
H 76 in W 40 in D 18 in
Modern Chrome & Glass Arched Etagere Display Shelving Unit, Mid-20th Century
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Pair of Antique Figural Nude Putti giltwood Candelabra Lamp. Height to the top of the base is 20 inches. Additional information: Materials: Wood Color: Gold Period: Early 20th...
Chrome
Mid-Century Modern Italian Wall Unit, Wood, 1960s
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Italian wall unit, wood, 1960s.
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit, Walnut, Italy, 1950s
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern wall unit, walnut, Italy, 1950s.
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Wall unit "Extenso" by Amma, Italy, 1970s
By Amma
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Wall unit "Extenso" by Amma, Italy, 1970s Modular.
Metal
Pair of Mid Century Modern Walnut Wall Units by Stanley
By Stanley Furniture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A fantastic pair of modular wall units by Stanley featuring walnut veneer cabinets and drawer fronts supported by silver metal frames with adjustable shelves and cabinets. Each combi...
Aluminum
George Nelson For Mobilier International Paris Mid Century Wall Unit
By Mobilier International
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Dimensions: 101" H metal support with additional adjustable metal legs ca. 7" H 33" W x 22" H each unit Condition: Please see detail photos. Various signs of age include some wear t...
Aluminum, Steel
Vintage Mid Century Modern Etagere Wall Shelf Unit Free Standing
Located in Saddle River, NJ
Add functional style to your home with this vintage mid-century modern etagere wall shelf unit. Combining sleek lines with practical storage, this free-standing piece offers a perfec...
Wood
$1,158
H 15.75 in W 38.19 in D 11.42 in
Mid-Century Modern Wood Wall Shelve Unit, Spanish Design, Circa 1960
Located in Barcelona, ES
Mid 20th century Spanish wall shelve unit. Made by unknown manufacturer from France, circa 1960. In original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving ...
Wood
$4,400
H 82 in W 44 in D 15 in
Tall Narrow Brass Finish Adjustable Glass Shelves Unit Bookcase Storage Etagere
By Mastercraft
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern lighted brass finish display cabinet vitrine shelving unit.
Metal
$33,000
H 77.56 in W 140.16 in D 21.86 in
Italian Mid-Century Custom-Made Architectural Wall Unit in Mahogany
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Wall unit, glass, mahogany, Italy, 1950s Exceptional Italian wall unit from the 1950s, crafted from richly grained mahogany wood with elegant glass details. Its architectural compos...
Glass, Mahogany
Mid-Century Wicker and Glass Shelving Unit, France, 1960
Located in Madrid, ES
French Bohemian Wicker shelf unit from the late mid-century. It consists of a metal frame and covered in handmade wicker braided with three white glass shelves. Shelves dimension...
Metal
$9,127
H 88.98 in W 143.31 in D 17.33 in
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit by Raffaella Crespi, Italy, 1960s
By Raffaella Crespi
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit by Raffaella Crespi, Italy, 1960s
Metal
Mid-century Italian Bookcase Or Shelving Unit, 1960's
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
A unique 1960’s bookcase or shelving unit. Italian designer manufacturing, consisting out of a brass structure with wooden shelves. Wear consistent with age and use. Heavily patinate...
Brass
Mid-Century Italian Wall Unit in Walnut with Blue Accents
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Wall unit or library, walnut, fabric, wood, Italy, 1950s A striking wall unit crafted in Italy during the 1950s. Executed in beautifully walnut wood, this impressive piece showcases...
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
$4,117 / set
H 72.05 in W 65.75 in D 17.13 in
Avalon Modular Teak & Metal Multi Piece Shelving & Cabinet Storage Wall Units
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Avalon Modular Teak & Metal Multi Piece Mid Century Modern Bookcase Wall Unit SECTIONS 1 and 2 Overall height: 183cm Overall width: 167cm Depth of the shelves 31cm Size of the three...
Steel
Danish Mid Century Poul Cadovius Cado Wall Unit Bookcase Freestanding
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rare Poul Cadovius Single Wall Unit or Bookcase. Cabinets and Shelves can be re-arranged. 33wide 17deep 78tall
Brass
$3,037
H 50 in W 43 in D 18.5 in
19thC Antique Mahogany Shelving Unit Book Case Sideboard with Drawer Storage
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A Victorian Mahogany three tier Buffet Table, English circa. 1860, having three rectangular shelves supported on scroll carved brackets. The lower shelf fitted with two frieze drawer...
Mahogany
$3,500
H 77.56 in W 39.38 in D 11.82 in
Mid-Century Modern Shelving Unit by Pierre Vandel, Lacquered Aluminum
By Pierre Vandel
Located in Miami, FL
A simple, stylish shelving unit perfect for displaying a collection or useful storage. Taking influence from Japan. Black lacquered aluminium frame with gold details and glass shelve...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Modern Italian Wall Unit in Maple and Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Attributed to Gustavo & Vito Latis, highboard or showcase library, maple, walnut, glass, brass, Italy, circa 1960 Beautiful showcase made in Italy in the 1960s. Executed in mapl...
Brass
$4,914 / item
H 84.65 in W 65.36 in D 13.78 in
Mid-Century Modern Modular Shelf Unit, Olli Mannermaa, Finland 1950s
By Olli Mannermaa
Located in Helsinki, FI
An elegant and highly functional modular "Tehora" wall shelving system designed by Olli Mannermaa, Finland, in the 1950s. The unit combines three slender black lacquered metal uprig...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit by Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1960s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern wall unit by Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1960s.
Wood
$15,000
H 32.5 in W 24 in D 16 in
1st Generation Charles Eames for Herman Miller ESU Storage unit 270-C (Survivor)
By Charles Eames
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
All original ESU 270-C storage cabinet a first generation designed and produced in 1951-1952. The fixed legs were known to bend and were quickly scrapped for removable legs in 1953....
Steel, Zinc
$5,616
H 104.34 in W 37.01 in D 17.72 in
Italian Mid Century Wall unit Bookcase with Cabinet Bar, 1960s
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Stylish wall unit bookcase in a pleasant walnut wood with warm tones, great executive quality and attention to detail, the refined line of the lateral black metal supports made up of...
Brass, Iron
$15,154 / set
H 125.99 in W 105.52 in D 18.12 in
Mid-Century Afra & Tobia Scarpa Italian Red Lacquer 1960s Modular Wall Unit
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Madrid, ES
The modular wall unit, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in the 1960s, is a remarkable example of Italian modern design, combining architectural scale, sophisticated material contras...
Brass
Mid Century Italian Free Standing Shelving Unit, 1950's
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Very nice free standing shelve system, fabricated in Italy in the 50's. 4 wooden shelves with a black painted metal system and brass feet. It is very easy to disassemble with 8...
Metal, Brass
Mid-Century Rattan Shelving Units, Italy 1970. Set of two
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a charming set of two vintage rattan shelving units or étagères, exuding a tropical, bohemian aesthetic. The frames are crafted from natural rattan, showcasing its warm, hone...
Bamboo
$4,095
H 30.32 in W 50.4 in D 19.3 in
Guillerme et Chambron, Solid Oak storage unit, Edition Votre Maison, circa 1970
By Guillerme et Chambron, Votre Maison
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Guillerme et Chambron, solid oak storage unit, Edition Votre Maison, circa 1970. Votre maison : a style, a concept, a mindset. The Votre Maison story begins in 1940 in Prussia, ne...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit by Saporiti, Italy, 1970s
By Saporiti
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit by Saporiti, Italy, 1970s.
Wood
$2,500
H 40 in W 53 in D 12 in
Danish Modern Mid century Rosewood Bookcase Stereo media Record shelf unit
By Gunni Omann
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful simple Danish modern mid century rosewood wide Media audio record bookcase shlef unit. Has adjustable shelves. Amazing rosewood grain! In great vintage condition, circa 196...
Rosewood
$6,320Sale Price|20% Off
H 81.89 in W 106.3 in D 15.75 in
Mid-Century Modern Wall Unit by Eugenio Escudero, Mexico, 1960
By Eugenio Escudero
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
Spectacular wall unit attributed by the Spanish designer and fervent admirer of Gio Ponti who settled in Mexico, Eugenio Escudero. Escudero is cataloged one of the greatest icons of ...
Brass
$2,100 / item
H 39.75 in W 78.25 in D 20.125 in
Mid-Century Dutch Pilastro 2 Section Industrial Wall Unit with Desk
By Pilastro, Tjerk Reijenga
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dutch Mid-Century, Pilastro enameled metal wall mounted shelving unit. This unit features a gray enameled desk with perforated drawers, white perforated magazine rack, red double bul...
Metal
$16,967 / item
H 48.43 in W 84.65 in D 13.39 in
Charlotte Perriand Mid-Century Modern Nuage Shelving Unit by Cassina
By Cassina, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Mid Centruy Modern Shelving Unit model Nuage designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1952-56.
Aluminum
$1,750
H 39.75 in W 78.25 in D 18.125 in
Mid-Century Pilastro Enameled Metal Wall Shelving Unit with Desk & Light
By Tjerk Reijenga, Pilastro
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Imported directly from the Netherlands, this modular unit features gray enameled surfaces accented by bold red and black drawer fronts, creating a playful Mid-Century aesthetic.
Metal
$2,720Sale Price|20% Off
H 46 in W 80 in D 12 in
Mid Century Danish Modern long Slim Teak Bookcase Lower drawer Unit
By Arne Vodder
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Teak wood wide narrow bookcase with adjustable shelves and a lower left storage area with 4 drawers. Beautiful teak with Slim design and sits on 4 tapered teak legs. Made...
Teak
$3,452
H 75.6 in W 43.31 in D 3.15 in
Mid-Century Modern Wardrobe Wall Unit, Wood & Rosewood, Italy, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Mid-Century Modern wardrobe or wall unit, crafted in the 1960s. This striking piece features a bold red background framed by a wooden grid structure. Each grid unit is accented by sc...
Wood
$2,200
H 56 in W 48 in D 11.5 in
Danish Modern Mid century Rosewood Large Wall Floor Bookcase shelf unit
By Gunni Omann
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful simple Danish modern mid century rosewood large Tall wall floor bookcase on tapered legs. Has 7 adjustable shelves. In great vintage condition, circa 1960. Labeled Omann no...
Rosewood
$1,013
H 69.3 in W 42.13 in D 14.18 in
1960’s Mid-Century Modern room divider / wall unit by Schrieber
Located in London, GB
Founded in 1957 by Chaim Schreiber, Schreiber Furniture is an interesting British success story. The Company was one of the biggest names in furniture in the 1970s, rivalling G Plan...
Formica, Beech
$7,400
H 101.19 in W 97.25 in D 10.24 in
French Mid-Century Modern Bookcase or Shelf Unit in Solid Ash
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Bookcase / wall shelving unit / room divider, solid ash, France, 1960s This mid-century modern French bookcase, dating from the 1960s, balances functionality with structural minima...
Ash
$2,600
H 56 in W 44.25 in D 13.5 in
Mid-Century American Modern Iron Shelving Unit / Etagere by Freda Diamond
By Freda Diamond, Baumritter
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Versatile, modernist shelving unit designed by MOMA Good Design winner, Freda Diamond, for Baumritter, (ca. 1954, USA). Composed of a wrought iron frame supporting four steel inset m...
Steel, Wrought Iron
$9,946 / set
H 30.71 in W 149.61 in D 17.72 in
Modular "Samara" storage wall unit by Derk Jan de Vries for Maisa, 1970s
By Maisa
Located in amstelveen, NL
Modular wooden Samara storage wall unit by Dutch designer Derk Jan de Vries, created in the 1970s. This modular storing unit consists of five volumes and includes shelves and drawers...
Ash
$33,000
H 134.85 in W 128.35 in D 19.69 in
Mid-Century Italian Grand Wall Unit in Walnut with Blue Accents
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Large wall unit or library, walnut, fabric, glass, Italy, 1950s A striking and monumental wall unit crafted in Italy during the 1950s. Executed in beautifully walnut wood, this impr...
Fabric, Glass, Walnut
$2,340 / set
H 29.93 in W 29.93 in D 14.97 in
Modular "Samara" storage wall unit by Derk Jan de Vries for Maisa, 1970s
By Maisa
Located in amstelveen, NL
Modular wooden Samara storage wall unit in ash wood with a black finish. Designed by Dutch designer Derk Jan de Vries, created in the 1970s. This modular storing unit consists of t...
Ash
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.
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.