Stiffel Mid Century Modern

Stiffel Bronze

Stiffel Lamps Glazed Ceramic

Stiffel Brass And Black Lamp

Midcentury Table Lamp With Brass Shades

Tommi Parzinger Brass Lamps

Pair Of Stiffel Lamp

Tall Lamp Shade Mid Century

Stiffel 1960

Stiffel Mid Century Modern Blue Crackle Glazed Ceramic Brass Table Lamps

$3,200 / set

Stiffel Mid Century Modern Blue Crackle Glazed Ceramic Brass Table Lamps

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Stiffel Mid Century Modern Large Blue Crackle Glazed Ceramic Barrel Form Brass Table Lamps

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Pair of Stiffel Mid Century Modern Brass Lamps

$2,200 / set

Pair of Stiffel Mid Century Modern Brass Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in Atlanta, GA

Pair of Sculptural Mid Century Modern Lamps, by Stiffel, American, circa 1950s. They retain their

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Vintage Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Glazed Ceramic Lamp

$1,950

Vintage Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Glazed Ceramic Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A stunning vintage MCM table lamp. Made by the iconic Stiffel group. A chic brilliant blue glazed

Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps, Crackled Porcelain & Bronze

$4,200 / set

Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps, Crackled Porcelain & Bronze

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Pair of mid century crackled porcelain lamps with custom finished dark bronze fittings. Rewired for

Category

20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

1960s Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Blue Porcelain & Bronze Table Lamps

$4,600

1960s Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Blue Porcelain & Bronze Table Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Pair of Mid Century blue porcelain lamps with custom dark bronze fittings. Rewired by an UL listed

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Faux Bamboo Brass Stiffel Mid Century Modern Table Lamps

$1,356Sale Price / set|20% Off

Pair of Faux Bamboo Brass Stiffel Mid Century Modern Table Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in Swedesboro, NJ

This pair of Mid-Century Modern Stiffel table lamps brings timeless elegance and functional design

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps in Satin Brass & White Ceramic

$2,800 / set

Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps in Satin Brass & White Ceramic

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Pair of Mid-Century classically styled lamps featuring satin brass bodies with white glazed ceramic

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Raymond Loewy Era Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Tension Pole Floor Lamp

$2,198

Raymond Loewy Era Stiffel Mid-Century Modern Tension Pole Floor Lamp

By Stiffel, Raymond Loewy

Located in West Hollywood, CA

This exceptional mid-century modern tension pole floor lamp is an attributed Stiffel design, dating

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Rare Vintage Brass Stiffel Mid Century Modern Floor Lamp 3-lite with Shade

$1,417Sale Price|25% Off

Rare Vintage Brass Stiffel Mid Century Modern Floor Lamp 3-lite with Shade

By Stiffel

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Vintage Brass Stiffel Floor Lamp with original Lampshade. Perfect working condition with three

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Wow! Stiffel Incredibles 2 Mid Century Danish Modern Table Lamp Rare Aluminum!

$5,700

Wow! Stiffel *Incredibles 2* Mid Century Danish Modern Table Lamp Rare Aluminum!

By Stiffel

Located in Peoria, AZ

Stiffel Mid Century Modern Aluminum & Steel Table Lamp Epitome of Mid Century Elegance! As Seen

Category

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

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Stiffel

$800

Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Stiffel

By Stiffel

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Very nice Mid-Century Modern brass lamp by Stiffel.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Mid Century Brass Stiffel Lamps

$1,430 / set

Mid Century Brass Stiffel Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in W Allenhurst, NJ

Spectacular mid century Stiffel lamps. Heavy brass presence with signature Stiffel detail. Very

Category

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

Materials

Metal, Brass

Mid Century Modern Stiffel Tulip Torchiere Brass Floor Lamp Chicago

$1,280

Mid Century Modern Stiffel Tulip Torchiere Brass Floor Lamp Chicago

By Stiffel

Located in Chula Vista, CA

For your consideration, a mid-century modern (art deco style) torchiere floor lamp in brass. Tulip

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Modern Stiffel Striped Pottery Table Lamp

$850

Mid Century Modern Stiffel Striped Pottery Table Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in Sarasota, FL

Lovely tall bottle form lamp in a striped decor. Brass and pottery. Fine condition

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Stiffel Lamp

$675

Mid-Century Stiffel Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Walnut and brass table lamp, design after Parzinger. Height to brass disk 22.5" Working, clean, original condition. Shade not included.

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Stiffel Table Lamps, Porcelain & Bronze, 1960s

$4,500 / set

Mid-Century Modern Stiffel Table Lamps, Porcelain & Bronze, 1960s

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Pair of Mid Century Porcelain lamps in a cream color crackle glaze with brown horizontal striations

Category

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

Materials

Bronze

Stiffel Sculptural Table Lamp, Ceramic and Brass, Mid Century Modern

$472Sale Price|20% Off

Stiffel Sculptural Table Lamp, Ceramic and Brass, Mid Century Modern

By Stiffel

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Vintage Stiffel table or accent lamp was made with graphic, angular brass base and pillar top

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Pair Of Mid Century Stiffel Torchiere Table Lamps

$895 / set

Pair Of Mid Century Stiffel Torchiere Table Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in Bridgeport, CT

Pair of mid century torchiere table lamps by Stiffel in brass with white enameling. The lamps with

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Stiffel Brass Table Lamp

$830

Mid-Century Stiffel Brass Table Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in Forney, TX

A beautiful tall mid-20th century Stiffel table lamp in brass with matte black enamel accents and

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Sculptural Table Lamp, Ceramic and Brass, Mid Century Modern

$440Sale Price|20% Off

Stiffel Sculptural Table Lamp, Ceramic and Brass, Mid Century Modern

By Stiffel

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Vintage Stiffel table or accent lamp was made with graphic, angular brass base and pillar top that

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamps by Stiffel, USA, 1960s

$1,540Sale Price / set|30% Off

Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamps by Stiffel, USA, 1960s

By Stiffel

Located in Brooklyn, NY

rare pair of american table lamps in brass with their original shades base height 60cm square base 14cm

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Tall Mid-Century Modern White Crackle Glaze Ceramic and Brass Lamp by Stiffel

$2,000

Tall Mid-Century Modern White Crackle Glaze Ceramic and Brass Lamp by Stiffel

By Stiffel

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

A tall ceramic and brass torchère style table lamp by Stiffel. A rare find, this circular lamp with

Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Pair of Mid Century Modern Brass Vase Shape Table Lamps Stiffel MINT!

$1,200

Pair of Mid Century Modern Brass Vase Shape Table Lamps Stiffel MINT!

By Stiffel

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Pair of Mid Century Modern Brass Vase Shape Table Lamps Stiffel MINT!

Category

20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Brass

Stiffel Mid-Century Greek Corinthian Column Table Lamp

$1,295

Stiffel Mid-Century Greek Corinthian Column Table Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in Germantown, MD

A MidCentury Stiffel Greek Corinthian Column Table Lamp with ebonized metal and brass with Paw feet

Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps by Stiffel, Jade Green Porcelain, USA

$4,500 / set

Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps by Stiffel, Jade Green Porcelain, USA

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Pair of Midcentury jade green glazed porcelain lamps with satin brass hardware. Lamps have been rewired for use in the USA, double cluster sockets can be height adjusted, each socket...

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Stiffel Brass Table Lamps & Shades Mid-Century Modern American 1990

$1,480 / set

Pair of Stiffel Brass Table Lamps & Shades Mid-Century Modern American 1990

By Stiffel

Located in Miami, FL

Pair of Modern polished Brass Stiffel Table Lamps Model Number 6163. They come with Harp, Finial

Category

1990s American Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Brass and Glass Table Lamps by Stiffel, United States

$2,700 / set

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Brass and Glass Table Lamps by Stiffel, United States

By Stiffel

Located in North Miami, FL

Pair of Mid-Century Modern golden brass and glass table lamps by Stiffel, United States By

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Crystal, Metal, Brass, Copper, Zinc

Pair Stiffel Table Lamps Brass Mid Century -- Tommi Parzinger Influence

$2,850 / set

Pair Stiffel Table Lamps Brass Mid Century -- Tommi Parzinger Influence

By Stiffel

Located in Minneapolis, MN

Here is a stylish pair of brass tables lamps made by Stiffel. People often attribute these lamps to

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Pair of Mid-Century Stiffel "Rocket" Table Lamps in Brass

$3,200 / set

Pair of Mid-Century Stiffel "Rocket" Table Lamps in Brass

By Stiffel

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Matched pair of glamorous Mid-Century Modern "Rocket Lamps" by Stiffel in patinated brass (ca

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Monumental Mid Century Brass Tripod Table Lamp! Claw Foot Decorator Stiffel

$2,800Sale Price|37% Off

Monumental Mid Century Brass Tripod Table Lamp! Claw Foot Decorator Stiffel

By Stiffel

Located in Peoria, AZ

Elegance in Brass! Mid Century Brass Tripod Table Lamp Claw Foot Tripod Base Brass Ball Motif

Category

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

Materials

Metal, Brass, Enamel

Mid-Century Modern Stiffel Table Lamps, Aged Bronze, USA, 1960s

$3,800 / set

Mid-Century Modern Stiffel Table Lamps, Aged Bronze, USA, 1960s

By Tommi Parzinger, Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Midcentury stylized lotus lamps in a custom aged bronze/brass finish. Lamps have been rewired for use in USA, uses edison type bulbs up to 100 watts. Lamps have on/off switch at base...

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Parzinger Three Candle Mid Century Brass Wood Lamp with Custom Shade

$692Sale Price|30% Off

Stiffel Parzinger Three Candle Mid Century Brass Wood Lamp with Custom Shade

By Stiffel

Located in Lomita, CA

This is the epitome of statement lighting with its elegant Stiffel touches in brass with the high

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Mod Stiffel Double Cone Floor Lamp Patinated Brass Arched Star Base

$1,500

Mid-Century Mod Stiffel Double Cone Floor Lamp Patinated Brass Arched Star Base

By Stiffel

Located in Chula Vista, CA

For your consideration, mid-century modern fabulous modern tall floor lamp by Stiffel. Unmarked

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamps by Stiffel, USA - Parzinger Style

$4,500 / set

Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamps by Stiffel, USA - Parzinger Style

By Tommi Parzinger, Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Pair of Tommi Parzinger influenced Mid-Century Classic polished brass lamps with three stacked

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of vintage Stiffel Brass Table Lamps

$1,210 / set

Pair of vintage Stiffel Brass Table Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in Germantown, MD

A pair of vintage Stiffel brass table lamps. Heavy brass. Measures 6.5" in width, 6.5" in depth

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Brass Table Lamp Mid Century Modern Stacked Orbits Jacks Base Pattern

$1,600

Stiffel Brass Table Lamp Mid Century Modern Stacked Orbits Jacks Base Pattern

By Tommi Parzinger, Stiffel

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Tall sharp looking brass table lamp by Stiffel.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Brass Lamp by Stiffel

$2,600

Brass Lamp by Stiffel

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Brass and cut-glass lamp by Stiffel. Brass is heavy. Boudoir style. Measures: 23.5" height (top of

Category

Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair Mid Century Modern Stiffel Brass Finial Shape Table Lamps Marble Bases MINT

$2,800 / set

Pair Mid Century Modern Stiffel Brass Finial Shape Table Lamps Marble Bases MINT

By Tommi Parzinger, Stiffel

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Pair Mid Century Modern Stiffel Brass Finial Shape Table Lamps Square Marble Bases MINT!

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Brass Table Lamp by Stiffel

$800

Brass Table Lamp by Stiffel

By Stiffel

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Very nice Mid-Century Modern table lamp by Stiffel.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Stiffel Hollywood Regency Table Lamp

$325

Stiffel Hollywood Regency Table Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in Germantown, MD

Stiffel Hollywood Regency table lamp. CIRCA 1960S. Very good condition. Minor wear. Heavy brass

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Elegant Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamp with Shade

$559Sale Price|20% Off

Elegant Mid-Century Modern Brass Table Lamp with Shade

By Stiffel

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Elegant brass table lamp with recent shade, includes harp, finial, and accommodates modern bulbs

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Tommi Parzinger Stiffel Brass Bouillotte Lamp w/Faux Burl Wood Shade

$1,650

Mid Century Tommi Parzinger Stiffel Brass Bouillotte Lamp w/Faux Burl Wood Shade

By Stiffel, Tommi Parzinger

Located in Germantown, MD

Mid Century Tommi Parzinger Stiffel Brass Bouillotte Lamp with Faux Burl Wood Shade Measures

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Floor Table Lamp Vintage 1960s

$1,916Sale Price|20% Off

Stiffel Floor Table Lamp Vintage 1960s

By Stiffel

Located in Lake Worth, FL

Estate Fine Lighting Acquisitions Of A 1960s Vintage Stiffel Floor Lamp with Brass Tray Table

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass, Metal

Vintage Stiffel Brass & Glass Oil Reservoir Lamp

$620

Vintage Stiffel Brass & Glass Oil Reservoir Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in W Allenhurst, NJ

Vintage oil-lamp style table lamp with fluted brass column base. Substantial bulbous oil reservoir with key turn. Switch on both base and socket. Classic design. Curbside to NYC/Phi...

Category

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

Materials

Brass

1950s Patinated Brass Stiffel Table Lamps

$1,800 / set

1950s Patinated Brass Stiffel Table Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

1950s patinated brass tall table lamps by Stiffel. Height to light socket 31.5.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Stiffel Double Shade Brass Floor Lamp with Attached Glass Side Table

$2,500

Stiffel Double Shade Brass Floor Lamp with Attached Glass Side Table

By Stiffel

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Double shade floor lamp by Stiffel, c.1970s, USA. The lamp features two brass lamp shades with

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Large Stiffel "Windows" Lamps, USA, 1960's

$8,500 / set

Large Stiffel "Windows" Lamps, USA, 1960's

By Stiffel

Located in New York, NY

Imposing pair of stacked walnut and brass lamps by Stiffel. Shades not included.

Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Danish Modern Tri-Color Tension Pole Lamp 1950s Stiffel Era Decor

$3,450

Mid Century Danish Modern Tri-Color Tension Pole Lamp 1950s Stiffel Era Decor

By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Stiffel

Located in Peoria, AZ

GORGEOUS! SPARKLING MID CENTURY DANISH MODERN TRI-COLOR THREE SHADE TENSION POLE LAMP! ICONIC

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal

Vintage Stiffel Brass and Glass Torchiere Floor Lamp

$744Sale Price|49% Off

Vintage Stiffel Brass and Glass Torchiere Floor Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in Lomita, CA

A mid-century modern Stiffel lamp is perfectly balanced on a square base that has four little ball

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Monumental Stiffel Parzinger Mid Century Regency Table Lamp Bronze Brass mcm 50s

$2,400Sale Price|20% Off

Monumental Stiffel Parzinger Mid Century Regency Table Lamp Bronze Brass mcm 50s

By Tommi Parzinger, Stiffel

Located in Peoria, AZ

Stiffel Mid Century Bronze Brass Regency Table Lamp Epitome of Mid Century Elegance! Attributed

Category

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

Materials

Metal, Brass

Stiffel Midcentury American Ceramic White Lava Glaze Table Lamp

$6,200

Stiffel Midcentury American Ceramic White Lava Glaze Table Lamp

By Stiffel

Located in Queens, NY

Mid-Century American ceramic table lamp in globular form, the tapered hourglass neck topped by a

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Original Stiffel Tension Rod Brass Floor Light

$2,500

Original Stiffel Tension Rod Brass Floor Light

By Stiffel

Located in North Miami, FL

Vintage midcentury lamp from the 1950s consists of 6 illuminating arms on an all brass adjustable tension pole. A single dial switch turns on the floor lamp. The height is semi adjus...

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Stiffel Solid Brass Trophy Table Lamp, circa 1960s

$386

Stiffel Solid Brass Trophy Table Lamp, circa 1960s

By Stiffel

Located in Germantown, MD

Stiffel Solid brass trophy table lamp, Circa 1960s Measures 7" in diameter and 25.5" Tall to the

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Vintage Stiffel Brass Floor Lamp with Glass Table

$950

Vintage Stiffel Brass Floor Lamp with Glass Table

By Stiffel

Located in Doylestown, PA

Elegant vintage brass floor lamp with glass table by Stiffel, circa 1970s. The lamp features two

Category

Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Brass

Large Brass Fluted Drum Shape Table Lamp by Stiffel

$1,600

Large Brass Fluted Drum Shape Table Lamp by Stiffel

By Stiffel

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Very nice looking solid brass Mid-Century Modern table lamp by Stiffel.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Oversized Stiffel Brass Table Lamp with Double Socket

$1,800

Oversized Stiffel Brass Table Lamp with Double Socket

By Stiffel

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This large table lamp was manufactured by Stiffel in the 1960s and features a double socket and

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Original Stiffel Pair of Oversized Midcentury Ceramic Lamps

$3,950 / set

Original Stiffel Pair of Oversized Midcentury Ceramic Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in North Miami, FL

Pair of Mid-Century Modern glazed ceramic bottle vase form lamps on bronze bases, in bone with grey

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Lighting Under $1,000

Antique and Vintage Lighting

Mid-Century Modern Lighting

20th Century Lighting

Metal Lighting

Lighting on Sale

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Stiffel Mid Century Modern For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic stiffel mid century modern available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of metal, brass and ceramic, every stiffel mid century modern was constructed with great care. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect stiffel mid century modern — we have versions that date back to the 20th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. A stiffel mid century modern is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Mid-Century Modern and Modern styles are sought with frequency. You’ll likely find more than one stiffel mid century modern that is appealing in its simplicity, but Stiffel, Tommi Parzinger and Gerald Thurston produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Stiffel Mid Century Modern?

Prices for a stiffel mid century modern can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $320 and can go as high as $7,950, while the average can fetch as much as $2,000.

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

Emerged during the mid-20th century
Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
A heyday of innovation in postwar America
Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
Promotion of functionality

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

Charles and Ray Eames
Eero Saarinen
Milo Baughman
Florence Knoll
Harry Bertoia
Isamu Noguchi
George Nelson
Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa

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.

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.