Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.
From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.
Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.
The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.
Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.
Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.
Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Vintage 1960s Round Wicker/Straw Wall Storage Basket
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Large circular wall basket in straw and wicker. Good general condition. Some visible gaps as shown in the photos.
Wicker, Straw
Midcentury Italian Rattan, Rush and Fabric Work Knitting Basket
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Rush and rattan basket with fabric bag for objects. Ideal for knitting. Very good vintage conditions. Basket height without handle cm 35.
Fabric, Rattan, Rush
Midcentury Knitting Basket, Italy
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
Midcentury wicker knitting basked resting on a metal string stand painted in black. Made with a handle so it is possible to carry.
Iron
Vintage French Wicker Basket
Located in Antwerpen, BE
Antique French Woven Harvest Basket – Early 20th Century A beautifully aged hand-woven French harvest basket, crafted from natural wicker with a wide, tapering form and sturdy twiste...
Cane
Vintage Wicker Basket
Located in Antwerpen, BE
Antique French Woven Harvest Basket – Early 20th Century A beautifully aged hand-woven French harvest basket, crafted from natural wicker with a wide, tapering form and sturdy twiste...
Cane
Italian Rattan and Brass Waste Basket or Planter, Italy
Located in Milan, IT
Italian rattan and brass waste basket, or can also be used as a planter.
Brass
Woven Storage Wicker Basket Round Shape Vintage Modern
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a woven storage basket, also commonly referred to as a wicker basket. It is made by weaving natural seagrass. Round shape. Unmarked. Dimensions: 6" H x 12" ...
Seagrass
$1,314
H 20.87 in Dm 11.82 in
Midcentury Basket Rattan, Wicker and Brass Vivai Del Sud Style, Italy 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury wonderful round basket with lid in rattan, wicker and brass in the style of Vivai Del Sud. Made in Italy in the 1970s. Vivai del sud, Gabriella Crespi and Arpex were...
Metal, Brass
Midcentury Rattan and Bamboo Basket Franco Albini Style, Italy 1960s
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury beautiful round basket in rattan and bamboo in the style of Franco Albini. Made in Italy in the 1960.
Bamboo, Wicker, Cane, Rattan
$115 / item
H 5.52 in W 16.15 in D 16.15 in
FURNA – Minimalist Storage Basket in Natural Wicker Weave, medium
By João Xará, Eneida Lombe Tavares
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Inspired by the artisanal process of basketry from the island of São Miguel, in the Azores, and in collaboration with a local craftsman, three new and original shapes emerge for this object. The characteristics of this volcanic island originate a type of stone whose shape is used to give structure to the wicker. The irregular and organic lines of these baskets result in a contemporary and versatile expression of an ancestral art...
Wicker
Midcentury Rattan and Brass Planter or Decorative Basket, Italy 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Beautiful decorative basket or planter fully made in curved rattan, wicker and brass. This lovely object is attributed to Vivai del Sud and made in Italy during the 1970s, clearly in...
Metal, Brass
Woven Storage Wicker Basket Seagrass Vintage Modern
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a woven storage basket, also commonly referred to as a wicker basket. It is made by weaving natural seagrass, or bamboo. Dimensions: 5" H x 9.25" W x 7. 25"...
Seagrass
$264Sale Price|35% Off
H 9.45 in Dm 10.24 in
Bohemian Mid-Century Coral Red Wicker Basket, France, circa 1960s
Located in Valencia, VC
Charming Bohemian Mid-Century Coral Red Painted Wicker Basket, France, circa 1960s A delightful handwoven wicker basket painted in a vibrant coral red, crafted in France during the ...
Wicker
Vintage Filipino Smoky Bamboo Storage Basket
Located in Chicago, IL
This impressive covered basket is attributed to the Ifugao or Bontoc people of the Philippines, beautifully hand-woven of split bamboo with a dark, smoky finish. The vintage basket i...
Bamboo
Rohé & Noordwolde, set of 2 wicker display baskets in metal base.
By Dirk Van Sliedregt, Rohe Noordwolde
Located in Herentals, BE
The display baskets were manufactured by Rohé & Noordwolde around 1960 in the Netherlands after a design by Dirk Van Sliedrecht. They are removable from the black metal frames. They ...
Metal
Sold
H 11.82 in W 23.63 in D 16.54 in
Dark Brown Leather & Brass Details 70s Fireplace Carrier in the Style of Scarpa
By Dimensione Fuoco, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Beautiful carrier/basket for fireplace, handcrafted in the 70s by Vanizia luggage. Its design and brass details are reminiscent of the "Borsa Lato" model created by Afra and Tobia S...
Brass