$5,400 / item
H 8 in W 8 in D 3.5 in
Max Ingrand Fontana Arte, Model 1944 Thick Glass Sconces 5 Pieces, Italy, 1960
By Fontana Arte, Max Ingrand
Located in Vienna, AT
covering the junction box if required. Literature: Max Ingrand 'Du vierre a la lumiere' Pierre Emmanuel
Brass
Jean Perzel Style Brass & Milk Glass Pendant Lamp
By Atelier Jean Perzel
Located in Las Vegas, NV
up for use with a ceiling hook. Easily altered for use with a standard junction box. 4 available at
Metal
$1,980 / set
H 9 in W 11.25 in D 6 in
Maison Lancel 2 Light Brass Dolphin Sconces Black Shade, France, 1950, Pair
By E. Guillemard, Maison Lancel
Located in Miami, FL
condition and each sconce takes one bulb max. 60 watts. Back Plate measures: 1.25 x 2 inches. Junction Box
Brass
Model 15806 Sconces by Vitrika
By Vitrika
Located in Los Angeles, CA
has been wired for U.S. junction boxes. The sconces are unique: one glass shade features a clear
Brass
$469 / item
H 11.03 in W 9.06 in D 13.78 in
1980s Ex British Army Lamp Shade and Galvanized Steel Short Reach Cantilever
By Industrial Design
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
wall mount section is made from a reclaimed explosion proof junction box. This is great solution for
Aluminum, Steel
$469 / item
H 11.03 in W 9.45 in D 26.38 in
1980s Ex British Army Lamp Shade and Galvanised Steel Explosion Proof Cantilever
By Industrial Design
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
wall mount section is made from a reclaimed explosion proof junction box. This is great solution for
Aluminum, Steel
$2,450 / set
H 8.5 in W 6.5 in D 4.5 in
Wonderful Mid Century Pair Italian Murano Art Glass Wall Sconces Barovier & Toso
By Barovier&Toso
Located in Roslyn, NY
light. The fixtures are supported on white backplates with attachments to mount on to a US junction box
Art Glass, Murano Glass
$2,450 / set
H 8.5 in W 6.5 in D 4.5 in
Wonderful Mid Century Pair Italian Murano Art Glass Wall Sconces Barovier & Toso
By Barovier&Toso
Located in Roslyn, NY
light. The fixtures are supported on white backplates with attachments to mount on to a US junction box
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Xl Reclaimed German Military Explosion-Proof Pendant Lights
By EOW GDR
Located in Nottingham, GB
Heavy cast aluminium body Explosion proof multi-bolt enclosure Oversized cast junction box Armoured
Aluminum
$1,800
H 4.5 in W 12.5 in D 12.5 in
1970s Veca Glass Wall or Ceiling Lamp in the Manner of Max Ingrand
By Max Ingrand, VECA
Located in Glendale, CA
color and chromed hardware. Professionally rewired for US electrical. Fits over a standard US junction
Metal
1950s Italian Brass Linear Wall Lamp
By Stilnovo
Located in Hanover, MA
fabricate a brass backplate should you need to cover a junction box.
Brass
Rare Antiques Set Of Seven Mid Century Large French Sconces
Located in Los Angeles, CA
the American junction box, price is for the set of seven ALL SALES ARE FINAL, STORE CREDIT OR
Brass
$23,000
H 16.92 in W 22 in D 22 in
Max Ingrand Fontana Arte Semi Flush Mount Chandelier Mod. 1748 Glass Brass, 1957
By Fontana Arte, Max Ingrand
Located in Vienna, AT
parts and treated them against tarnishing. We can provide round brass canopies for covering the junction
Brass
$2,000 / item
H 4.75 in W 5.125 in D 8.25 in
1950s Italian White Perforated Sconce Attributed to Gino Sarfatti
By Gino Sarfatti, Jacques Biny, Arteluce
Located in Glendale, CA
for US electrical with custom period styled brass backplate for mounting over standard US junction
Brass, Metal
$23,000
H 16.92 in W 22 in D 22 in
Max Ingrand Fontana Arte Semi Flush Mount Chandelier Mod. 1748 Glass Brass, 1957
By Max Ingrand, Fontana Arte
Located in Vienna, AT
junction box if required. 6 bulbs per light (e14, 40 W max). Max Ingrand who was the artistic director at
Brass
1960s Hans Agne Jakobsson #V149 Glass & Brass Wall Lamp for Markaryd
By Hans-Agne Jakobsson, AB Markaryd
Located in Glendale, CA
rewired for US electrical with custom period-style 3.5" backplates for mounting over US junction box. Not
Brass
1970s Hillebrand Murano Ice Glass Round Flush Mount
By Hillebrand
Located in Glendale, CA
Angeles. Professionally rewired for US electrical. Mounts over a standard US junction box. Accommodates
Metal
$3,995 / set
H 4.75 in W 5.125 in D 8.25 in
Pair of 1950s Italian White Perforated Sconces Attributed to Gino Sarfatti
By Arteluce, Jacques Biny, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
US junction boxes. Accommodates a single US candelabra base 60w maximum bulb (lower with incandescent
Metal, Brass
1950s Mauri Almari 'K2-48' Brass Pendant for Idman
By Mauri Almari
Located in Glendale, CA
diameter period-style brass canopy added for mounting over a standard American junction box. 60 inches of
Brass
$23,000
H 16.92 in W 22 in D 22 in
Max Ingrand Fontana Arte Semi Flush Mount Chandelier Mod. 1748 Glass Brass, 1957
By Fontana Arte, Max Ingrand
Located in Vienna, AT
requested. We can provide round brass canopies for covering the junction box if required. 6 bulbs per light
Brass
1950s Aldo Londi Ceramic Bitossi Pendant Lamp for Italian Raymor
By Raymor, Aldo Londi
Located in Glendale, CA
period-style black metal canopy to accommodate a standard US junction box. Accommodates a single medium
Ceramic
1960s Helena Tynell Model #A668 Bubble Glass Flush Mount for Limburg
By Limburg, Helena Tynell
Located in Glendale, CA
. Mounts over a standard US junction box. Accommodates 2x max 75W equivalent standard medium base (e26) LED
Metal
$938 / item
H 23.63 in Dm 11.03 in
Extra Large Polish Vintage Industrial Cage Ceiling Light by Polam-Wilkasy
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
architectural presence, topped with a dramatic oversized junction box bearing cast manufacturer’s marks
Aluminum
$1,400
H 9.5 in W 5.25 in D 7.5 in
1960s Hans Agne Jakobsson #V149 Glass & Brass Wall Lamp for Markaryd
By AB Markaryd, Hans-Agne Jakobsson
Located in Glendale, CA
period-style 3.5 inch brass backplates for mounting over a standard US junction box. Not UL listed, but
Brass
Italian Wall Sconces after Gio Ponti
By (After) Gio Ponti
Located in South Charleston, WV
, through the use of standard wall junction boxes - see the nuts to either side of the stems. Exceptionally
Brass
$1,600
H 9.25 in W 4.25 in D 6.25 in
1960s Hans-Agne Jakobsson Model V-220 Brass & Glass Sconce for Markaryd
By Hans-Agne Jakobsson, AB Markaryd
Located in Glendale, CA
modified backplates for mounting over US junction box. Each lamp accommodates a single 75w equivalent LED
Brass
$793 / item
H 23.63 in Dm 15.36 in
Large Vintage Industrial Vitreous Enamel Black Factory Ceiling Lighting
By Elektrosvit
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
vented steel neck and a substantial aluminium junction box stamped with the manufacturer’s distinctive
Enamel, Steel
$1,250
H 8.75 in Dm 5.75 in
1960s Model 16513 Cylindrical Pendants by Eila & John Meiling for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen
Located in Glendale, CA
approximately 70 inches. Black metal canopy accommodates a U.S. junction box. Repainted outside to match
Metal
Mid-Century Industrial Opaline Pendant Light by Elektrosvit
By Elektrosvit
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
their industrial heritage. The heavy aluminium junction box, stamped with the original Elektrosvit
Aluminum
$24,800
H 20.86 in Dm 28 in
Max Ingrand Fontana Arte Semi Flush Mount Chandelier Mod. 1462 Glass Brass, 1960
By Fontana Arte, Max Ingrand
Located in Vienna, AT
if that is requested. We can also provide a round brass canopy for covering the junction box if
Brass
$14,900
H 11.81 in W 28.34 in D 19.5 in
Angelo Lelii for Arredoluce Opaline Glass Chandelier 1958, Italy
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Vienna, AT
a red brass (junction) box with a weight to counterbalance the glass. It is in such good condition
Brass
British Mid-Century Industrial Tube Light by REVO
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
across large-scale workshop environments. The design is centred around a robust cast aluminium junction
Aluminum
1960s Glass and Copper Pendant Attributed to Stilnovo
By Stilnovo
Located in Glendale, CA
compatible with U.S. junction box. Stilnovo was one of the most innovative lighting design companies in
Copper
$1,140 / set
H 11.03 in W 4.34 in D 4.34 in
Italian Pair Of Wall Sconces Space Age Style Metal And Tempered Crystal
By VECA
Located in Prato, Tuscany
opposite each other, along with a junction box from which the electrical wires extend. On the back of the
Crystal, Metal
$1,020 / set
H 10.24 in W 3.55 in D 3.55 in
Space Age Style Pair Italian Wall Sconces In Chrome Metal And Tempered Crystal
By VECA
Located in Prato, Tuscany
placed opposite each other, along with a junction box from which the electrical wires extend. On the back
Crystal, Metal
1950s Ignazio Gardella LP5 'Coppa Aperta' Sconce for Azucena
By Azucena, Ignazio Gardella
Located in Glendale, CA
. junction box. Accommodates a single medium base max 75w equivalent LED bulb. Bulbs available for purchase
Brass, Metal
$2,161Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 4.34 in Dm 3.94 in
Set of 15 space age flush mount lamps by Cosack Leuchten, Germany 1960s
By Cosack Leuchten
Located in ECHT, NL
socket. They are intended for hardwiring to a wall or ceiling junction box. The lamps are suitable for
Metal
$4,600Sale Price|41% Off
H 16 in W 36 in D 36 in
French 1950s Articulating Swing Arm Wall Lamp in 24-Karat Gold-Plated
By Jean Boris Lacroix
Located in Hanover, MA
revamped for USA and fitted with a custom back plate to cover a standard junction box for UL compliance
Gold Plate, Brass, Aluminum
$910 / item
H 25.2 in Dm 21.26 in
Extra Large 1960's Polish Industrial Enamel Pendant Lights by Elektrosvit
By Elektrosvit
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
cast junction box, both stamped with the manufacturer’s markings and technical specifications, offering
Enamel, Steel
Gino Sarfatti Model #608 Wall or Ceiling lamp for Arteluce c. 1971
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
electrical and mounts over a US junction box. Accommodates a single E26 medium base LED max 40W equivalent
Metal
$5,595 / set
H 9 in W 6.5 in D 8 in
Pair of 1950s Ignazio Gardella LP5 'Coppa Aperta' Sconces for Azucena
By Ignazio Gardella, Azucena
Located in Glendale, CA
custom period-style brass backplate for mounting to a standard U.S. junction box. Accommodates a single
Brass, Metal
1950s Jo Hammerborg Pendant for Louis Poulsen
By Jo Hammerborg, Louis Poulsen
Located in Glendale, CA
. Black metal canopy accommodates a U.S. junction box. Repainted inside and out to match original design
Metal
Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconce in White for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
. Professionally repainted with custom period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates
Brass, Aluminum
Pair of Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconces for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
with custom period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates a single max
Brass, Aluminum
Pair of Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconces in Green for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates a single max 40W equivalent
Brass, Aluminum
Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconce in Green for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
. Professionally repainted with custom period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates
Brass, Aluminum
Pair of Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconces in Black for Arteluce
By Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce
Located in Glendale, CA
repainted with custom period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates a single
Brass, Aluminum
Pair of Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconces in Red for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates a single max 40W equivalent
Brass, Aluminum
Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconce in Red for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
. Professionally repainted with custom period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates
Brass, Aluminum
Gino Sarfatti Model #10 Sconce in Black for Arteluce
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Glendale, CA
. Professionally repainted with custom period-style backplate to accommodate a standard junction box. Accommodates
Brass, Aluminum
$1,681 / item
H 25 in Dm 12.1 in
Midcentury M. Brass & Glass Holophane Art Deco Style Pendant Light, 5 Available
By Holophane
Located in Lisse, NL
junction box) should take no more than a few minutes either. If you are as impressed by this excellent
Brass
$3,122
H 19 in Dm 22 in
Terzani “Solune” Suspension Lamp Pendant by Jean-François Crochet, Italy, 1990s
Located in Lisse, NL
this chandelier tight to your ceiling and over your junction box should take no more than 2 minutes
Iron
$5,764
H 24 in Dm 21.4 in
Gorgeous & Extra Large Ø 21.4 inches, Three Light Alabaster Chandelier Pendant
Located in Lisse, NL
brass canopy, safely mounting this striking light tight to your ceiling (and over your junction box
Alabaster, Metal, Brass
$1,801
H 27 in Dm 10 in
Great MidCentury Mouth Blown, Gold Color Glass Viennese Entry Hall Pendant Light
Located in Lisse, NL
inside the wrought iron canopy, safely mounting this pendant to your ceiling (and over your junction box
Metal, Wrought Iron
$3,842
H 8.5 in Dm 23.2 in
Timeless Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass Flush Mount with Holes Pattern, 1950s
Located in Lisse, NL
perfectly cover your junction box. The cleanly 'dotted' glass shade and all three brass elements are in
Metal, Brass, Bronze
$1,621
H 29.9 in Dm 9.85 in
Large Size & Great Cone Shape Midcentury Made Art Deco Style Glass Pendant Light
Located in Lisse, NL
, mounting this fixture is child's play. The dark patinated brass canopy will perfectly cover your junction
Brass
$3,842
H 9 in Dm 23 in
Timeless Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass Flush Mount with Holes Pattern, 1950s
Located in Lisse, NL
perfectly cover your junction box. The cleanly 'dotted' glass shade and all three brass elements are in
Metal, Brass, Bronze
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.
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.
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.