Mid-Century Modular Desk and Storage Unit by Mojmír Požár, UP Závody, 1960s
By M. Požár
Located in Praha, CZ
Mid-Century Modern multifunctional modular furniture set designed by Mojmír Požár and manufactured by UP Závody in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s. This versatile composition includes a ...
Glass, Wood
$6,444 / item
Achille Castiglioni 'Lungangolo' Wood Shelving Unit
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shelving unit designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1991. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be filled with beautiful desig...
Wood
W.H.B Minamalistic shelving Unit Germany 1960s
Located in The Hague, NL
Crafted with exceptional attention to proportion and detail, this modular shelving system reflects the clean lines and rational design principles of mid-century German modernism. Co...
Metal
Vintage Chrome & Glass Tower Shelving Unit Bookshelf
By Milo Baughman, Design Institute America
Located in Bensalem, PA
1970s chrome and glass shelving unit I believe it was by design Institute of America. Please look at pictures for overall detail and feel free to reach out with any questions.
Chrome
Teak 3-Piece Shelving Corner Unit from Avalon, 1960s
By Avalon Yatton
Located in South Shields, GB
Avalon modular corner shelving unit featuring teak veneers and a black-coated metal frame. The modular design allows the cabinet and shelving sections to be repositioned at different...
Teak
$6,444 / item
Achille Castiglioni 'Lungangolo' Wood Shelving Unit
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shelving unit designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1991. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be filled with beautiful desig...
Wood
$6,444 / item
Achille Castiglioni 'Lungangolo' Wood Shelving Unit
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shelving unit designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1991. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be filled with beautiful desig...
Wood
$4,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
Three-Piece George Nelson Cabinetry Display Case Unit
By George Nelson
Located in New York, NY
Two small chests support the glass front display unit, vitrine. This versatile set can be used as shown, or separated into two dressers and a long glass display case. Selling three p...
Walnut
Italian Wall Unit by Vittoriano Viganò, 1960s
By Vittoriano Vigano
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden wall unit in the shape of a cylinder with a marble base. Wear due to age and time. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Marble, Metal
Retro Teak Vintage Wall Unit with Floating Shelves & Sideboard Cupboard
Located in Markington, GB
A stylish mid-century teak wall unit featuring a sleek partly free-hanging design that perfectly combines practical storage with elegant display space.
Teak
Janet Schweitzer "Orba" Shelving Unit by Pace
By Janet Schweitzer, Pace Furniture Company
Located in Highland, IN
Janet Schweitzer's "Orba" system produced by Pace is an innovative and elegant design. The brilliantly engineered wall-mounted aluminum uprights hold cantilevered glass shelves, givi...
Aluminum
$6,850 / set
50 Piece Barzilay Walnut Wall Unit
By Barzilay
Located in Los Angeles, CA
We have over 50 pieces of this amazing Barzilay walnut wall unit with aluminum accents. Please contact us for custom pricing and visit our LA showroom to view in person. The pric...
Aluminum
21st Century Flare TV Unit, in Darkened Walnut and Bronze Mirror, by Duistt
By Duistt
Located in Leça da Palmeira, PT
Flare TV Unit, in Darkened Walnut and Bronze Mirror, Handcrafted by Duistt Flare tv unit is here to cut the clutter and get things organized with style and elegance. this luxury fur...
Brass
1960s Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Cabinet Wall Unit by Feldballe Mobelfabrik
By Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Knebel, DK
1960s Kai Kristiansen cabinet wall unit in teak by Feldballe Mobelfabrik Teak cabinet for Kai Kristiansens classic iconic shelving system with intact original mounting hooks for the...
Teak
Pair of Carl Malmsten “Visingsö” Shelving Units in Pine, Svensk Fur, 1950s
By Svensk Fur, Carl Malmsten
Located in Odense, DK
A pair of Scandinavian shelving units from the “Visingsö” series, designed by Carl Malmsten and produced by Svensk Fur in Sweden during the mid-20th century.
Pine
Wall Unit "Extenso" by Amma Torino, 1960s
By Amma
Located in bruxelles, BE
Large fully modular wall unit comprising 4 black uprights, 7 planks, 1 small pedestal with 2 sliding doors, 1 large pedestal with 4 drawers and two sliding doors and 1 large pedestal...
Brass
French Minimalist Wall Unit in Solid Elm — 1970's
By Maison Regain
Located in Antwerpen, BE
Its combination of open display space and concealed storage makes this wall unit ideal as a bookshelf, display cabinet, or statement piece in a warm minimalist, wabi-sabi, or mid-cen...
Elm
William Watting for Fristho Attributed Teak Modular Wall Unit
By Fristho, William Watting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fristho, based in Franeker in the Netherlands, produced well-regarded Mid-Century teak furniture through the 1950s and 1960s.
Brass
5 Tiers Shelves Unit with Clear Glass Trays
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This very nice and decorative 5 tiers shelves unit is made of brass with clear glass trays. This is a French work. Circa 1970
Brass
Officina, moden Tv Unit in Mimetica Veneered
By Clan Milano
Located in Barlassina, Monza-Brianza
Officina, Tv Unit in Mimetica Veneered. Meaning Officina is the Italian name of the auto-repair store. The details are coming from the mechanic environment: metal clamps as handles a...
Metal
$1,400 / set
Pr. Wrought Iron and Glass Arch Top Shelf Units
By Paul McCobb, Arthur Umanoff
Located in New York, NY
Pair of architectural Mid Century wrought iron and glass dome top shelf units, design reminiscent of PaulMcCobb, Arthur Umanoff, Woodard etc, unsigned. Both shelves are in very fi...
Wrought Iron
Faux Large Parchment Tall Étagère Shelving Unit
By Karl Springer
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern lacquered faux goat skin étagère.
Goatskin
Bamboo, Brass and Smoked Glass Étagère or Shelving Unit
Located in Roma, IT
Refined and unique etagere or shelving unit fully hand-made in solid brass and bamboo, completed with thick smoked glasses. This one-of-akind organic piece was crafted in Italy duri...
Brass
Ib Kofod-Larsen for Faarup Møbelfabrik Wall Unit
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Large two-piece wall unit with bottom wide drawer storage and bookcase topper with glass doors. (Please confirm item location - NY or NJ - with dealer).
Teak
$9,102 / set
Pair of mid-century scandinavian sideboards
Located in Roma, RM
Pair of mid-century scandinavian sideboards Product details Storage units with sliding doors, drawers and internal shelves.
Wood
Rosewood HG Systemi Three-Bay Modular Wall Unit, Denmark 1960s by Rud Thygesen
By Hansen & Guldborg Møbler, Rud Thygesen and Johnny Sorensen
Located in Trenton, NJ
Rud Thygesen and Johnny Sørensen’s HG Systemi for Hansen & Guldborg places itself confidently in the distinguished tradition of Danish modular wall systems — alongside the work o...
Wood
1960s Mirrored Shelving Unit with Rattan Frame, French
Located in London, GB
A vintage mirrored shelving unit featuring a beautifully crafted rattan-wrapped frame and clean architectural lines. The tall rectangular form is fully clad in mirrored glass panels,...
Rattan, Glass, Mirror
Hans Wegner Danish Teak Single Column Freestanding Modular Wall Unit Room Divide
Located in Baltimore, MD
A remarkable teak, freestanding, modular, room divider, bookcase, storage cabinet, made in Denmark attributed to Hans Wegner for RY Mobler. This amazing vintage wall unit/ storage ca...
Teak
Pilastro Multi-Colored Enameled Metal Two Section Wall Unit
By Pilastro, Tjerk Reijenga
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dutch Mid-Century, Pilastro manufactured wall unit with a red and blue cabinet, four shelves in gray, black, red and blue, and a white perforated magazine or book holder. Each piece ...
Metal
Poul Cadovius Royal System Danish Teak Wall Unit Bookcase, 1940s
By Poul Cadovius
Located in LYON, FR
Created in the late 1940s by Poul Cadovius, the Royal System bookcase is now considered one of the most iconic creations of 20th-century Scandinavian design. A visionary in his appro...
Teak
$9,999Sale Price|23% Off
Midcentury Italian Black Lacquer and Brass Wall Unit
Located in Troy, MI
Italian display unit in black lacquered wood with glass shelves and brass accents, circa 1970s. Generously sized lower cabinet has hinged doors with single internal shelf in each sec...
Brass
Wall Unit by Leonardo Fiori for Isa Bergamo, 1960s
By ISA Bergamo, Leonardo Fiori
Located in bruxelles, BE
Modular wall unit with 14 shelves. Adjustable height: height minimum: 261 cm, height maximum: 418 cm. Wear due to time and age FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Metal
Galerie L'Orme Modular Wall Unit in Solid Elm
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Galerie l'Orme, modular wall unit or room divider, solid elm, France, 1970s. Modular wall unit or room divider manufactured by Galerie l'Orme in Paris. Executed in solid elm, this ...
Elm
Danish Modern Teak Bookshelf Wall Unit
Located in Atlanta, GA
Danish Modern Teak Bookshelf Wall Unit, Denmark, circa 1960s. This piece is a versatile size and can be used as a bookshelf, bar, media cabinet, vitrine, or wall cabinet. It consists...
Glass, Wood, Teak
$4,925Sale Price|20% Off
Freestanding Wall unit, Bookshelves, Roomdivider, Midcentury Modern, 1950s
By Van den Berghe-Pauvers 1, Jos De Mey
Located in Antwerp, BE
Modular wall unit or room divider designed by Jos De Mey for Van den Berghe-Pauvers, Ghent Belgium. 1958. Four black metal mounted on oblique, four tapering legs, brass stretchers ad...
Metal
Collectible Open Etagere Shelving Unit Late 1940s Northwest Chair Company
By Northwest Chair Co.
Located in Lomita, CA
A beautifully proportioned mid-century shelving unit by the Northwest Chair Company of Tacoma, Washington.
Abalone, Birch, Maple
Ico Parisi Attributed, Teak Wall Display Unit with Multi-Colored Drawers
By Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Custom Mid-Century Italian Teak and Maple Wall Display Unit Attributed to Ico Parisi In the style of Gio Ponti Circa 1950s Possibly produced for La Permanente Mobili Cantù A rare ...
Brass
Price Upon Request
Danish Walnut Stand Alone Wall Unit / Room Divider / Bookshelf
By HG Furniture
Located in Kensington, MD
Danish Walnut Stand Alone Wall Unit / Room Divider / Bookshelf Additional information: Material: Walnut Featured at DC Gorgeous honey-toned walnut that would certainly play wel...
Walnut
Vladimir Kagan Burl Wood Wall Unit Cabinet Sideboard
By Milo Baughman, Vladimir Kagan
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very nice Mid-Century Modern burl wood liquor cabinet bar, display cabinet or sideboard by V. Kagan. Measures: 8' Tall.
Kai Kristiansen Wall Unit for FM Møbler, 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
Located in Puslinch, ON
Condition: Great Vintage Condition Dimensions: 68.75” L x 11” D x 79.5” H Description: A vintage oak wall unit by Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler. Freshly imported from Denmark. Comp...
Metal
Wall Unit by Leonardo Fiori for Isa Bergamo, 1960s
By ISA Bergamo, Leonardo Fiori
Located in bruxelles, BE
Modular wall unit with 7 shelves and 2 boxes containing one shelf. Adjustable height: height minimum: 261 cm, height maximum: 418 cm. Wear due to time and age FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST ...
Metal
Sensational Grey Laminate Wall Unit Bar with Sensual Shape
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Sensational customer grey laminate and glass wall unit having sculptural shape, brass hardware on doors, center section with mirrored back and glass shelves. Drop down bar is 23.75 w...
Glass, Laminate
Pair of Italian Gold Gilt Étagères Shelving Units
By LaBarge
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Pair of vintage Italian gold gilt smoked glass shelves étagères with pineapple finials. Smoked glass shelving and a cane shelf. Classic styling with a pop. Curbside to NYC/Philly $600
Metal
Vintage Three Tier Intricate Inlay Corner Shelving Unit
Located in Seattle, WA
This Shelving unit Features a Bright White Floral Motif. Possibly She’ll Inlay , Possibly From India. Makers Mark and Serial Number are Pictured. Dimensions. 11 1/2 W ; 11 D ; 28 H
Wood
1960s Sven Ellekjaer for Raymor Floating Floating Cabinet Shelving Unit
By Herman Miller, Sven Ellekaer , George Nelson, Albert Hansen
Located in Bensalem, PA
The "Omnibus" modular wall unit is a highly collectible mid-century modern system designed by Danish architect Sven Ellekaer (often spelled Ellekjaer), manufactured by Albert Hansen ...
Brass
Wall unit E22 by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in bruxelles, BE
Modular wall unit made of wood and metal with 8 shelves and 1 cabinet with 2 sliding doors containing one shelf. The shelves and cabinet are height adjustable. Wear due to time and a...
Metal
Galerie L'Orme Modular Wall Unit in Solid Elm
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Galerie l'Orme, modular wall unit, solid elm, glass, France, 1970s. French modular wall unit manufactured by Galerie l'Orme in Paris. Executed in solid elm, this cabinet exhibit a ...
Glass, Elm
Paul McCobb, Irwin Collection for Calvin Wall Unit Hutch Credenza
By Paul McCobb, Calvin Furniture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Modern, two piece, walnut and brass, wall unit hutch credenza by Paul McCobb for Calvin Furniture, Irwin Collection features a bottom credenza with recessed wall unit hut...
Brass
Restored Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Cabinet Wall Unit by FM in Excellent Condition
By Kai Kristiansen, Feldballes Møbelfabrik
Located in Knebel, DK
1960s Kai Kristiansen cabinet wall unit in teak by Feldballe Mobelfabrik Teak cabinet for Kai Kristiansens classic iconic shelving system with intact original mounting hooks for the...
Teak
Brazilian Modern Modular Shelving Unit in Rosewood by Ernesto Hauner, 1960s
By Ernesto Hauner
Located in New York, NY
They may be acquired individually or as a pair, offering flexibility while preserving the integrity of the original design concept. Each unit functions as a freestanding architectura...
Brass
William Watting for Fristho Two-Bay Teak Modular Wall Unit
By Fristho, William Watting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fristho pieces, particularly those attributed to Watting, have seen growing collector interest as Dutch Mid-Century Modern furniture receives broader international recognition.
Metal, Brass
Charlotte Perriand Nuage Shelving Unit, Wood and Aluminium
By Charlotte Perriand, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shelving unit designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1952-56. Relaunched by Cassina in 2012. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Authenticity and avant-garde characterise Charlotte Perr...
Aluminum
$3,360Sale Price / set|20% Off
American of Martinsville Dania 3 Piece Louvered Walnut Desk Modular Unit
By Merton Gershun, American of Martinsville
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Mid-Century Modern walnut low bench with modular desk and drawer cabinet designed by Merton Gerhsun for American of Martinsville's Dania line circa 60s. The low bench has three drawe...
Brass
Hermès by Guido Faleschini - Extremely Rare 6-Unit Modular Sideboard 1971
By Guido Faleschini, Hermès
Located in Palermo, IT
Masterpiece Overview In the realm of Mid-Century Modern and collectible design, very few pieces manage to seamlessly merge architectural rigor with high-fashion heritage. This extrao...
Metal, Steel
George Nelson for Herman Miller CSS Wall Unit, 1950
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Chicago, IL
George Nelson for Herman Miller CSS Wall Unit, 1950’s. Unit is Walnut and made in Zeeland, Michigan. Measures 96” wide 19.5” deep 63” tall 2 Bottom drawers 17” tall 32” wide 19.5” d...
Walnut
Danish Rosewood Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Rosewood Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado 1960s. Danish Mid-Century Modern 1 bay shelving system model Cado. This is a original vintage floating bookcase designed by Danis...
Rosewood
Illuminated Wall Unit Designed by Roberto Monsani for Acerbis
By Acerbis, Roberto Monsani
Located in Melbourne, VIC
Modular "Life" wall unit designed by Roberto Monsani for Acerbis, circa 1970. Featuring six upright panels and six illuminated boxes, one features a drop-front door and another conce...
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.