Medium Tera Table Lamp in Glazed Indigo by Ceramic
By Ceramicah
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Tera Lamp is Ceramicah’s signature table lamp, known for its classic silhouette, thoughtful
2010s American Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Medium Tera Table Lamp in Glazed Indigo by Ceramic
By Ceramicah
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Tera Lamp is Ceramicah’s signature table lamp, known for its classic silhouette, thoughtful
Brass
XL Tera Lamp in Beige Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Mini Tera Lamp in Sienna Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Large Tera Lamp in White Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
XL Tera Lamp in Beige Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Large Tera Lamp in White Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Mini Tera Lamp in Sienna Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Large Tera Lamp in White Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Medium Tera Lamp in Deep Green Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Medium Tera Lamp in Deep Green Lime Plaster by Ceramicah
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Tera Lamp - Lime Plaster by Ceramicah is made of a wheel thrown ceramic shade and ceramic base
Ceramic
Sold|$904
H 7.88 in W 15.75 in D 4.73 in
Murano Glass wall lighting by Vetri 40cm pair, Italy, late 1980s
By Vetri
Located in La xara, VC
Murano Glass wall lighting by VM-Vetri, Italy, Late 1970s These are white Murano glass ceiling or wall lights with a white painted metal bracket, from the production of VM 'Vetri M...
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Monumental size Bamboo lamps. Crafted in Italy and made to order, these lamps are modern and chic. Production lead time 2-4 weeks. Base diameter 8 inches, hat diameter 20 inches, he...
Brass
$3,969 / item
H 28.35 in W 40.16 in D 34.65 in
"Pietra" Curved Armchair with Leather Arms Upholstered in Bouclé Fabric
By Studio Marta Manente
Located in Centro, RS
Pietra from Italian: Stone The designer Marta Manente is of Italian descent, her great-grandparents migrated from Italy over 100 years ago and lived in the region of Bento Gonçalves ...
Bouclé
$1,650 / item
H 16.1 in Dm 11.5 in
'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
By Örsjö Industri AB
Located in Glendale, CA
'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...
Textile
Rosso Levanto Marble Narrow Bowl
By Kiwano Concept
Located in Eindhoven, NB
Introducing our exquisite Rosso Levanto Marble NARROW Bowl, a fusion of elegance and functionality. Crafted from luxurious Levanto marble stone, this stunning bowl is a testament to ...
Marble
$8,420 / set
H 23.63 in W 4.34 in D 2.37 in
Brass and Alabaster Curved and Long Wall Sconces by Glustin Luminaires
By Glustin Creation
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
New wall sconces by Glustin Luminaires, made of a single rounded and curved carved alabaster piece sat on a light bronze-finish brass backplate. Due to the nature of the alabaste...
Alabaster, Brass
$1,190 / item
H 17.33 in Dm 24.41 in
Django • Sienna Earth • Sculptural Textured Velvet Ottoman by Odditi
By Odditi
Located in CAROOL, NSW, AU
The Django ottoman is a sculptural living object that brings its eclectic personality into any space. Exhibiting a sleek yet playful nature, Django also has a practical side and is a...
Fabric, Foam, Jacquard
White Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
White Alabaster Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Ø 40.6 x H 56 cm. Materials: Brass, acrylic and white alabaster. Also available in different marble, wood and alabast...
Alabaster, Brass
Pair of Constant Night Stands in Oak Wood by Master for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Envisioned by designer Yaniv Chen, the Constant nightstand exudes an air of refined luxury, celebrating the inherent splendor of wood. Meticulously crafted with impeccable proportion...
Oak
Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables
By Theodore Alexander
Located in Westwood, NJ
A Pacific walnut side table, the square top with rounded corners and a reeded edge above a similar under tier, on bobbin turned legs. Dimensions: 26" W x 26" D x 28.5" H.
Wood
Leather Meander Wall Sconce
Located in Pound Ridge, NY
Our updated Meander Reader light with leather wrapped flexible arm and a larger cone shade and new upward angle feature. Bulb can be fully recessed. Comes with suggested LED bulb. ...
Brass
$2,500 / item
H 19.69 in W 19.69 in D 17.72 in
Tombul 2-Drawer Nightstand with Push-to-Open Mechanism, Honey Oak
By Yet Design Studio
Located in Istanbul, 34
An aesthetic of honesty permeates Yet Design’s furniture, showcasing the power and beauty of simple geometric shapes. Their timeless designs combine sculptural forms, the material’s ...
Wood, Oak
Mamun Bedside (Dark Brown/Dusty Blue)
Located in Singapore, SG
Mamun, which translates to trustworthy in Arabic, was designed by Studio Kallang in 2021 as a playful take on both midcentury and brutalist forms. Designer Faezah Shaharuddin intende...
Teak
Sold|$773
H 3.15 in W 12.21 in D 7.49 in
1930s French Art Deco Hand-Carved Oak Box, Geometric Design, Excellent
Located in Aci Castello, IT
This is a 1930s French Art Deco hand-carved oak box, showcasing a unique blend of craftsmanship and geometric flair characteristic of the Art Deco period. Solid oak wood, noted for i...
Oak
$5,166Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 24.01 in Dm 13.78 in
Pair of Constant Night Stands in Poplar Burl wood by Master for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Envisioned by designer Yaniv Chen, the Constant nightstand exudes an air of refined luxury, celebrating the inherent splendor of Poplar burl wood. Meticulously crafted with impeccabl...
Burl, Poplar
$16,892 / item
H 53.15 in W 125.99 in D 59.06 in
Oval Brass and Parchment Chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires
By Diego Mardegan
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Beautiful chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires, this other version of the spider chandelier has longer arms on the sides giving the oval shape. The metal arms paint...
Metal, Brass
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
Well-crafted antique and vintage table lamps do more than provide light; the right fixture-and-table combination can add a focal point or creative element to any interior.
Proper table lamps have long been used for lighting our most intimate spaces. Perfect for lighting your nightstand or reading nook, table lamps play an integral role in styling an inviting room. In the years before electricity, lamps used oil. Today, a rewired 19th-century vintage lamp can still provide a touch of elegance for a study.
After industrial milestones such as mass production took hold in the Victorian era, various design movements sought to bring craftsmanship and innovation back to this indispensable household item. Lighting designers affiliated with Art Deco, which originated in the glamorous roaring ’20s, sought to celebrate modern life by fusing modern metals with dark woods and dazzling colors in the fixtures of the era. The geometric shapes and gilded details of vintage Art Deco table lamps provide an air of luxury and sophistication that never goes out of style.
After launching in 1934, Anglepoise lamps soon became a favorite among modernist architects and designers, who interpreted the fixture as “a machine for lighting,” just as Le Corbusier had reimagined the house as “a machine for living in.” The popular task light owed to a collaboration between a vehicle-suspension engineer by the name of George Carwardine and a West Midlands springs manufacturer, Herbert Terry & Sons.
Some mid-century modern table lamps, particularly those created by the likes of Joe Colombo and the legendary lighting artisans at Fontana Arte, bear all the provocative hallmarks associated with Space Age design. Sculptural and versatile, the Louis Poulsen table lamps of that period were revolutionary for their time and still seem innovative today.
If you are looking for something more contemporary, industrial table lamps are demonstrative of a newly chic style that isn’t afraid to pay homage to the past. They look particularly at home in any rustic loft space amid exposed brick and steel beams.
Before you buy a desk lamp or table lamp for your living room, consider your lighting needs. The Snoopy lamp, designed in 1967, or any other “banker’s lamp” (shorthand for the Emeralite desk lamps patented by H.G. McFaddin and Company), provides light at a downward angle that is perfect for writing, while the Fontana table lamp and the beloved Grasshopper lamp by Greta Magnusson-Grossman each yield a soft and even glow. Some table lamps require lampshades to be bought separately.
Whether it’s a classic antique Tiffany table lamp, a Murano glass table lamp or even a bold avant-garde fixture custom-made by a contemporary design firm, the right table lamp can completely transform a room. Find the right one for you on 1stDibs.
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.
Having created extravagant homes for reality TV’s biggest stars, the designer is stepping into the spotlight with his first book.
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.
The Palm Springs interior decorator developed a mid-century style that defined the vacation homes of celebrities and other notables, including Bob Hope and Lucille Ball.
The houses from this New York studio cloak modernist tendencies within what are often more traditional trappings.
In the market for a fantastic fixture from the 1940s, ’50s or ’60s? Here are some names to know.