Set of Four PS142 Armchairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Barcelona, ES
Set of four PS142 armchairs designed in 1966 by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy. Metal frame upholstered with original checker fabric.
Metal
Chairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno PS 142, 1970's
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in NICE, FR
An exceptional PS 142 easy chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy, circa 1970s.
Textile
Eugenio Gerli PS142 Lounge Chair for Tecno
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in London, GB
We were surprised to learn that this is a 60's armchair. Eugenio must have been ahead of his time because this is presenting us with all the curves we love from the vintage Italian f...
Cotton, Velvet
Sold
H 26.38 in W 27.56 in D 25.2 in
Mid-Century Modern by Eugenio Gerli and Edited by Tecno PS 142 Italian Chairs
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Madrid, ES
Set of six PS 142 chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno.
Metal
Tecno PS142 Set Of 4 Lounge Chairs By Eugenio Gerli, Italy, 1969
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This set of 4 PS 142 lounge chairs comes in a blue gray velvet fabric and is in very good condition.
Fabric, Velvet
Sold
H 27.56 in W 27.56 in D 25.6 in
Vintage leather armchairs PS142 by eugenio gerli for Tecno, 1970s
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Pair of black leather armchairs Designed by architect Eugenio Gerli for Tecno Milano 1966 These beautiful 'split back' armchairs sit very well. Good condition Labeled. 1970s - It...
Leather
Sold
H 26.78 in W 23.63 in D 24.81 in
Pair of Black Alcantara PS142 Armchairs by Eugenio Gerli For Tecno, 1970
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Pair of black Alcantara office, dining or club chairs with chrome-plated metal wheels. Very good condition. Tecno label on the metal frame. On request is also available the T69 table...
Metal
Eugenio Gerli PS142 Easy Chairs Tecno, Italy, 1966
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice pair of low easy chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli and manufactured by Tecno, Italy, 1966. These chairs are made of black leather upholstered structure and they are on caste...
Leather
Set of Four PS142 Chairs Designed By Eugenio Gerli, Italy 1960's
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Madrid, ES
Set of four PS 142 chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno.
Metal
Pair of two PS142 Chairs Designed By Eugenio Gerli, Italy 1960's
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of two PS 142 chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno.
Metal
Sold
H 26.38 in W 27.56 in D 25.2 in
Eight Dining Chairs Model PS142 By Eugenio Gerli, Ivory Wool Fabric, Italy 1960
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Madrid, ES
Set of eight PS 142 chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno.
Metal
PS142 Armchair by Eugenio Gerli in Blue Nubuck Leather
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in Barcelona, ES
PS142 armchair designed in 1966 by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy. Metal frame upholstered with original blue nubuck leather. Three pieces available.
Metal
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.78 in D 23.63 in
Mid century Modern «PS 142» Armchairs By Eugenio Gerli For Tecno
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in Forest, BE
The PS 142 chair, a true masterpiece of mid-century modern furniture.
Metal
PS142 Easy Chairs by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno, 1960s
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Set of 4 cognac leather easy chairs model PS142 designed by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno, Italy. These beautiful 'split back' sit very comfortable. Good overall condition, age rela...
Leather
PS142 Easy Chairs by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno, 1960s
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Pair of black fabric armchair designed by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno, Italy. These beautiful 'split back' armchairs sit very comfortable. Good condition, missing a few strings un...
Fabric
Sold
H 31.5 in W 16.93 in D 18.51 in
Eugenio Gerli S82 Dining Chairs Set of Six by Tecno, Italy, circa 1960
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Set of six S82 dining chairs by Eugenio Gerli (and Osvaldo Borsani) for Tecno, Italy – circa 1960.
Metal, Brass
PS142 Easychairs by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno, 1960s, Set of 4
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Set of 4 model ps142 easychairs designed by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno Italy. The chairs are comfortable and easy to move about thanks to the casters. Good condition with normal...
Fabric
Sold
H 26.78 in W 53.94 in D 28.35 in
Ps142 Easychair and Two Seater Sofa by Eugenio Gerlio for Tecno, 1970s
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Very rare PS142 armchair and two seater sofa designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno.
Leather
Sold
H 26.38 in W 26.38 in
Pair of Eugenio Gerli Midcentury Green Fabric Italian Armchairs, Tecno 1960s
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Roma, IT
Incredible pair of mid-century green fabric and metal set of two PS142 armchairs. This set was designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno in Italy in the 60s.
Metal
Tecno T69 Table Osvaldo Borsani Eugenio Gerli
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani, Eugenio Gerli
Located in bari, IT
Round table model T69 with wood top, rare, production Tecno designers Osvaldo Borsani & Eugenio Gerli.
Aluminum
Osvaldo Borsani and Eugenio Gerli Dining or Working Set
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Barcelona, ES
Dining or working set designed between 1966-69 by Osvaldo Borsani and Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy. Composed of four PS142 armchairs and T69 table, the set was designed as a compac...
Metal, Steel
Sold
H 26.38 in W 27.56 in D 25.2 in
Mid-Century Modern by Eugenio Gerli and Edited by Tecno PS 142 Italian Chairs
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Madrid, ES
Set of six PS 142 chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno.
Metal
Set of 4 Ps142 Lounge Chairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Berkeley, CA
Origin: Italy Designer: Eugenio Gerli Manufacturer: Tecno Era: 1960s Materials: Wool, metal Measurements: 26.5? wide x 19.75? deep x 26.25? tall Condition: In good original c...
Metal
PS142 Easy Chairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, 1970s - set of 5
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Pair of alcantara PS142 easy chairs designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno.
Suede
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.78 in D 20.48 in
Set of 4 wheeled chairs PS142 mod. by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno 70's, Italy
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Padova, IT
Eugenio Gerli (Milan, 15 July 1923 – Milan, 2 October 2013) was an Italian architect and designer. During an intense professional career, lasting more than six decades, he built vill...
Velvet
Ten Armchairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno PS 142 Made in Italy
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
Ten Italian armchairs from the or office chairs "142" series, designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno in 1966 with manufacturer’s label. Upholstered in a wool fabric in good condition. W...
Metal
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.78 in D 23.23 in
Eugenio Gerli Green Fabric PS142 Italian Armchairs for Tecno, Italy, 1960s
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Almelo, NL
Eugenio Gerli Green Fabric PS142 Italian armchairs for Tecno, Italy 1960s Six "PS142" armchair designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy.
Steel
Sold
H 26.38 in W 26.38 in D 22.45 in
Eugenio Gerli Midcentury Green Fabric PS142 Italian Armchairs for Tecno, 1960s
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Roma, IT
This set was designed by Eugenio Gerli and produced by Tecno in Italy during the 1960s.
Metal
Sold
H 26.78 in W 23.63 in D 24.81 in
Black Alcantara PS142 Wheeled Armchairs by E. Gerli for Tecno, 1970, Set of 2
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Pair of black Alcantara office, dining or club chairs with chrome-plated metal wheels. Very good condition. Tecno label on the metal frame. On request is also available the T69 table...
Chrome
Set of Six Eugenio Gerli for Tecno "142" Chairs, 1970s, Italy
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Antwerp, BE
The 142 series has stood the test of time and become a Classic Tecno product. With Osvaldo Borsani of the historical working system called Graphis (1968), the architect Eugenio Gerli...
Metal
Sold
H 28.75 in Dm 47.25 in
Gerli and Borsani Midcentury T-69 Italian Wood Dining Table for Tecno Italy 1965
By Eugenio Gerli, Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Roma, IT
This diverse range of projects inspired his Industrial Design and today many have become icons, like the S83 chair, the PS 142 armchair Clamis, the Jamaica cabinet and the Graphis Sy...
Aluminum, Iron
Sold
H 26.78 in W 27.17 in D 24.81 in
Set of Four PS 142 Eugenio Gerli Mid-Century Modern Chair for Tecno
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Escalona, Toledo
Armchairs designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno Italia and manufactured in Spain under license from the Martinez Medina company in cream color. Metallic structure, padded in polyuretha...
Steel
PS 142 Armchairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, 1966, Set of Four
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in Bilbao, ES
PS 142 is the lower one of the series designed by Eugenio Gerli in 1960s, it has a metal structure and is fully upholstered in short of synthetic corduroy in gold yellow fabric cover...
Metal
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.38 in D 23.63 in
Pair Armchair PS142 Leather by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, Italy 1960s
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Pair of "PS142" armchairs in cognac leather by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno Very well made Italian manufacturing and design.
Metal
Set of Six Eugenio Gerli "142" Chairs, 1970s, Italy
By Eugenio Gerli
Located in L'Escala, ES
The 142 series has stood the test of time and become a Classic Tecno product. With Osvaldo Borsani of the historical working system called Graphis (1968), the architect Eugenio Gerli...
Suede
Sold
H 26.78 in W 27.17 in D 24.81 in
PS 142 Eugenio Gerli Mid-Century Modern Salmon Armchair for Tecno , Spain 70s
By Eugenio Gerli, Tecno
Located in Escalona, Toledo
Armchair designed by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno Italia and manufactured in Spain under license by the Martinez Medina Company in salmon color. Metal structure, padded in polyurethane fo...
Metal
$2,908Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 25.99 in W 26.38 in D 23.63 in
Set of Two Vintage P142 lounge chairs by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Milano, IT
The P142 lounge chair, designed by Italian designer Eugenio Gerli for the renowned furniture manufacturer Tecno in 1969, is a true symbol of timeless design and exquisite craftsmansh...
Steel, Iron
Pair of Italian Modernist Sculptural Lounge Chairs by Pizzetti
By Pizzetti Design
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage lounge chairs by Pizzetti of Roma (ca. 1960s, Italy). Composed of low, wide frames supported by deeply sculpted ebonized wooden bases. The generous seat and arm proportions c...
Metal
Pair of Oversized Adrian Pearsall Lounge Chairs
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Gladstone, NJ
Pair of oversized Adrian Pearsall lounge chairs.
Upholstery, Walnut
Pair of Italian armchairs in the style of Marco Zanuso, 1960s
By Marco Zanuso
Located in Palermo, PA
Pair of Italian armchairs in the style of Marco Zanuso, 1960s. Dimensions: H= 78 cm; W= 85 cm; D= 80 cm; h seat= 38 cm.
Iron
$6,200 / set
H 27.56 in W 25.99 in D 24.81 in
Giancarlo Piretti "Alky" Lounge Chairs for Anonima Castelli, 1970, Set of 2
By Anonima Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Giancarlo Piretti "Alky" Lounge Chairs for Anonima Castelli, Green Velvet, Italy, 1972, set of 2 Designed by Giancarlo Piretti for Anonima Castelli in 1972, the "Alky" lounge chair ...
Metal
$2,868 / set
H 33.08 in W 21.26 in D 23.63 in
Set of 4 pcs. Mid-Century Italian Romeo Rega/Maison Jansen Style Dining Chairs
Located in Vilnius, LT
Set of 4 pcs. Mid-Century Italian brass plated metal chairs from 1970s. The upholstery is in ochra and brown color combination original textile. Weight approx. 10 kg each.
Brass, Metal
Original Marco Zanuso Lady Chairs, 1960s
By Marco Zanuso
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A pair of original, authentic Marco Zanuso lady chairs, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. Later upholstery. Fast shipping worldwide.
Brass
$11,476 / set
H 24.41 in W 35.44 in D 33.86 in
Alberto Rosselli for Saporiti pair of Confidential armchairs 1970
By Alberto Rosselli Saporiti
Located in Paris, IDF
Nice pair of Confidential lounge chairs designed by Italian architect Alberto Rosselli in 1972 for Saporiti Italia. These Confidential seatings are 1970s iconic pieces, recognizable ...
Fabric
$8,263 / set
H 24.41 in W 42.13 in D 37.01 in
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Marenco Armchairs by Mario Marenco, Italy
By Mario Marenco
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Marenco Armchairs by Mario Marenco- New Velvet Upholstery Designed by Italian architect and designer Mario Marenco in 1970 for Arflex, the Marenco armchai...
Velvet
$2,928Sale Price / set|29% Off
H 31.11 in W 34.26 in D 34.26 in
Sergio Saporiti Mid-Century Modern Armchairs, Italy, 1967
By Fratelli Saporiti, Sergio and Giorgio Saporiti
Located in bari, IT
Set of two armchairs of Sergio Saporiti for Fratelli Saporiti Besnate Italy Since 1950, Saporiti Italia produces some of the most sophisticated and advanced pieces of furniture of t...
Metal
$3,700 / item
H 28.35 in W 27.56 in D 29.14 in
Mid-Century Modular Lounge Chairs for Arflex, Italy, 1970s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Antwerp, BE
Designed by Tito Agnoli for Arflex in 1970s Italy, this modular lounge seating system reflects a thoughtful balance between sculptural form and functional adaptability, characteristi...
Wool, Cotton, Wood
Italian Split Back Barrel Chairs, 1970
By Tecno, Eugenio Gerli
Located in Chicago, IL
Italian Split Back Barrel Chairs, 1970. Original upholstery in great condition on casters.
Upholstery
$3,557 / set
H 28.35 in W 26.38 in D 33.08 in
Alky Chairs by Giancarlo Piretti for Anonima Castelli, 1970s, Set of 2
By Giancarlo Piretti, Anonima Castelli
Located in bruxelles, BE
Pair of blue fabric chairs by Giancarlo Piretti, Alky model. Armchairs numbered under the legs. Seat height: 40 cm. Wear due to age and time. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE...
Metal
$8,263 / set
H 24.81 in W 32.29 in D 31.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Percival Lafer Armchairs, 1960s
By Percival Lafer
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Percival Lafer Armchairs, 1960s
Fabric, Wood
$7,919 / set
H 30.32 in W 22.05 in D 22.84 in
Set of 4 Vico Magistretti 905 Armchairs for Cassina 1964
By Vico Magistretti, Casina
Located in Barcelona, ES
Designed by the visionary Italian architect and designer Vico Magistretti, this exclusive set of four Model 905 armchairs is an exceptional collection that combines history, art, and...
Leather, Wood
$12,463
H 28.35 in W 37.41 in D 33.47 in
"Manhattan" armchair, designed by Jorge Zalszupin for "l'Atelier"
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in Barcelona, ES
Fantastic "Manhattan" armchair designed by the Brazilian architect of Polish origin Jorge Zalszupin, produced by his own company “l’Atelier”, an authentic rarity. Perhaps “Manhattan”...
Iron
$27,544 / set
H 29.93 in W 25.6 in D 25.6 in
Very Rare Pair of Leather and steel Lounge Chairs by Paul Geoffroy for Uginox
By Paul Geoffroy, Uginox
Located in Echt, NL
Iconic pair of lounge chairs in excellent condition. Deigned by Paul Geoffroy and manufactured by Uginox in the 1970s in France. Striking design composed of curved stainless steel ...
Steel, Stainless Steel
Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Monumental size Bamboo lamps. Crafted in Italy and made to order, these lamps are modern and chic. Production lead time 2-4 weeks. Base diameter 8 inches, hat diameter 20 inches, he...
Brass
$6,518 / set
H 24.01 in W 18.12 in D 14.18 in
Pair of Park Night Stands in Noir Oxblood Lacquer by Yaniv Chen for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Park nightstand is the epitome of exquisite craftsmanship, featuring meticulously proportioned dimensions and exceptional detailing that make it an ideal bedside companion. Our f...
Lacquer
$2,860 / item
H 29.93 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Ethnic Straw Armchair by +55design Brazilian Design with Indigenous Craft
By Neca Abrantes
Located in Jardim America, SP
This rotating armchair by Neca Abrantes is a striking fusion of contemporary Brazilian design and indigenous handcrafted traditions. Known for her deep passion for native craftsmansh...
Straw
Mario Marenco 'Marenco' 2 Seater Sofa 254 for Arflex
By Arflex, Mario Marenco
Located in Tilburg, NL
Mario Marenco 'Marenco' 2 Seater Sofa 254 for Arflex in fabric. New, current production. The unmistakable design and wide modularity still make the Marenco sofa a must-have in cont...
Fabric
Rosso Glass Wall Mirror
By Specchi Veneziani
Located in Milan, IT
Crafted in the finest Murano tradition, this exquisite Venetian mirror is a true work of art. Assembled with crystal and gold elements, and adorned with red glass flowers, each piece...
Glass
$1,340 / item
H 13.39 in W 10.63 in D 10.63 in
Set Antique Vintage Acorn Opaline White Milk Glass Ceiling Pendant Light Lamp
Located in Sale, GB
- A fabulous run of church opaline acorn pendant lights with steel galleries, circa 1950. - Wear commensurate with age, all in excellent condition, the steel galleries are aged worn...
Glass
$4,360 / item
H 28.35 in W 40.16 in D 34.65 in
"Pietra" Curved Armchair with Leather Arms Upholstered in Bouclé Fabric
By Studio Marta Manente
Located in Centro, RS
Pietra from Italian: Stone The designer Marta Manente is of Italian descent, her great-grandparents migrated from Italy over 100 years ago and lived in the region of Bento Gonçalves ...
Bouclé
$6,771 / set
H 24.01 in Dm 13.78 in
Pair of Constant Night Stands in Iroko Wood by Master Studio for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Neatly proportioned with exceptional detailing, the constant nightstand is your perfect bedside partner. In our furniture making, the IDEA is to create special pieces that you can bu...
Hardwood
$2,500 / item
H 8.5 in Dm 17.5 in
Vintage Inspired Handcrafted Fluted Farmhouse Porcelain Pendant Light
By DBO Home
Located in Sharon, CT
Classic, elegant, with a perfectly imperfect touch. We just love our new porcelain Parasol Fluted Pendants. Inspired by a vintage pie cover, we designed them to hang over our kitchen...
Brass
Paolo Buffa, Walnut Mid-Century Daybed, Italy 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Argelato, BO
Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) Rare and very elegant wooden daybed Varnished walnut and fabric Model created circa 1940 H 58 × L 205 × W 95 cm Paolo Buffa was an Italian furniture des...
Velvet, Walnut
$3,750 / set
H 25 in W 3.5 in D 2.5 in
Murano Glass Sconces, Hand-Blown Smoked Glass on Brass Frame, Italy
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of Murano glass sconces, each crafted with a single curved panel of hand-blown smoked glass on a brass frame. We love the modern style and hand-crafted quality of these sconces....
Brass
$6,950 / item
H 47.25 in Dm 21.66 in
Florian Schulz Double Onos 55-Pendant Lamp with Side Counter Weights
By Florian Schulz
Located in Berlin, DE
Really beautiful Florian Schulz double Onos 55-pendant lamp with one E27 / model for each lamp 100 Watt bulbs. Also available in US wired.
Brass
Large Raul Reyes 'Rey 30' Perforated Polished Brass Dome Chandelier
By Florian Schulz, Lisa Johansson-Pape, Paavo Tynell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large Raul Reyes 'Rey 30' Perforated Polished Brass Dome Chandelier. Hand-fabricated in Los Angeles, these highly refined chandeliers are reminiscent of the iconic mid-century Finni...
Brass
1960s Midcentury Coffee Table by Adrian Pearsall
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Midcentury walnut coffee table designed and manufactured by Adrian Pearsall, circa 1960s. This stunning coffee table features a black laminated top with a black vinyl base. the coffe...
Faux Leather, Walnut
Bertu Nightstands, Santa Fe Modern Nightstand, Maple
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
This Modern Nightstand - Santa Fe Collection is our newest design for 2025. It is made in the heart of Ohio with locally sourced wood. Each dresser is handmade in maple (or the wood ...
Maple
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.
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.