$2,196 / set
Fat Lava Wall Plaques by Ruscha Keramik, 1970s
By Ruscha
Located in Rijssen, NL
A set of three wall plaques by Ruscha Keramik, manufatured in the 1970s. They are manufactured in brown/white clay, red and brown fat lava ornaments.
Ceramic
$120Sale Price|48% Off
Ruscha Keramik Brutalist Advents Candle Holder - West Germany, 1960's
By Ruscha
Located in Bern, BE
West German ceramic Brutalist Advents candle holder produced by Ruscha Keramik (W.Germany) in the late 1960's to mid-1970s.
Ceramic
Ruscha Keramik Germany Vintage Ceramic Vase With Japanese Decoration
By Ruscha
Located in Prato, Tuscany
Black ceramic vase with Japanese decoration painted and enameled in relief, this vintage product was made between 1960 and 1965 by Ruscha Keramik a famous West German company, and be...
Ceramic
$120Sale Price|48% Off
1960's Ruscha Keramik Brutalist Advents Candle Holder - West Germany
By Ruscha
Located in Bern, BE
West German ceramic Brutalist Advents candle holder produced by Ruscha Keramik (W.Germany) in the late 1960's to mid-1970s.
Ceramic
$210Sale Price|30% Off
Ikebana 1970s Extra Large Ceramic Majolika Wall Plate by Ruscha Keramik, Germany
By Ruscha
Located in Andernach, DE
Ruscha Keramik, one of Germanys most well known mid-century ceramic.
Ceramic
Mid-Century Vase Decor Filigran by Adele Bolz for Ruscha Keramik
By Ruscha
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
In 1963 she left Ruscha for a career at Ulmer Keramik until her death in 1964 (aged 50).
Ceramic
2 beautiful vintage 1970s WALL TILES by ruscha-keramik floral design
By Ruscha
Located in Mannheim, DE
Two beautiful and decorative wall ceramics by Ruscha-Keramik, West-Germany from the 1970s. Various floral motifs in a lovely, stylized design.
Ceramic
Vintage Ceramic Wall Plaque – Ruscha Keramik, 1970s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Ccc
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern Vase by Ruscha Germany
By Ruscha
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
In a very good condition beautiful handpainted vase from Ruscha Keramik. Decor Milano.
Ceramic
Seventies Fat Lava Vase decor Costa by Ruscha Germany
By Ruscha
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Stunning 70’s vase in blue/green glaze with thick black fat lava stripes by Ruscha Keramik Germany.
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern Vase Decor Milano by Ruscha Germany
By Ruscha
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
In a very good condition beautiful handpainted vase from Ruscha Keramik. Decor Milano and this pattern is one of the most stunning designs of the sixties.
Ceramic
$342Sale Price|56% Off
turquoise lava glazed RUSCHA FLOOR VASE 60s 70s hand-thrown marked G.- 863-40
By Ruscha
Located in Landshut, BY
beautiful FLOOR VASE attributed to / most probably by RUSCHA KERAMIK RUSCHA KERAMIK was launched in 1948 when Rudolf Schardt assumed the management of Klein & Schardt, his father Geo...
Pottery
Beige Mid-Century Fat Lava Vase, Studio Ceramic by Ruscha 1970s, Western Germany
By Ruscha, Kurt Tschörner
Located in Andernach, DE
A beautiful stylish piece of art by Ruscha Keramik, West Germany around 1970. Attributed to the hands of Kurt Tschörner and a typical 70s design.
Ceramic
$101Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-Century Fat Lava Studio Ceramic Vase, K. Tschorner for Ruscha 1960s, Germany
By Kurt Tschörner, Ruscha
Located in Andernach, DE
Funky Fat Lava in a lava red: mid-century ceramic vase from the ''volcano'' series of Ruscha Keramik. Executed by Kurt Tschörner, around 1960 for Ruscha, Western Germany.
Ceramic
Rare Ruscha Hellas Handled Jug Vase Geomitric Pattern Pottery Vase MCM
By Ruscha
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This striking mid-century modern handled jug vase is a rare piece from the Hellas series by Ruscha Keramik, Germany. Crafted in ceramic, the vase showcases a bold, tapered silhouette...
Ceramic, Clay, Pottery
ruscha art VASE jug drip glaze shades of purple black brown 1970 80s model 370
By Ruscha
Located in Mannheim, DE
A fantastic vintage West German vase manufactured by Ruscha Keramik in the 1970s to 80s. Great glaze, partly matte, partly metallic, in predominantly dark tones from black to brown t...
Ceramic
Brown Glazed Bull Sculpture by Ed Ruscha, Ceramic, 1970s
By Ed Ruscha
Located in Zevenaar, NL
**Designer:** Kurt Tschörner **Manufacturer:** Ruscha Keramik **Origin:** Germany **Period:** 1960s **Material:** Glazed ceramic **Condition:** Very good vintage condition, consisten...
Ceramic
Large Mid-Century Modern German Fat Lava Vase by Ruscha Model 335
By Ruscha
Located in COLMAR, FR
A striking exemple of mid-century ceramics from German maker Ruscha Keramik, founded in 1948 by Rudolph Schardt.
Ceramic
Unusual 1970s Brown West German Jug Vase with Handle and Spout
By Ruscha
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant 1970s Ruscha Keramik vase or water jug. Marked 'R-23 West Germany' on bottom.
Ceramic
$332Sale Price|20% Off
RUSCHA ART 1970s WGP Pottery WALL PLATE " SAILING BOATS " 1970s Western Germany
Located in Landshut, BY
stunning (Ø 28cm) and heavy (1362grs) RUSCHA ART Wall Plate History of the company RUSCHA KERAMIK was originally founded in 1905 by Georg Schardt and was originally called Klein...
Pottery
Mid-Century Modern Small Vase by Bodo Mans for Bay Keramik Germany
By Bay Keramik, Bodo Mans
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Following his 1957 return to Germany and a short stint with Ruscha Keramik, Mans went to work as a designer for Marei Keramik in Rheinbach, where he was employed through the end of 1...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern ‘Reims’ Vase by Bodo Mans for Bay Keramik Germany
By Bay Keramik, Bodo Mans
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Following his 1957 return to Germany and a short stint with Ruscha Keramik, Mans went to work as a designer for Marei Keramik in Rheinbach, where he was employed through the end of 1...
Ceramic
Ruscha Art Brown Ceramic Vase, Mid-Century West German Pottery
By Scheurich Keramik, Kurt Tschörner, Ruscha, Dümler & Breiden
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Ruscha was founded in 1948 by Rudolph Schardt; the factory closed in 1996.
Ceramic, Pottery
Bay 'Brasil" Vase by Bodo Mans
By Bay Keramik, Bodo Mans
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Following his 1957 return to Germany and a short stint with Ruscha Keramik, Mans went to work as a designer for Marei Keramik in Rheinbach, where he was employed through the end of 1...
Ceramic
Jasba Keramik Aztec Duck Vase, West German Ceramics, Vintage 1960s
By Jasba Keramik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Rem...
Ceramic
Extra Large 1960s Ceramic West German Studio Pottery Vase, Germany Bauhaus
By Ruscha, Roth Keramik
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Fat Lava Art Vase Producer: Scheurich, Germany Design: Nr. 408-40 Decade: 1970s. This original vintage vase was produced in the 1970s i...
Ceramic
1950s-1970s Bodo Mans Blue Rectangular West German Floor Vase, Geometric Relief
By Bay Keramik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Rem...
Ceramic
Brutalist Fat Lava Ceramic Bud Vase with Red Glaze Detail
By Marei Keramik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Manufacturers including Ruscha, Scheurich, and Bay Keramik developed the technique, in which a thick, foaming glaze was applied over a base glaze to create the characteristic porous,...
Lava
Mid-Century Scheurich Ceramic Vase, Gray and Brown Glaze, West German
By Scheurich Keramik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Scheurich, one of over 100 manufacturers active during this period, developed distinctive glazing techniques that set their work apart from contemporaries like Bay Keramik, Ruscha, a...
Ceramic
Large Brown West German Ceramic Scheurich Koralle Vase
By Scheurich Keramik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Mustard and Tan West German Vase with Handle and Brown Swirls
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Funky Teal German Vase with Red, Yellow, and White Accents
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Tall Brown Hand Thrown Ceramic Vase with Lip by Mobach
By Mobach
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Tall Dutch Black Metallic Glazed Ceramic Vase with Wide Neck and Lip
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Large 1960s Scheurich Engobe Ceramic Vase, West German Art Pottery 293-42
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Scheurich stands among the most collectible makers of this era, alongside Bay Keramik, Ruscha, and Dümler & Breiden. Crafted in the distinctive engobe technique, the vase featur...
Ceramic
Unavailable
H 16.15 in W 8.94 in D 0.99 in
Ruscha Keramik, Series Vulcano Plaque with Rearing, Red Glazed Horse 1968
By Ruscha
Located in Achterveld, NL
Like a few other manufacturers RUSCHA KERAMIK occasionally recycled form numbers, a cause of distress for some collectors.
Ceramic
Unavailable
H 10.25 in W 13 in D 8.5 in
Kurt Tschörner for Ruscha “Vulkano” Glazed Ceramic Horse, 1960s
By Kurt Tschörner, Ruscha
Located in San Francisco, CA
An uncommon 1960s “Vulkano” glazed ceramic horse by Kurt Tschörner for notable West German pottery studio Ruscha Keramik. Very lively stylized sculpture of a horse with head throw...
Ceramic
Small Ruscha Bull by Otto Keramik
By Otto Keramik
Located in Halstead, GB
Ruscha bull from Otto Keramik, 2015 These pieces are made by the Otto Keramik studio, proprietary techniques and moulds dating from late 1950s Otto Gerhardz.
Ceramic
Sold
H 1.97 in W 14.18 in D 14.18 in L 1.97 in
Ruscha Keramik fat lava wall plate mushrooms 717/3, West Germany 1970s
By Ruscha
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Germany / 1970s / plate / Ruscha mushrooms 717/3 / ceramic / Vintage / Mid-century / Modernist Psychedelic modernist ceramic wall plate from the "Mushroom" series by Ruscha Keramik ...
Lava
1960's Kurt Tschörner for RUSCHA Keramik Attributed Ceramic Jug
By Kurt Tschörner
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Mid-Century pottery that the prolific German ceramicist Kurt Tschörner (1912–1987) made for Ruscha Keramik is widely considered to be among the best designs to emerge from the il...
Ceramic
Sold
H 14.38 in W 14.38 in D 1.19 in
large ruscha WALL TILE tuscan landscape with cypresses along a river 1970s
By Ruscha
Located in Mannheim, DE
Large vintage ceramic wall tile manufactured by Ruscha-Keramik in the 1970s with a beautiful tuscan landscape motif with cypresses.
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s Ceramic West German Studio Pottery, Germany Bauhaus
By Ruscha, Roth Keramik
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Pottery ceramic vase Fat Lava Decade: 1960s Origin: Germany Description: Original vintage 1960s pottery ceramic vase in Germany. High qualit...
Ceramic
Sold
H 15 in W 7.5 in D 7.5 in
Mid-Century West German Deep Blue Scheurich Ceramic Vase with White Swirl Glaze
By Scheurich Keramik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Teal Bay Keramik German Lava Glazed Vase with Handle and Red Band
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern Ceramic Pitcher, Glazed, Germany, 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Large Glazed Teal and Brown Ceramic Vase with Florist's Label
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Large Mid-Century Gray and Yellow Lava Vase with Hourglass Shape
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Ceramic Vase with Heavy Lip and in Blues, Greens and Tan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
1970s Dümler & Breiden Tapered Water Jug with Wavy Band and Swirls
By Dümler & Breiden
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
West German Ceramic Vase with Gray and Blue Gradient
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Mid-Century, West German, Large Heavy Lava Glazed Jug with Red Band
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Ruscha Keramik Brown Glazed Bull, West Germany, 1960s
By Ruscha
Located in New York, NY
A beautifully glazed figurative ceramic bull from Ruscha Keramik.
Pottery
Mid-Century Modern Bowl or Plate by Ruscha Keramik
By Ruscha
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Beautiful plate from Ruscha Keramik. Pattern: Domino.
Ceramic
Ruscha Keramik Signed Large "Heron" Vase in Ceramic, Hans Welling, 1950s
By Hans Welling, Ruscha
Located in Verviers, BE
Ruscha Keramik "Heron" vase in ceramic, Hans Welling, 1950s.
Ceramic
Sold
H 9.85 in W 8.67 in D 8.67 in
Ruscha Midcentury Vase Drip Glaze Earth Tones Kurt Tschoerner Model 340
By Ruscha, Kurt Tschörner
Located in Mannheim, DE
A fantastic vintage West German vase manufactured by Ruscha Keramik in the 1960s to 70s. Drip glaze in shades of brown and beige with some moss green and rust colors.
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern ‘Brasil’ Vase by Bodo Mans for Bay Keramik Germany
By Bodo Mans, Bay Keramik
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Following his 1957 return to Germany and a short stint with Ruscha Keramik, Mans went to work as a designer for Marei Keramik in Rheinbach, where he was employed through the end of 1...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern ‘Brasil’ Vase by Bodo Mans for Bay Keramik Germany
By Bodo Mans, Bay Keramik
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Following his 1957 return to Germany and a short stint with Ruscha Keramik, Mans went to work as a designer for Marei Keramik in Rheinbach, where he was employed through the end of 1...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Dutch Wide Metallic Black Vase with Pinched Neck
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Large West German Tapered Lava Glazed Vase
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Tall West German Orange Lava Glazed Ceramic Vase
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With over 100 manufacturers at the height of production, some makers such as Bay Keramik, Carstens, Ceramano, Dümler & Breiden, ES Keramik, Fohr, Gramann Römhild, Marzi & Remy, Otto ...
Ceramic
Ruscha Keramik, Montblanc Series, Kurt Tschörner, Modernist Monochrome Vase
By Kurt Tschörner, Ruscha
Located in Frome, GB
This exemplary work of Modernist ceramic artistry is from the rare-to-market and highly sought-after Montblanc series designed by Kurt Tschörner for the internationally renowned West...
Ceramic
Large Scheurich Ceramic Vase
By Scheurich Keramik
Located in Chicago, IL
Scheurich ceramic vase One minor chip on top rim (as shown).
Ceramic
Hermann August Kahler Art Deco Danish Ceramic Vase
By Herman A. Kahler Keramik
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Herman August Kahler Art Deco Danish ceramic vase.
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, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This piece has an attribution mark. ...
Ceramic
Monumental German Ceramic Vase
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A monumental German ceramic vase, with a brilliant red glaze.
Ceramic
$674Sale Price|60% Off
H 23.63 in W 47.25 in D 0.79 in
Belgian Vintage Modernist Hand Painted Ceramic wall art by Juliette Belarti 1960
By Juliette Belarti
Located in Markington, GB
Contemporary Belgian vintage modernist hand painted ceramic wall art by Juliette Belarti 1960's Measurments: H 60cm, W 120cm.
Ceramic
Ceramic Abstract Wall Sculpture Perignem, Belgium
By Paul Vermeire, Perignem
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful colorful ceramic wall sculpture in organic nature details with abstract mushrooms and mosses designed by Paul Vermeire for Perignem,Belgium, 1960s. Paul Vermeire was a Bel...
Ceramic
West German Pottery Vase, Ceramic, 38cm Height, Circa 1960, Decorative
By West German Pottery
Located in London, England
With a height of 38 cm, this West German earthenware, of remarkable workmanship and renowned for its exquisite art and rich history, is characterized by complex patterns and vibrant ...
Ceramic
$2,080
H 18.71 in W 18.71 in D 1.58 in
Brutalist Abstract Ceramic Tile Wall Panel / Wall Decoration, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Rare Ceramic Tiles Abstract Wall Mounted Sculpture / Wall Decoration Spain, 1950s. Eye-catching series of decorative tiles mounted on black base as a wall sculpture. Made of four squ...
Ceramic, Earthenware
1960’s Scheurich Keramik - W. German Ceramic Vase No. 264-30
By Scheurich Keramik
Located in Bern, BE
1960’s Scheurich Keramik - West German Ceramic Vase. Numbered on base: W. Germany 264-30. With ochre glaze. Height: 30cm In lovely condition with no chips or cracks.
Ceramic
$120Sale Price|78% Off
H 16.93 in W 9.45 in D 9.45 in
Vintage West German Ceramic Art Vase from the 1970s
By Scheurich & Greulich Keramik
Located in Søborg, DK
Beautiful large ceramic art vase from the 1970s and made in West Germany Lovely floral designs and no chips or cracks.
Ceramic
Michael Harjes Brutalist 5-Lamp Candlestick, 1970's
By Michael Harjes
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
Five-armed sculptural candlestick in bronze by Michael Hael Harjes, made in the 1960s–70s. The piece shows a Brutalist approach with rough, textured surfaces and irregular forms that...
Bronze
Rare Large Bay Ceramic Vase, Hand-Painted, Mid-Century Modern, Germany
Located in Antwerp, BE
Rare Large Bay Ceramic Vase – Germany, 1960s This stunning and rare large ceramic vase is a beautiful example of Bay Keramik’s iconic designs from the 1960s. Made in West Germany, t...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Italian Brutalist Bronze Amadeus Series Candleholder, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century Italian Brutalist Bronze Amadeus Series Candleholder by Kurt Jesch for Fratelli Tonini, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969. Additional information: Material:...
Metal
Brutalist candle holder by Horst Dalbeck , 1970s , Germany
Located in Delft, NL
Brutalist candle holder by Horst Dalbeck , 1970s , Germany
Bronze
Vintage Brutalist Candleholder, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Brutalist candelabra with three arms. Additional information: Materials: Metal Color: Gold Styles: Brutalist Period: 1970s Item Type: Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned Dimensions: 5.12ʺ...
Metal
Pair of Ceramic Wall Plaques by Ulla Winblad, Sweden, 1960s
By Alingsås Keramik, Ulla Winblad
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of hand thrown ceramic wall plaques by Ulla Winblad for Alingsås Keramik, Sweden, 1960s.
Ceramic
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.
It's hard to resist the allure of a beautiful pool. So, go ahead and daydream about whiling away your summer in paradise.
Modern icons are showing up in gracefully layered dining nooks, living rooms and lounges — proof that great design only gets better with context.
With its grid-like doors and wavy trim, the 1940s design feels as fresh as ever.
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Prehistoric motifs give the mid-century Italian fireplace an elemental feel.
Their charming solid-oak pieces offer homes utility and comfort.
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Designer Susan Yeley turned to 1stDibs to outfit an Indiana home with standout pieces that complement its modernist style.