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Zaha Hadid and George Sowden, creating products that incorporated the bright, saturated colors and popular and historical references, like Classical columns, that animated postmodern design in the 1980s.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.
Swid Powell Silver Plate Bowl or Candy Dish by Richard Meier
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautifully restrained silver-plate bowl designed by Richard Meier for Swid Powell. Sculptural yet understated, the piece stands confidently on its own while remaining perfectly su...
Silver Plate
Richard Meier for Swid Powell Stainless Steel Bowl/Centerpiece
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful post modern design by the well known architect Richard Meier. Measure: 10 inches.
Stainless Steel
$384
H 5.71 in Dm 9.85 in
Large Black and Green 'Krenit' Bowl by Herbert Krenchel for Torben Ørskov & Co
By Torben Orskov, Herbert Krenchel
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This 'Krenit' bowl was designed by mechanical engineer Herbert Krenchel and his good friend Torben Ørskov who put them in production in 1953. They had realised that Americans ate a l...
Metal, Enamel
$1,442
H 2.96 in Dm 10.83 in
Antonio da Ros (attr.) for Cenedese Large Cobalt Blue Colored Murano Glass Bowl
By Antonio da Ros, Cenedese
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Large cobalt blue colored (colored) Murano glass serving bowl or dish attributed to Italian Murano glass designer by Antonio da Ros (1936-2012) for Cenedese, circa 1970-1990. Wonderful deep cobalt blue color. Simplistic yet elegant form, almost futuristic. Would look fantastic in a kitchen, on a white marble countertop...
Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
$3,000
H 12 in W 4 in D 4 in
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...
Silver Plate
$557Sale Price|29% Off
H 2 in W 8.5 in D 5.5 in
1950s Danish Teak Freeform Carved Nut Bowl Table Centerpiece Vintage Modern
By Finn Juhl
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Obscure Danish Design Company, AL-BO. Highly finished, thin walled Teak wedge-shaped bowl.
Teak
Waterford Center Bowl
By Waterford Crystal
Located in Hudson, NY
A finely cut and polished crystal regency style Waterford Louise Kennedy bowl . The Regency shape is a time-honored style for good English cut crystal a...
Crystal
$595
H 5.52 in W 3.41 in D 0.56 in
Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Pineapple Candy / Bonbon Dish or Vide Poche
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine signed silver bon bon dish. By Tiffany & Co. In sterling silver. In the form of a pineapple. Marked to the base. Simply a wonderful Tiffany silver decorative dish! Date:...
Sterling Silver
Silver Plate Bowl
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Elegant large silver plate bowl for Your table: for desserts or fruit, to prepare a table center piece for Christmas. It's very beautiful ! with a g...
Silver Plate
French Amber and Clear Crystal Candy Dish or Bowl
Located in Miami, FL
Lovely vintage French crystal candy dish or bowl. Decorated with amber hues giving a great contrast to the clear crystal. Use this bowl fo...
Crystal
$140Sale Price|28% Off
H 1.8 in Dm 5 in
Early Swedish 19th Century Blue Glass Candy Bowl or Yoghurt Dish
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Early Swedish 19th Century blue glass candy bowl or dish. This type of glass bowl was typically used for yoghurt and other dairy products.
Art Glass
Baccarat Crystal Lidded Candy Dish or Mustard Bowl, Signed French Crystal
By Baccarat
Located in Miami, FL
Baccarat Crystal Lidded Candy Dish or Mustard Bowl, Signed French Crystal A fine Baccarat crystal lidded candy dish or mustard bowl, showcasing the ...
Crystal
$8,790 / item
H 6.7 in Dm 11.42 in
Aldebaran Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Aldebaran Glass Fruit Bowl was designed for Memphis in 1983 by Ettore Sottsass. This bowl features a tapering cylindrical shape with three green handles, with the side decorated ...
Glass
$3,440Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 8.5 in Dm 6.5 in
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.
Silver Plate
Architect Richard Meier Design Silverplate Rotating Cross Bowl for Swid Powell
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
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 ...
Silver Plate
Richard Meier large bowl / centerpiece silver plate for Swid Powell .
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful centerpiece designed by the well known architect Richard Meier . This is a large almost 12 inches diameter .
Silver Plate
Sold
H 4 in Dm 11.5 in
Charles Gwathmey, Robert Siegel, Vintage Swid Powell Silver Plate Courtney Bowl
By Swid Powell, Gwathmey Siegel & Assoc
Located in North Miami, FL
This vintage hand hammered silver-plated brass bowl by the architectural team of Robert Siegel and Charles Gwathmey for Swid Powell is one of the most iconic designs made and also on...
Silver Plate
Postmodern Cross Bowl by Richard Meier for Swid Powell
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sometimes referred to as the Cross Bowl and other times as the X-Base Bowl, this postmodern silver-plated bowl is one of Richard Meier’s simplest and most iconic designs for Swid Pow...
Silver Plate
Courtney Centerpiece Bowl by Gwathmey & Siegel for Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Gwathmey Siegel & Assoc, Robert Gwathmey
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A rare and beautiful silver plate "Courtney" centerpiece bowl designed by Charles Gwathmey and Robert Siegel for Swid Powell in 1989. Swid Powell commissioned celebrated architects and designers to create tableware in the 1980s and 1990s and the Gwathmey & Siegel's "Courtney" designs are much less commonly seen than the Richard Meier or Michael Graves designs...
Silver Plate
Swid Powell Postmodern Skyscraper Bowl Silver-Plate, 1990s
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in New York, NY
A designer Postmodern period sterling silver-plate bowl by American artist and architect Richard Meier for Swid Powell Co., made in Italy, 1992. Piece is formally known as the "Skyscraper" bowl. Marked "Swid Powell", "RM", "Made in Italy", "Silver Pate", on bottom as shown in images #12 and 13 (hard to read.) Great as a standalone piece or as a vide-poche catchall for a table, desk, vanity, etc. Dimensions: 2.13" H x 5.94" Diameter. About Swid Powell: Well known for its promotion of fashionable ceramics, silverware, and glass by leading international, generally Postmodernist, architect-designers the New York-based Swid Powell company was founded by Nan Swid...
Silver Plate
Richard Meier Large Stainless Steel Bowl for Swid Powell
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very nice and simple and elegant Postmodern lines, by the well known architect Richard Meier. Marked RM on bottom.
Stainless Steel
Postmodern Silver Bowl by Richard Meier for Swid Powell
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A small silver plate bowl designed by architect Richard Meier as part of a suite of postmodern tablewares for 1980s female-led collaboration Swid Powell. The brainchild of Nancy Swid...
Silver Plate
Richard Meier for Swid Powell Skyscraper Silver- Plate Bowl
By Richard Meier, Swid Powell
Located in North Miami, FL
This lovely architectural silver plate bowl designed by Richard Meier for Swid Powell is called the Skyscraper. It is modernist and timeless. Made in Italy and from the 80's. It is a...
Silver Plate
Richard Meier "Skyscraper" Silver Plated Bowl
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in Chicago, IL
Designed by Richard Meier for Swid Powell. Large silver plated. Made in Italy.
Silver Plate
Richard Meier for Swid Powell "Skyscraper" Bowl
By Swid Powell, Richard Meier
Located in North Miami, FL
This simple architectural silver plated bowl designed by the renowned, respected and accomplished architect Richard Meier is iconic because this was part of the architectural series ...
Silver Plate
Signed Sculptural Silver Plate Bowl by Elsa Rady for Swid Powell
By Swid Powell, Elsa Rady
Located in North Miami, FL
The organic and very sculptural shape of this signed silver plate bowl for Swid Powell came from her work and line of ceramics. This form echoes the earthy but modern work she has do...