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Post Modern Club Chairs

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Pair of Fine Custom Post Modern Design Club Chairs
Pair of Fine Custom Post Modern Design Club Chairs

Pair of Fine Custom Post Modern Design Club Chairs

Located in Bridgeport, CT

Pair of Post Modern Style barrel back chairs with sculptured frame, slightly flared arms and

Category

20th Century Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Rare Pair of Post-Modern Ebonized Oak and Leather Club Chairs by Brian Kane
Rare Pair of Post-Modern Ebonized Oak and Leather Club Chairs by Brian Kane

Rare Pair of Post-Modern Ebonized Oak and Leather Club Chairs by Brian Kane

By Brian Kane, Metropolitan, Philippe Starck

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Rare pair of post-modern ebonized oak and leather club chairs by Brian Kane. Solid polished

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather, Upholstery, Oak

Pair of Nautilus Mid Century Post Modern Swivel Club Lounge Chairs by Weiman
Pair of Nautilus Mid Century Post Modern Swivel Club Lounge Chairs by Weiman

Pair of Nautilus Mid Century Post Modern Swivel Club Lounge Chairs by Weiman

By Weiman

Located in Philadelphia, PA

A matching pair of corkscrew swivel chairs circa 1980's. These feature the original 2-tone

Category

Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal Club Chair
Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal Club Chair

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal Club Chair

By Argosy Designs

Located in Treadwell, NY

Collection I: Plate chair Constructed from bold steel plates and secured by bronze wedges, the

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal Club Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)
Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal Club Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal Club Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)

By Argosy Designs, Erik Johnson

Located in Treadwell, NY

Collection I: Plate chair Constructed from bold steel plates and secured by bronze wedges, the

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Bronze, Steel

1990s Post Modern Colorful Upholstered Three Legged Barrel Chairs, Set of 2
1990s Post Modern Colorful Upholstered Three Legged Barrel Chairs, Set of 2

1990s Post Modern Colorful Upholstered Three Legged Barrel Chairs, Set of 2

By Carter Furniture 1

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

appearance. Showcasing some of the best designs of the Post Modern era from one of the most iconic designers

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Sculptural 1970s Oversized Metal Club Chair
Sculptural 1970s Oversized Metal Club Chair

Sculptural 1970s Oversized Metal Club Chair

Located in London, GB

An oversized 1970s French artist made club chair in sheet steel. Heavily patinated with

Category

Vintage 1970s English Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Steel

Brayton International Mohair Club Chairs, 1999
Brayton International Mohair Club Chairs, 1999

Brayton International Mohair Club Chairs, 1999

By Brayton International

Located in Chicago, IL

Brayton International Mohair Pair Club Chairs, 1999. Mohair with leather piping. There are 4

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather, Mohair

Ecart Design Club Chair "W" in Chocolate Leather
Ecart Design Club Chair "W" in Chocolate Leather

Ecart Design Club Chair "W" in Chocolate Leather

By Ecart International

Located in New York, NY

This sleak cub chair by Ecart Design of Paris is a post modern take on the classic barrol chair

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather, Upholstery, Wood

Vintage 1980s Barrel Back Club Chair by Rowe
Vintage 1980s Barrel Back Club Chair by Rowe

Vintage 1980s Barrel Back Club Chair by Rowe

Located in Freehold, NJ

This vintage 1980s club chair by Rowe Furniture features original patterned upholstery, removable

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Upholstery

Vintage Milo Baughman Style Club Chairs - Set of 2
Vintage Milo Baughman Style Club Chairs - Set of 2

Vintage Milo Baughman Style Club Chairs - Set of 2

By Milo Baughman

Located in Clarksboro, NJ

This listing is for a pair of Vintage Milo Baughman Style Club Chairs. Featuring a straight line

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Chrome

1980's Postmodern Art Deco Barrel Club Lounge Chair
1980's Postmodern Art Deco Barrel Club Lounge Chair

1980's Postmodern Art Deco Barrel Club Lounge Chair

By Jaymar, Massimo Vignelli

Located in Burbank, CA

Vintage post-modern art deco barrel chair for sale. Very comfortable and well made. Has a great

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

1980s Norman Jaffe Postmodern Pair of Leather Club Chairs
1980s Norman Jaffe Postmodern Pair of Leather Club Chairs

1980s Norman Jaffe Postmodern Pair of Leather Club Chairs

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Roanoke, VA

Super cool and rare pair of leather club chairs designed by architect Norman Jaffe for US West

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather

Art Deco Moderne Club Chair With Faux Horn Detail
Art Deco Moderne Club Chair With Faux Horn Detail

Art Deco Moderne Club Chair With Faux Horn Detail

Located in Chicago, IL

An accent chair that truly accentuates any room it is placed in. Faux horn front legs that curve up

Category

Vintage 1980s Philippine Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Suede, Beech, Walnut

Postmodern Club or Side Chairs by Ligne Roset, France 1980s
Postmodern Club or Side Chairs by Ligne Roset, France 1980s

Postmodern Club or Side Chairs by Ligne Roset, France 1980s

By Ligne Roset

Located in Beograd, RS

In this listing you will find a pair of very rare Postmodern side or club chairs manufactured by

Category

Vintage 1980s French Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Pr. Oversize Black  Leather Club Chairs by Brayton International Collection 1991
Pr. Oversize Black  Leather Club Chairs by Brayton International Collection 1991

Pr. Oversize Black Leather Club Chairs by Brayton International Collection 1991

By Brayton International, Walter Knoll

Located in New York, NY

Chic pair of over scale lounge, or club chairs in black leather - made by the Brayton International

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather

'Bounty' Leather Club Chair by L. Davanzati for The Pace Collection, 1980s
'Bounty' Leather Club Chair by L. Davanzati for The Pace Collection, 1980s

'Bounty' Leather Club Chair by L. Davanzati for The Pace Collection, 1980s

By Pace Collection, Elam, Lorenzo Forges Davanzati

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A lovely example of the 'Bounty' series club chair by The Pace Collection in the early 1980s, this

Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather, Lacquer

Michael Graves Postmodern Club or Lounge Chairs by David Edward Company
Michael Graves Postmodern Club or Lounge Chairs by David Edward Company

Michael Graves Postmodern Club or Lounge Chairs by David Edward Company

By Michael Graves (b.1934), David Edward

Located in Topeka, KS

We are offering here a large number of Michael Graves designed postmodern club chairs or lounge

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Maple

Pair of 1980s Postmodern Chrome Club Chairs by Bernhardt in Milo Baughman Style
Pair of 1980s Postmodern Chrome Club Chairs by Bernhardt in Milo Baughman Style

Pair of 1980s Postmodern Chrome Club Chairs by Bernhardt in Milo Baughman Style

By Bernhardt

Located in Las Vegas, NV

chairs together. This listing is for a pair of the club chairs, with the option to purchase all four. The

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Postmodern Pair of Martin/Brattrud Think Fast Lounge Club Chairs Purple & Green
Postmodern Pair of Martin/Brattrud Think Fast Lounge Club Chairs Purple & Green

Postmodern Pair of Martin/Brattrud Think Fast Lounge Club Chairs Purple & Green

By Martin Brattrud

Located in Topeka, KS

Magnificent Postmodern pair of Martin/Brattrud “Think Fast Lounge” or club chairs comprised of

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Plastic, Foam, Wood

Pair of Postmodern Club Chairs in Stained Birdseye Maple by Michael Graves
Pair of Postmodern Club Chairs in Stained Birdseye Maple by Michael Graves

Pair of Postmodern Club Chairs in Stained Birdseye Maple by Michael Graves

By Michael Graves (b.1934)

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Pair of Postmodern faceted club chairs designed by Michael Graves composed of stained Birdseye

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Birdseye Maple

1 of 8 Intervista Club Chairs by Poltrona Frau in Pink Leather, Italy 1989
1 of 8 Intervista Club Chairs by Poltrona Frau in Pink Leather, Italy 1989

1 of 8 Intervista Club Chairs by Poltrona Frau in Pink Leather, Italy 1989

By Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Poltrona Frau

Located in Beograd, RS

In this listing you will find very rare postmodern club chairs model "Intervista" designed by

Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather

1 of 5 Intervista Club Chairs by Poltrona Frau in Chartreuse Leather, Italy 1989
1 of 5 Intervista Club Chairs by Poltrona Frau in Chartreuse Leather, Italy 1989

1 of 5 Intervista Club Chairs by Poltrona Frau in Chartreuse Leather, Italy 1989

By Poltrona Frau, Massimo and Lella Vignelli

Located in Beograd, RS

In this listing you will find 5 very rare postmodern club chairs model "Intervista" designed by

Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather

Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti Red Alligator Leather Club Chairs Ottoman, Set of 4
Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti Red Alligator Leather Club Chairs Ottoman, Set of 4

Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti Red Alligator Leather Club Chairs Ottoman, Set of 4

By Minotti

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Suitcase armchairs amd ottomans by Minotti, designed by the famous architect Rodolfo Dordoni in 1997, are two examples of iconic and refined design. These unique pieces, inspired...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Modern Industrial Red Leather Metal 'H' Chair
Modern Industrial Red Leather Metal 'H' Chair

Modern Industrial Red Leather Metal 'H' Chair

By Argosy Designs

Located in Treadwell, NY

Collection II: H Chair Constructed from bold steel plates, this limited edition chair provides a

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Steel, Brass

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal 'H' Chair
Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal 'H' Chair

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal 'H' Chair

By Argosy Designs

Located in Treadwell, NY

Collection II: H Chair Constructed from bold steel plates, this limited edition chair provides a

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Steel, Brass

Modern Industrial Red Leather Metal 'H' Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)
Modern Industrial Red Leather Metal 'H' Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)

Modern Industrial Red Leather Metal 'H' Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)

By Argosy Designs

Located in Treadwell, NY

Collection II: H Chair Constructed from bold steel plates, this limited edition chair provides a

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Brass, Steel

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal 'H' Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)
Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal 'H' Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)

Modern Industrial Green Leather Metal 'H' Chair (DISPLAY MODEL)

By Argosy Designs

Located in Treadwell, NY

Collection II: H Chair Constructed from bold steel plates, this limited edition chair provides a

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Brass, Steel

1980s Postmodern Lounge Chair by Loewenstein
1980s Postmodern Lounge Chair by Loewenstein

1980s Postmodern Lounge Chair by Loewenstein

By Loewenstein

Located in La Mesa, CA

Postmodern Lounge Chair by Loewenstein fully reupholstered in imported cream Italian Sherpa fabric.

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Fabric

Goma Bar Chair by Made by Choice
Goma Bar Chair by Made by Choice

Goma Bar Chair by Made by Choice

Located in Geneve, CH

Goma bar chair by Made by Choice with Thomas Sandell Dimensions: 50 x 50 x 105 cm Materials

Category

2010s Finnish Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Paul Haigh Sinistra Chairs by Bernhardt
Paul Haigh Sinistra Chairs by Bernhardt

Paul Haigh Sinistra Chairs by Bernhardt

By Bernhardt, Paul Haigh 1

Located in Highland, IN

A combination of a side chair and a barrel chair, the Sinistra chair designed by Paul Haigh for

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Jordan Mozer Canter’s Chairs, a Pair
Jordan Mozer Canter’s Chairs, a Pair

Jordan Mozer Canter’s Chairs, a Pair

By Jordan Mozer

Located in Chicago, IL

Designed in 2003 for the modern Canter’s Restaurant/Deli located in the Mirage TI, Hotel and Resort

Category

Early 2000s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

1990s Weiman Asymmetrical Channeled Barrel Chairs, Set of 2
1990s Weiman Asymmetrical Channeled Barrel Chairs, Set of 2

1990s Weiman Asymmetrical Channeled Barrel Chairs, Set of 2

By Weiman

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

some of the best designs of the Post Modern era from one of the most iconic designers of the 20th

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Set of 2, Goma Bar Chairs by Made By Choice
Set of 2, Goma Bar Chairs by Made By Choice

Set of 2, Goma Bar Chairs by Made By Choice

Located in Geneve, CH

Set of 2, Goma bar chairs by Made By Choice Dimensions: 50 x 50 x 105 cm Materials: Plywood

Category

2010s Finnish Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Set of 4, Goma Bar Chairs by Made By Choice
Set of 4, Goma Bar Chairs by Made By Choice

Set of 4, Goma Bar Chairs by Made By Choice

Located in Geneve, CH

Set of 4, Goma bar chairs by Made By Choice Dimensions: 50 x 50 x 105 cm Materials: Plywood

Category

2010s Finnish Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

1980s Pastel Maitland Smith Gustavian Bobbin Style Rustic Chairs, Set of 2
1980s Pastel Maitland Smith Gustavian Bobbin Style Rustic Chairs, Set of 2

1980s Pastel Maitland Smith Gustavian Bobbin Style Rustic Chairs, Set of 2

By Maitland Smith

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

. Showcasing some of the best designs of the Post Modern era from one of the most iconic designers.

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Cubic FM60 Chairs & Table by Radboud van Beekum for Pastoe
Cubic FM60 Chairs & Table by Radboud van Beekum for Pastoe

Cubic FM60 Chairs & Table by Radboud van Beekum for Pastoe

By Radboud Van Beekum, Pastoe

Located in Izegem, VWV

Characteristic set of two FM62 Cubic chairs designed by Radboud van Beekum for Pastoe the

Category

Late 20th Century Dutch Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Metal

1980s Safari Tapestry Attributed to Donghia Luciano Chair and Ottoman Set of 2
1980s Safari Tapestry Attributed to Donghia Luciano Chair and Ottoman Set of 2

1980s Safari Tapestry Attributed to Donghia Luciano Chair and Ottoman Set of 2

By Donghia

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

This extremely rare chair and ottoman set is packed with personality! Outstanding design is

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Tapestry, Upholstery, Wood

Pair of Postmodern Leather Armchairs "Tentazione" by Mario Bellini for Cassina
Pair of Postmodern Leather Armchairs "Tentazione" by Mario Bellini for Cassina

Pair of Postmodern Leather Armchairs "Tentazione" by Mario Bellini for Cassina

By Cassina, Mario Bellini

Located in Beograd, RS

Pair of postmodern leather club chairs "Tentazione" designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina. The club

Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Steel

Pair of “Moji” Armchairs by Shigeru Uchida for Poltrona Frau, Italy
Pair of “Moji” Armchairs by Shigeru Uchida for Poltrona Frau, Italy

Pair of “Moji” Armchairs by Shigeru Uchida for Poltrona Frau, Italy

By Poltrona Frau

Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE

refined craftsmanship for which Poltrona Frau is celebrated. Both chairs remain authentic with original

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Club Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Roche Bobois Leather Swivel Club Lounge Chair Post Modern
Roche Bobois Leather Swivel Club Lounge Chair Post Modern

Roche Bobois Leather Swivel Club Lounge Chair Post Modern

By Roche Bobois

Located in Forest Grove, PA

A late 20th Century Roche Bobois swivel leather lounge chair. Beautiful, comfortable and incredibly

Category

1990s French Post-Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Metal

Post Modern Memphis Style Club Lounge Chair by Bernhardt
Post Modern Memphis Style Club Lounge Chair by Bernhardt

Post Modern Memphis Style Club Lounge Chair by Bernhardt

By Bernhardt

Located in New York, NY

Pure 1980's Postmodern, memphis influence lounge, arm chair. Gutsy tapered legs support the

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

1980s Post-Modern Black Lacquer Walnut & Leather Cube / Club Chair by Brian Kane
1980s Post-Modern Black Lacquer Walnut & Leather Cube / Club Chair by Brian Kane

1980s Post-Modern Black Lacquer Walnut & Leather Cube / Club Chair by Brian Kane

By Metropolitan, Brian Kane, Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Located in St. Louis, MO

Single 1980s Post-Modern black lacquered walnut and leather club chairs by Brian Kane for

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Pair of 1980s Post-Modern Black Lacquer & Leather Cube Club Chairs by Brian Kane
Pair of 1980s Post-Modern Black Lacquer & Leather Cube Club Chairs by Brian Kane

Pair of 1980s Post-Modern Black Lacquer & Leather Cube Club Chairs by Brian Kane

By Metropolitan, Brian Kane, Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Located in St. Louis, MO

Pair of 1980s Post-Modern black Lacquered walnut and leather club chairs by Brian Kane for

Category

Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Jay Spectre Century Eclipse Salmon Pink Post Modern Chrome Club Lounge Arm Chair
Jay Spectre Century Eclipse Salmon Pink Post Modern Chrome Club Lounge Arm Chair

Jay Spectre Century Eclipse Salmon Pink Post Modern Chrome Club Lounge Arm Chair

By Jay Spectre

Located in Dayton, OH

A beautiful pair of two "Eclipse" club / library / lounge chairs by Jay Spectre for Century Chair

Category

Vintage 1980s Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Chrome

Vladimir Kagan Corkscrew Swivel Chairs for Directional in Bouclé, PAIR
Vladimir Kagan Corkscrew Swivel Chairs for Directional in Bouclé, PAIR

Vladimir Kagan Corkscrew Swivel Chairs for Directional in Bouclé, PAIR

By Vladimir Kagan

Located in North Miami, FL

referred to as 'Nautilus', by Vladimir Kagan for Directional, circa 1980s / 90s. These classic Post-Modern

Category

Vintage 1980s American Armchairs

Materials

Bouclé

Pair Of Vladimir Kagan Club Chairs
Pair Of Vladimir Kagan Club Chairs

Pair Of Vladimir Kagan Club Chairs

By Vladimir Kagan, Preview

Located in Houston, TX

Pair Of Vladimir Kagan Club Chairs. Offered is a splendid rare pair of club chairs, lounge chairs

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Chairs

Materials

Bouclé, Wood

Odette Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul
Odette Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul

Odette Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul

Located in Geneve, CH

. Please contact us. The Odette club chair is a modern take on the cozy wingback armchair that defies all

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak, Wool

Odette Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul
Odette Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul

Odette Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul

Located in Geneve, CH

. Please contact us. The Odette club chair is a modern take on the cozy wingback armchair that defies all

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Chairs

Materials

Wool, Oak

Michael Wolk Miami Club Chairs Swivel Pair
Michael Wolk Miami Club Chairs Swivel Pair

Michael Wolk Miami Club Chairs Swivel Pair

$2,796Sale Price / set|28% Off

Michael Wolk Miami Club Chairs Swivel Pair

By Michael Wolk

Located in Lake Worth, FL

Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A Pair of Michael Wolk Miami Full 360 Swivel Club Chairs

Category

Vintage 1980s Post-Modern Swivel Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Cotton

Odette Black Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul
Odette Black Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul

Odette Black Oak Club Chair by Fred and Juul

Located in Geneve, CH

finishes are available. Please contact us. The Odette club chair is a modern take on the cozy wingback

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Chairs

Materials

Wool, Oak

1970s Club Chair in Teak and Black Leather
1970s Club Chair in Teak and Black Leather

1970s Club Chair in Teak and Black Leather

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Club chair, leather, teak, Europe, 1970s This streamlined Post-Modern lounge chair is expressed by

Category

Vintage 1970s European Post-Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Teak

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Post Modern Club Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of post modern club chairs available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique post modern club chairs was constructed with extraordinary care, often using fabric, wood and animal skin. We have 30 antique and vintage post modern club chairs in-stock, while there are 3 modern editions to choose from as well. Post modern club chairs have been produced for many years, with earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. Post modern club chairs bearing Mid-Century Modern hallmark is very popular at 1stDibs. There have been many well-made post modern club chairs over the years, but those made by Michael Graves (b.1934), Bernhardt and Cassina are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much are Post Modern Club Chairs?

The average selling price for at 1stDibs is $3,800, while they’re typically $595 on the low end and $18,400 highest priced.

A Close Look at Post-modern Furniture

Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.

ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Emerges during the 1960s; popularity explodes during the ’80s
  • A reaction to prevailing conventions of modernism by mainly American architects
  • Architect Robert Venturi critiques modern architecture in his Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966)
  • Theorist Charles Jencks, who championed architecture filled with allusions and cultural references, writes The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977)
  • Italian design collective the Memphis Group, also known as Memphis Milano, meets for the first time (1980) 
  • Memphis collective debuts more than 50 objects and furnishings at Salone del Milano (1981)
  • Interest in style declines, minimalism gains steam

CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Dizzying graphic patterns and an emphasis on loud, off-the-wall colors
  • Use of plastic and laminates, glass, metal and marble; lacquered and painted wood 
  • Unconventional proportions and abundant ornamentation
  • Playful nods to Art Deco and Pop art

POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.

Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendinia onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.

Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group,  which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.

Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals. 

After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.

On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.

Finding the Right Seating for You

With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.

Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.

Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.

The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.

Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.

With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.

Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.

No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.