$1,999
H 22 in W 25 in D 14 in
Period / Modernist Table Lamp Luxcraft / Majestic "Z" , True Classic. Sculpture
By Majestic Lamp Company
Located in Buffalo, NY
A Vintage Mid-Century Modern Magestic Z lamp. Originally designed by Ralph Lippman for Luxcraft / Majestic.
Brass
$1,250
H 36.5 in W 10.75 in D 10 in
1970s Mid-Century Modern Z Lucite and Chrome Floor Lamp Plissé Shade
Located in Miami, FL
Stunning bent 1-inch-thick Lucite floor lamp in Z Shape with Chrome Hardware and a Beige Color Fabric Plissé Shade. US Wiring and it takes one regular or LED Light bulb. In pristine ...
Chrome
$1,150
H 65 in W 18.5 in D 9 in
Italian Mid-Century Brass Floor Lamp with Double Glass Globes and Z Base
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian Mid-Century floor lamp constructed with a vertical brass stem and two asymmetrically placed brass arms, each supporting a mold-blown clear glass globe shade. Geometric wood a...
Metal, Brass, Enamel
$2,626
H 15.16 in Dm 13.19 in
Elegant Mid-Century "Decora" or Z Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in München, BY
Elegant Mid-Century Modern "Decora" or Z table lamp. Designed by Louis Kalff for Philips, Netherlands, 1950s.
Aluminum, Brass
$2,626
H 15.95 in Dm 13 in
Elegant Mid-Century "Decora" or Z Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in München, BY
Elegant Mid-Century Modern "Decora" or Z table lamp. Designed by Louis Kalff for Philips, Netherlands, 1950s.
Brass, Aluminum
$900
H 14.88 in W 6.88 in D 12 in
Zig Zag Table Desk Lamp by Shui L. D. Chan Mid Century Modern Z Lite Rubic Cube
Located in Wayne, NJ
A beautiful Halogen Mid-Century Modern 1980's Zig Zag Table Lamp . Great as a Table or Desk lamp. You can create many shapes by moving pieces various directions, much like a rubics ...
Metal
Decora Z Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, Belgium, 1950s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Bristol, GB
Iconic Decora Z Lamp designed by Louis Kalff for Philips in the mid 1950s. Black original paint finish with brass arm and detailing. Philips manufaturer's stickers still present to ...
Metal
Fabulous Restored Pair of Brass "Z" Lamps, circa 1970
Located in Atlanta, GA
These magnificent lamps are shipped as photographed and described in the narrative. They are professionally restored using materials of the highest quality and are shipped complete w...
Brass
Decora (Z) Desk Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips from 1956'
By Louis Kalff
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Decora (Z) Desk Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips from 1956' Mid-century - designed by Louis Christiaan Kalff Designed by: Louis Kalff Edited by: Philips Design period : 1950's Origine...
Metal, Brass
Louis Kalff Table Lamp Modell Z for Philips, circa 1950
By Louis Kalff
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Louis Kalff table lamp modell Z for Philips, circa 1950.
Metal, Chrome
$2,614 / item
H 14.97 in W 13 in D 13 in
Vintage Dutch "Decora" or Z-Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, 1956
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Eindhoven, Noord Brabant
The Decora Desk lamp was designed by Louis Kalff in 1956. Th elamp is also known as the Z-lamp. Dutch Design manufactured by Philips in the 50s. Louis Kalff was inspired by the "Evol...
Brass
$11,900 / set
H 32.5 in Dm 17 in
Pair of French Modern Neoclassic Iron "Z" Table Lamps in Style of Jacques Quinet
Located in New York, NY
An elegant pair of French Midcentury style table lamps in the form of the letter Z. These refined bronzed wrought iron pieces reflect modern and neoclassical tastes. The lamp base al...
Wrought Iron
$1,394 / item
H 16.93 in W 11.82 in D 15.75 in
Vintage Design Italian ''Z'' Shaped Desk Lamp Attributed to Stilnovo 1950 Table
By Stilnovo
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
1 of 2 gorgeous Italian vintage design desk / table lamp attributed to Stilnovo. Minimalist design with the well known midcentury ''Z'' design shape. Made out of brass & black metal....
Metal, Brass
$3,443
H 15.75 in W 13 in D 13 in
Louis Kalff Very Early or Prototype Decora or Z Table Lamp The Netherlands 1950s
By Louis Christiaan Kalff, Philips
Located in Meer, VAN
An iconic mid century design. However, this is not a normal Z lamp.
Metal, Brass
$15,990 / set
H 32.5 in Dm 17 in
Pair of French Modern Neoclassical Iron 'Z' Table Lamps, Style of Jacques Quinet
By Jacques Quinet
Located in New York, NY
An Elegant and Iconic Pair of French midcentury Style Table Lamps in the form of the letter Z. These refined bronzed wrought iron pieces reflect both Modern and Neoclassical aestheti...
Wrought Iron
Brass Z Lamp
Located in Stamford, CT
Wonderful Z design. Strong lines of solid brass make this a great addition to all decors. New wiring and socket; height listed to the top of the socket. Shade shown for demonstrat...
Brass
Pair of Large Lucite "Z" Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Great pair of Mid Century Modern Lucite "Z" lamps. Super sized for a dramatic punch!
Lucite
Louis Kalff Table Lamp Modell Z for Philips, 1950
By Philips
Located in Basel, CH
Louis Kalff table lamp model “Z” manufactured by Philips in the Netherlands in the late 1950s. Dark green original color with a fine brass stems and recently polished.
Brass, Metal
Sold
H 59 in W 22 in D 13 in
Classic Mid Century Modern Parchment shades floor lamp. "Z' Lamp by Majestic
By Majestic Lamp Company
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic Mid Century Modern ,Satellite Parchment shades floor lamp.
Brass
Sold
H 17.72 in W 13.78 in D 13.78 in
Louis Kalff, Z-Shaped Table Lamp Model Diplomat, Philips, Mid-Century Modern
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Stockholm, SE
Z-Shaped Mid-Century Modern table lamp, model Diplomat, designed by Louis Kalff for Philips.
Aluminum, Brass
Brass Z Lamp
Located in Stamford, CT
Wonderful Z design. Strong lines of solid brass make this a great addition to all decors. New wiring and socket; height listed to the top of the socket. Shade shown for demonstrat...
Brass
mid-century Table Lamp "Z-Lamp" by Louis Christian Kalff for Philips, 1950s
By Louis Christiaan Kalff, Philips
Located in Bingen am Rhein, RP
Table Lamp z-lamp from Philips - 1950s The special lamp is a real design classic from the 50s/60s. This lamp in the extraordinary design is a highlight for any lounge interior. It e...
Metal
Sold
H 16.54 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in
Mid-Century "Decora" Z Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Diest, BE
Elegant Mid-Century Modern "Decora" or Z table lamp. Designed by Louis Kalff for Philips, Netherlands, 1950s.
Aluminum, Brass
Sold
H 16.93 in Dm 14.97 in
Louis Kalff for Philips Attr. Z-Shaped Table Lamp, Mid-Century, Netherlands
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Mid-century Z-shaped table or desk lamp attributed to Louis Christiaan Kalff for Philips.
Enamel, Metal
Mid-Century Brass Z Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips Netherlands
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Vienna, AT
One of the most Iconic Dutch mid-century desk or table lamps designed by architect Louis Kalff for the Philips Company Holland.
Brass, Metal
Louis Kalff for Philips Attr. Z-Shaped Table Lamp Mid-Century Netherlands
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Z-shaped table lamp attributed to Louis Christiaan Kalff for Philips. Enameled metal lamp shade, lacquered metal base. Also available in white.
Enamel
"Z" Desk Table Lamp
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration a vintage table or desk lamp with "Z" shape body and adjustable aluminum shade. Two cylinders of solid iron keeps the lamp on place. Beautiful and uniq...
Iron, Aluminum
Louis Kalff "Z" Table Lamp
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Glendale, CA
Architectural iconic table lamp executed in black metal and brass by Louis Christiaan Kalff for Philips Eindhoven in 1955.
Brass, Metal
Sold
H 17.13 in Dm 13 in
Elegant Mid-Century Z Table Lamp or Desk Light by Louis Kalff for Philips 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in München, BY
Elegant Mid-Century Modern Z table lamp or desk light. Designed by Louis Kalff for Philips, Netherlands, 1950s.
Aluminum, Brass
Desk Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, Z-Lamp
By Philips, Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
Vintage desk lamp by louis christiaan kalff for philips. Design from the 1960s. Model "diplomat" but also called z-lamp. The lamp is still in good condition!
Brass, Iron
Stylish Pair of Vintage Brass "Z" Lamps
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Dramatic pair of vintage brass " Z " lamps, circa 1970's. Stunning brass and nickel finials act as icing on the cake. Fine, well made pieces with great scale. Exquisite Jewelry ! ...
Brass
Louis Christiaan Kalff Z Lamp Philips 1955
By Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice table lamp by Philips and designed by Louis Christiaan Kalff, brass in very good and clean condition. Works perfectly, also in the USA. Great to use as desk lamp. A matchin...
Brass, Metal
Louis Kalff Z Lamp Philips Belgium, 1955
By Louis Christiaan Kalff, Philips
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice iconic table/desk lamp designed by Louis Christiaan Kalff and manufactured by Philips, Belgium 1955. This atomic desk lamp has a solid brass base with black lacquered weigh...
Aluminum, Brass
Vintgage Louis Kalff Z Model Table Lamp, 1950s
By Philips, Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Black Z model table lamp design by Louis Kalff for Philips. This model is one of Louis Kalff's best designs. It features a brass Z shaped base with a single light point. The...
Aluminum, Brass, Enamel
Decora Z Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, Belgium, 1950s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Bristol, GB
Iconic Decora Z Lamp designed by Louis Kalff for Philips in the mid 1950s. Black original paint finish with brass arm and detailing. Philips manufaturer's stickers still present to ...
Metal
Decora Z Lamp By Louis Kalff For Phillips Circa 1950s
Located in Gloucester, GB
Decora Z Lamp By Louis Kalff For Phillips Circa 1950s - Steel shade - Brass base and stem - Original Black paint - Designed by Louis Kalff - Produced by Phillips - Comes with 1x gol...
Brass, Steel
Louis Kalff for Philips Z-Shaped Brass Desk Lamp
By Philips, Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Z-shaped brass desk lamp by Louis Christiaan Kalff. This lamp is finished in a beautiful dark brown which is more rare then the black edition. In excellent condition. Some minor we...
Brass, Metal
Restored Pair of Stylish Vintage Brass Z-Form Lamps
Located in Atlanta, GA
A stylish pair of vintage brass Z-form lamps, circa 1970. Beautifully crafted pieces. Fabulous nickel/brass “petal and ball” finials serve as icing on the cake. Exquisite jewelry! Ex...
Brass
Brass "Z-Table Lamp" by Louis Kalff for Philips
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Vienna, AT
One of the most beautiful tablelamps
Brass, Metal
Z Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips in the Fifties
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Iconic Z lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips in the middle of the fifties. Very sculptural lamp . Good overal condition Minor loss of paint see pictures. Electric system is checked ...
Metal, Brass
Vintage Louis Kalff Diplomat or Z Model Table Lamp, 1950s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Rare brown version of the Z model or 'diplomat' table lamp designed by Louis Kalff for Philips. This model is one of Louis Kalff's best designs. It features a brass Z shaped ba...
Aluminum, Brass, Enamel
Vintage Louis Kalff Diplomat or Z Model Table Lamp, 1950s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Z model or 'diplomat' table lamp designed by Louis Kalff for Philips. This model is one of Louis Kalff's best designs. It features a brass Z shaped base with a single light poi...
Aluminum, Brass, Enamel
Z-Shaped Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, 1950s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Z-shaped table lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, 1950s. This stunning design is the first edition with brass frame and a black lacquered perforated metal shade. In good original co...
Brass, Metal
Louis Kalff for Philips Z Decora Desk Lamp Black Metal Brass, 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Paris, IDF
This beautiful desk lamp, model Z or Decora, was designed by Louis Kalff in the 1950s and edited by Philips.
Brass
Sold
H 15.75 in Dm 13.78 in L 15.75 in
Louis Kalff for Philips Z Decora Desk Lamp Black Metal Brass, 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Paris, IDF
This beautiful desk lamp, model Z or Decora, was designed by Louis Kalff in the 1950s and edited by Philips.
Brass
Sold
H 17.33 in W 13 in D 13 in
Diplomat Z-Shaped Table Lamp By Louis Kalff For Philips, Netherlands 1963
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Hellouw, NL
.Louis Kalff was responsible for the aesthetic quality of Philips designs for four decades. As an architect employed by the illustrious Dutch electronics company, he has designed cou...
Aluminum
Vintage Louis Kalff Diplomat or Z Model Table Lamps Set of 2, 1950s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Z model or 'diplomat' table lamps designed by Louis Kalff for Philips. This model is one of Louis Kalff's best designs. It features a brass Z shaped base with a single light po...
Aluminum, Brass, Enamel
Vintage louis kalff diplomat or z model table lamps set of 2, 1950s
By Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Z model or 'diplomat' table lamps designed by Louis Kalff for Philips. This model is one of Louis Kalff's best designs. It features a brass Z shaped base with a single light point....
Aluminum, Brass, Enamel
Sold
H 16.54 in Dm 13.39 in L 16.54 in
Black Lacquer and Brass Dutch 1950s Z-Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Vienna, AT
One of the most Iconic Dutch midcentury desk or table lamps designed by architect Louis Kalff for the Philips Company Holland. It features a enameled black aluminium shade sitting o...
Brass, Metal
Majestic Z Atomic Table Lamp, circa 1950
By Majestic Lamp Company
Located in Southampton, NJ
A striking 1950s Z Lamp produced by the Majestic Lamp Company. Very good overall condition. Lamp features a 3-way switch. Measures: 29.5 x 14.5 x 26.5" HWD.
Brass
Sold
H 15.75 in Dm 13.78 in
Mid-Century Modern Decora Model Z Desk Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, 1956
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning Mid-Century Modern Decora Model Z desk lamp. design by Louis Kalff for Philips.
Metal, Brass
Sold
H 15.36 in Dm 13 in
Elegant Mid-Century "Decora" or Z Table Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips 1950s
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in München, BY
Elegant Mid-Century Modern "Decora" or Z table lamp. Designed by Louis Kalff for Philips, Netherlands, 1950s.
Aluminum, Brass
Sold
H 17.3 in Dm 12.8 in
Mid-Century Modern Z Shape Table or Desk Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, 1953
By Louis Christiaan Kalff, Phillips Holland
Located in Lisse, NL
Super stylish table lamp that can be mixed with all kinds of styles. If the quality of the make and the design is right then a piece can almost always be mixed with styles from enti...
Metal, Brass
Louis Kalff Z Lamp in Patinated Brass
By Louis Kalff
Located in Tilburg, NL
Beautifully patinated iconic Z lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips. This model is officially called the L 588 FD, but is known as the Z lamp because of it’s Z shaped frame. Our Z shows a...
Aluminum, Brass
Louis Kalff for Philips 'Z' Table Lamp
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Louis Kalff for Philips, 'Z' table lamp, metal, brass, the Netherlands, 1950s Louis Kalff placed a black metal shade with small gaps and a circular gap on top where the lightbulb ...
Metal, Brass
Lampe Z
By Louis Kalff
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Lampe Z designed by Louis Kalff.
Metal
Z-Lamp "Decora" by Louis Kalff for Philips
By Louis Christiaan Kalff, Philips
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
Iconic philips desk lamp named "Decora" also called "Z-lamp". Designed in the 1950's by Louis Christiaan Kalff. Original and in good condition.
Brass, Iron
1950s Louis Kalff 'Z' Table Lamp, Holland
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in St- Leonard, Quebec
Iconic Dutch desk/table lamp by designer and architect Louis Kalff for the Philips Company. Enameled black aluminium shade sitting on a solid brass frame and base. E27 socket ...
Aluminum, Brass
Louis Christiaan Kallf, "Z" Table Lamp, Netherlands 1955
By Philips, Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Catonvielle, FR
"Z" desk lamp in gilded brass and black lacquered metal by Louis Christiaan Kaalf for Philips, Eindhoven 1957. This model has a reflector pierced in its center and openwork. Two blac...
Metal, Brass, Iron
Philips Table Lamp Model Z by Louis Kalff, 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Rotterdam, NL
This classic model Z table lamp was designed by Louis Christiaan Kalff and manufactured by Philips Eindhoven as from the 1950s. The brass structure of the lamp is in the form of a 'Z...
Metal
Philips Table Lamp Model Z by Louis Kalff, 1950s
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Rotterdam, NL
This classic model Z table lamp was designed by Louis Christiaan Kalff and manufactured by Philips Eindhoven as from the 1950s. The brass structure of the lamp is in the form of a 'Z...
Metal
Decora Z Lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips, Netherlands 1950s
Located in Bristol, GB
Decora Z Lamp designed by Louis Kalff for Philips in the mid 1950s. Black original paint finish with brass arm and detailing. Very good original vintage condition, fully funct...
Metal
Louis Kalff "Z" Table or Desk Lamp for Phillips Lighting
By Louis Kalff
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Z-shaped desk or table lamp designed by Louis Kalff for Philips Lighting of the Netherlands. Makers mark pictured. Very clean example of this lamp. Nice in line period switch and wir...
Metal, Brass
Bob Kinzie “Z-Series” Ceramic Table Lamp for Affiliated Craftsmen
By Bob Kinzie, Affiliated Craftsmen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
“Z-Series” ceramic table lamp designed by Bob Kinzie for Affiliated Craftsmen in the United States, circa 1960s. This large modern design features a rounded ceramic body with a beaut...
Brass
Louis Kalff for Philips Brass Z-Shaped Table Lamp, Netherlands, 1950
By Louis Kalff, Philips
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Beautiful early edition z-shaped lamp. The lamp shade has the same iconic design as the building he designed in Eindhoven, the Evoluon. The lamp is in very good condition (small de...
Brass, Metal
Pair of Z-Shaped Desk Lamps by Louis Kalff for Philips
By Louis Kalff
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Pair of Z-shaped desk lamps by Louis Kalff for Philips. Brass frames with black enameled shades. Marked with original manufacturer tag on the shades. Both lamps are in good vintag...
Brass, Metal
Sold
H 16.93 in W 11.82 in D 15.75 in
Vintage Design Italian ''Z'' Shaped Desk Lamp Attributed to Stilnovo 1950 Table
By Stilnovo
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
1 of 2 gorgeous Italian vintage design Desk / table lamp attributed to Stilnovo. Minimalist design with the well known mid-century ''Z''design shape.
Metal, Brass
Old Yellow Brass Table Lamp, Poland, 1950s
Located in Chorzów, PL
Lampa stolowa z lat 50. Wymiary: wys. 56 cm / szer. 23 cm / gl. 24 cm.
Brass
Pair of Lucite "Z" Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Lucite "Z" lamps in nice as found vintage condition. There are minor scuffs and scrapes to the as found thick clear Lucite. Lamps have the original wiring and no shades.
Lucite
Louis Kalff "Z" Lamp for Philips
By Philips, Louis Kalff
Located in Fitzroy, Victoria
Fully restored "Z" lamp by Louis Kalff for Philips. Angular brass stem and newly sprayed black hetal hood. Two available.
Brass
Louis Kalff "Z" Desk Lamp, 1955
By Louis Kalff, Phillips
Located in Paris, France
This table lamp designed by Louis Kalff in the 1950s and manufactured by Phillips is an iconic piece of 20th century design. The domed black lacquered metal shade stands on top of a ...
Metal, Brass
Z model desk lamp by Louis Kalff, 1950s
By Louis Christiaan Kalff
Located in Sint Joris Weert, BE
Z model table lamp by Louis Christiaan Kalff for Philips. The Z model lamp is one of his most popular designs and has the typical Space Age touch, with a ufo like shade. The la...
Metal, Brass, Enamel
$3,480 / set
H 16.54 in W 17.33 in D 11.03 in
Set of 4 Sculptural French Art Deco Stools in Wood & Lambswool, 1940s
Located in Odense, DK
A sculptural set of four mid-century stools, crafted in France circa 1930–1940. The design showcases forms, and subtle sculptural qualities characteristic of Art Deco furniture movem...
Lambskin, Wool, Wood
Lennox Stool, Small Wood Stool by Christian Siriano
By Christian Siriano
Located in New York, NY
Made to order wood stool designed by Christian Siriano. Red oak Measure: Seat width: 12”.
Oak
Midcentury Louis Kalff Table Lamp, 1960s
By Louis Kalff
Located in Echt, NL
Beautiful Louis Kalff table lamp in very good condition. The lamp consists of a black lacquered brass base which carries a grey enameled shade. The shade is in perfect conditio...
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.
Well-crafted antique and vintage table lamps do more than provide light; the right fixture-and-table combination can add a focal point or creative element to any interior.
Proper table lamps have long been used for lighting our most intimate spaces. Perfect for lighting your nightstand or reading nook, table lamps play an integral role in styling an inviting room. In the years before electricity, lamps used oil. Today, a rewired 19th-century vintage lamp can still provide a touch of elegance for a study.
After industrial milestones such as mass production took hold in the Victorian era, various design movements sought to bring craftsmanship and innovation back to this indispensable household item. Lighting designers affiliated with Art Deco, which originated in the glamorous roaring ’20s, sought to celebrate modern life by fusing modern metals with dark woods and dazzling colors in the fixtures of the era. The geometric shapes and gilded details of vintage Art Deco table lamps provide an air of luxury and sophistication that never goes out of style.
After launching in 1934, Anglepoise lamps soon became a favorite among modernist architects and designers, who interpreted the fixture as “a machine for lighting,” just as Le Corbusier had reimagined the house as “a machine for living in.” The popular task light owed to a collaboration between a vehicle-suspension engineer by the name of George Carwardine and a West Midlands springs manufacturer, Herbert Terry & Sons.
Some mid-century modern table lamps, particularly those created by the likes of Joe Colombo and the legendary lighting artisans at Fontana Arte, bear all the provocative hallmarks associated with Space Age design. Sculptural and versatile, the Louis Poulsen table lamps of that period were revolutionary for their time and still seem innovative today.
If you are looking for something more contemporary, industrial table lamps are demonstrative of a newly chic style that isn’t afraid to pay homage to the past. They look particularly at home in any rustic loft space amid exposed brick and steel beams.
Before you buy a desk lamp or table lamp for your living room, consider your lighting needs. The Snoopy lamp, designed in 1967, or any other “banker’s lamp” (shorthand for the Emeralite desk lamps patented by H.G. McFaddin and Company), provides light at a downward angle that is perfect for writing, while the Fontana table lamp and the beloved Grasshopper lamp by Greta Magnusson-Grossman each yield a soft and even glow. Some table lamps require lampshades to be bought separately.
Whether it’s a classic antique Tiffany table lamp, a Murano glass table lamp or even a bold avant-garde fixture custom-made by a contemporary design firm, the right table lamp can completely transform a room. Find the right one for you on 1stDibs.
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.
Having created extravagant homes for reality TV’s biggest stars, the designer is stepping into the spotlight with his first book.
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.
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.
The houses from this New York studio cloak modernist tendencies within what are often more traditional trappings.
In the market for a fantastic fixture from the 1940s, ’50s or ’60s? Here are some names to know.