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Mogens Koch Bookcases in Teak for Rud, Rasmussen
Mogens Koch Bookcases in Teak for Rud, Rasmussen

Mogens Koch Bookcases in Teak for Rud, Rasmussen

By Mogens Koch, Rud Rasmussen

Located in Copenhagen, DK

Mogens Koch three bookcases in teak. Executed by Rud Rasmussen. Reverse with paper labels ‘Rud

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Bookcase Made In Teak, Danish design From 1960s
Bookcase Made In Teak, Danish design From 1960s

Bookcase Made In Teak, Danish design From 1960s

Located in Lejre, DK

This bookcase made of teak from the 1960s is a fantastic example of Danish furniture art. With its

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

1960s Børge Mogensen Danish Teak Cabinet Bookcase, Denmark
1960s Børge Mogensen Danish Teak Cabinet Bookcase, Denmark

1960s Børge Mogensen Danish Teak Cabinet Bookcase, Denmark

By Børge Mogensen

Located in Praha, CZ

- Bookcase can be separated from cabinet - Adjustable shelves - The item has been carefully

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Kai Kristiansen Teak Bookcase for FM furniture, 1960’s
Kai Kristiansen Teak Bookcase for FM furniture, 1960’s

Kai Kristiansen Teak Bookcase for FM furniture, 1960’s

By Kai Kristiansen

Located in LYON, FR

Modular Danish bookcase by designer Kai Kristiansen in teak, FM furniture edition. Circa 1960. Set

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Pair of Bookcases in Teak by Børge Mogensen, 1950's
Pair of Bookcases in Teak by Børge Mogensen, 1950's

Pair of Bookcases in Teak by Børge Mogensen, 1950's

By Børge Mogensen

Located in Limhamn, Skåne län

Pair of Bookcases in Teak by Børge Mogensen, 1950's Additional Information: Material: Teak Style

Category

20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Pair of Danish Modern Teak Bookcases in Style of Sejling
Pair of Danish Modern Teak Bookcases in Style of Sejling

Pair of Danish Modern Teak Bookcases in Style of Sejling

Located in Elkton, MD

Clean-lined pair of freestanding bookcases in teak, executed in the manner of Sejling Møbelfabrik

Category

Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

MCM Modular Upright Bookcase, Teak, Warm Finish, Denmark, c. 1960s
MCM Modular Upright Bookcase, Teak, Warm Finish, Denmark, c. 1960s

MCM Modular Upright Bookcase, Teak, Warm Finish, Denmark, c. 1960s

Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

A distinctive bookcase in the mid-century modern Scandinavian tradition, crafted from richly

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Minimalist Swedish Teak Chest w. 4 Graduated Drawers + Bookcase Top
Minimalist Swedish Teak Chest w. 4 Graduated Drawers + Bookcase Top

Minimalist Swedish Teak Chest w. 4 Graduated Drawers + Bookcase Top

Located in Kensington, MD

knob + Bookcase top has adjustable shelves + Perfect for books or display of objects Excellent

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

1960s, Teak Bookcase By Carl Axel Acking for Bodafors, Sweden
1960s, Teak Bookcase By Carl Axel Acking for Bodafors, Sweden

1960s, Teak Bookcase By Carl Axel Acking for Bodafors, Sweden

By Carl-Axel Acking, Bodafors

Located in Silvolde, Gelderland

Teak Bookcase with Drawers by Carl Axel Acking for Bodafors (Sweden, 1950s–60s) A beautifully

Category

Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Large Danish Teak Wall Bookcase by Poul Cadovius, F139
Large Danish Teak Wall Bookcase by Poul Cadovius, F139

Large Danish Teak Wall Bookcase by Poul Cadovius, F139

By Poul Cadovius

Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Large wall bookcase from the 60's designed by the Danish designer Poul Cadovius. This bookcase is

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Misia Arte Historical Editions: Mid-Century Teak & Lacquered Metal Bookshelf
Misia Arte Historical Editions: Mid-Century Teak & Lacquered Metal Bookshelf

Misia Arte Historical Editions: Mid-Century Teak & Lacquered Metal Bookshelf

Located in bari, IT

d’eccellenza. La struttura mette in relazione componenti vintage originali degli anni ’60 in teak con elementi

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

1960s Danish Teak Modular Royal System Bookcase by Poul Cadovius
1960s Danish Teak Modular Royal System Bookcase by Poul Cadovius

1960s Danish Teak Modular Royal System Bookcase by Poul Cadovius

By Poul Cadovius

Located in Victoria, BC

by Poul Cadovius is crafted in warm teak with the lightness and flexibility the system is known for

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Credenza Tambour Doors Hutch Mint
Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Credenza Tambour Doors Hutch Mint

Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Credenza Tambour Doors Hutch Mint

By H.P. Hansen

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Danish Mid-Century Modern teak credenza Tambour doors hutch mint.

Category

20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Teak

Pierre Jeanneret, 6-Hole File Racks or Bookcases, Teak, Chandigarh, 1960s
Pierre Jeanneret, 6-Hole File Racks or Bookcases, Teak, Chandigarh, 1960s

Pierre Jeanneret, 6-Hole File Racks or Bookcases, Teak, Chandigarh, 1960s

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Stamford, CT

Pierre Jeanneret, French Mid-Century Modern, Teak, Pair of 6 Hole File Racks, Chandigarh, India c

Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Carlo Jensen Double Teak Bookcase by Hundevad + Co #2  Danish Modern 1960s
Carlo Jensen Double Teak Bookcase by Hundevad + Co #2  Danish Modern 1960s

Carlo Jensen Double Teak Bookcase by Hundevad + Co #2 Danish Modern 1960s

By Carlo Jensen, Hundevad & Co.

Located in Berkeley, CA

Origin: Denmark Designer: Carlo Jensen Manufacturer: Hundevad + Co Era: 1960s Materials: Teak

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s
Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s

Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s

By Børge Mogensen, C.M. Madsen

Located in Asaa, DK

Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s. Large bookcase in teak

Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s
Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s

Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s

By Børge Mogensen, C.M. Madsen

Located in Asaa, DK

Danish Modern Teak Bookcase by Børge Mogensen for FDB Møbler, 1950s. Large bookcase in teak

Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Expertly Restored - Danish Modern Low-Profile Teak Bookcase w/ Glass Doors
Expertly Restored - Danish Modern Low-Profile Teak Bookcase w/ Glass Doors

Expertly Restored - Danish Modern Low-Profile Teak Bookcase w/ Glass Doors

Located in Los Angeles, CA

________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Wood, Teak

Wall-Mounted Bookcase in Teak, Beech and Brass by Finn Juhl, 1956
Wall-Mounted Bookcase in Teak, Beech and Brass by Finn Juhl, 1956

Wall-Mounted Bookcase in Teak, Beech and Brass by Finn Juhl, 1956

By Finn Juhl

Located in Limhamn, Skåne län

: Teak, beech and brass Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Produced by Bovirke in Denmark Dimensions (W x D

Category

20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Model No. 26 Teak Sideboard and Bookcase by Hundevad & Co, 1960s
Model No. 26 Teak Sideboard and Bookcase by Hundevad & Co, 1960s

Model No. 26 Teak Sideboard and Bookcase by Hundevad & Co, 1960s

By Hundevad & Co., Carlo Jensen

Located in Breda, Netherlands

Danish Design Introducing the Hundevad No. 26 bookcase with a seperate small sideboard underneath

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-R-13-A Glass-Fronted Bookcase / Authentic Mid-Century Modern
Pierre Jeanneret PJ-R-13-A Glass-Fronted Bookcase / Authentic Mid-Century Modern

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-R-13-A Glass-Fronted Bookcase / Authentic Mid-Century Modern

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Zürich, CH

rare French mid-century modern design artefacts by Pierre Jeanneret, Jean Prouvé, Le Corbusier, and

Category

Vintage 1960s Indian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Teak

Pair Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Low Bookcase/Cabinets With Shaped Supports
Pair Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Low Bookcase/Cabinets With Shaped Supports

Pair Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Low Bookcase/Cabinets With Shaped Supports

Located in Reading, Berkshire

A Pair of Matching Danish Mid Century Modern Glazed Teak Low Bookcases With Shaped Supports

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Teak

RB Italy production years '50 refined bookcase design teak
RB Italy production years '50 refined bookcase design teak

RB Italy production years '50 refined bookcase design teak

Located in Biella, IT

RB Italy production years '50 refined bookcase design teak with japanese scene figure signed

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Large Bookcase in Teak and Chromed Steel by Nils Strinning, 1960's
Large Bookcase in Teak and Chromed Steel by Nils Strinning, 1960's

Large Bookcase in Teak and Chromed Steel by Nils Strinning, 1960's

By Nils Nisse Strinning

Located in Limhamn, Skåne län

: Material: Teak and chromed steel Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Large bookcase model String Continental

Category

20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Franco Albini LB7 Bookcase in Teak Wood by Poggi Pavia 1950s Italy
Franco Albini LB7 Bookcase in Teak Wood by Poggi Pavia 1950s Italy

Franco Albini LB7 Bookcase in Teak Wood by Poggi Pavia 1950s Italy

By Franco Albini, Poggi

Located in Cascina, Pisa

LB7 bookcase composed of a single module with shelves and a storage unit with two doors, made in

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Modular shelving system BO71 in teak by Finn Juhl
Mid-Century Modern Modular shelving system BO71 in teak by Finn Juhl

Mid-Century Modern Modular shelving system BO71 in teak by Finn Juhl

By Finn Juhl

Located in Courbevoie, FR

Modular shelving system BO71 in teak by Finn Juhl for Bovirke in the 1960s. Comprising 3 columns, 4

Category

Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Cabinet w/ Bookcase
Danish Cabinet w/ Bookcase

Danish Cabinet w/ Bookcase

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This mid-century Danish made wall unit features a two door cabinet base with bookcase above. Two

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

1960s Teak Book Case System Børge Mogensen FDB Mobler Danish Mid-Century Modern
1960s Teak Book Case System Børge Mogensen FDB Mobler Danish Mid-Century Modern

1960s Teak Book Case System Børge Mogensen FDB Mobler Danish Mid-Century Modern

By FDB Møbler, Børge Mogensen

Located in Hyattsville, MD

Eight foot wide, set of four modular teak bookcases, two with plinth bases, and two without. All

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Bookcase w/ Storage
Danish Bookcase w/ Storage

Danish Bookcase w/ Storage

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This mid-century modern standing bookcase features adjustable shelves, drawers, and drop front

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Mogens Koch Bookcase Wall Unit
Mogens Koch Bookcase Wall Unit

Mogens Koch Bookcase Wall Unit

By Rud Rasmussen

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Modular bookcase unit executed in teak, designed by Mogens Koch for Rud Rasmussen. This impressive

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Borge Mogensen Large Bookcase
Borge Mogensen Large Bookcase

Borge Mogensen Large Bookcase

By Børge Mogensen

Located in London, GB

. The use of teak veneer makes for a rich juxtaposition against the angular oak legs of the bookcase

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak, Teak

Danish Cabinet w/ Smoked Glass Bookcase
Danish Cabinet w/ Smoked Glass Bookcase

Danish Cabinet w/ Smoked Glass Bookcase

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Danish made teak two door cabinet with a bookcase topper featuring a two door smoked glass cabinet

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Smoked Glass, Teak

Franco Albini Infinito Modular Bookcase
Franco Albini Infinito Modular Bookcase

Franco Albini Infinito Modular Bookcase

By Franco Albini

Located in Milano, IT

Franco Albini (1905-1977) Infinito original book unit. Large modular bookcase made up of 6

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

6ft Tall Open Front Bookcase with Drawer
6ft Tall Open Front Bookcase with Drawer

6ft Tall Open Front Bookcase with Drawer

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

6ft Tall Open Front Bookcase with Drawer This is an excellently designed and attractive piece, it

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Modern Bookcase / Secretary Desk by P Westergaards
Danish Modern Bookcase / Secretary Desk by P Westergaards

Danish Modern Bookcase / Secretary Desk by P Westergaards

By P. Westergaard Møbelfabrik

Located in Berkeley, CA

This Danish secretary bookcase is designed for everyday living, combining storage and workspace in

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Robert Heritage Secretary / Bookcase In Tola
Robert Heritage Secretary / Bookcase In Tola

Robert Heritage Secretary / Bookcase In Tola

By Fyne Ladye, Robert Heritage

Located in Berkeley, CA

Origin: England Designer: Robert Heritage Manufacturer: Fyn Layde Furniture Era: 1966 Materials: Tola Measurements: 36.25" wide x 16.75" deep x 72" tall, Desk: 34.5" wide x 15" deep ...

Category

Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Teak Low Console Cabinet
Danish Teak Low Console Cabinet

Danish Teak Low Console Cabinet

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Mid-century modern Danish made cabinet with sliding glass doors. Teak wood with white back. Great

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Modern Four Drawer Chest With Bookcase Hutch  Danish Modern 1960s
Danish Modern Four Drawer Chest With Bookcase Hutch  Danish Modern 1960s

Danish Modern Four Drawer Chest With Bookcase Hutch Danish Modern 1960s

Located in Berkeley, CA

Origin: Denmark Designer: Unknown Manufacturer: Unknown Era: 1960s Materials: Teak Measurements

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Wall bookcase by Gunnar Nielsen for Tibergaard, Denmark, 1960s
Wall bookcase by Gunnar Nielsen for Tibergaard, Denmark, 1960s

Wall bookcase by Gunnar Nielsen for Tibergaard, Denmark, 1960s

By Gunnar Nielsen Tibergaard

Located in Vigevano, PV

Teak floor-to-ceiling bookcase by Gunnar Nielsen for Tibergaard, Denmark, 1960s. Four-bay bookcase

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Bookshelf with Open Shelves and Display Sections
Mid-Century Modern Bookshelf with Open Shelves and Display Sections

Mid-Century Modern Bookshelf with Open Shelves and Display Sections

Located in Montréal, CA

Stylish Mid-Century Modern wood bookshelf with a clean, functional design. Features multiple open

Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Danish Modern Bookcase / Secretary Desk With Curio Top by P Westergaards
Danish Modern Bookcase / Secretary Desk With Curio Top by P Westergaards

Danish Modern Bookcase / Secretary Desk With Curio Top by P Westergaards

By P. Westergaard Møbelfabrik

Located in Berkeley, CA

classic mid century style into your home or office. Crafted with clean lines, warm wood tones, and

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Ilmari Tapiovaara Bookcase Produced by La Permanente Mobili
Ilmari Tapiovaara Bookcase Produced by La Permanente Mobili

Ilmari Tapiovaara Bookcase Produced by La Permanente Mobili

By Ilmari Tapiovaara

Located in Limhamn, Skåne län

Very rare and large freestanding bookcase designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara. Produced by La Permanente

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Rare Poul Cadovius Royal system bookcase with extendable table, 1960s
Rare Poul Cadovius Royal system bookcase with extendable table, 1960s

Rare Poul Cadovius Royal system bookcase with extendable table, 1960s

By Poul Cadovius

Located in LYON, FR

Poul Cadovius Royal System 60's Bookcase Modular Danish bookcase from the 1960s in teak by Poul

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Midcentury Zeitungsständer Vintage Teak Leinen Magazinhalter 1960
Midcentury Zeitungsständer Vintage Teak Leinen Magazinhalter 1960

Midcentury Zeitungsständer Vintage Teak Leinen Magazinhalter 1960

Located in Berlin, DE

Angabe Designer: keine Angabe Herkunftsland: keine Angabe Epoche: 1960er, Mid Century Material: Teak

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Linen, Teak

Mid-Century scandinavian Wooden Display Cabinet with Glass Sliding Doors
Mid-Century scandinavian Wooden Display Cabinet with Glass Sliding Doors

Mid-Century scandinavian Wooden Display Cabinet with Glass Sliding Doors

Located in Montréal, CA

This elegant Scandinavian wooden display cabinet features a thoughtful design with open shelving on the left and glass sliding doors with interior shelves on the right. Perfect for s...

Category

Vintage 1960s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Original Midcentury Bücherregal Teak Anrichte danish Vintage
Original Midcentury Bücherregal Teak Anrichte danish Vintage

Original Midcentury Bücherregal Teak Anrichte danish Vintage

Located in Berlin, DE

Herkunftsland: keine Angabe Epoche: 1970er, Mid Century Material: Teak Maße ca.: Breite: 60cm, Tiefe: 38cm, Höhe

Category

Vintage 1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-R-14-A Cupboard / Authentic Mid-Century Modern
Pierre Jeanneret PJ-R-14-A Cupboard / Authentic Mid-Century Modern

Pierre Jeanneret PJ-R-14-A Cupboard / Authentic Mid-Century Modern

By Pierre Jeanneret

Located in Zürich, CH

selection is mainly focused on rare French mid-century modern design artefacts by Pierre Jeanneret, Jean

Category

Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

Teak Sideboard w/ Buffet by Omer Lefevre, 1960s
Teak Sideboard w/ Buffet by Omer Lefevre, 1960s

Teak Sideboard w/ Buffet by Omer Lefevre, 1960s

Located in Brooklyn, NY

simple lines, warm teak grain, and sculpted details throughout. This attractive vintage modern credenza

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Teak

Italian Wardrobe Bookcase, Modular Wall Unit by Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1960s
Italian Wardrobe Bookcase, Modular Wall Unit by Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1960s

Italian Wardrobe Bookcase, Modular Wall Unit by Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1960s

By Vittorio Dassi

Located in Traversetolo, IT

, with good gloss and defined decoration. A balanced example of Italian mid-century modular design

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Ash, Teak

Original Poul Hundevad Midcentury Schrank Bücherregal Teak 1960
Original Poul Hundevad Midcentury Schrank Bücherregal Teak 1960

Original Poul Hundevad Midcentury Schrank Bücherregal Teak 1960

By Poul Hundevad

Located in Berlin, DE

: Dänemark Epoche: 1960er, Midcentury Material: Teak, Maße ca.: Breite: 138cm, Tiefe: 44cm, Höhe 196cm

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases

Materials

Teak

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Midcentury Teak Bookcase For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic midcentury teak bookcase available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, hardwood and teak, every midcentury teak bookcase was constructed with great care. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer midcentury teak bookcase, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A midcentury teak bookcase, designed in the Mid-Century Modern or Scandinavian Modern style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. A well-made midcentury teak bookcase has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Bornholm Møbelfabrik, La Permanente Mobili Cantù and Børge Mogensen are consistently popular.

How Much is a Midcentury Teak Bookcase?

Prices for a midcentury teak bookcase can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $248 and can go as high as $18,491, while the average can fetch as much as $2,475.

A Close Look at Mid-century Modern Furniture

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

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.

Finding the Right Bookcases for You

Whether you proudly shelve your books in regal mahogany or behind glass cabinet doors, an antique bookcase — or perhaps more than one — is essential to creating a cozy nook for any book lover.

As long as curious people have collected stories, we have needed a place to stow them away and preserve them. When auction houses and book dealers proliferated by the late 17th century, the bibliophile was born. And, of course, as with any treasured decorative objects or collectibles, a book lover’s volumes were suddenly worthy of a luxurious display — enter the bookcase.

Americans of means during the 19th century took to amassing art as well as rare books, and bookcases of the era — rife with hand-carved decorative accents and architectural motifs — were ideal for displaying their handsome leather-bound wares.

Although our favorite titles may change over the years, the functionality and beauty of their home within our home is timeless. Even those who don’t covet the perfect home library can benefit from an attractive display case, as bookcases can easily double as charming étagères

Contemporary and customizable options make it easier for you to find the perfect bookcase for your style and stacks. If you don’t wish to fill your storage piece so that your collection is snug within its confines, incorporate extra space to allow for additional displays and decorative objects. And by introducing a striking dark wood Art Deco bookcase or low-profile mid-century modern design by Paul McCobb into your living room, your signed first editions won’t be the only items making a statement. 

Find barrister bookcases, Globe Wernicke bookcases, bookcases with doors and other vintage and antique bookcases on 1stDibs now.