Swid Powell Furniture
The New York City–based tableware company Swid Powell produced some of the most distinctive china and silver of the 1980s in collaboration with international architects and designers. It enjoyed renewed attention in 2007, when the Yale University Art Gallery mounted the exhibition “The Architect’s Table: Swid Powell and Postmodern Design,” celebrating the donation to its collection of the company’s papers.
Swid Powell was established in 1982 by Nan Swid and Addie Powell, who met while working at the modernist furniture company Knoll. Their idea was to translate the aesthetics of postmodern design from the skyscraper to the dining table, and they brought into their preliminary discussions nine prominent architects. Among these were Philip Johnson, Stanley Tigerman and Richard Meier, all of whom expressed enthusiasm about making their designs accessible beyond the small group with the funds to commission buildings from them.
The first Swid Powell collection was launched in 1984, accompanied by a bold, graphic print campaign in keeping with the era’s advertising trends. The company’s best-known collaboration was with Robert Venturi’s Philadelphia-based firm, Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, whose patterns — particularly the floral design Grandmother inspired by a tablecloth Venturi saw at the home of a colleague's grandmother — adorned Swid Powell porcelain as well as furniture and clothing.
The firm also partnered with architect Richard Meier, whose geometric designs were inspired in part by those of Josef Hoffmann and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Swid Powell also worked with Arata Isosaki, Ettore Sottsass, Zaha Hadid and George Sowden, creating products that incorporated the bright, saturated colors and popular and historical references, like Classical columns, that animated postmodern design in the 1980s. The Chicago Blue china pattern designed for Swid Powell by the firm Gwathmey Siegel references the distinctive patterns of Frank Lloyd Wright’s leaded glass windows. As you will see in the examples below, Swid Powell continued to produce fine, fashionable homewares throughout the decade and beyond.
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Creator: Swid Powell
Little Dripper Ceramic Coffee Pot by Michael Graves for Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Michael Graves (b.1934)
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Perhaps Michael Graves’ (1934-2015) most well-known design for Swid Powell, The Little Dripper (1986) is a 10-cup coffee pot born from Graves’ preference for drip coffee and a lack o...
Category
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell “Renaissance” Cup & Saucer, Set of 4
By Ettore Sottsass, Swid Powell
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Exceptionally rare set of cups & saucers by the inimitable Ettore Sottsass, designed for Swid Powell. This set is held in the private collections of prominent museums, such as The Me...
Category
1980s Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
$575 Sale Price / set
50% Off
1987 Big Dripper Ceramic Coffee Set Michael Graves for Swid Powell
By Michael Graves (b.1934), Swid Powell
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1987 Postmodern Big Dripper Coffee Set by Michael Graves for Swid Powell
High gloss white glaze large pot, filter holder, and lid with gold decoration and brick red base.
Large Coffe...
Category
1980s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Set of 21 Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman's 'Tuxedo' for Swid Powell Various Porcelain
By Swid Powell, Gwathmey Siegel & Assoc
Located in Southampton, NY
Set of 21 Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman's design 'Tuxedo' for Swid Powell - Various Porcelain pieces
3 Salad plates 7.75" diameter
3 Dinn...
Category
20th Century American Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Swid Powell for Calvin Klein Silver Plate Caviar Bowl Dish Chiller, circa 1980
By Calvin Klein, Swid Powell
Located in Atlanta, GA
Indulge in the ultimate expression of refined luxury with this rare modernist caviar bowl, a masterpiece designed by Swid Powell and exclusively distributed through the Calvin Klein ...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Silver Plate, Metal
Architect Richard Meier Design Silverplate Rotating Cross Bowl for Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in Oakland, CA
Silverplate over brass bowl designed by architect Richard Meier for Swid Powell, referred to as the Cross Bowl, made by Plata Lappas, Buenos Aires for Swid Powell. Unlike the larger ...
Category
1990s Argentine Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Two "Signature Black" Dinner Plates Designed By Richard Meier For Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in Doraville, GA
Two Signature Black buffet plates designed by Richard Meier for Swid Powell in the 1980’s. Meier was at the peak of his career during this time, having designed the much lauded High ...
Category
1980s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Robert Venturi Post Modern Silver Candleholders for Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Robert Venturi
Located in Chicago, IL
Robert Venturi Post Modern Silver Candleholders for Swid Powell, Both stamped RVenturi MADE IN ITALY SILVER PLATED with copyright mark.
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
$3,440 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Grandmother Tableware Set Designed by Robert Venturi with Denise Scott Brown
By Swid Powell, Robert Venturi
Located in Kansas City, MO
Grandmother tableware set by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown for Swid Powell, 1984. Set of four plates, four saucers and 20 cups.
Dinner pla...
Category
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Ettore Sottsass Silver Candlesticks for Swid Powell and Reed and Barton
By Swid Powell, Ettore Sottsass, Reed & Barton
Located in Kansas City, MO
Striking pair of silver plated candlesticks designed by Ettore Sottsass and made by Swid Powell in collaboration with Reed and Barton, 1980s.
Category
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver
Pr. Postmodern Silverplate Candlesticks by Richard Meier for Swid Powell, 1980's
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in New York, NY
Incredible pair of post modern silver plate candlesticks, by Richard Meier for Swid Powell. Very hard to find, especially in pairs, this impre...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Swid Powell Dinner Set "Chicago Blues" Custom
By Swid Powell, Gwathmey Siegel & Assoc
Located in Chicago, IL
Gwathmey & Siegel inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright designed this pattern.
Custom blue five-piece dinner set in original boxes.
Dinner plate, soup bowl, salad plate, cup and saucer.
6 s...
Category
20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
$6,930 / set
Robert. Lee Morris for Swid Powell Set of 8 “CAMELOT” White & Gold Bowls
By Robert Lee Morris, Swid Powell
Located in Palm Springs, CA
This set of dinnerware bowls were designed by the legendary jewelry and fine art designer, Robert Lee Morris for Swid Powell. The pattern name is called Camelot and is a chic, modern...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
$640 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Richard Meier for Swid Powell Silver Plated Peppermill
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Hanover, MA
Hefty and well constructed pepper mill designed by uber architect Richard Meier for Swid Powell and produced in Italy, circa 1985.
Ref...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
Richard Meier for Swid Powell Post-Modern Period Skyscraper Bowl
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in Toledo, OH
Richard Meier for Swid Powell Post-Modern Period Skyscraper Bowl. circa 1990's. A designer Post-Modern Period sterling bowl by iconic American artist and architect Richard Meier for ...
Category
20th Century Italian Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Richard Meier for Swid Powell Stainless Steel Bowl/Centerpiece
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful post modern design by the well known architect Richard Meier. Measure: 10 inches.
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Stainless Steel
Wonderful Modern Pair Swid Powell Water Pitcher TsAO & McKown Silver Plate Italy
By Swid Powell
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Pair Of Swid Powell / Calvin TsAO and Zack McKown Silver Plated Water Pitchers With A Sleek Conical Form With Flat Curving Handle And Ice Guard, This Beautiful Modern Pit...
Category
20th Century Italian Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Michael Graves Swid Powell Postmodern Serving Spoon Set
By Swid Powell, Michael Graves (b.1934), Reed & Barton
Located in New York, NY
A Postmodern set of sterling silver-plate salad serving spoons by architect and designer Michael Graves for Swid Powell Co., 1990. Each spoon bears the following on back as shown in ...
Category
1990s American Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
$1,480 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Robert Lee Morris Set of 7 White & Gold “CAMELOT” Lunch Plates for Swid Powell
By Robert Lee Morris, Swid Powell
Located in Palm Springs, CA
This set of dinnerware lunch plates were designed by the legendary jewelry and fine art designer, Robert Lee Morris for Swid Powell. The pattern name is called Camelot and is a chic,...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
$560 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Swid Powell Toscana Tableware Designed by Steven Harris & Lucien Ress-Roberts
By Swid Powell
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Great set of post modern colorful tableware:
Designer: Steven Harris, American, born 1950
Designer: Lucien Rees Roberts, English, born 1952
Retaile...
Category
Late 20th Century European Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
$900 Sale Price / set
60% Off
Richard Meier For Swid Powell Silver-Plate Architectural Skyscraper Bowl 90's
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in North Miami, FL
This iconic 1992 silver plate skyscraper bowl was designed by Richard Meier for Swid Powell. Made In Italy. It is an iconic design by an iconic architect. It was produced in 2 sizes ...
Category
1990s Italian Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
$738 Sale Price
25% Off
Cup & Saucer Designed by Michael Graves for Swid Powell Cityline Corinth
By Swid Powell, Michael Graves (b.1934)
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful set of single coffee cup and saucer designed by Michael Graves for Swid Powell, very rare set designed in 1987 in porcelain finish. The saucer is 6" in diameter.
Category
20th Century American Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Porcelain
$140 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Pair of Richard Meier “King Richard” Silver-Plated Candlesticks for Swid Powell
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pair of Richard Meier “King Richard” Silver-Plated Candlesticks for Swid Powell, 1983
Pair of vintage “King Richard” candlesticks designed by American architect Richard Meier for Sw...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
PostModern Michael Graves Swid Powell Handblown Glass Aerator Wine Decanter
By Alessi, Swid Powell, Michael Graves (b.1934)
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
1990s Post Modern Memphis Michael Graves and Swid Powell Handblown Glass Wine Decanter with Interior Blue Bird Aerator by Alessi. Italy
A remarkably delicate and clever design. The poetic glass blue bird serves as an aerator for the wine.
The cross shaped acacia wood foot as used by again by Swid Powell im his coffee set. A stylistic signature that makes a pleasing come back with this decanter.
Other recurring figure across Michael Graves' career, the blue glass bird...
Category
1990s Italian Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Blown Glass, Rosewood, Cork
"Metropolitan" Candlestick by Robert A. M. Stern for Swid Powell
By Robert A.M. Stern, Cleto Munari, Swid Powell
Located in Skokie, IL
"Metropolitan" Candlestick by Robert A. M. Stern for Swid Powell
A single iconic "Metropolitan" silver-plated candlestick designed by Robert A. M. Stern for Swid Powell. Stern, b. 1...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
$504 Sale Price
52% Off
Swid Powell Candlesticks, Designed by Stern, Italian- Set of 2, c. 1980's
By Robert A.M. Stern, Swid Powell
Located in Ross, CA
Set of two stamped Swid Powell Candlesticks, made in Italy in the 1980's. Designed and stamped with architect Robert A.M. Stern's initials. The pattern is called "Century".
Swid Pow...
Category
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Robert Venturi Swid Powell Postmodern Serving Spoons Neoclassical Column
By Swid Powell, Reed & Barton, Robert Venturi
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful, chic, substantial, and iconic set of designer Postmodern sterling silver-plate serving, salad or platter spoons, with Neoclassical column handle design, designed by architect Robert Venturi for Swid Powell, circa 1990s. Each measure: 14.25" long. Pieces were manufactured by Reed & Barton for Swid Powell. All piece's bare designer and makers' mark's on back of spoon(s) as shown in close-up images #9 and 10. A great set for summer, holiday, home entertaining...
Category
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Steven Holl Patinated Bronze Candlestick for Swid Powell rare Postmodern Memphis
By Swid Powell, Steven Holl
Located in San Diego, CA
patinated bronze candlestick designed by American architect Steven Holl for Swid Powell c.1980's , very rare tall candlestick hard to find very collectible in a verdigris finish stamped at the bottom, with some scuff marks due to age solid piece great for postmodern , Memphis mid century home decor.
Category
20th Century American Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Robert AM Stern Rare Salt Shaker for Swid Powel Silver Plated Italy
By Swid Powell
Located in San Diego, CA
The Modern Traditionalist architect, Robert A.M. Stern, is well known for his muscular take on classic American architectural idioms. Think steroidal new “pre-war” towers for billion...
Category
20th Century Italian Post-Modern Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
"Moonlight" Candlestick by Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Ettore Sottsass, Cleto Munari
Located in Skokie, IL
"Moonlight" Candlestick by Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell
A single "Moonlight" silver -plated and brass candlestick designed by Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell. Sottsass, 1917-2007...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
$840 Sale Price
20% Off
Ettore Sottsass Candelstick / Candle Holder, Silver Plate for Swid Powell
By Ettore Sottsass, Swid Powell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is one icon of Post Modern design by the well known architect Ettore Sottsass.
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate
Pair of Silver Plate & Brass Candlesticks by Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group, Swid Powell
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A thoroughly modern pair of candlesticks, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell, in the signature asymmetrical Memphis style. Sta...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Memphis Group Swid Powell Furniture
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
Swid Powell furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Swid Powell furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Swid Powell furniture, although silver editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Swid Powell were created in the modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Richard Meier, Alessi, and Marco Zanini. Prices for Swid Powell furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $175 and can go as high as $8,950, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,200.