Isamu Noguchi Early Akari BB3 Bamboo & Iron Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Sharon, CT
Early BB3 floor lamp. Cast iron base marked with white paint by hand: Made in Japan.
Vintage 1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Early Akari BB3 Bamboo & Iron Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Sharon, CT
Early BB3 floor lamp. Cast iron base marked with white paint by hand: Made in Japan.
Iron
Noguchi Akari 9AY Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
A vintage Akari 9AY table lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi. This is a vintage example from the 1960s
Iron
Noguchi Akari Model 32N Floor Lamp
By Akari, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Cambridge, US
the case with older Noguchi floor lamps, the washi paper and bamboo shade is a replacement (in this
Steel, Iron
Vintage 1950s Isamu Noguchi BB3 / 55DD Floor Lamp (1 of 2)
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
An original 1950s BB3 floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi. The original shade was torn, and thus updated
Iron
Vintage 1950s Isamu Noguchi BB3 / 55DD Floor Lamp (2 of 2)
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
An original 1950s BB3 floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi. The original shade was torn, and thus updated
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture Model 2A Ukai Table Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture. Model 2A UKAI. Early model, marked with iconic red sun and
Iron
1960s Vintage Original Isamu Noguchi Akari 10A Floor Lamp Tripod
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
A vintage Akari 10A floor lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi. This is a vintage example from the 1960s
Iron
"AKARI" Light Sculpture Model 3X (Dead stock) by Isamu Noguchi
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
The light sculptures named "AKARI" were created in 1952 by Isamu Noguchi, inspired by Japan's
Iron
Floor Lamp Mod. BBX3-70XN from the Akari Series by Isamu Noguchi
Located in New York, NY
Floor Lamp with White Washi Paper Lampshade, Designed by Isamu Noguchi. This floor lamp features a
Wrought Iron
Tobia Scarpa style. Space Age Cocoon Resin table lamp, Italy, 1960s
By Friedel Wauer, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Tobia Scarpa, Isamu Noguchi, George Nelson
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Space Age table lamp in the style of Tobia Scarpa’s iconic “Nuvola” pendant lamp for Flos, Italy
Metal, Iron
Isamu Noguchi Akari Style Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
Unique Isamu Noguchi Akari style lamp with iron base and paper shade. Emits a beautiful, warm
Iron, Metal
Akari Isamu Noguchi Light Sculpture
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Nashville, TN
Vintage dead stock Isamu Noguchi light sculpture/ floor lamp. This example is signed and features a
Iron
Unavailable
H 23.63 in Dm 11.82 in
1950s White Sculptural Matching Pair of Table Lamps 'Azaki' by Isamu Noguchi 'B'
By Isamu Noguchi, Buckminster Fuller, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1
Located in Frankfurt, Hessen, DE
Sculptural light, Table Lamps, Akari, Isamu Noguchi for Ozeki, USA, 1952. Two early example of
Iron
Noguchi Akari Table Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Isamu Noguchi Akari table lamp. Iron Base stamped Japan with a bamboo pole and a hand-made paper
Iron
Sold
H 19.5 in W 19.5 in L 19.5 in
1990s Isamu Noguchi UF4-L10 Washi Paper, Bamboo and Iron Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Iconic modern design. This 1990s Isamu Noguchi UF4-L10 lamp consisting of one shade of 7 light
Iron
Noguchi Akari Fishing Pole Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Isamu Noguchi Akari fishing pole floor lamp. Lamp dates to the late 1970's with a replacement shade
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Bb3 / 55dd Akari Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Long Island City, NY
Isamu Noguchi BB3-55DD Akari floor lamp part of the Akari light sculpture line by Isamu Noguchi
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Floor Lamp Produced by Akari
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare floor lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi. Produced by Akari.
Steel, Iron
1960s Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture Table Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in San Diego, CA
Isamu Noguchi Akari table lamp from the 1960s. Bamboo pole and iron rock form base. The paper shade
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Lamps by Akari
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Palm Springs, CA
have two new shades and new supports from the Noguchi museum website. They will be included. The lamps
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp, circa 1950, Japan
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Girona, Spain
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp Original, Period Floor Lamp Bamboo Structure and Cast Iron
Wrought Iron
Sold
H 75 in W 18 in D 18 in
Isamu Noguchi, Early "Akari" Floor Lamp, Washi Paper, Bamboo, Iron, Ozeki, 1979
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in High Point, NC
An early example of Isamu Noguchi's "Akari" floor lamp. This model, BB3/55DD, was designed in 1979
Iron
Sold
H 75 in W 18 in D 18 in
Isamu Noguchi, Early "Akari" Floor Lamp, Washi Paper, Bamboo, Iron, Ozeki, 1979
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in High Point, NC
An early example of Isamu Noguchi's "Akari" floor lamp. This model, BB3/55DD, was designed in 1979
Iron
Sold
H 22.75 in W 10 in L 22.75 in
Isamu Noguchi, Rare Table Lamp, Bamboo, Iron, Cord, Fabric, Ozeki, Japan, 1960s
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in High Point, NC
A rare all original table lamp. Designed by Isamu Noguchi, for Ozeki, Japan, 1960s. Series
Iron
Model 1P Table Lamp by Isamu Noguchi for Akari
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Model 1P table lamp by Isamu Noguchi for Akari. Designed and manufactured in Japan circa 1950s Iron
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Table Lamp BB1-30dd
By Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
An early Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture circa 1960s. Light features an enameled cast iron base
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture, model BB3-55A
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Dallas, TX
This Noguchi Akari BB3-55A light sculpture, designed in 1954 and later produced by Ozeki & Co., Ltd
Enamel, Iron
Midcentury Iron Cylinder Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in San Diego, CA
Iron cylinder lamp with a Mid-Century Japanese look. New custom made burlap shade. USA, 1950s
Metal
Isamu Noguchi "AKARI" Lamp with Bamboo Stand 'BB', 1960s
By Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
bamboo rim, and the cast iron base and bamboo stem.Hand-made by Ozeki in Gifu, Japan. There are some
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture, Model BB2/20A, Globe Bamboo Stand
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture. Model BB2/20A. Noguchi’s Akari series was started in 1951
Iron
Naguchi Table Lamp Base
Located in Tarrytown, NY
Naguchi table lamp base.
Iron
Sold
H 75.99 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Early Mid Century L4 Isamu Noguchi Floor Lamp Produced by Ozeki & Co Japan 1950s
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare and early mid century floor lamp model "L4" in washi paper, metal and iron by Isamu
Metal, Iron
Sold
H 75.99 in W 24.81 in D 24.81 in
Early Mid Century L4 Isamu Noguchi Floor Lamp Produced by Ozeki & Co Japan 1950s
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare and early mid century floor lamp model "L4" in washi paper, metal and iron by Isamu
Metal, Iron
Akari Model 22n Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi, 1980s
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
Akari was designed by Isamu Noguchi. This was made in the 1980s. The package comes with.
Iron
Midcentury Japanese Lantern Tripod Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in San Diego, CA
Midcentury Japanese style tripod lantern floor lamp. New linen on original lampshade. 1950s.
Iron
Cocoon Floor Lamp by Luco, Sweden, 1950s, Noguchi Style
By Luco
Located in Hägersten, SE
Floor lamp produced by Swedish company Luco. Made during the 1950s. Brass and cast iron base with a
Brass, Iron
French Tripod Table Lamp
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
French "Noguchi" style table lamp with black iron tripod base and pleated plastic barrel shaped
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Chicago, IL
Isamu Noguchi Lamp. One of the designers Akari Light Sculptures. The stand has bamboo pole and
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in New York, NY
Early 1950s, Isamu Noguchi floor lamp, cast iron base and bamboo body, signed Isamu Noguchi Akari
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Dronten, NL
Poetic Isamu Noguchi Akari floor lamp, model BB3-33S. Cast iron base with bamboo stem and a
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Dronten, NL
Poetic Isamu Noguchi Akari floor lamp, model BB3-33S. Cast iron base with bamboo stem and a
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp Bb3-50en, Bamboo / Iron. Japan
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Buffalo, NY
Isamu Noguchi Akari floor lamp, bamboo, Iron, Paper An early example of Isamu Noguchi's 'Akari
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp BB3-33S
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Dronten, NL
Poetic Isamu Noguchi Akari floor lamp, model BB3-33S, designed by Isamu Noguchi, 1951. Cast iron
Iron
Sold
H 30 in W 14 in D 14 in
Isamu Noguchi, Early "Akari" Table Lamp, Washi Paper, Bamboo, Iron, Ozeki, 1960
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Buffalo, NY
" Table lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi and produced in Japan, circa1960s The underside of iron base
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Floor Lamp Akari Japan
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Rochester, NY
Early vintage black cast iron base floor lamp with bamboo shaft by Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) cast
Iron
Rare Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp BB3-55DD
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Dronten, NL
Poetic Isamu Noguchi Akari floor lamp, model BB3-55DD. Cast iron base with bamboo stem and a
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Table Lamps - Akari, Japan
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Rochester, NY
A pair of early vintage Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) black cast iron base table lamps with bamboo
Wire, Metal, Iron
Isamu Noguchi Bamboo and Paper Lantern Floor Lamp, 1950s
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Washington, DC
Early floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi. Cast iron base marked "Made in Japan". Retains the original
Iron
Vintage Akari Floor Lamp by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Chalk Hill, PA
Vintage Akari floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi with V1 shade. Bamboo pole attached to iron base and rice
Metal, Iron
Rare and Early Edition Bamboo Floor Lamp by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare and early edition floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi, circa 1950s. Purchased in France at Steph Simon
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture, Model J1 Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture. Model J1 on cast iron stand. Hand-made form by Ozeki & Co
Iron
Handcrafted Japanese Akari Lantern 1N Table Lamp by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in San Diego, CA
Handcrafted vintage Japanese Akari lantern 1N table lamp by Isamu Noguchi, circa 1980s. The
Iron
46" tall Isamu Noguchi Akari Large Floor lamp Model 25N circa 2015
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
Isamu Noguchi Akari Sculpture Floor Lamp Model 25N. Oversized floor lamp at a staggering 46” tall
Iron
Rare Table Lamp Produced in Japan, 1950's Attributed to Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible Japanese table lamp constructed with an iron base and brass feet, paper shade. Circa
Brass, Iron
Akari Model BB3/33S 'Horn' Floor Lamp by Isamu Noguchi
By Akari, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Glendale, CA
Akari Model BB3/33S 'Horn' Floor Lamp by Isamu Noguchi Executed in handmade washi paper and bamboo
Iron
Sold
H 66.93 in W 29.14 in D 11.03 in
Isamu Noguchi Model BB3-33S Akari Light Sculpture hand crafted by Ozeki, Japan
By Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic Akari Light Sculpture / Floor Lamp known as Model BB3-33S designed by Isamu Noguchi and
Iron
Vintage Isamu Noguchi Table Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Early Noguchi lamp with original bamboo pole and black cast iron base. Electrical fittings and
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Bamboo Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
Vintage bamboo, cast iron, and Akari paper floor lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi.
Iron
Isamu Noguchi "Akari" Model BB3 33S Floor Lamp, 1970s
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in New York, NY
Rare model Akari floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi in original working condition from the 1970s. Washi
Iron
Two-Tier Iron Floor Lamp after Noguchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A two-tier iron-framed floor lamp featuring two iron mesh shelves and an inset vellum shade. The
Iron
Vintage Isamu Noguchi Table Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Asheville, NC
Vintage Isamu Noguchi table lamp, considered an icon of modern design. The vintage base features a
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
Beautiful bamboo and cast iron floor lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi. Vintage paper shade in
Iron
Early Noguchi Floor Lamp / Akari Light Sculpture
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Providence, RI
This early Noguchi bamboo floor lamp / Akari Light sculpture features a turned wooden knob that
Iron
Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
Wonderful, vintage Akari lamp by Isamu Noguchi with both shade and base marked "Japan". The shade
Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Floor Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Waltham, MA
Early Isamu Noguchi floor lamp for Akari. This is model BB3. Shade marked with Noguchi's signature
Brass, Iron
Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Floor Lamp, 1960s, Japan
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in New York, NY
Original Akari floor lamp by Isamu Noguchi, circa 1960s. Period bamboo structure, cast iron base
Iron
Vintage Bamboo Akari Table Lamp by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
Vintage desk or table lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi. Beautiful patina on the original shade
Iron
$1,155Sale Price / item|30% Off
H 16.1 in Dm 11.5 in
'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
By Örsjö Industri AB
Located in Glendale, CA
'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...
Textile
Monumental Akari Model 70F Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
By Akari, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Glendale, CA
Monumental Akari model 70F light sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. The shade is made from handmade washi paper and bamboo ribs with original Noguchi Akari manufacturer's stamp. Akari light...
Metal
Akari Model 7AD Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
By Akari, Isamu Noguchi
Located in Glendale, CA
Akari model 7AD light sculpture by Isamu Noguchii. The shade is made from handmade washi paper, wood and bamboo ribs with authentic Noguchi Akari manufacturer's stamp. Akari light sc...
Metal
$19,969 / item
H 27.56 in W 94.49 in D 39.38 in
Giovannetti, 1970s Anfibio Foldable Sofa in Cream Colored Fabric Project, Becchi
By Alessandro Becchi
Located in Casalguidi, IT
The bed-sofa, designed by Alessandro Becchi together with the Giovannetti staff has recently celebrated its 50 years. Its history is full of important events and participations. A p...
Wool, Cotton
The Albert, Custom Made Belgian Linen Armchair
Located in Jesteburg, DE
Introducing the home collection. A small selection of timeless Flemish designs made by hand for us in a small third generation workshop in Belgium. Has been used by many influent...
Linen
$3,990 / item
H 34 in W 31 in D 40 in
Custom Made to Order Belgian Linen Slip Cover Club Chair with Down Cushion
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This White Linen Slip-Covered Lounge Chair fits as the perfect accent to any room. It's the perfect chair to have adjacent to a sofa, and can make every pillow look delightful in the...
Cotton, Linen, Wood, Down
Akari Model XP1 Light Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi, Akari
Located in Glendale, CA
Akari model XP1 light sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. The shade is made from handmade washi paper and bamboo ribs with Noguchi Akari manufacturer's stamp. Akari light sculptures by Isamu...
Metal
Lloyd Bar Stool with Leather or Shearling Cushion
By Crump and Kwash
Located in Baltimore City, MD
Lloyd Bar Stool by Crump and Kwash Solid wood construction / hand rubbed oil finish / metal rungs / leather wrapped back support / leather wrapped seat cushion Dimensions : 23...
Brass
$536Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 9.8 in Dm 19.6 in
Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture, Model 50EN Ceiling Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Centreville, VA
Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi are considered icons of 1950s modern design. Designed by Noguchi beginning in 1951 and handmade for a half century by the original manufacture...
Bamboo, Paper
Akari floor lamp bb3 55d designed by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
BB3 floor lamp with Washi Paper lampshade designed by Isamu Noguchi. Manufactured by Ozeki, Japan. This floor lamp features a white Washi paper lampshade, a bamboo shaft and a sphe...
Steel
$4,240Sale Price|20% Off
H 17.72 in Dm 17.72 in
Vintage Lotus Table Lamp by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, Blown Murano Glass, Rare
By Mazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Milano, IT
Murano Table Lamp - Italian Collectible Lamp - Rare Mid-Century Lamp The LT305 "Lotus" Table Lamp, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, is one of the most beautiful Murano lamps eve...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
$14,750 / set
H 28 in W 41 in D 41 in
Craft Lounge Chairs, Lafer Lounge Chairs, Brown Leather and Walnut, Modern
By Craft Associates, Percival Lafer
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Craft lounge chairs, lafer lounge chairs, brown leather and walnut, Modern Designer: Percival Lafer Manufacturer: Craft Associates® Furniture Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern S...
Leather, Walnut
$5,032Sale Price|20% Off
H 34 in W 94 in D 41 in
New Custom Stone Washed Irish Linen Slip Covered Sofa with Down Alt Cushions
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
Custom Made Linen Slip Covered Sofa Fabric: 100% Irish linen in Flax with a Stone Washed Finish Weight 20oz. linen Prewashed, Soft Finish Down Style Seats and Backs, removable slip c...
Linen
Craft Associates Modern Lounge Chair, 2002, the Parallax
By Craft Associates
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Laura Trenchard Manufacturer: Craft Associates Modern Furniture Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern Specs: Walnut, Mohair Yardage: 6 yards, 5.5 meters condition Craft Asso...
Mohair, Walnut
$9,019
H 29.53 in W 47.25 in D 37.01 in
Mario Bellini Le Bambole Lounge Chair, Upholstered in Alpaca, B&B Italia, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A beautiful large Mario Bellini Le Bambole lounge chair, newly upholstered in luxury pure Alpaca wool fabric, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s. Marked on the underside. Fa...
Alpaca
$23,916 / set
H 28.75 in W 31.5 in D 34.65 in
Mario Bellini Le Bambole Modular Sofa, Upholstered in Alpaca, B&B Italia, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A Mario Bellini Le Bambole five piece modular sofa / chair set, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s, newly upholstered in luxurious 100% alpaca. The pieces without arms each...
Alpaca
A sculptor, painter, ceramicist and furniture and lighting designer, Isamu Noguchi was one of the most prolific and protean creative forces of the 20th century and a key figure in the development of organic modernism. Noguchi’s sculptures and designs — his chairs and tables as well as his timeless Akari lamp and other lighting fixtures — share a common spirit: one of lyrical abstraction, tempo and flow and harmonious balance.
Noguchi was born in Los Angeles to an American mother and Japanese father, and spent most of his childhood in Japan. He returned to the United States at age 13, went to high school in Indiana and enrolled at Columbia University to study medicine. At the same time, he took night courses in sculpture.
Within three months, Noguchi left college to pursue art full time. Noguchi was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1927 and traveled to Paris to work under Constantin Brancusi. It marked a turning point. Inspired by Brancusi, Noguchi embraced abstraction and began to sculpt in the expressive, rhythmic style that would be the hallmark of his work.
Once back in New York, Noguchi was introduced to design by what would become a lifelong collaboration creating sets for choreographer Martha Graham. His first industrial designs were in Bakelite: the sleek Measured Time kitchen timer created circa 1932, and his famed Zenith Radio Nurse intercom, from 1937.
Ten years later, Herman Miller introduced Noguchi’s now-iconic glass-topped coffee table with an articulated wooden base. His washi paper and bamboo Akari light sculptures, handmade in Japan, debuted in 1951. In the late 1950s, Noguchi designed for Knoll, creating such pieces as his dynamic Cyclone table and rocking stool.
For collectors, Noguchi’s furniture and lighting designs remain his most accessible work — they have the same power and presence that Noguchi brought to his art.
Find vintage Isamu Noguchi floor lamps, table lamps, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.
The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.
Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.
Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat.
Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. & L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.
As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.
There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation.
With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.
The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.