The International Style, a modernist movement within architecture and furniture design that was given its name by American architect Philip Johnson and historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock, was born during the 1920s and ’30s. It gained steam initially in Europe and then in the United States as a response to the first World War. Building projects associated with the movement, as well as vintage International Style chairs, tables and other furnishings, are minimal and pared back.
Pioneers of the International Style — architect Walter Gropius and his Bauhaus colleagues Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, De Stijl advocate and Dutch architect J.J.P. Oud and visionary designer Le Corbusier — stripped away decorative elements and placed considerable value on functionality and clean lines, integrating the use of industrial materials like steel, concrete and large sheets of glass in their work. Quite aptly, this mode of design and architectural style coincided with an era now known as the Machine Age and became a global symbol of modernism. The primary motive of its practitioners was to address the changing needs of a rapidly industrializing society, especially the demand for office complexes and apartments in large cities, through economical, technologically advanced, yet aesthetically pleasing designs for furniture and buildings.
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep,” said Le Corbusier of the philosophy behind his practical modernist architecture.
The International Style’s designers and architects were inspired by the advantages afforded them by the era’s new technology and industrial machinery as well as state-of-the-art materials. Le Corbusier was fond of framing his buildings in steel but reinforced concrete made far more economic sense. He is probably most admired for the iconic private homes and commercial buildings that he designed or codesigned with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, which are spread across the world, from New York City to Paris to Chandigarh, India. Today, Breuer’s Wassily Lounge chair; the elegant LC series created by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand; and Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair, crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich, are emblems of progressive modernist design and all make prominent use of tubular steel. Vintage originals are the prized cornerstone of collections.
“The International Style is probably the first fundamentally original and widely distributed style since the Gothic,” posited Johnson in the book that accompanied “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition,” an architectural show he cocurated with Hitchcock that featured the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Richard Neutra and others. While the term “International Style” had previously been circulating in Europe, when the show opened at the Museum of Modern Art in 1932, it yielded a much broader application of this important style of design.
Find International Style furniture on 1stDibs.
Salvador Dalí Art Book by Robert Descharnes and Gilles Néret, Taschen Press
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 by Robert Descharnes and Gilles Néret With dust cover. Publisher: Taschen; First English-language Edition (November 1, 1998) Language: English Hardcov...
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Andre Lurcat: Projets Et Réalisations
By André Lurcat
Located in New York, NY
Monograph on the work of Andre Lurcat, important French modernist architect, designer, urban planner, and younger brother of the textile artist Jean. ...
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Book - View from a Long chair, the memoirs of Jack Pritchard
Located in London, Fitzrovia
Published by Routledge & Kegan Paul, London. 1984. Hardback. good condition
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Architectural Loft Design & Living Books, set of 3
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A group of three architectural design and living books entitled Lofts. Lofts are former commercial spaces that have been converted for residential use and work environments. With th...
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Repertorio del Design Italiano 1950-2000 by Guiliana Gramigna (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
A 2 volume set of hardback books in a slip case which covers Italian domestic furniture design in the second half of the 20th century. Volume 1 covers 1950-1979, with 269 pages and hundreds of black and white photographs of tables, chairs, other furniture and lighting. Volume 2 covers 1980-2000. 345 pages again having hundreds of black and white photographs of Italian...
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Antique Leather Spine 6 Volumes National Geographic Magazine 1924 1925 and 1926
Located in Miami, FL
Set of antique 1924/1925 and 1926 National Geographic Magazines. 6 Well bound leather-spine & corners and dark cloth books, 2 volumes per year, January-June and July-December. A ti...
Leather, Paper
HIP Hotels, Hardbound Architecture Design Book – 2011
Located in Philadelphia, PA
HIP Hotels, published by ifengspace Culture & Media Co. Ltd. Hong Kong, 2011 HIP stands for Highly Individual Places. This book is a gateway into the wonderful world of exclusive ho...
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The International Book of Lofts, Slesin & Cliff, Hardcover 1986
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The International Book of Lofts Hardcover – 1st Edition, 1986 – by Suzanne Slesin, Stafford Cliff, and Daniel Rozensztroch A visual feast of some of the most spectacular and inge...
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Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary Architecture, Collectible Book in Ghost Carry Case
By Phaidon
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture is a global survey of the most outstanding works of contemporary architecture from around the world. Organized geographically and...
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Gardening Roses, Herbs, Shrubs, Vegetables, Fruit Trees, Collection of 5 Books
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A collection of five hard-bound gardening books, suitable for the beginner and the advanced gardener alike. Covering a wide range of subjects from Rose...
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Interior Decor Design & Source Books, Windows, Curtains, Furnishings, Paint, S/4
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A group of four Interior Design source books, all hardcover with jackets. 77 Habits of Highly Creative Interior Designers – Sarah Lynch, 2003 Rockport Publishing 159 pages. In this unique approach to home decorating, more than a dozen top interior designers share their professional secrets on every aspect of style, decor, and furnishings. Size: 8 x 0.5 x 11.2 inches The Complete Book of Paint – David Carter, Text Charles Hemming. Clarkson Potter, 1st American Edition 208 pages. The first book to cover virtually every paint technique and every surface: walls, floors, wood furniture, upholstered fabrics and metalwork. The book outlines 35 projects. Size: 8.8 x 1 x 11.25 inches Window Style – Mary Fox Linton...
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Frank O Gehry, The Complete Works by Francesco Dal Co. Modern Architecture Book
By Frank Gehry
Located in Philadelphia, PA
One of the world’s great architects, Frank O. Gehry has produced an astonishing body of work. With the artistry of a sculptor and the brilliant articulation of an engineer, Gehry creates constructions that defy categorization. Over three hundred projects and a thousand illustrations — includes, among others, the controversial American Center in Paris; Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis; Nationale-Nedelanden Building (Fred and Ginger Building) in Prague; Vitra Headquarters in Weil am Rhein, Germany; California Aerospace Museum; Loyola Law School in Los Angeles; Chiat Day...
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Premises, Architecture Exhibition Book 1958-1998, Guggenheim Museum
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Premises: Invested Spaces in Visual Arts, Architecture, & Design from France : 1958-1998, Guggenheim Museum Publications, Softbound- 1998 by Benjamin H.D. Buchloh; Denis Hollier; An...
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Lofts of Amsterdam by Rudy Baeck, 1st Edition Hardbound Book
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Lofts of Amsterdam by Rudy Stevens and Philippe de Baeck, hardbound with jacket, First Edition, 2000 “Lofts of Amsterdam” is a book about residential and commercial lofts in Amste...
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Antique Price Guide Book, Judith Miller 2008 First American Edition with Jacket
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A hard bound price guide for antiques and collectibles, written by the UK antiques expert Judith Miller. The Antiques Price Guide 2008 highlights ov...
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Spacemaker Press Landmarks Series, Public Architecture & Sculpture, Volumes 1-6
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Spacemaker Press Landmarks Series, Paperback, volumes 1-6 Public Architectural Landscapes and Sculpture Gardens • 01 Barnsdall Park: A New Master Plan for Frank Lloyd Wright’s C...
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Early 19th Century Staffordshire Figures Collectors Reference Book
Located in Philadelphia, PA
People, Passions, Pastimes, and Pleasures: Staffordshire Figures 1810-1835 – by Myrna Schkolne. First Edition 2006, limited to a run of 1000. The first comprehensive collectors’ r...
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Design-For-Today, Rare Modernist Magazine, Complete Bound Set, 1933 to 1935, UK
Located in London, Fitzrovia
Design-For-Today, a short lived modernist avant-garde magazine, 1933 to 1935, UK. A rare and hard to come by complete bound set. Articles, images, designs by British architects and designers, as well as emigres ones . Gerald Summers, Wells Coates, Marcel Breuer, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Walter Gropius, László Moholy-Nagy, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Betty Joel, Serge Chermayeff, Keith Murray, Charles Boyton, Ronald Grierson...
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Hidcote the Garden and Lawrence Johnston, National Trust Book
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Title: HIDCOTE THE GARDEN AND LAWRENCE JOHNSTON. Published by The National Trust, 2007. Hardcover with jacket. Often described as “the most beautiful garden in England,” Hidcote is...
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Christie's NY Interiors Auction Catalogues, 2008-2009, Set of Three
By Christie's
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A group of three auction catalogues from the Christie's New York 'Interiors' sales. The Interior sale catalogues are noted for their in-depth writings and beautiful full-color pho...
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Antique Investigator Book, Judith Miller 2007 First American Edition with Jacket
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antiques investigator, tips and tricks to help you find the real deal for antiques and collectibles, written by the UK antiques expert Judith Miller. ...
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White Ironstone Ceramics Reference Book by Dawn Stoltzfus 1st Edition Paperback
Located in Philadelphia, PA
White ironstone, a survey of its many forms: Undecorated, flow blue, mulberry, copper lustre by Dawn Stoltzfus and Jeffrey Snyder 1st Edition Paperback 1997, A collectors' re...
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Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated Survey, Book by Karmason & Stacke
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated Survey, by Marilyn Karmason & Joan Stacke – Updated and Expanded edition, 2002. Out of Print. The first major work on the field, a com...
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Bonhams & Butterfield Furniture and Decorative Arts Auction Catalogue, 2004
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An auction catalogue from the Bonhams & Butterfield New York sale of 20th century furniture and decorative arts. The sale featured a wonderful collection of Art Deco furniture...
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$300
H 16.75 in W 12 in D 1.5 in
Houses, Volume III, by Thierry Despont, Large Architecture Book, 2000
Located in New York, NY
A large, color book of houses designed by artist and architect Thierry Despont. Volume III of VI. Born in France, Thierry Despont studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and ea...
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Antique National Cashier Register With the Key
Located in Brea, CA
Antique national cashier register R313 with a key , the drawer can open , there is a key , it is a beautiful piece .
Brass
$176
H 4.34 in W 6.89 in D 0.28 in
Small Book with 26 Views of the Palaces and Gardens of Versailles and Trianon
Located in Langweer, NL
Small antique book titled 'Palaces and Gardens of Versailles and Trianon'. English edition containing 26 views of Versailles and Trianon. Drawn from nature by Jaime. Published by Bru...
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Set of Old Books from 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of old bound books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These beautiful books are perfect to fill a nice library. Sizes may vary.
Leather, Paper
Antique Canvas and Leather Cartridge Magazine
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage small cartridge magazine case. A fine compact shooting cartridge magazine case. The high quality cartridge case with wooden carcass covered in ...
Leather, Canvas
$150 / item
H 14 in W 10 in D 1.5 in
Selection of Coffee Table Books - Furniture Design Interior Design Fashion Art
By Jean Dunand, (after) Jean Michel Frank
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of Coffee Table Books, priced at $150 each. If one of the books is sold, it will have SOLD next to the title below. These books are all from the estate of . was the President of The Art Deco Society of New York City and had an incredible library of books on furniture design, interior design, art, photography, and fashion. Many of the books focused on Art Deco or mid century modern design. Please see our other listings for more books from the same estate. Please note that we are not specialists in books. All of the books are in very good condition and were well cared for in a smoke and pet free environment. There may be some small tears to slipcovers, scratches, rubs, and wear commensurate with age and use. The books in this listing are: Stack Left Dagobert Peche and The Wiener Werkstatte by Neue Galerie SOLD Josef Frank Architect Designer SOLD Billy Baldwin by Adam Lewis SOLD New Dimensions by Paul Frankl Jean-Michel Frank by Rizzoli SOLD Jean Michel Frank by Du Regard SOLD A House Is Not A Home Weber SOLD Art Deco by Skira SOLD Stack Right Jean Dunand by Delorenzo SOLD Jean Duncan’s SOLD Ruhlmann Master of Art Deco SOLD Jean Dunand His Life and Works...
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Antique a rare burl wooden national cashier register
Located in Brea, CA
a rare burl wooden national cash register. It is in excellent condition
Brass
Inverary Set of Fifteen Leather Bound Books
Located in New York, NY
Inverary set of fifteen leather bound books. The Annual Register or A View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the year comprising the years 1765-1792: volume 8, 9, 10, 11,...
Leather, Paper
$1,850
H 12.25 in W 8.75 in D 1.63 in
Salvador Dali Art Recipe Book, Les Diners de Gala, 1971 France, First Edition
Located in New York, NY
A rare, collectable, first edition, Salvador Dali art and recipe cookbook, 'Les Diners de Gala', 1971, Paris, France. (Copy/text is in English language.) A great piece to add to a co...
Paper
Set of Old Bound Books, 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of old books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These books are entitled "Histoire du protestantisme français" (History of Fren...
Leather, Paper
$2,495
H 11.75 in W 9 in D 0.75 in
Salvador Dali Rare Hand Signed Midcentury Book A Study Of His Art In Jewels 1959
Located in Studio City, CA
A quite scarce and coveted hardcover book in slipcase - "Dali: A Study of His Art-In-Jewels (The Collection of the Owen Cheatham Foundation)". Bound into the book are color photographs of 28 jewels designed by Dali with comments and captions written by the artist himself. The book was published by The New York Graphics Society in 1959 - a quite collectible first edition/first printing (with no other printings noted) of the art book. The book is boldly hand-signed and dated (in the year of publication - 1959) by Dali on the lower corner of the first blank page/ front free endpaper. As such, exceedingly rare (we only know of two other existing copies, and only one was also signed in the year the book was published). A scarce signed edition. Would be a great addition to any collector of Dali's work or those who appreciate his fine art jewelry...
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$150 / item
H 12 in W 9 in D 1.5 in
Selection of Coffee Table Books - Architecture and Interior Design
By David Adler, Robert Adam
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of Coffee Table Books, priced at $150 each. If one of the books is sold, it will have SOLD next to the title below. These books are all from the estate of . was the Preside...
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Jasper Johns by Mark Rosenthal, Museum Edition Trade Paperback, 1988
By Jasper Johns
Located in Philadelphia, PA
“Jasper Johns, Work Since 1974 ” by Mark Rosenthal, a Museum Edition Trade paperback, from the 1988 exhibition mounted at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Jasper Johns (born May 15, ...
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Anselm Kiefer by Mark Rosenthal, Museum Edition Trade Paperback, 1987
By Anselm Kiefer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
“Anselm Kiefer” by Mark Rosenthal– a Museum Edition Trade paperback from the 1987 exhibition mounted in Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the MOMA in New York. Anselm Kiefer ...
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The City of Tomorrow and its Planning 'Le Corbusier'
By Le Corbusier
Located in New York, NY
First American edition of Le Corbusier’s authoritative and influential tome on rationalist (read geometric) urban planning, wherein “the author has undertaken a close survey of the e...
Paper
Herzog & de Meuron 1981-2000 Architecture Hardbound Book
Located in Philadelphia, PA
HERZOG & DE MEURON 1981-2000 – English and Spanish Edition – with dust jacket. Combined and updated version of the issues 60 and 84. Added are recently completed buildings such as the Tate Gallery of Modern Art in London...
Paper
Sold
H 1 in W 9.5 in D 12 in
Viva Picasso: a Centennial Celebration 1881-1981 Hardcover Book with Jacket
By David Duncan
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Viva Picasso: a Centennial Celebration 1881-1981 Hardcover – May 1, 1981 – by David Douglas Duncan A photography book showing Duncan’s photographs of...
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Sold
H 1.5 in W 12 in D 13.5 in
Pistils - Robert Mapplethorpe, Photography Hardcover Cased Book 1st Edition 1996
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Pistils, Photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe with an Essay by John Ashbery. Hardcover in case and dust jacket – 1st Edition, 1996 Robert Mapplethorpe began taking photographs in th...
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The Most Beautiful Gardens in the World, Hardcover Book, 2004
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The Most Beautiful Gardens in the World, Hardcover – 1st Edition. by Alain Le Toquin (Photographer), Jacques Bosser (Contributor) A pictorial tour of thirty-two public and private gardens celebrates their history and diversity and includes Majorelle in Morocco, the Versailles gardens...
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The Great Edwardian Gardens of Harold Peto, Hardcover Book –2007
By Aurum LTD
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The Great Edwardian Gardens of Harold Peto: From the Archives of Country Life, by Robin Whalley, Hardcover – May 1, 2007 The gardens of the great Edwardian landscape designer are captured in all their glory in 200 color and duotone images from the archives of Country Life. Harold Peto (1854–1933) was one of the most celebrated landscape designers of the Edwardian era. A leading exponent of the ultra-romantic Italianate style...
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Richard Meier: Houses 1962/1997, Coffee Table Book - 1st Edition
By Rizzoli International Publications
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Richard Meier: Houses 1962/1997 Hardcover – September 15, 1996 by Richard Meier and Paul Goldberger This oversized book presents 14 built American h...
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H 12.25 in W 9.25 in D 1.75 in
Louis i. Kahn: in the Realm of Architecture Coffee Table Book – 1st Edition 1991
By Rizzoli International Publications
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Louis I. Kahn: In the Realm of Architecture – 1st Edition, 1991 Louis I. Kahn is considered one of the 20th century’s greatest architects and teachers. This...
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Sold
H 1 in W 10 in D 12.5 in
“Weekend Utopia: Modern Living in the Hamptons” – 1st Edition Architecture Book
Located in Philadelphia, PA
“Weekend Utopia: Modern Living in the Hamptons” by Alistair Gordon, Princeton Press, 1st Edition 2001 With dust jacket. From the publisher: The Hamptons, New York’s fashionable summer beach resorts, are well known as weekend havens for city-dwellers who relish their idyllic setting on the Atlantic shore. Once quiet agricultural land, Eastern Long Island first became popular among artists, architects, writers, and society patrons in the 1920s, when it served as a breeding ground for modernism. From the avant-garde influence of luminaries like Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, and Willem de Kooning, to the high modernism of Le Corbusier, Philip Johnson, and Richard Meier, new ideas about art, architecture, and modern living transformed the Hamptons. In Weekend Utopia Alastair Gordon...
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Sold
H 1 in W 8 in D 13.75 in
“Bravehearts – Men In Skirts” MOMA Costume Institute, 1st Edition Shrink Wrapped
Located in Philadelphia, PA
“Bravehearts: Men in Skirts” Hardcover – 1st Edition, 2003 – by Andrew Bolton. Shrink-wrapped. From the publisher: What do Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Prince Charles, and Boy George have in common? These and other sharply dressed, sexually secure, 21st-century men are incorporating skirts into their wardrobes. In this provocative, one-of-a-kind book, Andrew Bolton traces the warrior origins of kilts and sarongs and reveals how, far from feminizing men, skirts actually reinforce their virility. Some 150 photographs illustrate this colorful salute to the growing numbers of the few, if proud, men in skirts. The author, Andrew Bolton is the associate curator of the Costume Institute...
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