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Beautiful Vintage Ceiling Lamp in the Style of Sarfatti Stilnovo, Italy, 1950s
Located in PEGO, ES
Italian Stilnovo lamp from the 1950s in the style of Sarfatti Stilnovo, it is made of 8 arms and
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

One of Four Perforated Aluminum RAAK Amsterdam Pendants, 1970s
By RAAK
Located in Echt, NL
free to contact us. In the style of: Sarfatti, Stilnovo.
Category

20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Stilnovo 37" Brass Chandelier in the manner of Gino Sarfatti, Italy 1950s
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
statement in your interior design. A real eye-catcher even unlit. Manufactured by Stilnovo, Italy in the
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

Illuminated Mirror Round Yellow White Perforated Stilnovo Sarfatti Style, 1950s
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Nierstein am Rhein, DE
of the famous companies and designers Stilnovo, Arteluce and Sarfatti. The circular illuminated
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors

Materials

Metal

One of Eight Alliance Flush Mounts by RAAK Amsterdam, 1970s
By RAAK
Located in Echt, NL
free to contact us. In the style of: Sarfatti, Stilnovo.
Category

20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Aluminum

Impressive Saturnus Chandelier by RAAK Amsterdam, 1960s
By RAAK
Located in Echt, NL
us. Keywords: Gino Sarfatti , Stilnovo , Arteluce        
Category

20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Chrome

xl 9 arm Brass Stilnovo Gino Sarfatti Style Ceiling Light Flushmount Italy 1950
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo, Gio Ponti
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
working. The origin of these lights is Italy, and remembers in the style and design of Stilnovo, Gio
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass

XXL Stilnovo Sarfatti Style Red Counter Weight Brass Wall Light Italy, 1950s
By Stilnovo
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
20cm and height of 15,5cm. High quality italian craftmanship, which remembers of designs by stilnovo
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Esempi Reprint, Lighting, 1934-1964, Italy, 2010s
By Roberto Aloi
Located in Milan, IT
, Oluce, Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti, Salviati, Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo,Venini, Vittoriano Viganò. Size: 23 x
Category

2010s Italian Books

Materials

Paper

Italian Sputnik Ceiling Lamp Gino Sarfatti 50s Stilnovo Style in Brass & Black
By Gino Sarfatti
Located in St-Brais, JU
the designer Gino Sarfatti and was handmade by a qualified manufacturer. It is made of patinated brass
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Brass

1950s Stilnovo Wall Sconce Seven Arm Lamp Brass Italy
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Chula Vista, CA
to Gino Sarfatti Made in Italy. Maker stamped on petal Stilnovo 11 H x 29 W x 6.5 D inches Original
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Large Italian Modern Chandelier with 10 Arms in Gino Sarfatti Style "Gaia"
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Lyon, FR
Beautiful modern chandelier "Gaia" in Gino Sarfatti style, structure in brass with metal lampshades
Category

2010s European Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

Massive 62" Wide Mid Century Modern 24 light circular cone chandelier Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in New York City, NY
warranted. Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo, Arteluce, Lightolier, Pietro Chiesa, Fontana Arte, Mathieu Matégot
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass, Aluminum

Large Brass "Spiderweb" Stilnovo Style Flush Mount Ceiling Light, Italy 1960s
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Italy, and remembers in the style and design of Stilnovo and Gio Sarfatti. Dimensions: Depth 62,5 cm
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

1/6 Beautiful ‘Licht-Drops’ Globe Pendant by RAAK Amsterdam, 1960s
By RAAK
Located in Echt, NL
this item please feel free to contact us. In the style of Sarfatti, Stilnovo.
Category

20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Chrome, Metal

1/6 Small ‘Licht-Drops’ Globe Pendant by RAAK Amsterdam 1960s
By RAAK
Located in Echt, NL
feel free to contact us. In the style of: Sarfatti, Stilnovo.
Category

20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Chrome, Metal

'Molla' Floor Lamp by Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi for Lumenform
By Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi, Lumenform
Located in Echt, NL
shipping options or this item please feel free to contact us. In the style of: Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Large 1950s Stilnovo Perforated Black Metal & Brass Articulating Sconces
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
Large 1950s Stilnovo articulating perforated black metal and brass sconce. Executed in black
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Stilnovo Floor Lamp
By Stilnovo
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
spherical details, the pieces produced by the publisher Stilnovo are representative of Italian lighting from
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Stilnovo Floor Lamp
Stilnovo Floor Lamp
H 66.93 in Dm 15.75 in
XXL Green Stilnovo Style Adjustable Counter Weight Brass Wall Light Italy, 1960s
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
stilnovo and gino sarfatti. Dimensions: total Height 35cm Depth 81cm max Length 15,5cm
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Gigantic Brass 24 Bulb Stilnovo Style Flush Mount Ceiling Light, Italy 1960s
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
effects. The origin of these lights is Italy, and remembers in the style and design of Stilnovo and Gio
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass, Metal

Pair of Italian Mid-Century Design Wall Lights Stilnovo Style Brass Opaline
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Bochum, NRW
Mid-century design wall lights in the style of Stilnovo. Stylish combination between brass
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Large Tube Brass 8 Bulb Stilnovo Style Flush Mount Ceiling Light, Italy 1960s
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
. The origin of these lights is Italy, and remembers in the style and design of Stilnovo and Gio
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal, Brass

Large Pendant Lamp and Sconce Stilnovo Arteluce Lumi Style Grey Red Black 1950s
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Nierstein am Rhein, DE
attribution to one of the famous companies and designers Stilnovo, Arteluce, Lumi, Arredoluce and Sarfatti
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Aluminum

Stilnovo sputnik ceiling lamp Italy 1950
By Stilnovo
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Striking so called "Sputnik" ceiling or wall lamp designed and manufactured by Stilnovo, Italy 1950
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Stilnovo sputnik ceiling lamp Italy 1950
Stilnovo sputnik ceiling lamp Italy 1950
H 5.12 in W 37.8 in D 14.18 in
Branching Chandelier, Black/Ivory with Gold Inside, Stilnovo Style, solid brass.
By Arteluce, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
1950s and follows the path of Angelo Lelli, Vittoriano Viganò for Arredoluce or Sarfatti and Giuseppe
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Brass

unique round 38cm Brass Gino Sarfatti Style Ceiling Light Flushmount, Italy 1950
By Gio Ponti, Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
the style and design of Stilnovo, Gio Ponti and Gino Sarfatti. Dimensions: Depth 8 cm Diameter 38
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass

Four-Arm Brass Asymmetrical Chandelier, Black Gold Pivot Shades, Stilnovo Style
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
studios Arteluce and Stilnovo, this chandelier is a Silvio Piattelli design with its own unique and
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Large Italian Modern Blue Chandelier with 14 Lights in Stilnovo Style "Moderna"
By Gino Sarfatti, Arredoluce, Stilnovo
Located in Lyon, FR
Beautiful modern chandelier Stilnovo style, structure in brass with opaline light. Composed of
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Six Arms Brass Chandelier, Ivory Sage Pivot Shades, Stilnovo Style, Twelve Bulbs
By Arteluce, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
by mid-century modern Italian studios Arteluce and Stilnovo, but with a unique and distinctive design
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Brass, Aluminum, Metal

Articulated Sconce Midcentury Modern Stilnovo Style Solid Brass Hand Gilt Shades
By Arredoluce, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
Thanks to a customer who wanted this finish, combining a typical renaissance Tuscan gold leaf finish with a Mid-Century Modern shape. This beautiful sconce has three moving joints...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and...

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Gold Leaf, Metal

Stilnovo Table Lamp Black Marble Base Signed
By Stilnovo
Located in Munich, DE
Fantastic table lamp by Stilnovo from the 1960 attributed to Gino Sarfatti. Measures: H 44 x W 42.5
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Metal

Stilnovo Table Lamp Black Marble Base Signed
Stilnovo Table Lamp Black Marble Base Signed
H 17.33 in W 16.74 in D 9.06 in
Eight-Arm Brass Chandelier, Ivory or Black Heads, Gold Inside in Stilnovo Style
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
follows the path of Angelo Lelli, Vittoriano Viganò for Arredoluce or Sarfatti and Giuseppe Ostuni for
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Brass, Aluminum, Metal

Articulated Sconce Mid-Century Modern Stilnovo Style Solid Brass Black and White
By Stilnovo, Arredoluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
Arteluce and Stilnovo in the 1950s, but with a unique and distinctive design that will add elegance and
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and...

Materials

Brass, Metal, Aluminum

Pr Magari Adjustable Wall Lamp in Bronze, White Enamel / Stilnova /Gino Sarfatti
By Blueprint Lighting, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Buffalo, NY
The Magari wall lamp or reading light is handmade to order by Blueprint Lighting. Magari is adjustable to suit your needs: there are two articulating joints and the shade has a swive...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Enamel, Brass

Pair of Sconces Pivot Shade Stilnovo Style, Twin Bulb, Jbox, Solid Brass Patina
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo, Arredoluce
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
from Arteluce and Stilnovo but it does not belong to either and it is an original design. The item is
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and...

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Metal

Stilnovo, Modernist Table Lamp, Metal, Brass, Acrylic, Italy, 1950s
By Stilnovo
Located in High Point, NC
A rare Minimalist table or desk lamp. Produced by Stilnovo, Milan, Italy, 1950s. Has a similar
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Stilnovo Chandelier with Lampshades in Opaline Glass Italian Manufacture 1970s
By Stilnovo
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Arteluce, which, under the guidance of Gino Sarfatti, explored abstract, lineal forms, Stilnovo is known
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Metal

1962 Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce Floor Lamp, model 1089
By Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Cathedral City, CA
Italian floor lamp by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, with a plug marked Stilnovo Original condition
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Stilnovo, Modernist Wall Lights, Faceted Glass Tiles Darkened Brass, Italy 1950s
By Stilnovo
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of wall lights, design and production attributed to Stilnovo, Italy, 1950s. Features
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce Model 585 Minimalist Table Lamp
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Sarfatti for Arteluce. A wonderful example of Italian lighting in immaculate condition. Metal base with
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Set of Two Modernist Stilnovo Style Brass Metal Sconces Wall Light, Italy, 1950
By Gio Ponti, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
the style and design of Stilnovo and Gio Ponti. Dimensions: Depth 40 cm Length 10 cm Height
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Midcentury Table Lamp in Black Glass and Fabric Lampshade by Stilnovo, 1950s
By Stilnovo
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Arteluce, which, under the guidance of Gino Sarfatti, explored abstract, lineal forms, Stilnovo is known
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Set of Two Modernist Stilnovo Style Brass Metal Sconces Wall Light, Italy, 1950s
By Gio Ponti, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Stilnovo and Gio Ponti. Dimensions: Depth 11 cm Diameter 30 cm Condition: Good vintage condition
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Brass

Rare Pair of Italian Mid-Century Modern 'Petit Arboletto' Floor Lamps, Stilnovo
By Stilnovo
Located in New York, NY
Stilnovo. The pieces have much in common with contemporary sculpture in their affinity for nature while
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Carrara Marble, Steel

A MID-CENTURY-MODERN MODERNIST SPACE-AGE Ceiling Light by STILNOVO, Italy 1960
By Gino Sarfatti
Located in PARIS, FR
suspendue par un ingénieux système de fil de fer dans l'esprit de Gino Sarfatti, édition Stilnovo, Italie
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Aluminum

Pair of Italian MId-Century Modern Table Lamps, Attr. Gino Sarfatti & Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in New York, NY
A Rare Pair of Italian Midcentury Modern Table or Desk or Bedside Lamps attributed to Gino Sarfatti
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

A MID-CENTURY-MODERN MODERNIST SPACE-AGE Ceiling Light by STILNOVO, Italy 1960
By Gino Sarfatti
Located in PARIS, FR
Stilnovo, Italy 1950. The Perspex ovoid "body" which constitutes this luminaire is made up of 2 half
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Courtney Branching Brass Chandelier Black w/Gold Inside Stilnovo Style 24 Lights
By Arteluce, Silvio Piattelli, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
This midcentury style chandelier has 12 arms and 24 lights. It was made to fulfill a request of a more compact design of the huge 32 lights version. The result was so nice that it...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Brass

Pair of Italian Modernist Brass Sconces by Stilnovo
By Gaetano Sciolari, Gio Ponti, Stilnovo, Tommi Parzinger, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of Italian Modernist brass sconces by Stilnovo. This handsome pair of Italian modern 5 light
Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Italian Chandelier Modern Brass Style Stilnovo or Gino Sarfatti 50s "Loula"
Located in Lyon, FR
Beautiful modern chandelier "Pilo", made by our Italian craftsman. Solid brass structure with eight branches arranged in a crown, each ending with a solid brass diffuser with a frost...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

unique round Brass Gino Sarfatti Style Ceiling Light Flushmount, Italy 1950s
By Gio Ponti, Stilnovo
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
lights is Italy, and remembers in the style and design of Stilnovo, Gio Ponti and Gino Sarfatti
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass

Mid Century Vintage Ceiling or Wall Light Flush Mount Sconce, 1950s
By Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Berlin, DE
Beautiful Gino Sarfatti style ceiling or wall flush mount. Italy, 1950s.      
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount

Materials

Metal, Brass

Vintage Modern Elegant Chandelier Lamp
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Chicago, IL
or Italian. Attributed to Stilnovo. 2 are available. Please check the other listing to purchase pair
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

1950s Large 26 Arms Brass Sputnik, USA
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti
Located in St- Leonard, Quebec
Genuine 1950s Sputnik with a bold personality and a lot of presence. 26 arms of different lenght create this chandelier burst in all direction. Solid, well made structure and...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Adjustable Triennale 3 Arms Chandelier Brass, Stilnovo Style, Three Hues of Blue
By Arteluce, Arredoluce, Stilnovo
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
incline to be a Vittoriano Viganò design. There are also reminiscences of Sarfatti's works and Giuseppe
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Aluminum, Metal, Brass

Elegant Black and Brass Adjustable Three-Arm Triennale Style Chandelier
By Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
a Vittoriano Viganò design. There are also reminiscences of Sarfatti's works and Giuseppe Ostuni for
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...

Materials

Brass

Danilo & Corrado Aroldi Set of Two Spicchio Sconces by Stilnovo 1973 Italy
By Stilnovo, Corrado and Luigi Aroldi
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Stilnovo in the 1970s. The Spicchio lamps were designed in various models including floor lamps, table
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Lumi Milano Chandelier, 1950s
By Lumi, Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in Vienna, AT
Modernist 'UFO' chandelier by Lumi Milano, 1950s. Two satin glass diffusers with a brushed aluminum ring between them. Stem and finials are made of nickeled brass with partially heav...
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Aluminum, Nickel

Lumi Milano Chandelier, 1950s
Lumi Milano Chandelier, 1950s
H 29.14 in Dm 16.54 in
Orbital Three-Arm Pendant in Grey Enamel, Glass and Nickel by Blueprint Lighting
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti, Stilnovo
Located in New York, NY
Handcrafted in NYC by Blueprint Lighting, our 'Orbital' Chandelier is a commanding statement piece with design elements of both Italian and French modernism as well as Hollywood Glam...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Chrome, Nickel

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Sarfatti Stilnovo For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal sarfatti stilnovo for your home. A sarfatti stilnovo — often made from metal, brass and aluminum — can elevate any home. If you’re shopping for a sarfatti stilnovo, we have 37 options in-stock, while there are 80 modern editions to choose from as well. There are many kinds of the sarfatti stilnovo you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 21st Century. A sarfatti stilnovo made by Mid-Century Modern designers — as well as those associated with Modern — is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made sarfatti stilnovo over the years, but those crafted by Blueprint Lighting, Stilnovo and Silvio Piattelli are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Sarfatti Stilnovo?

The average selling price for a sarfatti stilnovo at 1stDibs is $2,058, while they’re typically $577 on the low end and $18,000 for the highest priced.

A Close Look at Mid-Century Modern Furniture

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 legendary 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.

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.

Finding the Right Lighting for You

The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.

Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.

Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat. 

Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. & L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.

As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.

There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation

With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.

The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.