$5,200
H 27.5 in W 95 in D 37 in
Jungle Room Style Mid-Century Modern Carved Wood Upholstered Sofa by Witco
By Witco
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed and made in the United States in the 1960s, this sofa seems to have an almost
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 46.25 in W 98 in D 35 in
Jungle Room Faux Leopard Fur Hand Carved Paddle Arm Witco Tiki Throne Sofa
By William Westenhaver / Witco, Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Take a walk on the wild side, or maybe just have a seat there with scepter in hand. This Witco Sofa
Faux Fur, Cedar
Sold
H 46.25 in W 98 in D 35 in
Jungle Room Faux Leopard Fur Hand Carved Paddle Arm Witco Tiki Thrown Sofa
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Take a walk on the wild side, or maybe just have a seat there with scepter in hand. This Witco Sofa
Cedar, Faux Fur
Witco Red Faux Fur Cedar Wood Carved Shield Knight and Spears
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
pieces of the collection. We also have a Witco sofa, group of cat sculptures, leopard arm chairs and
Cedar, Faux Fur, Paint
Sold
H 34.75 in W 33.5 in D 40.5 in
Carved Tiki Arm Chairs by William Westenhaver for WITCO, Pair, circa 1950
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Los Angeles, CA
report. We also have a matching Witco sofa with the same crushed velvet upholstery currently available as
Velvet, Walnut
Vintage Witco Alpaca Llama Wood Carved Magazine Rack Figurine
By Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Vintage 1960s Witco wood carved magazine holder figurine. The minimalist figure appears to be a
Wood
Restored Witco Frog Ottoman by William Westenhaver, 1960s
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
when you make this guy a part of your home. We have several more pieces from Witco including a sofa
Cedar, Paint, Faux Fur
Sold
H 16.25 in W 11 in D 38.5 in
Vintage Witco Tiki Carved Cedar Wood Alligator Bench Footstool Ottoman
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
one of the most rare pieces of Witco’s wild collection. Call it what you will, a footstool, bench
Cedar, Faux Leather, Paint
Collection of Witco Carved Cedar Wood Tiki Cats Meathead and Friends
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Chattanooga, TN
several more pieces from Witco including a sofa, dining set, conquistador chairs, wall mounted shield and
Cedar, Paint
Carved Tiki Arm Sofa by William Westenhaver for Witco, circa 1950
By Witco, William Westenhaver / Witco
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This ornately crafted red walnut tufted sofa with carved exotic details is a testament to William
Velvet, Walnut
$6,500 / item
H 14 in W 36 in D 20 in
Modern Oval Coffee Table in Oak Wood Cylinder Base and Glass by Ercole Home
By Ercole Home
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Palazzo oval coffee table with green and ivory glass sits on 2 Rift White Oak Wood pedestals by Ercole Home. This new bespoke coffee table design by Ercole Home is available today fo...
Art Glass, Walnut, Cut Glass
$12,200 / item
H 43.31 in W 17.72 in D 35.44 in
Contemporary Mexican Design Handcrafted Wood Cabinet Carmen, Mirror
By Comité de Proyectos
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Carmen is a bartender, a storage cabinet with a functional design. Inside, it has a pair of drawers for storing objects, space for bottles, compartments for glasses and a cup holder...
Steel
$2,860 / item
H 29.93 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Ethnic Straw Armchair by +55design Brazilian Design with Indigenous Craft
By Neca Abrantes
Located in Jardim America, SP
This rotating armchair by Neca Abrantes is a striking fusion of contemporary Brazilian design and indigenous handcrafted traditions. Known for her deep passion for native craftsmansh...
Straw
$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 Miniforms, Yiannis Ghikas
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
$16,714 / 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
Trio-Leo Bench, Camel Bouclé & Wood Bench by Christian Siriano
By Christian Siriano
Located in New York, NY
Made to order tri-base & bouclé bench designed by Christian Siriano. Fabric: Camel Bouclé (available in custom fabric) Base: Black Lacquered Maple (available in custom finish) Dim...
Bouclé, Maple
Witco Kitty Cat Magazine Holder
By William Westenhaver / Witco, Witco
Located in Highland, IN
This kitty cat is Classic Witco– the company founded by William Westenhaver and known most famously as the furniture that adorns Elvis' "jungle room." Made of deeply carved swap ceda...
Faux Fur, Cedar
1970's Henredon Aged Forest Green Pigskin Leather Chippendale Sofa
By Henredon
Located in Malibu, CA
Henredon Chippendale style light forest green pigskin leather sofa. This vintage sofa in richly aged leather & a naturally textured grain. The hide offers a distinctive patina th...
Leather, Mahogany
$24,500
H 29 in W 59.25 in D 29.25 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-Wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, Jansen Attr.
By Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, probably by Maison Jansen. The rectangular shaped Love Seats, each with scrolled carved armrests ending wit...
Fabric, Satin, Silk, Wood
$15,995 / set
H 32.75 in W 35 in D 41 in
Brazilian Jangada Rosewood & Leather Sling Chair with Ottoman by Jean Gillon
By Sergio Rodrigues, Percival Lafer, Jean Gillon
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Anchored in the bold horizons of 1960s Brazilian modernism, the Jangada lounge chair and ottoman by Jean Gillon stands as a testament to artful craftsmanship, organic structure, and ...
Rosewood, Leather
$16,800 / set
H 34 in W 32 in D 32 in
Napoleon III Style Chairs in Emerald Sheepskin on Gilt Rope & Tassel Frames
By Napoléon III
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Unapologetically upscale and glamorous pair of gilt rope and tassel Napoleon III style chairs freshly upholstered in hand sewn emerald sheepskin. French. Chic. Such a killer combo. L...
Sheepskin, Giltwood, Upholstery
Mid Century Modern 1960s Sofa by Viko Baumritter
By Viko Baumritter
Located in New York, NY
This floating 1960s sofa was manufactured by Viko Baumritter , an American furniture Company that later became Ethan Allen. The sofa has a metal frame and metal splay legs with a fau...
Metal
DOT CREDENZA - Modern Bleached White Oak Body and Base
By Susan Hornbeak-Ortiz
Located in Laguna Niguel, CA
DOT CREDENZA - Modern Bleached White Oak Body and Base The Dot Credenza is a contemporary piece of furniture with a unique design element - a sculpted wood sphere detail - and wood ...
Oak
$9,435 / item
H 26 in W 120 in D 38 in
Modern Harrison Sofa 120 with Curved Base Detail by Martin & Brockett, 10ft Long
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Martin & Brockett's Harrison Sofa 120” consists of a streamlined frame that curves at the base to hold a deep but tidy (6 over 3) mix of loose back and seat cushions. Sold as C.O.M....
Upholstery
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Sled Leg Sofa
By Jens Risom
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Jens Risom Mid Century Walnut Sled Leg Sofa This sofa measures: 85 wide x 32 deep x 31 inches high, with a seat height of 19 and arm height of 21 inches We take our photos in a con...
Upholstery, Walnut
$5,175 / item
H 16.15 in W 66.93 in D 20.48 in
Ripple Bench – Pill Shaped Silhouette with Sculptural Carved Wood Base
Located in NEW YORK, NY
The Ripple sofa draws from the soft rhythm of water and air, vertical lines echoing ripples, pillars and sculpted silence. Its base anchors the form, while the upholstered seat float...
Upholstery, Wood
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.