1960s wall unit, Poul Cadovius, vintage
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic shelving system from the 1960s. The high-quality containers and shelves are veneered in teak. The system consists of six shelves, two containers with glass doors, one contain...
Glass, Wood, Teak
1960s RY Wall Unit (3 Modules) by Hans J Wegner for Ry Mobler in teak
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Victoria, BC
This RY wall unit was designed by Hans J. Wegner and produced by Ry Mobler in Denmark during the 1960s. The system is composed of three vertical modules, forming a wide and highly fu...
Teak
Teak Model RY-100 Wall Unit / Room Divider by Hans Wegner for Ry Møbler, c. 1965
By Ry Møbler, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Deland, FL
Introducing a rare Model RY-100 three bay wall unit by Hans J. Wegner for Ry Møbler. Constructed from a mix of solid and veneered teak this cleverly designed and expertly crafted pie...
Metal
Set of Three Mid‑Century Teak Cabinets, Belgium, 1960s
Located in Meulebeke, BE
This set of three Mid‑Century teak cabinets from Belgium, dating to the 1960s, captures the clarity, warmth, and functional elegance that defined Northern European modernism.
Metal
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
$4,917Sale Price|20% Off
Freestanding Wall unit, Bookshelves, Roomdivider, Midcentury Modern, 1950s
By Jos De Mey, Van den Berghe-Pauvers 1
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
1960s Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Cabinet Wall Unit by Feldballe Mobelfabrik
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
Mid Century WK Möbel Teak Sideboard Schrank Regal Vintage
Located in Berlin, DE
(see pictures) Manufacturer: WK Möbel Designer: not specified Country of origin: Germany Epoch: 1960s, Mid Century Material: Teak, Approx. dimensions: width: 165cm, depth: 45cm, heig...
Teak
Danish wall corner cupboard teak 1960
By Grete Jalk
Located in Grenoble, FR
small wall corner unit by Grete jalk in teak dating from the 60s in very good condition, lots of charm and discretion for this sober and functional piece of furniture. The lower part...
Teak
Mid-Century Modern Teak and Brass Stands or Side Tables
Located in Nantucket, MA
A very unusual pair of Mid-Century Modern teak and brass stands or side tables.
Brass
Vintage 20th Century Italian Modular Teak Wall Cabinet c.1960
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Introducing a wonderful piece of Italian design history, this is an exquisite mid-century modern bookcase from the 1960s. Crafted with attention to detail, this modular bookcase is m...
Teak
Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Desk by Valdemar Mortensen, 1960s.
By Vald Mortensen
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak desk by Valdemar Mortensen, 1960s.
Teak
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
Italian Midcentury Modular Wall Unit or Sideboard designed by Dassi, 1960s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
This is an extraordinary example of Mid-Century Modern (MCM) Italian design likely dating from the late 1960s or mid-1970s.
Maple, Teak
Mid Century WK furniture teak chest of drawers sideboard cabinet vintage
Located in Berlin, DE
(see pictures) Manufacturer: WK Möbel Designer: not specified Country of origin: Germany Epoch: 1960s, Mid Century Material: Teak, metal Approx. dimensions: Width: 100cm, Depth: 45cm...
Teak
Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookshelf by Jan Van Der Togt, Netherlands
By Jan Van Der Togt, Tomado
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mid-Century, single section shelving unit by Jan van der Togt for TOMADO.
Wire
Italian Wardrobe Bookcase, Modular Wall Unit by Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1960s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
"Italian modular wall unit attributed to Vittorio Dassi, produced in the 1960s.
Ash, Teak
$1,613Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-Century Modern, 1960 Retro Large Teak / Metal Tomado Shelving library system
By Tomado
Located in Markington, GB
An exceptionally large and rare modular ladder shelving system comprising 5 ladders and 9 shelves — This impressive mid-century shelving unit is in ver good vintage condition, . Des...
Metal
Danish Modern Modular 2 Bay Wall Unit by Lyby Mobler, C. 1960s
By Lyby Mobler
Located in Deland, FL
A rare find and truly an exceptional design is this wall unit by Lyby Mobler. The unit is assembled with steel poles, accented with teak caps. The unit can be adjusted to several con...
Teak
Danish Modern Modular 4 Bay Wall Unit by Lyby Mobler, c. 1960
By Lyby Mobler
Located in Deland, FL
A rare find and truly an exceptional design is this wall unit by Lyby Mobler. The unit is assembled with steel poles, accented with teak caps. The unit can be adjusted to several con...
Teak
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
Vintage MCM Poul Cadovius 3 Bay Teak Wall System
By Poul Cadovius
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Elevate your interior with this exceptional Vintage Mid-Century Modern Poul Cadovius 3 Bay Teak Wall System.
Teak
$5,385Sale Price|38% Off
Mid-Century Modern, 1960 Extra Large Teak / Metal Tomado Shelving library system
By Tomado
Located in Markington, GB
An exceptionally large and rare modular ladder shelving system comprising 14 ladders and 30 shelves — likely one of the largest sets available worldwide. This impressive mid-century...
Metal
Kai Kristiansen Shelf System FM Denmark 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Handewitt, DE
Kai Kristiansen shelf system in teak. Manufactured by FM Feldballes Møbelfabrik Denmark in 1960s. The wall unit consists of: - 8 shelves - 2 cabinets - 3 wall brackets detailed meas...
Teak
Vintage Mid-Century Danish Modern Teak Office Chair Model 31 by Kai Kristiansen
By Schou Andersen Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
Kristiansen was keen on combining teak and rosewood in his chairs, desks, sideboards and wall units.
Faux Leather, Teak
Mid-Century wall-mounted illuminated drop-front desk cabinet by Beaver & Tapley
By Beaver and Tapley
Located in London, GB
Beaver & Tapley is a British furniture manufacturer founded in London shortly after the First World War. In the 1950s, they began focusing on high-quality, design-led furniture, infl...
Teak
Italian Mid-Century Modular Wall System – Attributed to the Circle of Ico Parisi
By Dassi
Located in Oirlo, LI
This striking modular wall unit captures the essence of Italian mid-century design from the 1950s–1960s, where craftsmanship and architectural composition came together in furniture ...
Brass
Vintage 20Thc Italian Modular Teak Wall Cabinet c.1960
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Introducing a wonderful piece of Italian design history, this is an exquisite mid-century modern bookcase from the 1960s. Crafted with attention to detail, this modular bookcase is m...
Teak
Mogens Koch Teak Wall Shelf for Rud Rasmussen, Denmark, 1960s
By Mogens Koch, Rud Rasmussen
Located in Praha, CZ
Iconic Danish modern wall-mounted shelving unit designed by Mogens Koch and produced by Rud Rasmussen in the 1960s. Crafted from solid teak, this modular bookcase features a balanced...
Teak
Tomado Single Section Teak Wall Mount Shelves with Black Wire Risers
By Tomado
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dutch Mid-Century, single section, Tomado shelving unit with adjustable teak shelves and black enameled metal risers.
Metal
$3,196Sale Price|20% Off
Tension Pole Free Standing Emerald Gold Aluminum Omni Wall Unit by George Nelson
By Omnibus Design, George Nelson
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This Omni shelving system by George Nelson redefines modular display with architectural finesse and mid-century innovation. The shelving unit is supported by slender, spring-loaded t...
Aluminum, Metal
MCM Chrome Teak, Modular shelves cabinets 4 Bay Wall UnitGeorge Nelson Attr.
By George Nelson
Located in Basel, BS
An exceptional, highly versatile four-bay mid-century modern modular wall unit and shelving system. Attributed to George Nelson’s revolutionary Comprehensive Storage System. Origin...
Metal, Chrome
Taichiro Nakai for La Permanente Mobili Adjustable Wall Cabinet in Teak
By La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Taichiro Nakay (Nakai) for La Permanente Mobili, bookcase, lacquered iron, teak, glass, brass, maple, ca. 1955 Taichiro Nakai is an incredibly talented Japanese designer who is most...
Brass, Iron
1960s Mid-Century shelving system by Brianco
Located in London, GB
This is a Mid-Century modular wall shelving system by English manufacturer Brianco very similar to The Ladderax system by Staples.
Metal
$12,000 / set
Teak 4-Piece Bookcase by Børge Mogensen
By Børge Mogensen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A modular teak wall unit composed of four elements: two open bookcases, a chest of drawers with four drawers, and a cabinet with sliding doors. Clean-lined and rigorously proportione...
Teak
Franco Albini Attributed Mid-Century Bookcase, circa 1950, Italy
By Franco Albini
Located in Brussels, BE
Very very beautiful italian mid-century wood modular bookunit. This Franco Albini design attributed, model LB7 bookcase, have a good combination of containers and shelves, with ideal...
Metal
Mid Century Ladderax Six Bay Shelving System, Desk Drinks Cabinet Staples
By Robert Heal
Located in Norwich, England
A substantial mid-century Ladderax teak and black metal six bay shelving system, with desk and cabinets.
Steel
Rare Italian Mid-Century Bookcase with "Spear" Uprights by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi, Dassi Mobili Moderni
Located in Buccinasco, MI
Exceptional and rare Italian modular wall unit by Vittorio Dassi and produced by Dassi Mobili Moderni during the 1950s, representing one of the most iconic examples of high Italian M...
Brass
Scandinavian Modern Low Teak Storage Cabinet Small Buffet or Credenza
Located in Topeka, KS
We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, Mid to Late 20th Century. WOW!!! What a TERRIFICLY TANTALIZING TEAK TREASURE!!!!
Teak
Danish Teak Shelf attributed to Peder Moos, 1950s.
By Peder Moos
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Teak Shelf attributed to Peder Moos, 1950s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern triangular shelving unit in solid teak.
Teak
Danish Teak Shelf attributed to Peder Moos, 1950s.
By Peder Moos
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Teak Shelf attributed to Peder Moos, 1950s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern triangular shelving unit in solid teak.
Teak
$8,800Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Danish Imported Mid Century Standalone bookcase shelf with Writing Desk
Located in Seattle, WA
The statement piece that will define your space yet also help to contain, organize and curate your stuff use the drop-down surface on either side as a workstation or a bar plentifu...
Teak
Mid Century Swedish Shelf by Bertil Fridhagen for Bodafors 1950/60's
By Bodafors, Bertil Fridhagen
Located in New York, NY
Mid Century Scandinavian Modern wall unit, shelves, desk, designed by Bertil Fridhagen for Bodafors, circa 1950/60's.
Glass, Teak
Vintage wood and Metal Multistrux Iron Modular Shelving Unit or Library Shelves
By Multistrux
Located in Markington, GB
Vintage Modular Multistrux Shelving System, Spain, 1960s–1970s Set of 4 metal ladders and 6 shelves from the Multistrux modular shelving system, commercialized in Spain during the 1...
Metal
$3,764Sale Price|20% Off
Exceptional Totally Free-Hanging XL modular Teak 1960 Retro Sideboard / Credenza
Located in Markington, GB
Extra Large Modular Wall-Mounted Sideboard / Storage System, 1960s MINIMALIST STATEMENT STORAGE A highly sought-after, fully free-hanging extra large sideboard, embodying the clea...
Teak
$3,227Sale Price|20% Off
Exceptional Totally Free-Hanging XL Modular Teak 1960 Retro Sideboard / Credenza
Located in Markington, GB
Extra Large Modular Wall-Mounted Sideboard / Storage System, 1960s MINIMALIST STATEMENT STORAGE A highly sought-after, fully free-hanging extra large sideboard, embodying the clea...
Teak
Pair of Danish Modern Teak Sliding Door Cabinets by Lyby Mobler
By Kai Kristiansen, Laurits M. Larsen, Lyby Mobler, Arne Vodder
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Ideal for collectors looking for curated vintage modularity or designers seeking sophisticated elements to anchor mid-century modern spaces.
Teak
$1,815Sale Price|30% Off
Exceptional Minimalistic Vintage Totally Free-Hanging Teak Retro Desk sideboard
Located in Markington, GB
Totally free-hanging large teak 1960 retro desk, super minimalistic. It has a three shelves and two drawer units. Height can be adjusted as required, it is very easy to fix to the wa...
Teak
$2,100Sale Price|20% Off
Exceptional Minimalistic Vintage Totally Free-Hanging Teak 1960 Retro Desk
Located in Markington, GB
Totally free-hanging large teak 1960 retro desk, super minimalistic. It has two shelves and and a drawer unit. Height can be adjusted as required, it is very easy to fix to the wall ...
Teak
Roomdivider in Teak and Brass by Louis Van Teeffelen
Located in Brussels, BE
Room divider shelving system by Louis Van Teeffelen from Netherlands. Commonly seen as an independent Wall unit shelving system, this rare one is fully equipped and in very good co...
Brass
$1,563Sale Price|25% Off
Exceptional Minimalistic Vintage Totally Free-Hanging Teak 1960 Retro Desk
Located in Markington, GB
Totally free-hanging large teak 1960 retro desk, super minimalistic. It has a large desk and two cupboards. Height can be adjusted as required, it is very easy to fix to the wall (wi...
Teak
$2,151Sale Price|25% Off
Exceptional Totally Free-Hanging Teak 1960 Retro Sideboard/Desk/Cocktail cabinet
Located in Markington, GB
Exceptional Totally Free-Hanging Teak 1960 Retro Sideboard / Desk / Cocktail cabinet, super minimalistic. Height can be adjusted as required, it is very easy to fix to the wall (with...
Teak
Suspended Danish Teak and Brass Spice Rack, 1960s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Simplistically constructed teak spice rack or small shelving unit. Organically shaped solid teak profiles assembled with brass tubes and hung/suspended from the wall via the brass ch...
Brass
$2,353Sale Price|58% Off
Minimalistic Vintage Totally free-hanging teak 1960 Retro Desk, shelves cupboard
Located in Markington, GB
Sought-after free-hanging XXL wall unit / sideboard with integrated desk and shelving, mid-century vintage. A striking and highly versatile modular wall system, designed in the spir...
Teak
$1,815Sale Price|61% Off
Minimalistic Vintage Totally free-hanging teak 1960 Retro Desk, shelves cupboard
Located in Markington, GB
Sought-after free-hanging XXL wall unit / sideboard with integrated desk and shelving, circa mid-century vintage. A highly versatile and sculptural modular wall system, designed in ...
Teak
Italian Teak, Black Metal and Brass Midcentury Bookshelves Roomdivider
By Franco Albini and Franca Helg, Poggi
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This bookshelves was produced in Italy by SELEX in the 1960s. Thanks to its adjustable height ( 278 - 284,5 /285 cm max) it can be placed against a wall or anywhere in a room, used ...
Brass, Metal
Vintage Teak Secretary Desk & Bookcase by Johannes Sorth for Bornholms Møbelfabr
Located in BERKEL EN RODENRIJS, NL
A beautiful and practical piece of Danish design, made by Bornholms Møbelfabrik in 1966 — confirmed by the original date stamp on the back. Designed by Johannes Sorth, this tall unit...
Teak
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.