Mid-Century Modern Posters
MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe mid-century modern American furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
Postwar American architects and designers were animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist “International Style” architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the ’30s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale, in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for, respectively, pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair. George Nelson and his design team created Bubble lamp shades using a new translucent polymer skin. Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were re-purposed: the Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs that used surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century designers caught the spirit.
Classically-oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb — who designed holistic groups of sleek, blonde-wood furniture — and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
As the collection of vintage mid-century modern American furniture on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
1
379
5
to
94
193
117
384
276
105
64
35
8
4
4
4
3
2
1
1
2
377
5
3
239
105
1
4
12
81
103
55
38
7
Height
to
Width
to
352
21
16
15
12
384
384
384
293
154
53
47
29
29
6
6
6
4
Style: Mid-Century Modern
James Bond 'Thunderball' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1974
Located in Devon, GB
In Sean Connery's fourth outing as suave secret agent James Bond, 'Thunderball' saw the British spy dispatched to the Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by Spectre, culmi...
Category
1970s Japanese Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
1960s British Coach Travel Poster Landscape Wildlife Midcentury Pop Art
Located in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Original 1967 travel poster designed by R.Brown for the Tilling Association, London, UK.
First edition color offset lithograph.
Rolled.
Measures: L 77cm x W 51cm.
Category
1960s British Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Midcentury Abstract Art Exhibition Poster, Signed Rosso Dated 1975
Located in Arles, FR
Original midcentury abstract art exhibition poster with wonderful vivid colors of blue, red, green, beige, etc...
Very decorative, signed by the artist and dated 1975.
Measures: 18"...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Salvador Dali Midcentury Art Exhibition Poster, 1975
Located in Arles, FR
Original midcentury art exhibition poster of Salvador Dali’s work. This poster shows the master's interesting depiction of a woman holding a bouquet of flowers.
Exhibit was held in...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Mon Oncle' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Olle Olsson Hagalund, Swedish, 1959
Located in Devon, GB
A rare poster for the first Swedish release of the 1958 Classic French slapstick comedy "Mon Oncle", written, directed, produced by and starring Jacques Tati as the eccentric hero Mo...
Category
1950s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Large Mid-Century Modern Milano Italy Female Bust Lithograph Wall Art
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Large Mid-Century Modern "Milano 70/70" unsigned offset lithograph featuring a portrait of a floral adorned female bust. Framed behind clear Plexiglas in a silver metal frame with wo...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Metal
Vintage Advertising Wood Carved Relief Beefeater Advertising
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage advertising wood carved relief beefeater advertising.
Category
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Wood, Paint
Paul Newman 'The Hustler' Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1964
Located in Devon, GB
One of the few re-release US One Sheets that is preferred to the original by collectors due to its superior artwork, this eye-catching poster was issued for a 1964 re-release of the ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Pinocchio' Original Vintage Polish Film Poster by Kazimierz Mann, 1962
Located in Devon, GB
Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total...
Category
1960s Polish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'The Great Escape' Original Vintage US One Sheet Movie Poster, 1963
Located in Devon, GB
Best known for his action packed James Bond posters, American artist Frank McCarthy's dynamic design for John Sturges' spectacular 1963 wartime adventure 'The Great Escape' features ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Poster Festival de Jazz 1988 French Lithograph for Jazz
By Peter Klasen
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original vintage poster, Festival de Jazz, 1988
Artist:
Kalsen
Year: 1988
Dimensions: 78 x 55 cm
Condition:
Excellent
Format: Linen backed.
Category
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Soviet Propaganda Poster from the 1970's: Large Format (Seven Feet by 4 Feet)
Located in Hudson, NY
A Strikingly Handsome Worker Invites Others to the New USSR Reforms on Labor Collectives. A Bold, Colorful and Spectacular GRAPHIC. Large Scale (6.5 by 4 feet)
Poster is Backed on S...
Category
Mid-20th Century Russian Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Czech, 1978
Located in Devon, GB
A fantastically bizarre poster by Jan Weber for the first Czech release of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist...
Category
1970s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Vintage French Poster, 'Estate e Mare' by Lora Lamm
By Lora Lamm
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Born in 1928, Lora Lamm is a well-known Swiss graphic designer. She had a career in graphic design for over 60 years and she is best known for her 10 years of work in Milan between 1...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Some Like It Hot' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Australian, 1960s
Located in Devon, GB
With it's non-stop action, smutty one-liners, sexual innuendo and skilful blend of high and low comedy, Billy Wilder's timeless screwball comedy 'Some Like It Hot' is widely regarded...
Category
1960s Australian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Poster by Cieslewicz, Circa 1970 'REPORTERS'
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original vintage poster by Cieslewicz, Circa 1970 'REPORTERS'
"Cieslewicz's art merges a number of intellectual and emotional threads through close relationships between words an...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper, Linen
Original Vintage Travel Poster Koln Cologne Cathedral Germany Mid-Century Modern
Located in London, GB
Original vintage travel poster for Koln / Cologne featuring a stunning mid-century illustration by the German artist Werner Labbe (1909-1989) depicting the Cathedral Church of Saint ...
Category
1950s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Set of 6 Marcel Duchamp Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Set of 6 Marcel Duchamp Rotoreliefs, 1987 Konig Series 133.
Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (French 28 July 1887–2 October 1968) was a French, naturalized American painter, sculptor, ...
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Marc Chagall, 'Nice Soleil' Original Vintage Poster
By Marc Chagall
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
This is a deluxe edition featuring a blind stamp with the markings RGM. This poster was printed in France by and for the French Government.
Marc Chagall was a Russian-French artist ...
Category
1760s French Antique Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Fine Art Exhibition Poster MODIGLIANI DEPUIS BONNARD, 1957
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original vintage Fine art exhibition poster MODIGLIANI DEPUIS BONNARD, 1957
This is an original vintage poster from 1957
Artist
Modigliani
Year
1957
Dimensions
73 x 5...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Vintage French Poster, 'LORA LAMM IL GIARDINO' by Lora Lamm
By Lora Lamm
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Born in 1928, Lora Lamm is a well-known Swiss graphic designer. She had a career in graphic design for over 60 years and she is best known for her 10 years of work in Milan between 1...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
The Beatles 'A Hard Day's Night' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Australian, 1964
Located in Devon, GB
A stunning stone lithography poster for The Beatles' first full-length feature film "A Hard Day's Night," which followed the fab four over an anarchic 36 hours in London at the heigh...
Category
1960s Australian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Eye' Poster Dress by Harry Gordon, Poster Dresses Ltd. London, England
Located in London, GB
1st edition 1968. 'Poster Dress - Eye', a disposable paper dress screen printed tissue, wood pulp and rayon mesh, with internal 'Poster Dresses' label, in the original packaging, wit...
Category
1960s European Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Audrey Hepburn "Roman Holiday" Original Vintage US Movie Poster, 1953
Located in Devon, GB
A delightful US window card for Audrey Hepburn's 1953 Hollywood debut "Roman Holiday," the reverse Cinderella story of a frustrated young princess who eludes her attendants for 24 ho...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Nature Depicted 1970s Vintage Riec Art Exhibition Poster
Located in Arles, FR
This is a beautiful original art exhibition poster depicting the work of RIEC (possibly an artist from the Balkans). These vibrant botanical colors will brighten any space.
Look cl...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage French 1960's Poster, 'Camping' by G. Nicolitch
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Artist
G Nicolitch
Year
1967
Dimensions
160 x 120cm
Condition
Good
Format
Linen Backed.
Category
1960s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Linen, Paper
Swiss Winter Sports Travel Poster by Herbert Leupin
Located in Essex, MA
An original lithograph Swiss travel poster by graphic designer Herbert Leupin (Swiss, 1916-1999) entitled, in French, L'heure des sports d'hiver en Suisse (Time for Winter Sports in ...
Category
1950s Swiss Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Max Bill Geneve Musee Serigraph, 1972
By Max Bill
Located in Hingham, MA
Max Bill (1908-1994) Geneva Museum exhibition serigraph, created to accompany the exhibition of works by Max Bill held from 6 April through 30 April 1972 at the Musee Rath in Geneva,...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Aluminum
Original Vintage Exhibition Poster, Caroret, 'Ville De Paris' Circa 1970
By Michel Cadoret
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original vintage exhibition poster, Caroret, 'Ville De Paris' Circa 1970
Michel Cadoret was a French artist. He was a student of Luc Simon at the l'École nationale supérieure des ...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Art Poster, Simon Hantaï
By Simon Hantaï
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original Vintage art poster, Simon Hantaï
“Inspired by the work of Jackson Pollock, Hantaï would lay un-stretched canvas on the floor, fold and knot it before painting onto the cr...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Marcel Duchamp Cage Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Marcel Duchamp Rotoreliefs, 1987 Konig Series 133.
Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (French 28 July 1887–2 October 1968) was a French, naturalized American painter, sculptor, chess pla...
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Le Laitage- Musee Scolaire Paris Original Vintage French Diary Farm Poster
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Le Laitage- Musee Scolaire Paris original vintage French dairy farm poster
An original vintage French diary poster which comprises of individual dairy products, beautifully detail...
Category
1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Audrey Hepburn 'Sabrina' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Swedish, 1955
Located in Devon, GB
An extremely rare poster for the first Swedish release of the classic American romantic comedy 'Sabrina' in 1955. Undoubtedly one of the best poster designs for this title, we have n...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Marcel Duchamp Cage Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Marcel Duchamp Rotoreliefs, 1987 Konig Series 133.
Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (French 28 July 1887–2 October 1968) was a French, naturalized American painter, sculptor, chess pla...
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Huge Vintage Barbarella Movie Poster in White Frame
Located in Berlin, DE
Huge vintage Barbarella movie poster in white frame.
Category
1960s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Poster Lexicon Hispano Olivetti Typewriter Graphic Design Bird
Located in London, GB
Original vintage Avant Garde advertising poster for the Lexicon Hispano Olivetti 80 typewriter model featuring a great mid-century graphic design depicting a colourful bird flying ab...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Double-Sided Poster Masson & Cie, London Street Scenes, Circus Goes to America
Located in Arles, FR
Very decorative double sided poster from Masson & Cie, 1960s. This vintage wall decoration has wonderful details of London Street Scenes and The Circus Goes to America.
Produced i...
Category
1960s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Vintage Pablo Picasso Poster Created for the 1958 Exhibition
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Vintage Pablo Picasso poster created for the 1958 exhibition of sculptures and drawings at the Maison de la Pensee Francaise, Paris.
Printed by Mourlot, Paris.
Category
1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Hang 'Em High' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1968
Located in Devon, GB
A steely Clint Eastwood dominates as a vengeful lawman fighting to bring down the vigilante lynch mob who left him for dead on this atmospheric B2 poster for the original Japanese re...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Man Ray Objects of my Affection Exhibition Poster Trompe L'Oeuf MoMA, 1969
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The “objects” of American artist Man Ray’s affection were small, limited-edition sculptures. Although influenced by French artist Marcel Duchamp, Ray eschewed the Duchampian term rea...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Marcel Duchamp Cage Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Marcel Duchamp Rotoreliefs, 1987 Konig Series 133.
Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (French 28 July 1887–2 October 1968) was a French, naturalized American painter, sculptor, chess pla...
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Exhibition Poster, Sonia Delaunay 'Les Peintres Et L’art', 1970
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original Vintage Exhibition Poster, Sonia Delaunay 'LES PEINTRES ET L’ART', 1970
"Sonia Delaunay was a French artist, who spent most of her working life in Paris. She formally tra...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Vintage Fly TWA Airlines to Los Angles Poster by Artist David Klein, circa 1960s
By David Klein
Located in St. Louis, MO
Super cool 1960s Fly TWA Airlines to Los Angles poster by famed artist David Klein. In very nice vintage condition, with only a few pins holes in the corners, center top and bottom. ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Rare 1972 Joan Miro Original Abstract Exposition Poster from Canarias Spain
By Joan Miró
Located in San Diego, CA
Original aluminium framed original vintage poster from Spanish artist, Joan Miro Canarias Spain exhibition, February 1972 Spain nice condition vibrant colors not faded or stained. Hi...
Category
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Aluminum
Late Mid-Century Fashion Photography by Peter H. Fürst, Professionally Framed
Located in Salzburg, AT
Peter H. Fürst born 1939 in Austria - died 2018 in Germany
From 1954 to 1957, Fürst completed an apprenticeship in his parents' company and studied at the higher graphic teaching ...
Category
Early 2000s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Silver Leaf
Midcentury Joan Miro Kaiser Wilhelm Museum Krefeld Lithograph Art Poster
By Joan Miró
Located in San Diego, CA
Highly collectible midcentury Joan Miro Kaiser Wilhelm Museum Krefeld lithograph art poster to advertise an exhibition in West Germany, circa 1950s. The piece is from the French Post...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Poster Music Festival De Berlin Midcentury Design Brandenburg F
Located in London, GB
Original vintage travel poster promoting the Festival de Berlin music festival in Berlin from 17 September to 4 October 1955 featuring an elegant mid-century design of a stylised mus...
Category
1950s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
James Bond 'You Only Live Twice' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Australian, 1967
Located in Devon, GB
The fifth film in EON Productions' James Bond series and the last of Sean Connery's first stint starring as the suave secret agent, it was announced during filming of 'You Only Live ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage 1960's Advertising Poster, 'CAMPARI' by Piatti
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original vintage 1960's advertising poster, 'CAMPARI' by Piatti.
Year
1966
Dimension:
90 x 128cm
Condition
Excellent
Artist
Piatti
Format
Linen-backed
This p...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Other
'La Dolce Vita' Original Vintage US One Sheet Movie Poster, 1961
Located in Devon, GB
Opening with the striking panorama of a statue of Christ suspended by helicopter, flying across the city of Rome, Federico Fellini’s epic satire 'La Dolce Vita' charted seven episode...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
"Man of La Mancha" Broadway Poster, Anta Washington Square Theatre, 1977
Located in San Diego, CA
Highly collectible "Man of La Mancha" first edition Broadway poster from Anta Washington Square theatre production, circa 1977. The print is in excellent condition with vibrant color...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Metal
'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' French Movie Poster by Bernard Lancy, 1951
Located in Devon, GB
With a retelling of a German fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, Walt Disney introduced a sceptical America to his first full-length cel animated feature film in 1937. Hailed as a landm...
Category
1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Paul Newman 'Hud' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1963
Located in Devon, GB
Evoking the wide, flat landscape and beating sun of the American West, this rare knockout poster for the original Japanese release of revisionist Western ‘Hud’ places Paul Newman cen...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage 1950s French Government Tourism Poster 'Obernai'
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Artist
Schall
Year
circa 1950
Dimensions:
81 x 48 cm (31 x 18 inches)
Condition:
Good
Linen backed.
Category
1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Other
Original Signed Art Exhibition Poster by Artist Ivicevic Slobodan, 1975
Located in Arles, FR
A beautiful original midcentury poster signed by listed artist Ivicevic Slobodan on July 2, 1975 in Nice, France during his exhibit at the famous L'Art Marginal.
As shown on the ...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Le Mepris' Original Vintage French Movie Poster by Georges Allard, 1963
By Georges Allard
Located in Devon, GB
At the height of her fame, Brigitte Bardot is every inch the devastating screen siren on Georges Allard's sumptuous and sought after poster for the country of origin release of Jean-...
Category
1960s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Vintage Poster, Olympic Runners, Munich Games, 1973 Sports Poster
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Artist:
Anonymous
Year:
1973
Dimensions:
92 x 64cm
Condition:
Excellent condition
Format:
Linen backed.
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Posters
Vintage French Poster, 'Lora Lamm IL Giardino' by Lora Lamm
By Lora Lamm
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Born in 1928, Lora Lamm is a well-known Swiss graphic designer. She had a career in graphic design for over 60 years and she is best known for her 10 years of work in Milan between 1...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
