Dieter Rams Wandregal 606 Vitsoe schwarz Sideboard Design Bauhaus
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes modulares Wandregalsystem von Vitsoe aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Dieter Rams, einem der einflussreichsten Möbeldesigner d...
Aluminum
606 wall unit by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s Germany.
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Landgraaf, NL
606 wall unit by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s Germany.
Aluminum
Rare 5 Seating Elements + Corner Table by Otto Zapf, 1967, Germany, New Fabric!
By Otto Zapf
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
The high quality thick fibreglass bases are all in good vintage condition produced by the Zapf workshop around circa 1970 The 'sofalette' system is completely modular in that you ca...
Canvas, Cotton, Fiberglass, Foam, Wood
Unavailable
H 66.93 in W 109.85 in D 23.63 in
Vitsoe 606 Dieter Rams Shelving system minimalist wall unit
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Alsdorf, NW
We are pleased to offer an original Vitsœ 606 Universal Shelving System designed by Dieter Rams – a timeless and highly functional modular shelving system known for its versatility a...
Aluminum
Unavailable
H 90.56 in W 27.56 in D 15.75 in
Dieter Rams, 606 Universal Shelving System Black, Vitsoe, 1960
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Grenoble, FR
Storage and shelves Vitsoe system designed by Dieter Rams. The shelves and cabinet are mounted on aluminium columns (X-Post) and fixed to the wall. Of course, if preferred the E-Trac...
Unavailable
H 114.18 in W 133.86 in D 19.69 in
Dieter Rams - 606 Universal Shelving System - Vitsoe, 1960
By Dieter Rams
Located in Grenoble, FR
Large storage, display and workspace Vitsoe system designed by Dieter Rams. The shelves and cabinet are mounted on aluminium columns (X-Post) and can be placed in front of the wall b...
Unavailable
H 66.93 in W 79.93 in D 15.36 in
System 606 wall unit from the 1960s by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Cologne, DE
Wall unit from the 606 series, designed in 1960 by Dieter Rams, manufactured in Germany by Vitsoe.
Aluminum
Dieter Rams Vitsoe 606 Shelving Unit
By Dieter Rams
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare four section Vitsoe 606 shelving system designed by Dieter Rams, Germany, 1960s.
Sold
H 94.49 in W 52.37 in D 14.18 in
German 606 Modular Shelving System by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s
By Dieter Rams
Located in London, Lambeth
Or an Oral-B toothbrush. Or a Vitsoe 606 shelving system. Or any of the hundreds of other products Dieter has designed or overseen the design of Measures: 240cm high 36c...
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Neuss, NW
Article Details Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams
Located in Neuss, NW
Article Details Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Metal
Dieter Rams 606 Universal Shelving System for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful 2-section dieter rams industrial shelving unit on aluminum risers with storage cabinets and adjustable shelves. 2 upper drop-down Formica cabinets with keys and 4 adjustabl...
Aluminum
Dieter Rams Wandregal 606 Vitsoe Holz schmal Design Bauhaus
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir beiten ein wunderschönes modulares Wandregalsystem von Vitsoe aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Dieter Rams, einem der einflussreichsten Möbeldesigner d...
Aluminum
Original Dieter Rams Wandregal 606 Vitsoe Holz Design Bauhaus
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes modulares Wandregalsystem von Vitsoe aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Dieter Rams, einem der einflussreichsten Möbeldesigner d...
Aluminum
Original Dieter Rams Wandregal 606 Vitsoe weiß Design Bauhaus
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes modulares Wandregalsystem von Vitsoe aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Dieter Rams, einem der einflussreichsten Möbeldesigner d...
Aluminum
Dieter Rams 606 Two-Section Shelving Unit for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Handsome 2-section dieter rams industrial shelving unit on aluminum risers with storage cabinets and adjustable shelves. 2 lower drop-down formica cabinets with keys and 6 adjustable...
Aluminum
Dieter Rams 606 Series Floating Credenza for Vitsoe, 1960s Design
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This rare, iconic "606 Series" unit, designed by the legendary Dieter Rams in his signature minimalist style for Vitsoe, is a wall mounted floating credenza, consisting of two out o...
Metal
Sold
H 15.75 in W 107.88 in D 14.97 in
midcentury 606 modular wall shelving by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp
The 606 modular system was designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe in the early 1960s.
Metal
Sold
H 83.08 in W 151.58 in D 14.97 in
Industrial Design Vitsoe Wall System by Dieter Rams Model 606, 1960s
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in The Hague, NL
Industrial design large wall system made by Vitsoe in Germany. Design by Dieter Rams in 1960.
Aluminum
Sold
H 15.75 in W 108.27 in D 14.77 in
Dieter Rams Sideboard 606 Universal Shelving System for Vitsœ, Germany, 1965
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munster, NRW
Dieter Rams sideboard 606 Universal shelving system for Vitsœ, Germany, 1965.
Aluminum
Dieter Rams 3 Section 606 Universal Shelving System for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare 3 section Dieter Rams industrial shelving unit on aluminum risers with storage cabinets and adjustable shelves. Two lift-up and two sliding door formica cabinets with 6 adjustab...
Aluminum
Sold
H 60.63 in W 72.05 in D 15.75 in
Mid-Century Shelf System By Dieter Rams Vitsoe, Model 606, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Rosendahl, DE
The modular shelving system "606", designed by Dieter Rams in 1960 and manufactured by Vitsœ.
Aluminum
Model 606 wall unit in black by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Steenwijk, NL
The 606 universal shelving system was designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe in Germany in 1960.
Metal
Sold
H 15.56 in W 107.88 in D 14.77 in
Dieter Rams Sideboard 606 Universal Shelving System for Vitsœ, Germany, 1965
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munster, NRW
A true design Classic, the 606 Universal shelving system by Dieter Rams. Due to the various elements and measurements of the shelves and cabinets it is timeless and flexible in i...
Sold
H 71.5 in W 108.5 in D 15 in
Dieter Rams Designed System 606 Metal Wall Mount Shelving Unit by Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare all metal shelving unit from the "606" series, made by Vitsoe and designed by the renowned German designer Dieter Rams in 1960.
Metal
Sold
H 78.75 in W 72.05 in D 15.75 in
Mid-Century Black Shelf System 2 By Dieter Rams Vitsoe, Model 606, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Rosendahl, DE
The modular shelving system "606", designed by Dieter Rams in 1960 and manufactured by Vitsœ.
Aluminum
Sold
H 47.05 in W 143.31 in L 47.05 in
Mid-Century Modern Wall Shelving Unit Model 606 by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Wonderful and elegant Mid-Century Modern modular wall shelving unit. Design by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. Striking German design from the 1960s. Aluminum with lacquered plywood. In ...
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
Sold
H 73.04 in W 89.57 in D 14.97 in
Dieter Rams, Wall Unit Model 606, Aluminum, Walnut Wood, Germany, Design 1960
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Den Haag, NL
Designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Germany 1960s model 606.
Walnut
Dieter Rams for Vitsoe 606 Universal Shelving System
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare 3 section Dieter Rams industrial shelving unit on aluminum risers with storage cabinets and 8 assorted shelves. Two cabinets with sliding doors, one with a drop-down door, and m...
Metal
Sold
H 16.93 in W 70.87 in D 15.75 in
Very Rare Vitsoe 606 Shelving System Flotating Sideboard by Dieter Rams
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Münster, DE
The Modular Shelving System 606 is an absolute design classic, designed by Dieter Rams in 1960 for VITSOE.
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
606 Shelving system, Dieter Rams for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.High-quality construction consisting of eight aluminium E profiles, 16 shelves, one container with two sliding doo...
Aluminum
Dieter Rams 606 Shelving System for Vitsœ
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Neuss, NW
Modular 606 shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ from the 1960s.
Aluminum
Wall Shelf System By Dieter Rams Vitsoe, Model 606, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Rosendahl, DE
The modular shelving system "606", designed by Dieter Rams in 1960 and produced by Vitsœ.
Aluminum
Dieter Rams Multi-Section System 606 Wall Unit for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mid-Century multi-section wall unit from the "606" series, made by Vitsoe and designed by the renowned German designer Dieter Rams in 1960.
Metal
Dieter Rams Black '606' Wall Mount Shelving Unit for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A large, wall-mounted '606' shelving system by visionary German designer Dieter Rams for Vitsoe.
Aluminum
Sold
H 15.75 in W 108.27 in D 9.26 in
Dieter Rams Sideboard 606 Universal Shelving System for Vitsœ, Germany, 1965
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Munster, NRW
Dieter Rams sideboard 606 universal shelving system for Vitsœ, Germany, 1965 6 x Boards small 90.5 cm wide 11 cm high 23.5 cm deep.
Aluminum
Dieter Rams Wall Mount 606 Shelving Unit for Vitsoe in Black
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large black "606" wall mount shelving system by the incomparable and highly influential Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany.
Aluminum
Sold
H 78.75 in W 72.05 in D 15.75 in
Mid-Century Black Shelf System By Dieter Rams Vitsoe, Model 606, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Rosendahl, DE
The modular shelving system "606", designed by Dieter Rams in 1960 and manufactured by Vitsœ.
Aluminum
Sold
H 9.313 in W 35.688 in D 9.313 in
Set of 3 Dieter Rams System 606 Wall Mount Shelves for Vitsoe in Champagne
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of rare colorway 3 Mid-Century shelves with sides from the "606" series, made by Vitsoe and designed by the renowned German designer Dieter Rams in 1960.
Metal
Sold
H 103.15 in W 125.99 in D 13.78 in
Mid-Century Modern Free Standing 606 Wall Unit by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Design by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. Model number: 606. Striking German design from the 1960s.
Aluminum
Dieter Rams ‘606 Series’ Two Section Shelving System
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This iconic "606 Series" unit, designed by the legendary Dieter Rams in his signature minimalist style, is a two-section shelving system with off-white and brushed aluminum, a double...
Aluminum
Sold
H 91.74 in W 161.23 in D 15.16 in
Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Large Modular Wall Unit in Aluminum and Black Wood
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, wall unit model 606, aluminum, wood, Germany, design 1960 This grand wall unit is design by German product and furniture designer Dieter Rams.
Aluminum
Sold
H 26.78 in W 24.81 in D 35.44 in
Nine Seating Elements, Otto Zapf, 1967, Germany, Super Rare Original Leather
By Otto Zapf
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Otto Zapf began his design career by joining the iconic Braun company in 1955 where he met colleague Dieter Rams, in 1957 they formed their own design firm, 'RZ-furniture Vertrie...
Leather, Upholstery
Large Bookcase by Dieter Rams, Germany Vitsœ 606
By Dieter Rams
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
A large Bookcase by the German Designer Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany 1960. 22 shelves: 9 x 65 x 23 cm 6 x 91 x 23 cm 5 x 65 x 36 cm 2 x 91 x 36 cm 3 x Cabinets: 2 x 65 ...
Aluminum
Black Shelf System 606 by Dieter Rams, Vitsoe 1966
By Dieter Rams
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Black Shelf System 606 by Dieter Rams, Vitsoe 1966. Four Cabinets, 14 x Metal shelves, 5 x Wall Holder Good vintage Condition.
Aluminum, Metal
Sold
H 39.38 in W 39.38 in D 39.38 in
Authentic Vitsoe Shelving System 606 by Dieter Rams in black 1973 Minimalist
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Alsdorf, NW
Classic 606 Universal Shelving System designed by Dieter Rams, available in black and originating from 1973. This modular shelving unit exemplifies Rams' commitment to functional, lo...
Aluminum
Sold
H 110.24 in W 71.66 in D 12.21 in
Shelves of System, Model 606, Black Dieter Rams for Vitsœ and Zapf, 1966
By Dieter Rams
Located in Grenoble, FR
This wooden 606 shelf system was manufactured in 1966 by Vitsoe following a design by Dieter Rams.
Dieter Rams 606 Universal Shelving System '2'
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in RHEEZERVEEN, Overijssel
A true design classic, the 606 Universal shelving system by Dieter Rams. Due to the various elements and measurements of the shelves and cabinets it is timeless and flexible in it’s ...
Aluminum
Dieter Rams Wall System Shelf 606 Vistoe, Germany, 1960s
By Dieter Rams, Vitsoe
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Dieter Rams shelf system, 606 with 3 boxes and a total of 18 shelves in light grey / white. Measures: H 142 cm, W 268 cm, D 38 cm. Good to very good condition.
Aluminum
Sold
H 52.76 in W 107.68 in D 14.18 in
Dieter Rams 606 Universal Shelving System in Walnut Veneer for Vitsoe
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in RHEEZERVEEN, Overijssel
A true design classic, the 606 Universal shelving system by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe.
Wood
Sold
H 70.87 in W 114.18 in D 15.75 in
Rare 1960s Dieter Rams 606 Beechwood & Aluminium Modular Wall Unit for Vitsoe
By Dieter Rams, Niels Vitsoe
Located in Hamminkeln, DE
Beautiful vintage, early production in beechwood. Good vintage condition. One large cabinet circa 90 x 38 x 38cm, three cabinets circa 66 x 38 x 38cm, three shelves circa 90 x 22cm...
Aluminum
Large Shelf System 606 by Dieter Rams, Germany 1960
By Dieter Rams
Located in Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
Large Wall System 606 by Dieter Rams, Germany 1960. 5 Cabinets, 25 shelves and 6 Wall holder. Aluminum and lacquered Wood. Very good original Condition. Worldwide shipping.
Aluminum
Hans Weiss Custom Headboard for King Bed
By Hans Weiss
Located in Hanover, MA
BG GALLERIES WINTER SALE ends March 31 Custom L shaped headboard cabinet wall with floating nightstands and bookshelves designed by Hans Weiss in 1960 for the master bedroom of an U...
Brass
$27,866 / 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
$3,990 / item
H 15.75 in W 74.81 in D 29.14 in
Mustard Velvet Daybed with V-Shaped Beechwood Base, Model V
By Dusty Deco
Located in Los Angeles, CA
DD V daybed is an exclusive daybed made by hand in Bosnia and Herzegovina by skilled craftsmen with long experience in wood and upholstery. Both frame and the characteristic V-shaped...
Fabric, Beech, Velvet
$38,400 / set
H 23.63 in W 35.44 in D 35.44 in
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Sofa for B&B Italia, Two-tone Velvet, Set of 8
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, velvet, metal and plastic, Italy, 1970, eight elements. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscovered. Our atelier carefully res...
Plastic, Velvet
$4,400
H 27.56 in W 88.59 in D 33.47 in
Yrjö Kukkapuro for Haimi 'Ateljee' Sectional Sofa in Black Leather
By Haimi, Yrjö Kukkapuro
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Yrjö Kukkapuro for Haimi Finland, modular sofa, leather, metal, wood, Finland, 1963 This streamlined sectional sofa is characterized by a simplistic, natural and modernist aesthetic...
Metal
$696 / item
H 7.4 in W 1.8 in D 7.7 in
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' Table Lamp in Green for Stilnovo
By Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Glendale, CA
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' table lamp in green for Stilnovo Founded in 1946 in Milan, Stilnovo was one of the most innovative lighting companies in Italy during the M...
Metal
$4,320Sale Price|24% Off
H 22.05 in W 70.87 in D 18.9 in
Raymond Loewy DF-2000 Orange Plastic Drawer Media Cabinet Credenza
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Chattanooga, TN
A visionary convergence of mid-century modern elegance and Space Age daring, this Raymond Loewy DF-2000 media cabinet is more than a functional storage solution—it is a sculptural ma...
Chrome
Maralunga sofa by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1970s
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sofa in creamy white fabric designed by Vico Magistretti, Model: Maralunga. Seat height: 44 cm. Wear due to time and age. For shipping, request us for receive the best price.
Fabric
Milo Baughman Chesterfield Style Tufted Sofa
By Milo Baughman
Located in Dallas, TX
Milo Baughman Chesterfield style tufted sofa with wood plinth base. In good vintage condition, circa 1980s Dimension: 84" long 32" deep 26" tall seat height 14".
Fabric
$4,354 / set
H 40.56 in W 23.63 in D 26.78 in
Dieter Rams Lounge Chair and Ottoman Model 602 by Vitsoe for Restoration
By Vitsoe, Dieter Rams
Located in München, BY
Very elegant Dieter Rams Lounge Chair with high backrest and Ottoman of the RZ 60 601/602 armchair range. This Model 602 was designed in 1961 and executed by Vitsoe. Chair and ottoma...
Aluminum
$7,895Sale Price|20% Off
H 37.01 in W 37.41 in D 39.38 in
Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - 1960's Italy
By Joe Colombo
Located in Lisboa, PT
Iconic Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - Collectible Design Masterpiece The Elda Chair, designed by visionary Italian designer Joe Colombo for Comfort in the 1960s, is an unpa...
Leather, Fiberglass
Mario Brunu Rodica Lounge Chair for Comfort
By Mario Brunu
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The midcentury lounge chair is in near original condition It may show minimal traces of use. Very comfortable and great Italian design .
Leather, Fiberglass
$6,583Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 29.93 in W 32.29 in D 37.8 in
Set of Vintage Italian Velvet Five Modular Armchairs and Coffee Table, 1970s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Beautiful modular velvet sofa, composed of 5 armchairs and a coffee table. The coffee table has a smoked mirror as a top. The Italian sofa is in dark orange hammered velvet, original...
Velvet, Beech
$5,196Sale Price|20% Off
H 45.5 in W 39.5 in D 18.75 in
Large Raymond Loewy Inspired Yellow Chapter One Gentlemans Chest Armoire
By Broyhill, Ettore Sottsass, Raymond Loewy
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This model is nearly impossible to find. Moreover, yellow is the most sought after option. Combined with the fact that we've restored this piece to outstanding condition, we're cer...
Plastic, Hardwood
Space Age Fiberglass Bed by Astarte, 1970s
By Astarte Milano
Located in Parma, IT
Space age fiberglass bed painted white, Astarte Milano production of the 1970s. Composed of 4 modules, with original metal bed base. The label in the pictures was later removed fo...
Fiberglass
Outdoors bench, attributed to Jorge Zalszupin. Brazil, 1960s.
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in Barcelona, ES
Outdoors bench, probably designed by Jorge Zalszupin and produced by l’Atelier in 1960s, made of fiber glass and plastic. The bench is perfect for outdoor garden area, with two seats...
Fabric, Fiberglass
German industrial designer Dieter Rams is revered for the pared-down, intuitive electronics and consumer goods he created for Braun — where he worked from 1955 to 1997, most of that time as chief design officer — and his timeless furniture for Vitsœ, a company with which he continues to collaborate today.
Less well known are Rams’s longstanding focus on sustainability and uneasy relationship with contemporary technology, even as Silicon Valley designers like Apple’s Jonathan Ive follow in his rational footsteps.
During Germany’s postwar rebuilding period, Rams and his team of designers at Braun, inspired by the Bauhaus and the Ulm School of Design, focused on extreme simplicity and usability while conceiving products with a modern, forward-looking appearance.
Among Rams’s most iconic designs is the SK 4 phonograph and radio, created in 1956, which had a compact white metal case topped by a revolutionary-at-the-time transparent Plexiglas lid that revealed simple gray controls inside (it was nicknamed Snow White’s Coffin). But it is the T3 portable radio, from 1958, that gets design aficionados most excited today: A white rectangular box with a perforated square for the speaker and a circular-dial control, it bears an unmistakable resemblance to Apple’s original iPod. (Many people also note that the iPhone’s calculator app looks remarkably similar to the Braun ET 66 calculator, with its circular color-coded buttons.)
In the late 1970s, Rams laid out his widely studied 10 principles for good design: It is innovative, makes a product useful, is aesthetic, makes a product understandable, is unobtrusive, is honest, is long lasting, is thorough down to the last detail, is environmentally friendly and is as little design as possible.
One of Rams’s principles that hasn’t translated to our contemporary era is his emphasis on longevity. “The time of thoughtless design and thoughtless consumption is over,” he said in 1976, stressing the need to conserve natural resources — even as he was busy designing plastic products.
Rams has also expressed reservations about how electronics have evolved in recent decades from tools for improving life to time-sucking obsessions. “Every time he crosses a street and sees people glued to their phones, he just can’t conceive of how we got to this point,” says filmmaker Gary Hustwit, whose feature-length documentary on Rams debuted in 2018. “I think he’s a little bit saddened by all this work they did in the fifties and sixties, which had a very idealistic point of view, being a stepping stone to where we are now, and the current lust for technology.”
If digital devices sometimes seem to be making life more complicated, Rams’s precept remains the same as always: “Back to purity, back to simplicity.”
Find vintage Dieter Rams 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.
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.