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Stan Bitters Furniture

American, b. 1936

An icon of modernist ceramics since the 1960s, Stan Bitters constructed rough assemblages of clay slabs and spoked wheels into massive murals and tall totems, upsizing his medium to an architectural scale. 

Like Toshiko Takaezu, Peter VoulkosPaul Soldner and others, Bitters was part of a small group of American artists during the mid-20th-century who embraced imperfection in their pottery

Working in ceramics, a material that during the last 100 years was relegated to the supposedly lesser artistic realm of craft, Bitters and these other artists made bold, chunky pieces that served as a counterpoint to the smooth lines and overall slickness of modern and postmodern movements like Bauhaus, constructivism, minimalism, Op art and Pop art.

Hailing from Fresno, California, the self-proclaimed “old hippie” Bitters earned his bachelor’s degree in painting from UCLA. He also studied at what became Otis College in Los Angeles under Voulkos — the bad boy of American ceramics

Voulkos almost single-handedly spawned what came to be known as the California Clay Movement and flouted pottery’s approved techniques. He transformed clay into a vibrant, highly expressive artistic medium, and Bitters’ funky, fractured style certainly shows it. 

Bitters later became associated with organic modernism and created ceramics for Hans Sumpf, a maker of adobe bricks and furniture in Madera. 

“Known for his Abstract Expressionist style, Bitters is a steadfast champion of environmental ceramics — the melding of natural, organic clay forms, sculptures and architectural elements into urban spaces to complement, transform and elevate their surroundings,” says Greg Nielson, of Dwell Floor Five, in Studio City, California.

With their sputtery glazes and graffiti-esque glyphs, Bitters’s works exude raw, countercultural energy.

Find Stan Bitters decorative objects, garden ornaments, planters and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Stan Bitters
Stan Bitters Ceramic Mushroom Stool or Side Table with Adolf Odorfer Glaze
By Stan Bitters, Adolf Odorfer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mushroom stool or side table form by Stan Bitters, USA. This piece features a round ceramic top with bamboo glazed motif by artist Adolf Odorfer. The top rests on an unglazed stonewa...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware

Stan Bitters Bird Houses in Glazed Ceramic, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
Excellent handmade bird houses of glazed lowlfier clay by Stan Bitters. The birdhouses are available in different colors. The houses are a favourite with finches.    
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Clay

Stan Bitters Totem Sculpture
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage earthenware sculptures by renowned California modern potter Stan Bitters, based in Bakersfield, CA. Bitters is most noted for his work in the 1960s pottery movement. His infl...
Category

1970s American Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Mushroom Table and Stools by Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf Company, USA 1970s
By Stan Bitters, Hans Sumpf
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful and rare mushroom table and stools set by noted Californian ceramicist, Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf company. As a pioneer of the organic modernist craft movement in the 1960s, Bitters has been producing rough-hewn ceramic birdhouses...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Concrete

Monumental Stan Bitters Stoneware Ceramic Planter for Hans Sumpf
By Hans Sumpf, Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental Stan Bitters stoneware ceramic planter for Hans Sumpf.
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Vintage Stan Bitters Hans Stumpf Hose Pot California Modern c. 1970's
By Stan Bitters
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Mid Century, California Modern garden hose pot, by noted potter Stan Bitters, for Hans Stumpf, circa 1970's. This example is in very fine, ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Clay

Stan Bitters Thumbprint Planter for Hans Sumpf
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Round hand formed pot by California artist Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf, c.1995, USA. This clay pot features a textured exterior in a "thumbprint" pattern. The planter also features a...
Category

1990s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware, Clay

One of a Kind Large Stan Bitters Ceramic Mural, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
Strong Mural by Fresno, California Artist Stan Bitters. Stan Bitters' career in ceramics has spanned six decades. His large-scale works include ceramic wall murals...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Set of Three Thumbpots by Stan Bitters, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of a large brown, a medium white and a small black thumbpot by Fresno, California Artist Stan Bitters. The planters are hand-built with thumbprint design. The hand-built, organic...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Clay

Huge Stan Bitters Cactus Sculpture, USA, 2005
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
One of a kind Stan Bitters ceramic cactus leaf sculpture. Signed "Bitters 05".
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Bird Bath, 1970s USA
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful hanging bird bath by noted Californian ceramicist, Stan Bitters. Plastic cords are attached at three points on the dish and meet in a clay disk at the middle of the cords. Each plastic cord is adorned with a clay ball and a cast clay bird at each base. Bath has an inviting blue glazed interior where the water is held. Good condition as shown. Matching bird feeder available in separate listing. As a pioneer of the organic modernist craft movement in the 1960s, Bitters has been producing rough-hewn ceramic birdhouses...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware, Plastic

Stan Bitters Bird Houses in Spray Metal, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
Excellent handmade bird houses of porous lowlfier clay in spray metal by Stan Bitters. The birdhouses are available in different colors. The houses are a favorite with finches.  
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Clay

Stan Bitters Ceramic Stool or Side Table 1960s
By Stan Bitters
Located in San Diego, CA
Low table or stool by California ceramic artist Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf. Glazed stoneware with incised flower design on the top and vertical lines running around the circumferen...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Vessel by Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf
By Hans Sumpf, Stan Bitters
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Stan Bitters planter with incised floral motif on both sides. This vessel was designed by one of California's great ceramicist's and manufactured by Hans Sumpf.
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Sun Screen by Stan Bitters, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
Stan Bitters sun screen made from strips of fired unglazed clay. Each strip is approximately 2 cm / 0.8 inch wide and they vary in length. The individ...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Clay

Rare Stan Bitters Tall Abstract Environmental Ceramic Sculpture, 1970s
By Stan Bitters
Located in Monrovia, CA
1970s Stan Bitters RARE Abstract Environmental Ceramic Sculpture. This RARE Monumental Mid century Modern Stan Bitters Ceramic Sculpture Is A Gorgeous Vintage Piece Of The Master...
Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Lantern in Glazed Ceramic, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
This black lantern in glazed ceramic is handmade by Stan Bitters. Warm light soaks through the different openings. One model A / E27 Bulb 40 watts. To be on the safe side, the lamp...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Ceramic Sculpture
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An abstract unglazed ceramic sculpture by Stan Bitters, c. 2006, USA. This piece features a ribbed green form at the top of the sculpture which ombres dow...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Stoneware

Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf Co. Mid Century Thumbpot Pottery Planter
By Hans Sumpf, Stan Bitters
Located in Countryside, IL
Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf Co. Mid Century Thumbpot Pottery Planter This planter measures: 18.5 wide x 18.5 deep x 10 inches high We take our photos in a controlled lighting studi...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Ball Lamp in Spray Metal, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
This ball lamp in spray metal is handmade by Stan Bitters. Warm light soaks through the different openings. One Model A / E27 Bulb 40 watts. To be on the safe side, the lamp should b...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Metal

Related Items
Stan Bitters Bird Houses in Spray Metal, USA, 2017
By Stan Bitters
Located in Berlin, DE
Excellent handmade bird houses of porous lowlfier clay in spray metal by Stan Bitters. The birdhouses are available in different colors. The houses are a favorite with finches.  
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Clay

David Cressey Stoneware Pro/Artisan Table Planter for Architectural Pottery
By David Cressey, Architectural Pottery
Located in Los Angeles, CA
David Cressey Pro/Artisan collection planter for Architectural Pottery. This stoneware planter has an unglazed natural warm brown clay interior and exterior.  The petite table plante...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Monumental 1960s Gainey Olive Green Speckle Glazed Ceramic Planter
By Gainey Pottery
Located in Glendale, CA
Monumental 1960s Gainey Olive Green Speckle Glazed Ceramic Planter. Executed in matte white glazed ceramic. A very clean and increasingly rare example attributed to iconic ceramics ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Mango Wood Pedestal or Side Table Burnt Finish
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
This mango wood pedestal was burnt multiple times and the finished with a clear coat to achieve its color. A strong and robust pedestal that is both beautiful on its own or displaying sculptures, vases or other items...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Qing Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Teak

Custom Made Modern Metal Side /Drink Table or Pedestal
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-644 Custom made metal table can be used as a pedestal/drink table/plant stand or table base top dimension 12" base 17".
Category

1960s Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Metal

Midcentury Unique Flowerbed Pedestal, Stool, Side Table, Germany, 1970s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
The original wood flower bed or Table made in the 1970s. Nice and light form will decorate any interior. Very good vintage condition. Also can be a decoration in kids room.
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Rattan, Wood

Stoneware 'Leaf' Planter David Cressey
By David Cressey
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great California design. Made with Cressey's own natural "formula clay", low fired stoneware with hand applied leaf design pattern. No two are exactly alike. No cracks. One or two ch...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stoneware 'Leaf' Planter  David Cressey
Stoneware 'Leaf' Planter  David Cressey
$3,000
H 14.5 in W 17.5 in D 17.5 in
Small Scandinavian Cobalt Blue Glazed Ceramic Pedestal Table
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small Scandinavian Vintage Mid-Century Modern cobalt blue Glazed Ceramic pedestal table.
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Small Scandinavian Cobalt Blue Glazed Ceramic Pedestal Table
Small Scandinavian Cobalt Blue Glazed Ceramic Pedestal Table
$356 Sale Price
25% Off
H 13.8 in Dm 8.12 in
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Clear Acrylic Lucite Pedestals or Side Tables
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A simple matching pair of acrylic pedestals in 2 sizes. The taller measures 36 inches in height and the smaller measures 24 inches.
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Acrylic

Italian Travertine Side Table or Pedestal, 1980's
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Very nice Italian pedestal or side table, handcrafted out of travertine. It is fabricated in the early 80's.   
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Travertine

Italian Travertine Side Table or Pedestal, 1980's
Italian Travertine Side Table or Pedestal, 1980's
$1,540
H 19.69 in W 10.63 in D 10.63 in
Vintage Blue and White Garden Stool
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Gorgeous vintage blue and white garden stool. A beautiful Ming design in a chic glazed ceramic. Perfect indoors our outside. Sure to add some cha...
Category

Late 20th Century North American Ming Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Blue and White Garden Stool
Vintage Blue and White Garden Stool
$795
H 18.5 in W 14 in D 14 in
Curtis Jere "Birds in Flight" Bronze Sculpture, circa 1976
By Curtis Jeré
Located in San Francisco, CA
Curtis Jere "Birds in Flight" bronze sculpture, circa 1976 Fantastic 1970s hand signed bronze sculpture by noted artist / designer Curtis Jere. Hand welded bronze birds on a py...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Copper, Bronze

Previously Available Items
Stan Bitters Bird Feeder, USA 1970s
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful hanging bird feeder by noted Californian ceramicist, Stan Bitters. Plastic cords are attached at three points on the dish and meet in a k...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware, Plastic

Stan Bitters Ceramic Garden Hose Holder Pot for Hans Sumpf
By Stan Bitters, Hans Sumpf
Located in Oakland, CA
Ceramic garden hose holder pot in red clay designed by California ceramic artist Stan Bitters known for his large scale installations, art pottery and large ceramic planters. He desi...
Category

1970s American Organic Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Ceramic Mushroom Stool or Side Table
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mushroom stool or side table by Stan Bitters, USA. This piece features a round glazed ceramic top with floral motif and an unglazed stoneware base. Perfect as a petite side table, fo...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware

Stan Bitters Early and Large Stoneware Thumb Pot, 1970
By Stan Bitters
Located in Coronado, CA
An early and large stoneware "Thumb" pot made by Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf circa 1970. This unique original example features a crude, slightly asymmetrical form, with an uncommon "...
Category

1970s American Primitive Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Stan Bitters Scratch Pot for Hans Sumpf
By Stan Bitters
Located in Phoenix, AZ
This Stan Bitters Scratch Pot is a striking piece of functional art, embodying the essence of mid-century California design. With a substantial presence, this large-scale pot stands ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Signed Large Mid-Century Modern California Pottery Planter Vase
By Stan Bitters
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful, sumptuously glazed planter/vase by American California studio pottery master potter/ceramists Stan Bitters whose work was instrumental in shaping the organic modernist m...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Pottery

Stan Bitters California Modern Stoneware Birdhouse
By Stan Bitters
Located in San Diego, CA
Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf California Modern Stoneware Birdhouse. The shelter is 6" high x 6" wide. The cord is 32" in length. Stan Bitters is a California ceramics sculptor whose...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Stan Bitters Midcentury Ceramic Stoneware Birdhouse
By Stan Bitters
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stan Bitters ceramic stoneware birdhouse Created for Hans Sumpf California Circa 1970s Elevate your outdoor space with this charming artisanal piece Organic composition and fee...
Category

1970s American Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Stan Bitters Hose Pot for Hans Sumpf
By Stan Bitters, Hans Sumpf
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Round hand formed pot by California artist Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf, c.1970s, USA. This clay pot features a raised center in which to wrap a garden hose around. It's a discreet an...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware

Stan Bitters California Modern Stoneware Birdhouse
By Stan Bitters
Located in San Diego, CA
Stan Bitters for Hans Sumpf California Modern Stoneware Birdhouse. The shelter is 6" high x 6" wide. The cord is 32" in length. Stan Bitters is a California ceramics sculptor whose...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Stan Bitters California Modern Stoneware Birdhouse
By Stan Bitters
Located in San Diego, CA
Stan Bitters California Modern Stoneware Birdhouse in a white glaze. This is a studio made birdhouse made by Stan in the last 15 years. The shelter is 7" high x 7" wide. The cord is ...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Stan Bitters Signed Large Mid-Century Modern California Pottery Sculpture Bowl
By Stan Bitters
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful, unique, beautifully and sumptuously glazed sculptural bowl by American California studio pottery master potter/ceramists Stan Bitters whose work was instrumental in shap...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Furniture

Materials

Earthenware, Pottery

Stan Bitters furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Stan Bitters furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of ceramic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Stan Bitters furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 11 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 8 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Stan Bitters were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by John Follis, Walter Lamb, and Danny Alessandro. Prices for Stan Bitters furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $550 and can go as high as $42,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,761.
Questions About Stan Bitters Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 19, 2025
    The kind of artwork that Stan Bitters is famous for is ceramics. He has been an icon of modernist ceramics since the 1960s. Bitters constructed rough assemblages of clay slabs and spoked wheels into massive murals and tall totems, upsizing his medium to an architectural scale. Like Toshiko Takaezu, Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner and others, Bitters was part of a small group of artists working in the United States during the mid-20th century who embraced imperfection in their pottery. Working in ceramics, a material that was then relegated to the supposedly lesser artistic realm of craft, Bitters and these artists made bold, chunky pieces that served as a counterpoint to the smooth lines and overall slickness of modern and postmodern movements like Bauhaus, Constructivism, Minimalism, Op art and Pop art. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Stan Bitters ceramics.

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