Architect, furniture designer and educator, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a central figure in the advancement and promotion of modernist design and architectural theory and practice. Like Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, he was a hugely influential presence in the field, who shaped the course of 20th-century architecture both through his buildings and his teaching of rationalist design principles.
Born in the medieval German city of Aachen, Mies found an interest in architecture as a boy while working for his father, a master stonemason. He had no formal education as an architect, but learned his skills as an apprentice to the designer Bruno Paul, and as a staffer in the office the proto-modernist architect and designer Peter Behrens. Following World War I, Mies rose to prominence in his field amid the liberal atmosphere of the Weimar Republic. His reputation was secured by his work on the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona (commonly referred to as the Barcelona Pavilion) — which Mies codesigned with Lilly Reich, his creative and romantic partner — a radically simple, poetic, open-plan building pared down to its architectural essentials. Mies would go on to direct the Bauhaus from 1930 until 1933, when Nazi-government interference forced the closure of the progressive art and design school. Later that decade, he made his way to Chicago, where he remained for the rest of his career as a practicing architect and a dean of the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Mies’s famed dictum “less is more” grew from his belief that architecture both guides and expresses the spirit of the times, and he envisioned the 20th century as open-minded, logical, transparent and liberated by technology. His best-known buildings — residences such as the Villa Tugendhat in Czechoslovakia and the Farnsworth House in rural Illinois; skyscrapers like the 860–880 Lake Shore Drive apartment towers in Chicago and the Seagram Building in New York — reflect that philosophy. As do the most famous furniture designs authored by him or codesigned with Reich.
Pieces designed by Mies and Reich such as the Barcelona chair (the authorized version is produced by Knoll today), stools and daybed, or the cantilevered Brno chairs, deliver a maximum of comfort and support from a minimum of materials: their “lavishness” derives from the precision with which they are engineered and constructed. For the collector, the allure of Mies’s furniture is at once practical and idealistic. Useful and functional, his works embody the highest aspirations of modernism.
Find vintage Mies van der Rohe chairs, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Model 252 Barcelona Coffee Table, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll, Early 2000s
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Model 252 Barcelona glass table/coffee table, design Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, manufactured by Knoll, Early 2000s. Polished chrome frame, glass t...
Chrome
Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Style Coffee Table
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT Barcelona style hand-polished, stainless steel base. The glass top is a solid piece of tempered glass that is .75 inches thick and features a polished edge. There are four rub...
Stainless Steel
Early Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies Van Der Rohe and Lily Reich for Knoll c1949
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Barcelona coffee table designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lily Reich designed in 1930 for the Mies-designed Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic. T...
Stainless Steel
1960s Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll and Gratz Industries
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original Barcelona Coffee Table, initially designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929. These vintage examples date to the 1960s and were produced by Gratz Industries for Knoll,...
Steel, Chrome
Mid Century Glass Stainless Steel Barcelona Table Mies Van Der Rohe Knoll 1955
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Portland, OR
An early pre Knoll production 1955 Mies Van Der Rohe, 252 Barcelona table. The table was purchased as a wedding gift for a prominent West Coast architect in ...
Stainless Steel
Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe, Glass & Chrome, Modern
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Greding, DE
Barcelona table, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Table top in clear flat glass, and chrome polished base.
Chrome
1960s Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll and Gratz Industries
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original Barcelona Coffee Table, initially designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929. These vintage examples date to the 1960s and were produced by Gratz Industries (formerly ...
Steel
Attr. Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Coffee Table Glass Chrome Steel
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Late 20th century modernist coffee table in the style of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, featuring a clean, architectural silhouette. The table is constructed with a polished chrome steel ...
Chrome
Mies Van Rohe for Knoll Barcelona Cocktail Table
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Dallas, TX
Barcelona coffee table designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and produced by Knoll International. Originally created in 1930 for the Mies-designed Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Repub...
Metal
Knoll Studio Mies Van Der Rohe MR side Cocktail Coffee Table
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in San Diego, CA
Elegant tubular chrome pipping classic coffee end cocktail table designed by Mies Van der Rohe for Knoll circa 1980's , simple classic unique.
Chrome
Knoll Barcelona American Mid-Century Chrome "X" coffee Table
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Queens, NY
American Mid-Century "Barcelona" stainless steel chrome square coffee table with an "X" design under a glass top (KP (Knoll Products) stamp on the frame's underside; MIES VAN DER ROH...
Steel
Modernism Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Knoll Barcelona Coffee Table Stainless Steel
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Secaucus, NJ
Fabulous Barcelona coffee table features a highly desirable polished stainless-steel base, notably more hand crafted than the chromed frame. The classic Barcelona table was originall...
Stainless Steel
Mies Van der Rohe MR Side Table, Steel & Glass, Mid-Century Modern
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful MR side table by Mies Van der Rohe for Knoll. We believe these were produced sometime in the 80s or 90s. They are in good vintage condition with some minor pitting to the...
Steel
2005 Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona Coffee Table in Steel and Glass
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Barcelona Coffee Table, originally designed by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll in 1929. This particular example was produced in the United States in 2005. The table is comprise...
Steel
Barcelona Coffee Table by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Polished Chrome Barcelona coffee table by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll. These were from the Northrop Grumman Corporation...
Chrome
Bauhaus Vintage Chrome Glass Coffee Table Barcelona by Mies van der Rohe, 1929
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Vienna, AT
This vintage coffee table named Barcelona was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 1929 and executed by Knoll International circa 1970. ...
Metal
Mies van der Rohe MR Side Table by Knoll
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Highland, IN
Mies' iconic minimalist aesthetic often belies the hidden complexities of the construction of his designs. That's certainly the case with his MR side table designed in 1927. The base...
Stainless Steel
Rare Pre Knoll Production Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe, 1955
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare, early and historically significant Barcelona coffee table produced by Gerry Griffith in 1955 for Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Chicago prior to production by Knoll. His versions ...
Chrome
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Table Brass Crystal “ Dessau”, 1960
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Milano, IT
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Table Brass crystal, 1960.
Crystal
Barcelona coffee or cocktail table designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Barcelona coffee/cocktail table designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1929, produced by Knoll since 1953. I believe this is an official vintage Knoll ...
Steel, Chrome
Original Barcelona Couchtisch Knoll Intenational Mies van der Rohe
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen Vintage Couchtisch von Knoll International aus den 1970er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der Tisch wurde von Ludwig Mies van der Rohe entworfen, ist unter dem ...
Steel
2000s Mies Van Der Rohe for Knoll E04M MR Coffee Table
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a MR End Table, originally designed by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll in 1927. This particular example was produced in the 2000s. The table features a round glass top supported ...
Steel
1960s Barcelona Stainless Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll w/ Marking
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original Barcelona Coffee Table, initially designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929. This vintage example dates to the 1960s and was produced by Knoll, marked appropriately o...
Steel
2000s Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Coffee Table in Stainless Steel and Glass
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Barcelona Coffee Table, originally designed by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll in 1929. This particular example was produced in the 2000s. The table is comprised of a stainless...
Steel
C. 1998 Mies van der Rohe for Knoll MR End / Side Table with Glass Top
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a MR End Table, originally designed by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll in 1927. This particular example was produced C. 1998. The table features a round glass top supported by a ...
Steel
H 15 in W 54 in D 36 in
1960s Eero Saarinen Oval Walnut Coffee Table for Knoll
By Knoll, Eero Saarinen
Located in Dallas, TX
Early production 1960s Saarinen coffee table manufactured by Knoll. Beautiful walnut top with satin lacquered base in antique white.
Aluminum
'Petal' Coffee Table by Richard Schultz for Knoll Associates, 1960s, Signed
By Knoll, Richard Schultz
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1st Generation original of the 'Petal' coffee table with Redwood 'petals' by Richard Schultz for Knoll Associates, designed in 1960, is a favorite amongst Mid-Century Modern col...
Iron
H 16.75 in W 40 in D 40 in
Attr. Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Coffee Table Glass Chrome Steel
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Late 20th century modernist coffee table in the style of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, featuring a clean, architectural silhouette. The table is constructed with a polished chrome steel ...
Chrome
H 17 in W 40 in D 40 in
1960s Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll and Gratz Industries
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original Barcelona Coffee Table, initially designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929. These vintage examples date to the 1960s and were produced by Gratz Industries (formerly ...
Steel
H 20 in Dm 28.5 in
Mies Van der Rohe MR Side Table, Steel & Glass, Mid-Century Modern
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful MR side table by Mies Van der Rohe for Knoll. We believe these were produced sometime in the 80s or 90s. They are in good vintage condition with some minor pitting to the...
Steel
H 16.93 in W 55.12 in D 21.66 in
Coffee Table by Dom Hans van der Laan, Netherlands, 1960s
By Dom Hans van der Laan
Located in Antwerp, BE
This coffee table was conceived within the close collaboration between Dom Hans van der Laan and the Dutch architect Jan de Jong during the postwar reconstruction period in the Nethe...
Copper
H 17 in W 31 in D 29 in
Barcelona Coffee Table by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Polished Chrome Barcelona coffee table by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll. These were from the Northrop Grumman Corporation...
Chrome
H 14.77 in Dm 36.23 in
Early Carrara Marble Coffee Table by Eero Saarinen for Knoll International
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Iconic early Tulip coffee table, designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll International in the 1950s. This early example (end 50's) features a round white Carrara marble top with refined...
Carrara Marble, Metal
Barcelona coffee or cocktail table designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Barcelona coffee/cocktail table designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1929, produced by Knoll since 1953. I believe this is an official vintage Knoll ...
Steel, Chrome
H 20 in Dm 27.5 in
Knoll Studio Mies Van Der Rohe MR side Cocktail Coffee Table
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in San Diego, CA
Elegant tubular chrome pipping classic coffee end cocktail table designed by Mies Van der Rohe for Knoll circa 1980's , simple classic unique.
Chrome
H 16 in W 40 in D 40 in
Rare Pre Knoll Production Barcelona Coffee Table by Mies van der Rohe, 1955
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare, early and historically significant Barcelona coffee table produced by Gerry Griffith in 1955 for Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Chicago prior to production by Knoll. His versions ...
Chrome
H 15.36 in W 44.49 in D 44.49 in
Jumbo Carrara Marble Coffee Table by Gae Aulenti for Knoll, Italy, 1960s
By Knoll, Gae Aulenti
Located in Antwerp, BE
Carrara marble "Jumbo" coffee table, designed by Gae Aulenti for Knoll in the 1960s. Featuring a smooth, square marble top supported by four robust column legs, this design consists ...
Carrara Marble
H 17.72 in W 35.44 in D 35.44 in
Knoll Barcelona Glass Coffee Table
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Rochester, England
Created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for his 1929 German Pavilion at the International Exhibition in Barcelona, the Barcelona Collection’s pure composition came to epitomise modern ar...
Chrome
H 36.75 in W 17.75 in D 17.75 in
Contemporary Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Style Chrome and Glass Pedestal Table
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A contempoary modern Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona style chrome and glass pedestal table. This classically design modern pedestal features x-shaped flat bar chrome legs and frame. The ...
Chrome
H 17 in W 40 in D 40 in
Knoll Barcelona Coffee Table designed by Mies van der Rohe
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Atlanta, GA
Clean Lined Architectural "Barcelona" Coffee Table, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll, American, circa 1970s. This table has the correct "KP" stamp underneath noting Kno...
Metal
H 18.5 in W 40 in D 40 in
Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Coffee Table, Polished Chrome, "KP" Stamp, 1960s
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Littleton, CO
A classic Mies van der Rohe "Barcelona" coffee table manufactured by Knoll in the 1960s. The chromed steel base was hand-buffed by Knoll's craftsmen to mirror-like perfection, and ...
Stainless Steel
H 20.875 in W 28.5 in D 28.5 in
1979 Mies van der Rohe for Knoll MR Side Table from Sears Tower by SOM 1x Avail
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These are MR Side Tables, originally designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1927. These particular examples were produced by Knoll in the USA C. 1979. Their design features a half-inch thi...
Steel
H 18.12 in W 39.57 in D 39.57 in
Barcelona - Tugendhat Coffee Table by L. Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Int.
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Vlimmeren, BE
This coffee table was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1929-1930, for the Villa Tugendhat in Brno, although it is often mistakenly referred to as the Barcelona table. As with ...
Steel
H 20.48 in Dm 28.35 in
Mies Van der Rohe MR Center Table In Glass and Metal, circa 1970
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Barcelona, ES
MR Center Table In Glass and Metal, Designed by Mies Van Der Rohe By unknown manufacturer, from Germany, circa 1970. In original condition, ...
Metal
H 17 in W 38 in D 38 in
Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Coffee Table
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Astoria, NY
Mies van der Rohe Barcelona coffee table, chrome structure with glass top of rounded corners.
Chrome
H 17 in W 40 in D 40 in
Barcelona Coffee Table designed by Mies Van Der Rohe c 1970's
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Barcelona Modernist coffee table from Mies van der Rohe. Well crafted, constructed of high quality materials, probably made in Italy, circa 1970's. This example is in excell...
Steel
H 17 in W 40 in D 40 in
Mid-Century Modern Chrome Steel & Glass Coffee Table by Knoll
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designer: Mies Van Der Rohe Manufacturer: Knoll Inc. Materials: Polished Chrome, Original 3/4” Glass
Chrome
H 18.12 in W 35.44 in D 35.44 in
Mies Van der Rohe Knoll Studio Barcelona Coffee Table with Glass Top
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Mies Van der Rohe Knoll Studio Barcelona coffee table with glass top Offered for sale is a Knoll Studio Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona coffee table with a substantial glass top.
Stainless Steel
H 16.75 in W 40 in D 40 in
Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona Chrome and Glass Coffee Table Mid Century
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona coffee table. An extremely iconic coffee table for your extremely iconic home. A piece of function...
Chrome