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Space Age Radio

Iconic Brionvega radio turntable RR126 by Achille Castiglioni
Iconic Brionvega radio turntable RR126 by Achille Castiglioni

Iconic Brionvega radio turntable RR126 by Achille Castiglioni

By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Brionvega

Located in Milano, IT

- Space Age Radio Designed in 1964 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, two of the most famous Mid

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Steel, Aluminum

Vintage Panasonic R70 Transistor Radio, Space Age Design, Japan
Vintage Panasonic R70 Transistor Radio, Space Age Design, Japan

Vintage Panasonic R70 Transistor Radio, Space Age Design, Japan

By Panasonic

Located in Linkebeek, BE

Panasonic R70 transistor radio. Designed with retro style and modern reliability, this portable radio

Category

20th Century Japanese Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age
Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age

Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age

$847Sale Price|20% Off

H 4.73 in W 18.9 in D 5.52 in

Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age

By Telefunken

Located in Milano, IT

Vintage Space Age / Pop era Telefunken "KRA" radio, made in Germany and crafted in orange bakelite

Category

Vintage 1970s German Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic, Bakelite

Weltron Model 2010 Space Ball, AM/FM Radio 8 Track Stereo / sPACEAGE Modern
Weltron Model 2010 Space Ball, AM/FM Radio 8 Track Stereo / sPACEAGE Modern

Weltron Model 2010 Space Ball, AM/FM Radio 8 Track Stereo / sPACEAGE Modern

By Weltron

Located in Buffalo, NY

radio, a timeless piece that seamlessly blends nostalgia with space-age aesthetics. Encased in a

Category

Vintage 1970s American Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper Brionvega TS52 Radio
Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper Brionvega TS52 Radio

Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper Brionvega TS52 Radio

By Marco Zanuso, Richard Sapper

Located in Sharon, CT

Important Radio by Sapper and Zanuso in gorgeous red.

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age More Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

"Coo Coo" radio alarm clock by Philippe Starck for Alessi - 20th
"Coo Coo" radio alarm clock by Philippe Starck for Alessi - 20th

"Coo Coo" radio alarm clock by Philippe Starck for Alessi - 20th

By Philippe Starck, Alessi

Located in Linkebeek, BE

"Space Age" or Cubist style, made of plastic. Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.5 cm, Height: 22.5 cm. Features

Category

20th Century Italian Space Age Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Plastic

Vintage Toot-a-Loop Radio by Panasonic, Japan, 1970s
Vintage Toot-a-Loop Radio by Panasonic, Japan, 1970s

Vintage Toot-a-Loop Radio by Panasonic, Japan, 1970s

By Panasonic

Located in Barcelona, ES

Vintage Toot-a-Loop radio (model nr: Panasonic R-72): an emblematic radio, designed and fabricated

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Original 1970s National Panasonic flip-number radio alarm clock model RC-6003B
Original 1970s National Panasonic flip-number radio alarm clock model RC-6003B

Original 1970s National Panasonic flip-number radio alarm clock model RC-6003B

By Panasonic

Located in München, DE

Near mint condition original 1970s National Panasonic flip-digit clock radio, model RC-6003B. 100

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Space Age Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Metal

1980s Klh Fm Top Stereo Clock Radio Walnut Case Mod. Tr-82
1980s Klh Fm Top Stereo Clock Radio Walnut Case Mod. Tr-82

1980s Klh Fm Top Stereo Clock Radio Walnut Case Mod. Tr-82

$380Sale Price|20% Off

H 6 in W 18 in D 7.5 in

1980s Klh Fm Top Stereo Clock Radio Walnut Case Mod. Tr-82

Located in San Diego, CA

Great design on this cool KLH FM tabletop stereo, circa the 1980s made in Japan, beautiful walnut case nice clean condition in working condition a little static when you up the volum...

Category

20th Century Japanese Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic, Walnut

Legendary cube radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens 1968  RK 501 Alpha 2
Legendary cube radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens 1968  RK 501 Alpha 2

Legendary cube radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens 1968 RK 501 Alpha 2

By Bellini Studio

Located in München, DE

. Can hardly be found in this good condition. Great minimalist Space Age design from Italy. Plastic

Category

Vintage 1960s German Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Recent Sales

Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age
Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age

Vintage German Made Telefunken Kra Red Bakelite Radio, Pop Design, Space Age

By Telefunken

Located in Milan, IT

Vintage Space Age / Pop era Telefunken "KRA" radio, made in Germany and crafted in orange bakelite

Category

Vintage 1970s German Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic, Bakelite

1970s Panasonic Toot-a-Loop Radio
1970s Panasonic Toot-a-Loop Radio

1970s Panasonic Toot-a-Loop Radio

Unavailable

H 2.75 in Dm 6 in

1970s Panasonic Toot-a-Loop Radio

By Panasonic

Located in Winnetka, IL

A transistor radio produced by Panasonic, Japan in the early 1970s. Donut shaped, this novelty

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Space Age More Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

Collection of Retro Radios by Zenith
Collection of Retro Radios by Zenith

Collection of Retro Radios by Zenith

Unavailable

H 5.75 in W 8.5 in D 5 in

Collection of Retro Radios by Zenith

By (after) Andy Warhol, Zenith

Located in Framingham, MA

Excellent set of retro radios by Zenith. Stellar designs. Priced for the set of two.

Category

Vintage 1960s American Space Age Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Vintage Space Age Radio Mario Bellini for Siemens, 1962
Vintage Space Age Radio Mario Bellini for Siemens, 1962

Vintage Space Age Radio Mario Bellini for Siemens, 1962

By Mario Bellini, Siemens

Located in Saarbrücken, SL

Very rare yellow Cube Radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens. 1960's Space Age design - Made

Category

Vintage 1960s German Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Weltron Space Age 360 Radio, 1971
Weltron Space Age 360 Radio, 1971

Weltron Space Age 360 Radio, 1971

Sold

H 13 in W 11.82 in D 11.82 in

Weltron Space Age 360 Radio, 1971

By Weltron

Located in Mexico City, CDMX

8-track cassette, stereo AM / FM radio, fully functional. Very good condition of the plastic

Category

Vintage 1970s American Space Age Music Stands

Materials

Plastic

1970's Rare Space Age Panasonic AM Radio Toot-a-Loop
1970's Rare Space Age Panasonic AM Radio Toot-a-Loop

1970's Rare Space Age Panasonic AM Radio Toot-a-Loop

By Panasonic

Located in San Diego, CA

Great design and nice condition on this red Toot-a-loop AM radio by Panasonic, circa 1970's swivels

Category

20th Century Japanese Space Age Games

Materials

Plastic

Space Age Europhon Radio Lamp in Red by Adriano Rampoldi, 1970s
Space Age Europhon Radio Lamp in Red by Adriano Rampoldi, 1970s

Space Age Europhon Radio Lamp in Red by Adriano Rampoldi, 1970s

Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT

radio – represents a real icon of the space age design, and it is mentioned in the book “Utopie du tout

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Table Lamps

Materials

Plastic

Mivar FM / MW Radio MOD. R45  1960s Pop Art Space Age Design Made Italy
Mivar FM / MW Radio MOD. R45  1960s Pop Art Space Age Design Made Italy

Mivar FM / MW Radio MOD. R45 1960s Pop Art Space Age Design Made Italy

Located in München, DE

Extremely rare MIVAR FM / MW radio MOD. R45 from the 1960s. Great Minimalist Pop Art Space Age

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age More Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

Iconic 70s Adriano Rampoldi Europhon Red Lamp with AM radio
Iconic 70s Adriano Rampoldi Europhon Red Lamp with AM radio

Iconic 70s Adriano Rampoldi Europhon Red Lamp with AM radio

Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of space age lighting design with this iconic table/desk 70s

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Table Lamps

Materials

Plastic

Italian Radio and Table Lamp Figura by Luigi Massoni for Iter Elettronica, 1971
Italian Radio and Table Lamp Figura by Luigi Massoni for Iter Elettronica, 1971

Italian Radio and Table Lamp Figura by Luigi Massoni for Iter Elettronica, 1971

By Luigi Massoni

Located in MIlano, IT

Italian radio and table lamp Figura by Luigi Massoni for Iter Elettronica, 1971 Table lamp and

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Oak

Vintage Flip Clock with Radio and Alarm Sanyo SCA-T45 Made in Japan, 1960-70s
Vintage Flip Clock with Radio and Alarm Sanyo SCA-T45 Made in Japan, 1960-70s

Vintage Flip Clock with Radio and Alarm Sanyo SCA-T45 Made in Japan, 1960-70s

Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT

flip mechanism, MW and AM radio frequencies, and a dual-option alarm. Users can select either a radio

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Space Age Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Metal

Brionvega mod "TS-502" White Radio "Cubo" by M. Zanuso and R. Sapper Italy 1964
Brionvega mod "TS-502" White Radio "Cubo" by M. Zanuso and R. Sapper Italy 1964

Brionvega mod "TS-502" White Radio "Cubo" by M. Zanuso and R. Sapper Italy 1964

By Brionvega, Marco Zanuso

Located in Palermo, IT

Stylish icon of pop art, transistor radio mod. "TS 502", better known as "Cubo Brionvega", created

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Great Rare Italian 1960's Large Space Age Table Clock with Radio from Brom
Great Rare Italian 1960's Large Space Age Table Clock with Radio from Brom

Great Rare Italian 1960's Large Space Age Table Clock with Radio from Brom

Located in München, DE

. Typical 1960s Space Age design in cube shape and with tulip base. Wooden case with white and dark blue

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Weltron Mod.2004 Space Ball stereo Radio/Tape - 1970s
Weltron Mod.2004 Space Ball stereo Radio/Tape - 1970s

Weltron Mod.2004 Space Ball stereo Radio/Tape - 1970s

Sold

H 11.82 in W 10.24 in D 10.24 in

Weltron Mod.2004 Space Ball stereo Radio/Tape - 1970s

Located in Linkebeek, BE

Space Age design - Radio LW/MW/FM Transport yourself back to the groovy 1970s with the vintage

Category

Mid-20th Century American Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Legendary Orange Cube Radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens, 1968
Legendary Orange Cube Radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens, 1968

Legendary Orange Cube Radio by Dario & Mario Bellini for Siemens, 1968

By Mario Bellini, Siemens

Located in München, DE

condition. Hard to find in this well preserved condition. Great minimalistic Space Age design from Italy

Category

Vintage 1960s German Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage Stereo Turntable Commander Luxus Radio Record Player from Rosita, 1970s
Vintage Stereo Turntable Commander Luxus Radio Record Player from Rosita, 1970s

Vintage Stereo Turntable Commander Luxus Radio Record Player from Rosita, 1970s

By Rosita, Theo Schmitz

Located in Den Haag, NL

This iconic Space Ace piece of German audio equipment from 1974, designed by Theo Schmitz for

Category

Vintage 1970s German Space Age Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

1970's Space Age 360 AM/FM Radio and 8 Track Player by, Weltron
1970's Space Age 360 AM/FM Radio and 8 Track Player by, Weltron

1970's Space Age 360 AM/FM Radio and 8 Track Player by, Weltron

By Weltron

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

1970"s Space Age 360 AM/FM Radio and 8 track player by, Weltron. This banana yellow model rotates

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Nordmende Spectra Futura Stereo Radio by Raymond Loewy, 1968
Nordmende Spectra Futura Stereo Radio by Raymond Loewy, 1968

Nordmende Spectra Futura Stereo Radio by Raymond Loewy, 1968

By Raymond Loewy

Located in Haderslev, DK

A cooperation between renowned designer Raymond Loewy and Nordmende led to this iconic radio

Category

Vintage 1960s German Space Age Music Stands

Materials

Chrome

People Also Browsed

Space Age Yellow Chapter One Desk by Broyhill Premier, 1970's
Space Age Yellow Chapter One Desk by Broyhill Premier, 1970's

Space Age Yellow Chapter One Desk by Broyhill Premier, 1970's

By Broyhill

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Space Age Yellow Chapter One desk by Broyhill Premier, 1970's. In good vintage condition.

Category

Vintage 1970s American Space Age Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Set with Table, Bench, Set of Chairs
Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Set with Table, Bench, Set of Chairs

Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Set with Table, Bench, Set of Chairs

By Rainer Daumiller

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Dining room set consisting of a dining table, bench, and pair of chairs, solid beech, Scandinavia, 1980s This expansive dining room set is a rare find, distinguished by its exceptio...

Category

Vintage 1980s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Beech

Brass and Parchment Paper Chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires
Brass and Parchment Paper Chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires

Brass and Parchment Paper Chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires

By Diego Mardegan

Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF

Impressive chandelier made of white enameled brass arms holding six beautiful parchment paper shades, which can be adjusted thanks to the handle of each socket. Signed by the arti...

Category

2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Brass

Kiosk K67 Double Yugokiosk by Saša Müchtig for Imgrad, 1988
Kiosk K67 Double Yugokiosk by Saša Müchtig for Imgrad, 1988

Kiosk K67 Double Yugokiosk by Saša Müchtig for Imgrad, 1988

$21,190

H 102.37 in W 94.49 in D 188.98 in

Kiosk K67 Double Yugokiosk by Saša Müchtig for Imgrad, 1988

Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie

K67 is a kiosk design created in 1966 by the Slovenian architect and designer Saša J. Mächtig. Very good contition, preserved in its original form. 2 original canopies included. Weig...

Category

Vintage 1960s Slovenian Space Age Architectural Elements

Materials

Fiberglass

Iconic set  Grundig  Audiorama 4000  Bullet speakers 1970s Germany
Iconic set  Grundig  Audiorama 4000  Bullet speakers 1970s Germany

Iconic set Grundig Audiorama 4000 Bullet speakers 1970s Germany

By Grundig

Located in Den Haag, NL

Grundig Pair of Audiorama 4000 Bullet Speakers by Grundig, 1970s on Aluminum Tulip base. Iconic German design with 360-degree surround sound. Compatible with any sound system, includ...

Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

1970s Grundig Cube Box  Design Speaker Set Futuristic Mid Century Modern
1970s Grundig Cube Box  Design Speaker Set Futuristic Mid Century Modern

1970s Grundig Cube Box Design Speaker Set Futuristic Mid Century Modern

By Grundig

Located in Chula Vista, CA

AMBIANIC presents Original Grundig Cube Speaker Audiorama Design. Amazon design, cube shape mounted in tripod base. Original vintage unrestored. Speaker box 12 h x 8.5 d x 7.25 w Pr...

Category

Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Dieter Rams for Braun Black Wall Mount Stereo System "Wandanlage"
Dieter Rams for Braun Black Wall Mount Stereo System "Wandanlage"

Dieter Rams for Braun Black Wall Mount Stereo System "Wandanlage"

By Dieter Rams

Located in Seattle, WA

The wall-mounted system is one of the most sought-after hi-fi systems from the 1960s. The combination of the amplifier with radio, reel-to-reel machine, matching speakers, and the re...

Category

Vintage 1960s German Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Mid-Century Futurist Raymond Loewy Inspired Yellow Chapter One Highboy Dresser
Mid-Century Futurist Raymond Loewy Inspired Yellow Chapter One Highboy Dresser

Mid-Century Futurist Raymond Loewy Inspired Yellow Chapter One Highboy Dresser

By Broyhill, Raymond Loewy

Located in Chattanooga, TN

Broyhill’s Chapter One Collection is officially harder to find and more sought after than the Raymond Loewy orginals. With all due respect to Raymond Loewy, there really is something...

Category

Vintage 1970s American Futurist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Plastic, Hardwood

Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel
Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel

Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel

By Vittorio Valabrega

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega, decorative fireplace mantel, lacquered wood, plaster, glass, iron, Italy, 1930s This striking decorative fireplace mantel, presumabl...

Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Fireplaces and Mantels

Materials

Iron

Mid-Century Modern Record Player Cabinet by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, 1955
Mid-Century Modern Record Player Cabinet by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, 1955

Mid-Century Modern Record Player Cabinet by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, 1955

By Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner, Forma, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler

Located in New York, NY

This Caviuna Record Player was produced by Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte in the 1950s, whose designs were made by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler. This typology was part of the...

Category

Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Hardwood

Mario Sabot 'POD' Lounge Chairs Exhibited Nikolas Xasteros & Pierre Cardin House
Mario Sabot 'POD' Lounge Chairs Exhibited Nikolas Xasteros & Pierre Cardin House

Mario Sabot 'POD' Lounge Chairs Exhibited Nikolas Xasteros & Pierre Cardin House

By Mario Sabot

Located in bergen op zoom, NL

Pair of 'POD' Lounge Chairs by Italian designer Mario Sabot 1968 Iconic Space Age design that was selected to be exhibited in the interior of the futuristic Nikolaos Xasteros house ...

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Lounge Chairs

Materials

Wool, Fiberglass, Foam

20th Century Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau Dilly Dally Vanitiy Dressing Table
20th Century Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau Dilly Dally Vanitiy Dressing Table

20th Century Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau Dilly Dally Vanitiy Dressing Table

By Poltrona Frau, Luigi Massoni

Located in Turin, Turin

Dressing table model Dilly Dally designed by Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau in 1960s. The dressing table is composed of two pieces, one round armchair (which alone measures 74 x 66 ...

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vanities

Materials

Metal

SONY TC-144 CS tape recorder, 1970s
SONY TC-144 CS tape recorder, 1970s

SONY TC-144 CS tape recorder, 1970s

$2,630

H 16.54 in W 11.42 in D 11.82 in

SONY TC-144 CS tape recorder, 1970s

Located in Neuss, NW

Portable tape recorder with speakers TC-144 CS by Sony from the 1970s. Made in Korea. The individual components have been tested and cleaned by a specialist workshop. Defective part...

Category

Vintage 1970s Korean Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Brionvega RR126 By Achille And Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Italy 1960s
Brionvega RR126 By Achille And Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Italy 1960s

Brionvega RR126 By Achille And Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Italy 1960s

By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Brionvega

Located in ABCOUDE, UT

Nice Brionvega RR126 radio in walnut wood by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Italy 1960s. RR126 stereo system was designed in 1965 by brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castigli...

Category

Vintage 1960s Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage Toot-a-loop Radio by Panasonic, Japan, 1970s
Vintage Toot-a-loop Radio by Panasonic, Japan, 1970s

Vintage Toot-a-loop Radio by Panasonic, Japan, 1970s

Located in Mexico City, CDMX

Vintage Toot-a-Loop radio (model nr: Panasonic R-72): an emblematic radio, designed and fabricated by Panasonic Japan in the early 1970s. The radio was designed to be wrapped and car...

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Other Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Clairtone Project G2 Series T11 Console Stereo System & Garrard Turntable
Clairtone Project G2 Series T11 Console Stereo System & Garrard Turntable

Clairtone Project G2 Series T11 Console Stereo System & Garrard Turntable

By Clairtone

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia

On offer is a rare completely original Clairtone G2 Series Home Stereo System from 1966 featuring two distinct exotic wooden boxes one that houses the tuner and the turntable both pr...

Category

Vintage 1960s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

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Space Age Radio For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the space age radio you’re looking for. A space age radio — often made from metal, plastic and brass — can elevate any home. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer space age radio, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A space age radio is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in folk art, mid-century modern and Scandinavian Modern styles are sought with frequency. Jørgen Kastholm & Preben Fabricius, Majestic Lamp Company and Nordisk Solar Co. each produced at least one beautiful space age radio that is worth considering.

How Much is a Space Age Radio?

The average selling price for a space age radio at 1stDibs is $1,040, while they’re typically $276 on the low end and $8,475 for the highest priced.

A Close Look at Space-age Furniture

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.

Materials: Plastic Furniture

Arguably the world’s most ubiquitous man-made material, plastic has impacted nearly every industry. In contemporary spaces, new and vintage plastic furniture is quite popular and its use pairs well with a range of design styles.

From the Italian lighting artisans at Fontana Arte to venturesome Scandinavian modernists such as Verner Panton, who created groundbreaking interiors as much as he did seating — see his revolutionary Panton chair — to contemporary multidisciplinary artists like Faye Toogood, furniture designers have been pushing the boundaries of plastic forever.

When The Graduate's Mr. McGuire proclaimed, “There’s a great future in plastics,” it was more than a laugh line. The iconic quote is an allusion both to society’s reliance on and its love affair with plastic. Before the material became an integral part of our lives — used in everything from clothing to storage to beauty and beyond — people relied on earthly elements for manufacturing, a process as time-consuming as it was costly.

Soon after American inventor John Wesley Hyatt created celluloid, which could mimic luxury products like tortoiseshell and ivory, production hit fever pitch, and the floodgates opened for others to explore plastic’s full potential. The material altered the history of design — mid-century modern legends Charles and Ray Eames, Joe Colombo and Eero Saarinen regularly experimented with plastics in the development of tables and chairs, and today plastic furnishings and decorative objects are seen as often indoors as they are outside.

Find vintage plastic lounge chairs, outdoor furniture, lighting and more on 1stDibs.

Questions About Space Age Radio
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Space age furniture relates to furniture produced during the 1960s that was influenced by science fiction and the Space Race. Examples include Joe Colombo's KD29 lamp, Eero Aarnio's Ball Chair and Poul M. Volther's Corona Chair. Shop a selection of space age furniture on 1stDibs.