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
Peggy Notched Coat Peg of Bronze & Leather
By Herringbone Designed
Located in Pasadena, CA
At Herringbone Designed we believe in the power of collaboration. To that end, we have developed a number of fruitful partnerships with talented artists and manufacturers both locall...
Bronze
Cognac Leather Director's Chair
By Dario Alfonsi
Located in Milan, IT
Dark hues of vegetable-tanned leather and a beechwood frame finished with an ash wood varnish. Hand-sewn and assembled in Rome by Dario Alfonsi, this iconic collapsible chair express...
Leather, Beech
Travertine Oval Tray
By Kiwano Concept
Located in Eindhoven, NB
Elevate your space with the timeless elegance of the Travertine Oval Tray. Crafted from exquisite travertine adorned with natural pits, this versatile tray adds a touch of sophistica...
Travertine
Lladro Porcelain Floral Vase, 1970s
By Lladro
Located in Barcelona, ES
A beautiful porcelain floral vase designed by Julio Fernández and manufactured by Lladró. Spain, 1970s. This elegant glazed porcelain vase has a clean design with floral and foliage ...
Porcelain
Art Deco Style Chandelier
By Sofar
Located in Rebais, FR
Art Deco chandelier with nickel finish and glass rods.
Brass
$3,200 / item
H 40 in W 18.5 in D 19.5 in
Reeves Swivel Bar or Counter Stool W/ Ash stained Walnut legs & Brass Finish.
Located in Westport, CT
Swivel bar stool with Ash legs stained Walnut #2 and satin brass finish accents. Seat and back shown upholstered in green leather. Available in bar height (30" seat height), counter ...
Metal
Linden Table Lamp with Contemporary Linen Shades by Studio Dunn
By Studio DUNN
Located in Rumford, RI
The Linden table lamp features a cream linen shade and lamp body, solid hardwood walnut base, and brass details. A study in duality, the piece explores the balance between soft, flow...
Brass
Bespoke Octagon Smoked Murano Glass Mirror, in Stock
Located in Miami, FL
Bespoke octagon smoked Murano glass mirror, in stock Vivid and intense smoked or bronze glass block with naturally occurring air inclusions throughout Highly polished faceted pa...
Brass
Game Side Table
By Chuch Estudio
Located in Mérida, MX
These side wooden stools capture the elegance and charm of antique card tables, where cards and camaraderie intertwined in endless afternoons. Each bench is meticulously designed wit...
Wood, Cedar
$13,890 / item
H 25.6 in W 76.78 in D 39.38 in
Mid-Century Modern Twins Daybed, DEDAR Mohair, Oak, Handmade by Greenapple
By Greenapple, Dedar, Rute Martins
Located in Lisboa, PT
Mid-Century Modern Twins Daybed, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Twins daybed and its matching curved sofa share the same genes, yet eac...
Leather, Fabric, Alpaca, Mohair, Linen, Velvet, Wood, Oak, Walnut
$316Sale Price|20% Off
H 15 in W 2.5 in D 4.25 in
Vintage Skultana Wall Sconce Designed By Pierre Forsell
By Pierre Forsell
Located in Doraville, GA
Vintage solid brass wall sconce for candles designed by Pierre Forsell for the Swedish firm Skultana in the 1950’s. The sconce has its original protective coating and the original b...
Brass
$7,198 / set
H 29.93 in W 89.77 in D 11.03 in
Mogens Koch Bookcases Set of Three Bookcases for Rud. Rasmussen
By Rud Rasmussen, Mogens Koch
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Mogens Koch set of three bookcases in Oregon pine. Executed by Rud. Rasmussen. Reverse with paper labels ‘RUD. RASMUSSENS/SNEDKERIER/NØRREBROGADE/KØBENHAVN.
Pine
Willy Guhl Tilted Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tilted concrete "soup-cup" planters by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Great patina and coloring to each planter. Excellent vintage condition. Great planter and standalone sculpture for ...
Cement
$2,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 17.72 in Dm 14.97 in
Soda Blown Murano Glass High Coffee Table in Amber by Yiannis Ghikas
By Yiannis Ghikas, Miniforms
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soda was born upside-down, with a puff of air. It weighs 20 kilos, and it is blown, drawn out and shaped by three master glassmakers. The result is a single volume of glass with thre...
Blown Glass
$4,085 / item
H 19.69 in W 15.75 in D 19.69 in
Dandy Stool in Cream Shagreen and Bronze-Patina Brass by Kifu, Paris
By Kifu Augousti
Located in New York, NY
The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by ...
Brass
Galerie Elm Wood Side Table
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
The artisanal construction methods highlight the elm woods beautiful grain pattern & knots and fissures from its past life. The most authentic materials are hand selected, and h...
Elm
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.