Massive Italian Cachepot or Container in Tortoiseshell Lucite and Brass, 1970s
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Roma, IT
Impressive and sculptural extra large planter or decorative container, entirely crafted in magnificent tortoiseshell-effect lucite and finished with an elegant polished brass upper t...
Brass
Serving Tray Faux Tortoiseshell Lucite & Brass Christian Dior Style, Italy 1970
By Willy Rizzo, Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing serving tray in faux tortoiseshell and brass with handles in the style of Christian Dior Home. Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Metal, Brass
Dior Midcentury Magazine Rack in Tortoiseshell Lucite and Chrome, France 1970
By Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful Mid-Century magazine rack in curved lucite with a beautiful tortoiseshell effect and chrome.
Steel, Chrome
Serving Tray Faux Tortoiseshell Lucite & Brass Christian Dior Style, Italy 1970
By Christian Dior, Dior Home
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing large serving tray in faux tortoiseshell and brass with handles in the style of Christian Dior Home. Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Metal, Brass
Italian Vintage Serving Square Tray in Faux Tortoiseshell Lucite & Brass, 70s
By Willy Rizzo, Romeo Rega
Located in Roma, IT
Square tray made in Italy undoubtedly dating back to the 70s. Made with a 3 mm thick quadrangular faux tortoise lucite panel enclosed in a solid brass frame with removable handles. T...
Brass
1970s Mid-Century Modern Faux Tortoiseshell Lucite Luxury Box Dior Home Style
By Guzzini, Dior Home
Located in Aci Castello, IT
Crafted from heavy, high-quality lucite with a stunning faux tortoiseshell finish, the piece radiates deep amber and rich espresso tones that dance beautifully when caught by the lig...
Brass
Dior Round Tray in 24k Goldplate Brass and Tortoiseshell Lucite, Italy, 1970s
By Willy Rizzo, Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
The tray features stunning lucite with a vibrant tortoiseshell finish. The contrast between the rich golden brass and the amber and cognac tones of the lucite creates a refined and l...
Metal, Brass, Gold Plate, Gold
Dior Large Magazine or Bottle Rack, Tortoiseshell Lucite and Chrome, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous large Mid-Century magazine rack made in a wonderful tortoiseshell effect lucite with a chrome-plated rim and handle.
Chrome
Oval Serving Tray in Effect Tortoiseshell Lucite & Brass by Guzzini, Italy 1970s
By Christian Dior, Team Guzzini
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing oval serving tray in faux tortoiseshell-effect Lucite featuring brass handles and borders by Team Guzzini.
Metal, Brass
Serving Tray or Vide-Poche in Bamboo and Tortoiseshell Lucite, Italy 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Rectangular serving tray or vide-poche in lucite effect tortoiseshell and Bamboo. Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Bamboo, Rattan, Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
Oval Serving Tray in Effect Tortoiseshell Lucite & Brass by Guzzini, Italy 1970s
By Guzzini, Team Guzzini
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing oval serving tray in faux tortoiseshell-effect Lucite featuring brass handles and borders by Team Guzzini.
Metal, Brass
Oval Serving Tray in Effect Tortoiseshell Lucite & Brass by Guzzini, Italy 1970s
By Team Guzzini, Guzzini
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing oval serving tray in faux tortoiseshell-effect Lucite featuring brass handles and borders by Team Guzzini.
Metal, Brass
Set of 4 Apple-Shaped Tortoiseshell Lucite Vide-Poche Bowls, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Preserved in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks, the lucite displays an exceptionally vibrant and refined tortoiseshell pattern that beautifully captures the light.
Chrome
Christian Dior Tortoiseshell Lucite Serving Tray or Large Vide-Poche, Italy 1970
By Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous midcentury piece of serveware in curved tortoiseshell effect lucite. This stunning and unique piece was produced in Italy during the 1970s.
Chrome
Dior Bowl or Magazine Rack in Tortoiseshell Lucite and Brass, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
In fabulous condition, with no scratches, chips or crack. This tortoiseshell effect of the lucite on this bowl is spectacular and the contrast with the brass rim makes it incredibly ...
Brass
Dior Extra-Large Decorative Bowl in Tortoiseshell Lucite and Brass, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
This large bowl is made from a single round piece of lucite with a splendid, vibrant tortoiseshell effect.
Brass
Bowl in Tortoiseshell Lucite Effect and Brass Christian Dior Style, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home, Team Guzzini, Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing round bowl in in lucite tortoiseshell effect and brass in the style of Christian Dior Home.
Metal, Brass
Bowl in Tortoiseshell Lucite Effect and Brass Christian Dior Style, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home, Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing round bowl in in lucite tortoiseshell effect and brass in the style of Christian Dior Home.
Metal, Brass
Dior Bowl or Magazine Rack in Tortoiseshell Lucite and Brass, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
In fabulous condition, with no scratches, chips or crack. This tortoiseshell effect of the lucite on this bowl is spectacular and the contrast with the brass rim makes it incredibly ...
Brass
Dior Style Jewel Box in Tortoiseshell Lucite and Chrome, API Italy, 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
Lovely Midcentury box in Christian Dior style produced by API in Italy in the 1970s. This charming box is made in a gorgeous tortiseshell effect lucite and chrome. A fantastic it...
Metal
Vintage Tortoiseshell Lucite & Chrome Serving Tray by Willy Rizzo, Italy ca.1970
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Geneva, CH
Tortoise shell and chrome serving tray by Willy Rizzo made in Italy ca. 1970 Good vintage condition L 54 x D 35 x H 8 cm
Tortoise Shell
Picture Frame in Lucite Tortoiseshell & Brass Christian Dior Style, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home, Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury beautiful rectangular picture photo frame in tortoiseshell lucite effect and brass in the style of Christian Dior Home.
Metal, Brass
Picture Frame in Lucite Tortoiseshell & Glass by Gabriella Crespi, Italy 1970s
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury beautiful large rectangular "Due Lune" picture photo frame in tortoiseshell lucite effect and glass by Gabriella Crespi.
Glass, Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
Dior Large Photo Frame in Lucite Tortoiseshell and Brass, Italy, 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
Preserved in amazing condition, with no chips or cracks, the frame showcases a marvelous and vibrant tortoiseshell lucite body enriched by refined solid brass corners.
Brass
Mid-century cylindrical jewelry box, Italy, 1970s
Located in Firenze, IT
Modernist faux tortoiseshell lucite and brass cylindrical box Italy 1970s brass, faux tortoiseshell lucite H 6 × 10 cm diam Conditions: excellent consistent with age and use
Brass
Dior Rectangular Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite Serving Tray, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous Mid-Century serving tray fully made of vibrant tortoiseshell Lucite with a chrome frame. This incredibly elegant piece was designed by Dior Home and produced in Italy durin...
Chrome
Mid-century modern lucite and brass jewelry box, Italy 1970s
Located in Firenze, IT
Modernist lucite and brass box Italy 1970s brass, faux tortoiseshell lucite H 10 × 12 × 20 cm Conditions: excellent consistent with age and use
Brass
Midcentury Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Brass Oval Serving Tray, Italy 1970s
By Guzzini
Located in Roma, IT
The contrast between the tortoiseshell lucite and the brass is incredibly charming.
Brass
Chromed Steel and Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite Square Coffee Table, Italy 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
The contrast between the chrome and the tortoiseshell lucite top is incredibly charming and makes this piece a must have for Mid-Century style lovers.
Steel, Chrome
Midcentury Large Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Brass Serving Tray, Italy 1970s
By Guzzini
Located in Roma, IT
The contrast between the tortoiseshell lucite and the brass is incredibly elegant.
Brass
Dior Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Brass Cubic Magazine Rack, 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
The vibrant tortoiseshell lucite exudes depth and movement, while the brass frame enhance its warm tones, creating a timeless and sophisticated aesthetic.
Brass
Christian Dior Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Chrome Serving Tray, Italy 1970s
By Christian Dior, Willy Rizzo
Located in Roma, IT
An iconic tortoiseshell lucite serving tray or platter that will surely amaze your guests.
Chrome
20th Century Italian Modernist Writing Table
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
20th Century Italian writing table of simple Modernist form. With a tortoiseshell lucite drawer and trim and smoked glass top.
Aluminum
Signed Christofle Tortoiseshell Plexiglass and Brass Photo Frame, France, 1970s
By Christian Dior, Christofle
Located in Roma, IT
This unique photo frame features a square frame in warm tortoiseshell lucite paired with a central polished brass element that enhances light reflection and depth.
Brass
1970s Italian Lucite Tortoiseshell Effect and Brass Tray in the Style of Dior
By Christian Dior
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Elegant rectangular serving tray produced in Italy during the 1970s, crafted in lucite with a tortoiseshell effect and finished with a refined brass rim, in the style of Dior.
Brass
Italian Modern Magazine Rack in Faux Tortoise Shell Lucite and Brass, 1970
Located in Barcelona, ES
Beautiful Mid-Century Modern faux carey / tortoiseshell Lucite magazine holder/stand with brass handle and four feet.
Brass
Nesting Table in Faux Tortoiseshell Curved Lucite attributable to Dior Home, 70s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
We are pleased to offer for sale a rare set of 1970s faux tortoiseshell Lucite nesting tables, attributed to Dior Home.
Lucite, Acrylic
1970s Mid-Century Modern Brass and Fake Tortoise Lucite Round Tray by Guzzini
By Guzzini
Located in Nicolosi, IT
This 1970s Mid-Century Modern Round Tray by Guzzini is a stunning example of Italian design from the era, combining faux tortoiseshell Lucite and a sleek brass frame. With a diameter...
Silver
1970s Italian Photo Frame by Gabriella Crespi, Silvered Metal & Lucite
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in London, London
The rectangular frame is composed of a striking combination of silvered metal and tortoiseshell lucite. A broad outer border of richly mottled lucite—alive with warm amber, caramel a...
Metal
1970's YVES SAINT LAURENT tortoise and gold link belt
By Yves Saint Laurent
Located in San Fransisco, CA
This 1970's Yves Saint Laurent link belt is composed of alternating rectangular and circular tortoise acetate elements, connected by polished gold-tone metal links. The tortoiseshell...
Lucite and Faux Tortoiseshell Magazine Stand
Located in Hanover, MA
Vintage Italian Hollywood Regency magazine holder. Could also serve as a plant stand or mail holder for an over-the-top Fash Mag Slag. Molded faux tortoise shell acrylic trough wit...
Brass
Photo Frame in Lucite Tortoiseshell, Italy, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Gorgeous photo frame in lucite with a stunning tortoiseshell effect. This elegant piece was produced in Italy in the 1970s.
Lucite, Plexiglass
Burl Wood & Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite Box, Italy, 1970s
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Rome, IT
Rectangular box in tortoiseshell-effect lucite and burl wood frame made in Italy in the 1970s.
Metal, Aluminum
1970s Lucite Tray in Faux Tortoiseshell with Chrome Edges
By Mercier Freres, Guzzini, Dior Home, Christian Dior
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
An elegant rectangular tray made in the 1970s, crafted in Lucite with a rich faux tortoiseshell pattern in warm amber and brown tones.
Lucite
Round Centerpiece Serving Tray Lucite Tortoiseshell & Steel Italy 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Iconic round serving tray / centerpiece in tortoiseshell effect lucite with a steel circle in the style of Christian Dior made in Italy in the 1970s.
Metal, Steel
Mid-Century Modern Lucite Tray with Chrome Trim, Tortoiseshell Design
Located in Austin, TX
This piece is made of Lucite in a brown tortoiseshell pattern. It is trimmed with chromed aluminum.
Chrome
Dior Style Octagonal Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite Serving Tray, Italy, 1970s
By Guzzini
Located in Roma, IT
In excellent condition, with no chips or cracks. The lucite features a vibrant tortoiseshell effect that beautifully reflects the light, enhancing its depth and character.
Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
Midcentury Modern Italian Lucite Tortoiseshell Effect Oval Serving Tray, 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful Mid-Century lucite tray with a fantastic tortoiseshell effect.
Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
Serving Tray Lucite Tortoiseshell & Chrome Christian Dior Style, Italy, 1970s
By Willy Rizzo, Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
1970s Rectangular serving tray centerpiece in tortoiseshell-effect lucite and chrome borders in the style of Christian Dior Home, made in Italy 1970s.
Metal, Chrome
Midcentury Round Serving Tray in Lucite Faux Tortoiseshell & Brass, Italy, 1970s
By Guzzini, Christian Dior, Team Guzzini
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing round serving tray or centerpiece in lucite faux tortoiseshell effect and brass attributed to Team Guzzini.
Metal, Brass
1970s Italian Tortoiseshell Bakelite Lucite and Brass Tray, Willy Rizzo Style
By Christian Dior, Gucci
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Elegant Italian tray from the 1970s, crafted in tortoiseshell-effect bakelite/lucite with a refined brass border.
Brass
Basket Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite & Chrome, Christian Dior style, Italy 1970s
By Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Cubic basket in tortoiseshell-effect lucite and chrome borders in the style of Christian Dior.
Metal, Chrome
Dior Extra-Large Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite Tray or Centerpiece, Italy, 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Exceptional and truly unique extra-large Mid-Century tray or centerpiece, fully made in vibrant tortoiseshell-effect Lucite and chrome-plated metal.
Chrome
Serving Tray Lucite Faux Tortoiseshell & Brass Christian Dior Style, Italy 1970s
By Willy Rizzo, Dior Home, Team Guzzini, Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing squared serving tray or centerpiece in lucite faux tortoiseshell effect and brass in the style of Christian Dior Home.
Metal, Brass
Christian Dior Midcentury Lucite Tortoiseshell Effect and Brass Jewelry Box 1970
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
This piece, is in its unique elegance, simulates tortoiseshell with its lucite structure and has precious golden brass finishes.
Brass
1970s Italian Tortoiseshell Bakelite Lucite Folding Tray Table by Willy Rizzo
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Elegant Italian folding tray table from the 1970s, attributable to the style of Willy Rizzo, featuring a tortoiseshell-effect Bakelite tray top and a folding metal base. The piece co...
Metal, Chrome
Guzzini’s Oval Lucite Serving Tray from 1970s Italy – Faux Tortoiseshell -brass
By Guzzini
Located in Hamburg, DE
Immerse yourself in the luxurious aesthetic of faux tortoiseshell-effect Lucite, creating a mesmerizing visual appeal.
Brass
Midcentury Large Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Brass Serving Tray, Italy 1970s
By Guzzini
Located in Roma, IT
In fabulous conditions with no chips or cracks. The lucite has a vibrant tortoiseshell effect and is enhanced by a decorative polished brass rim.
Brass
Box Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Silver Christian Dior Style, Italy, 1980s
By Christian Dior
Located in Rome, IT
Squared decorative jewelry box in tortoiseshell-effect lucite and Silver in Christian Dior style.
Metal, Silver
Dior Rectangular Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite and Brass Serving Tray, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous Mid-Century serving tray fully made in a vibrant tortoiseshell effect lucite with a polished solid brass frame.
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.
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.
It's hard to resist the allure of a beautiful pool. So, go ahead and daydream about whiling away your summer in paradise.
Modern icons are showing up in gracefully layered dining nooks, living rooms and lounges — proof that great design only gets better with context.
With its grid-like doors and wavy trim, the 1940s design feels as fresh as ever.
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Prehistoric motifs give the mid-century Italian fireplace an elemental feel.
Their charming solid-oak pieces offer homes utility and comfort.
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Designer Susan Yeley turned to 1stDibs to outfit an Indiana home with standout pieces that complement its modernist style.