Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.
From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.
Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.
The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.
Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.
Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.
Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Set of 5 SPACE-AGE Concrete BOOKCASES by WILLY GUHL for ETERNIT, Swiss 1970
By Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
A set of 5 (on a total of 20 identical pieces!!!) modular concrete bookcases, Modernist, Free Form, Brutalist, rectangular loop cases with rounded edges, with a great grey patina wit...
Concrete
Libreria Modulare in Legno Laccato - Carlo De Carli per Fiarm - Italia - Anni 70
Located in Milano, IT
La libreria in foto, attribuita a Carlo De Carli, prodotta da Fiarm negli anni '70 del XX secolo, è composta da due corpi distinti ma offre la possibilità di unirli in un unico eleme...
Bentwood
Iconic Michel Dumas Plexiglas Bookcase – 1970s French Space Age Design
By Michel Dumas
Located in Oirlo, LI
This striking bookcase by Michel Dumas is a powerful expression of 1970s French space-age design. Crafted from high-quality Plexiglas, the piece showcases Dumas’s mastery of trans...
Plexiglass
Italian Space Age plastic magazine rack or bookcase by Aramis, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Space Age red, orange and white plastic magazine rack or bookcase by Aramis, 1970s Modular bookcase or magazine rack composed of eight compartments in white, orange and red A...
Plastic
Wood & Glass Vitrine Cabinet or Bookcase LB65 by Marco Zanuso for Poggi, 68
By Succ. Carlo Poggi, Marco Zanuso Jr.
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This bookcase or vitrine cabinet is made from a wooden structure with a grid design front side. It features a unique door with a magnetic closure and 4 thi...
Glass, Wood
$5,704Sale Price / set|20% Off
Living room and bookcase set Attr. a Acerbis black with display cabinet
By Acerbis
Located in Milano, IT
In the world of vintage Italian furniture, few pieces are as striking and versatile as your Black Acerbis lounge and bookcase set from the 1970s. This collection, comprising three di...
Metal
Vintage Arched Rattan Accordion Etagere
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This exceptional vintage etagere is a masterwork of Hollywood Regency design, perfectly capturing the breezy elegance and sophisticated whimsy of 1970s Palm Beach style. Crafted from...
Wicker, Rattan, Glass
Italian Space Age Modular Bookcase in White Fiberglass Glass by Astrarte, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian space age Modular bookcase in white fiberglass and glass by Astrarte, 1970s Modular bookcase with semi-cylinder structure in white fiberglass...
Glass, Fiberglass
Small 80s bookcase
Located in SAN PIETRO MOSEZZO, NO
Small 1980s bookcase with yellow lacquered metal tubular frame and 5 white laminate shelves. Easily placed in all rooms of the house.
Metal
Bookcase and bar, 1960, italian , Material: Wood and (parchment leather)
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Bookcase Year: 1960 Country: French Wood and parchment leather It is an elegant and sophisticated bookcase. You want to live in the golden years, this is the bookcase that your pro...
Wood, Leather
Bookcase in Glass and Iron, 1960, French
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our A...
Iron
Danish Modern Large Rosewood Bookcase, 1970s.
By Ib Kofod-Larsen, Svend Ellekær
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Modern large rosewood bookcase, 1960s. Large and impressive Scandinavian Modern 2 bay bookcase in stunning bookmatched Rosewood/Palisander veneer. This two part Danish librar...
Rosewood
$2,975Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 79 in W 42 in D 16 in
Design Institute America Chrome and Glass Etageres / Bookcases, 1970s - A Pair
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of 1970s chrome and glass shelf bookcases or etageres attributed to Milo Baughman by DIA Design Institute America. Large Shelf Surface Area: W40.5" x D14.5" Small Shelf Surf...
Chrome
Willy Guhl Concrete Octagonal Vase
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Concrete vase by Willy Guhl. Made of fiber cement. 8 sided with small base. Great vintage condition. Great oversized vase.
Cement
Opinion Ciatti Portariviste Magazine Rack
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Portariviste, an object that identifies exactly its function and there is no need for a different name to define it. Portariviste is so similar in the concept but so distant in the e...
Steel
$17,600Sale Price / set|44% Off
H 94.49 in W 14.18 in D 133.86 in
Willy Guhl 46 Piece Modular Concrete Cube Bookcase, 1978 Switzerland
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in grand Lancy, CH
Stunning monumental 46 piece concrete bookcase by Willy Guhl. Made up of 2 different sized hand-made concrete cubes.36 big size and 10 small size, Completely modular and able to be ...
Concrete
Roberto Monsani 'Life' Bookcase for Acerbis, 1980s
Located in Milano, IT
'Life' modular wall system designed by Roberto Monsani and produced by Acerbis in the 1980s.
Glass, Plexiglass, Wood
$2,970Sale Price|24% Off
H 61.5 in W 50.5 in D 10 in
Midcentury Blonde Oak Barrister's Bookcase Display Cabinet
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Well constructed blonde oak barrister in good condition with brass knobs and sound mechanism. Dismantles easily on raised base, nice size. Shows beautifu...
Oak
French Vitrine Cabinet, Glass Door Walnut, Rosewood with Ormolu Mounts
Located in Toronto, CA
A French vitrine cabinet with glass door and sides, in walnut with rosewood and tulipwood, top with a grey marble top. The ormolu mounts give the cabinet the Louis XV styling tha...
Walnut
$5,348
H 30.71 in W 51.19 in D 19.69 in
Carlo de Carli chest of drawers in blue lacquered wood by Sormani, Italy, 1960s
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
This chest of drawers by Carlo De Carli for Sormani brings a quiet sense of confidence. The deep blue lacquer has a calm, velvety tone, and the mirrored glass top adds a soft, reflec...
Brass
$1,104Sale Price|20% Off
H 64 in W 36 in D 12.5 in
Vintage Mid Century Modern Danish Bookcase. Circa 1970s
Located in Miami, FL
Features a modern Scandinavian minimalist design with a beautiful teak wood grain. Offers plenty of storage space with three adjustable floating shelves edged with solid teak profile...
Teak
Carlo de Carli for Fiarm Hall Stand in Wood
By Carlo di Carli, Fiarm
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Carlo De Carli for Fiarm, hall stand, wood, Italy, 1960s This hall stand designed by Carlo De Carli in the 1960s exemplifies the designer’s thoughtful approach to form, function, an...
Wood
$2,814Sale Price|28% Off
H 64.97 in W 56.3 in D 18.9 in
20th Century Black Painted Display Bookcase Glazed Cabinet
Located in Kvidinge, SE
A gorgeous Bookcase Display with two glazed cabinet doors Painted and refinished in a black with a delicate hint of red under and distress for an authentic antique feel The inside i...
Brass
Sold
H 78.75 in W 33.86 in D 65.36 in
Libreria angolare in plastica vintage anni 70 design Olaf Von Bohr per Kartell
By Kartell, Olaf von Bohr
Located in None, IT
LIbreria arancione angolare in plastica ABS, modulabile ad incastro, design Olaf von Bohr per Kartell, anni 70 CONDIZIONI: In buone condizioni, presenta segni d'usura dati dal tempo...
Plastic
Sold
H 56.5 in W 66 in D 12 in
Large UMBO "Architectural Wall" Modular Shelving System by Kay Leroy Ruggles
Located in San Diego, CA
Striking UMBO modular shelving system designed by Kay Leroy Ruggles and produced by Umbo Design Inc. during the 1970s. This iconic modular furniture system exemplifies the bold exper...
Plastic
1970s French Smoked Plexiglass Floor Stands Space Age Design
Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT
A pair of smoked plexiglass floor stands produced in France during the 1970s. Their design captures the transition between late-Mid-Century clarity and the sculptural optimism of the Space Age era. Each stand is crafted from thick molded plexiglass with solvent-bonded joints, achieving both structural strength and refined transparency. The smoked amber tone filters light softly, creating luminous reflections that bring warmth to contemporary interiors. Measuring 40 × 30 × 30.5 cm, the pieces function beautifully as floor displays, modular pedestals, or record holders. Their form recalls the experimental use of acrylic and lucite in 1970s French furniture...
Plastic
Sold
H 7.88 in W 7.88 in D 7.88 in
French 1970s Plexiglass Modular Cubes Smoked Acrylic Space Age Design
Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT
This rare pair of French 1970s plexiglass modular cubes represents the innovative use of plastics in the Space Age era. Each cube is crafted from smoked PMMA sheets, heat-bent into s...
Plastic
1970’s UMBO Shelves, Kay Leroy Ruggles for Directional
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Very hard to find 10 piece 1970’s UMBO Shelves, Kay Leroy Ruggles for Directional. Original white has faded to varying degrees of beige, as typical, and ...
Plastic
Sold
H 43.31 in W 35.44 in D 35.44 in
Space Age Illuminated bookcase attributed to Joe Colombo, Italy, 1970
By Joe Colombo
Located in Padova, IT
Space Age revolving sculptural illuminated bookcase attributed to Joe Colombo; aluminum base, fiberglass structure, 8 bulbs inserted in the lower part controlled by a foot switch. Ve...
Aluminum
1990s Space Age Modular Wall Unit in the Style of Calligaris
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani
Located in La Mesa, CA
This vintage wall shelving unit, reminiscent of Calligaris’ 1970s designs, features 12” deep tempered glass shelves with aluminum frames and brac...
Aluminum
Sold
H 86.62 in W 38.43 in D 14.57 in
Orange Coral steel freestanding Congress Bookcase by Lips Vago, 1968
By Lips Vago
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Congress model bookcase produced by Lips Vago since the 60s in painted steel. The bookcase is completely dismantled and its shelves adjustable in height. This is one of the best book...
Steel
UMBO Modular Bookcase by Kay Leroy Ruggles for Directional
By Directional
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Fun and functionality coalesce with this customizable, space-age design. Perfectly suitable for your 12" vinyl collection. 1970's white and ivory, molded ABS plastic, modular "U...
Plastic
Sold
H 74.81 in W 86.62 in D 11.82 in
Libreria "Multiplo", Rodolfo Bonetto, Guzzini, Vintage for Sale, 1970 ITA
Located in Milano, IT
Libreria "Multiplo" disegnata da Rodolfo Bonetto per Guzzini storico marchio italiano creato da Enrico Guzzini nel 1912 a Recanati. La libreria è modulabile pertanto si può modula...
Plastic
Sold
H 33.47 in W 88.59 in D 16.54 in
Red Fiberglass Library from Mim Roma - space age style design by Luigi Pellegrin
By MIM Roma
Located in Milano, IT
Space Age LIBRARY - Manufactured by MIM ROMA Stunning fiberglass library made between 1965-1975 for MIM ROMA a famous forniture retail in the center of Rome. The set is composed o...
Fiberglass
Sold
H 66.54 in W 61.03 in D 19.69 in
Large set of modular red and white shelves by Prisunic, France, 1970s
By Prisunic
Located in Lyon, FR
Unique set of modular shelves by Somm Paris for Prisunic, made in France in the 1970s. Prisunic is the ancestor of Monoprix, a big French supermarket, where you can also find clothes and designed furniture. Red, beige and white shelves...
Plastic
