Blue Murano vase by Alfredo Barbini, postmodern, label present
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Milano, IT
introduces movement and graphic vitality, lending the vase a distinctly postmodern sensibility while
Murano Glass
Postmodern Biomorphic Vase by Donna Polseno, Glazed Ceramic, 1990s
Located in Round Top, TX
We are pleased to offer a stunning, dreamy Postmodern / Neo Art Deco biomorphic form vase by
Ceramic, Lucite
$560Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 23.25 in W 5.25 in D 5.25 in
Postmodern Studio Crafted Handmade Ceramic Vase, Artist Signed 1987
Located in Miami, FL
Studio crafted handmade postmodern ceramic vase signed by unknown artist, 1987.
Ceramic
Shiro Kuramata Acrylic Pink Vase, Large Japanese Postmodern
By Shiro Kuramata
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Shiro Kuramata acrylic pink vase large model. Mint condition. Pink and clear acrylic bock with
Glass, Acrylic
$760Sale Price|20% Off
H 16 in W 12.5 in D 12.5 in
Postmodern Black Corrugated Cardboard Vase by Flute, Chicago
By Frank Gehry
Located in Miami, FL
Corrugated cardboard vase rendered in matte black by Flute, Chicago circa 1980s. Best to use with
Natural Fiber
Postmodern Ceramic Vase with Organic Shape from Asa, 1990s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Ceramic Vase with Organic Shape from Asa, 1990s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1990
Ceramic
Large Vintage Postmodern German Floral Floor Vase from Steuler
By Steuler
Located in Hamburg, DE
Large Vintage Postmodern German Floral Floor Vase from Steuler, in Very Good conditions. Designed
Ceramic
Postmodern Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz for Richartz Art Collection, 1980s, in Very Good
Glass
Postmodern Memphis Style Glazed Ceramic Vase by Jonathan Adler
By Jonathan Adler
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful ceramic 2 tone vase in postmodern design , by Jonathan Adler no chips or cracks.
Ceramic
Postmodern German 488 Wall Bathroom Vase from Hewi, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern German 488 Wall Bathroom Vase from Hewi, 1980s, in Flawless conditions. Designed 1980 to
Glass, Plastic
$704
H 6.69 in W 7.87 in D 3.15 in
Postmodern Minimalist Ceramic Crescent Vase from Asa Selection, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Minimalist Ceramic Crescent Vase from Asa Selection, 1980s, in Very Good conditions
Ceramic
$750
H 8.86 in W 6.5 in D 3.55 in
Ritratto Blue Wall Hanging Flower Vase Alessandro Mendini Postmodern
By Marutomi, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
"Ritratto" flower vase for the wall designed by Alessandro Mendini for Marutomi. Designed in the
Plastic
Postmodern ceramic 'Femme' vase, Baba, Vallauris France ca. 1980s
Located in Firenze, IT
Postmodern white ‘Femme' vase Baba, Vallauris France ca. 1980s H 34 cm x Diam. 20 cm Conditions
Ceramic
Pair of Large Cubist Head Form Planter Vases, Postmodern, 2000s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Large Cubist Head Form Planter Vases, Postmodern, 2000s A striking large pair of cubist
Resin
Postmodern Glass blown tall Vase in Amethyst With Frosted Edge
Located in San Diego, CA
Striking brutalist postmodern glass blown vase , circa 1990's incredible piece of art , with
Blown Glass
Postmodern Memphis Style Vase by Thomas, Rosenthal, Germany, 1980s
By Thomas, Rosenthal
Located in Halle, DE
A very rare and extraordinary Postmodern base by Thomas Porzellan, Atelier Collection, a Division
Porcelain
Sculptural Postmodern Ringoletto Vase by Ron Arad for Rosenthal, 2000s
By Rosenthal, Ron Arad
Located in Lille, FR
Sculptural Postmodern Ringoletto Vase by Ron Arad for Rosenthal, 2000s. Height: from 16 cm to 24
Metal
Large Postmodern German Studio Pottery Vase by JLK Keramik, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Large Postmodern German Studio Pottery Vase by Jakob Leopold Knödgen for JLK Keramik, 1980s, in
Ceramic
$222Sale Price|54% Off
H 8.67 in W 3.94 in D 3.55 in
Postmodern Art Glass Vase by Colin Terris for Caithness, 1990
By Caithness Scotland
Located in Glasgow, GB
This Postmodern art glass vase by Colin Terris for Caithness Glass, titled Xanadu and produced in
Art Glass
1980's Postmodern Geometric Bud Vase in Stainless Steel
By Paul Evans
Located in San Diego, CA
Nice geometric design brushed stainless mix with polished stainless bud vase, circa 1980's , nice
Stainless Steel
$204Sale Price|35% Off
H 19.2 in W 8.2 in D 8.2 in
Geometrical Rose Ceramic Vase by Evangeline, Quebec 1970s – Postmodern Memphis
Located in Toronto, CA
Striking and sculptural, this rose-toned pink ceramic vase was handcrafted by Evangeline Ceramic
Ceramic
$1,300
H 10.75 in W 21 in D 8.75 in
Overscale Whimsical Postmodern Studio Pottery Vase Sculpture by Gail Kendall
Located in Miami, FL
Overscale Whimsical Postmodern Studio Pottery Vase Sculpture by Gail Kendall Offered for sale is
Ceramic, Pottery
$1,529
H 15.56 in Dm 7.09 in
Ettore Sottsass Postmodern "Tigris" Porcelain Vase for Memphis Milano, 1983
By Ettore Sottsass, Porcellane San Marco, Memphis Milano
Located in London, GB
For sale is a rare, early Post-Modern “TIGRIS” porcelain vase designed by Ettore Sottsass for
Ceramic, Porcelain
Postmodern Black Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Black Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz for Richartz Art Collection, 1980s, in Very
Glass
Postmodern White Glass Vase "Fazzoletto" by Giorgio Berlini, Italy
By Giorgio Berlini
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
of these vases was manual, each vase is different and one-of-a-kind. It is a vintage piece, therefore
Murano Glass
Large blue Murano vase by Alfredo Barbini, postmodern, label present
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Milano, IT
Alfredo Barbini for Murano Sommerso Glass Vase with Original Label 1990s A refined Murano glass
Murano Glass
1970 Brutalist Postmodern Tallboy Glass Block Table Vase, West Germany
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Original 1970s Brutalist glass block table vase popular in West Germany during the 1960s and 70s it
Glass
$760Sale Price|20% Off
H 19 in W 12 in D 12 in
Postmodern Light Peach Corrugated Cardboard Vase by Flute, Chicago
By Flute Chicago
Located in Miami, FL
Corrugated cardboard vase rendered in light peach by Flute, Chicago circa 1980s. Best to use with
Natural Fiber
$700
H 8.86 in W 6.5 in D 3.55 in
Ritratto Green Wall Hanging Flower Vase Alessandro Mendini Postmodern
By Marutomi, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
"Ritratto" flower vase for the wall designed by Alessandro Mendini for Marutomi. Designed in the
Plastic
Ritratto Red Wall Hanging Flower Vase Alessandro Mendini Postmodern
By Marutomi, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
"Ritratto" flower vase for the wall designed by Alessandro Mendini for Marutomi. Designed in the
Plastic
$259Sale Price|20% Off
H 9.06 in Dm 4.34 in
Postmodern Calacatta Marble Pedestal Vase Made in Italy Around 1980s
Located in Rümmingen, BW
postmodern love for classical motifs. Its veining and creamy white surface make this vase a timeless piece
Ceramic, Clay
Stunning Postmodern Brown Hand-Molded Scavo Glass Vase, Italy
By Seguso, Cenedese
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1980s. This vase is made in brown scavo hand-molded Murano glass, ascribable to
Murano Glass
Postmodern Design Rosenthal Gilbert Portanier Vase from the 1980s
By Gilbert Portanier
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Vintage design vase made by Rosenthal Germany, designed by Gilbert Portanier in the 1980s
Porcelain
Postmodern Handmade Beige and Black Glazed Ceramic Vase, Germany
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Germany, 1970s. This handmade vase is made in glazed ceramic. It is a vintage piece
Ceramic
Studio Art Pottery Vase, Green, Brown, Tan, Hand-crafted, Postmodern
Located in New York, NY
Postmodern studio art pottery vessel/ vase. The glazed areas of green contrast beautifully with the
Clay
Large Vintage Glass Vase by Hysteria, Orange, Postmodern Style, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Large Vintage Glass Vase from Hysteria, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This
Glass
Postmodern Tusca Vase by Lino Sabattini for Rosenthal, 1980s
By Lino Sabattini
Located in Uppsala, SE
This is the smallest model of the Tusca vase series, designed by Lino Sabattini and produced by
Porcelain
$704
H 3.94 in W 7.48 in D 4.72 in
Postmodern Minimalist Ceramic Diamond Shape Vase from Asa Selection, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Minimalist Ceramic Diamond Shape Vase from Asa Selection, 1980s, in Very Good conditions
Ceramic
$1,529
H 15.56 in Dm 7.09 in
Ettore Sottsass Postmodern "Tigris" Porcelain Vase for Memphis Milano, 1983
By Porcellane San Marco, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in London, GB
For sale is a rare, early Post-Modern “TIGRIS” porcelain vase designed by Ettore Sottsass for
Ceramic, Porcelain
Postmodern Iridescent Black and Azure Cased Glass Vase, Italy
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, Murano, 1980s. It is made in quite heavy 3-layered iridescent black and cornflower blue hand-blown cased glass. This is a vintage piece, therefore it might show sligh...
Murano Glass
Postmodern Haeger Peach Blush Ceramic Vase, Glazed Finish, USA, 1980s
By Haeger
Located in New York, NY
Postmodern Haeger Peach Blush pink abstract vase, medium size. Looks stunning on its own or as part
Ceramic, Pottery
$660
H 8.5 in Dm 9.5 in
Postmodern Studio Pottery Vase, Textured Fat Lava Glaze Abstract Memphis Style
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
A striking postmodern studio pottery vase featuring a richly textured “fat lava” style glaze ground
Pottery
$695
H 14.25 in W 9.5 in D 2.5 in
Late 20th Century Postmodern Blue Glazed Stoneware Pottery Flattened Vase
Located in Topeka, KS
Fabulous Late 20th Century Modern to Postmodern glazed stoneware pottery flattened vase dark blue
Stoneware
Rosenthal by Ambrogio Pozzi White Rounded Plisse Porcelain Vase, Postmodern
By Ambrogio Pozzi, Rosenthal
Located in New York, NY
Stunning white plisse porcelain vase by Ambrogio Pozzi for Rosenthal. The rounded pleat design
Ceramic
$550
H 13.5 in W 9 in D 5.5 in
Heide Warlamis Postmodern Memphis Design Large Vase, Vienna Collection, 1980s
By Heide Warlamis
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful and decorative large vase (13.5” tall) from the 1980s, designed by artist and designer
Ceramic, Pottery
1970 Brutalist Postmodern Glass Block Table Vase w/ Acid Etched Hibiscus
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Original 1970s Brutalist glass block table vase with an acid-etched hibiscus along the front. The
Glass
German Postmodern Studio Line Vase by Werner Schreib for Rosenthal, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
German Postmodern Porcelain Studio Line Vase by Werner Schreib for Rosenthal, 1980s, in Very Good
Porcelain
Large 1990s Postmodern Handcrafted Ceramic Floor Vase Signed by the Artist.
Located in Miami, FL
Large Postmodern Handcrafted Ceramic Floor Vase Signed by the American Artist Patricia A Beatty
Ceramic, Paint
$411
H 6.3 in W 6.3 in D 3.15 in
Vintage Postmodern Black and White Studio Pottery Vase from EH, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vintage Postmodern Black and White Studio Pottery Vase from EH, 1980s, in Very Good conditions
Ceramic
$834Sale Price|20% Off
H 12.21 in Dm 4.73 in
Postmodern Ettore Sottsass Model 592 "Fischietto" Vase For Habitat, 2000
By Ettore Sottsass, Habitat International
Located in London, GB
For sale a rare & iconic Post-Modern “FISCHIETTO” ("Whistle" in Italian) vase designed by
Ceramic, Earthenware
$433Sale Price|37% Off
H 14.38 in Dm 7.09 in
1980s Postmodern Cased Glass Amphora Vase by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz, Poland
Located in Glasgow, GB
A bold and sculptural cased glass vase designed by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz and produced by Tarnowiec
Art Glass
$587
H 1.97 in W 6.3 in D 5.51 in
Postmodern Minimalist Ceramic Vase in Organic Shape from Asa Selection, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Minimalist Ceramic Vase in Organic Shape from Asa Selection, 1980s, in Very Good
Ceramic
$480
H 8.27 in W 2.56 in D 7.29 in
Postmodern Brown and Orange Glazed Ceramic Vase by Giovanni Bertoncello
By Giovanni Bertoncello
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
. This vase is signed on the bottom. It is a vintage piece, therefore it might show slight traces of use
Ceramic
$938 / set
H 9.06 in W 7.48 in D 2.76 in
Set of 2 Postmodern Italian Minimalist Vases from Bel Mondo, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Italian Minimalist Vases from Bel Mondo, 1980s, Set of 2, in Very Good conditions
Ceramic
$938 / set
H 9.06 in W 7.48 in D 2.76 in
Set of 2 Italian Postmodern Minimalist Vases from Bel Mondo, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Italian Postmodern Minimalist Vases from Bel Mondo, 1980s, Set of 2, in Very Good conditions
Ceramic
$587
H 7.87 in Dm 4.33 in
Vintage German Postmodern Alta Mira Series Ceramic Vase by Gilbert Portanier
By Gilbert Portanier
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vintage German Postmodern Alta Mira Series Ceramic Vase by Gilbert Portanier for Rosenthal, 1980s
Ceramic
$469 / set
H 2.36 in W 2.76 in D 1.18 in
Set of 2 Small Vintage German Postmodern Cult Metropolitan Vases, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Small Vintage German Postmodern Cult Metropolitan Vases by Dieter Sieger for Arzberg, 1980s, Set of
Porcelain
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
CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
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 Mendini — a 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.
Whether it’s a Chinese Han dynasty glazed ceramic wine vessel, a work of Murano glass or a hand-painted Scandinavian modern stoneware piece, a fine vase brings a piece of history into your space as much as it adds a sophisticated dynamic.
Like sculptures or paintings, antique and vintage vases are considered works of fine art. Once offered as tributes to ancient rulers, vases continue to be gifted to heads of state today. Over time, decorative porcelain vases have become family heirlooms to be displayed prominently in our homes — loved pieces treasured from generation to generation.
The functional value of vases is well known. They were traditionally utilized as vessels for carrying dry goods or liquids, so some have handles and feature an opening at the top (where they flare back out). While artists have explored wildly sculptural alternatives over time, the most conventional vase shape is characterized by a bulbous base and a body with shoulders where the form curves inward.
Owing to their intrinsic functionality, vases are quite possibly versatile in ways few other art forms can match. They’re typically taller than they are wide. Some have a neck that offers height and is ideal for the stems of cut flowers. To pair with your mid-century modern decor, the right vase will be an elegant receptacle for leafy snake plants on your teak dining table, or, in the case of welcoming guests on your doorstep, a large ceramic floor vase for long tree branches or sticks — perhaps one crafted in the Art Nouveau style — works wonders.
Interior designers include vases of every type, size and style in their projects — be the canvas indoors or outdoors — often introducing a splash of color and a range of textures to an entryway or merely calling attention to nature’s asymmetries by bringing more organically shaped decorative objects into a home.
On 1stDibs, you can browse our collection of vases by material, including ceramic, glass, porcelain and more. Sizes range from tiny bud vases to massive statement pieces and every size in between.