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Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern 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.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s 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 pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture 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, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Color:  Brown
Murano Italian Modernist Amber Sommerso Small Teardrop Bowl
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Murano glass small decorative bowl or dish, circa 1950's. Piece measures 1.5" by 6.25" and is unsigned. In very good vintage 1950s condition.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Blown Glass

Centerpiece Rare Wood Fruit Bowl Mid 20th Century American Craftsman Design
Located in Hyattsville, MD
An iconic rare wood elongated bowl in African Teak (Bubinga) by Mid-Century master Emil Milan.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Teak

Wall Mounted Swiveling Teak Salt Ball with Lid by ESA Denmark
By ESA
Located in Ferndale, MI
Rarely seen wall mounted teak salt ball. Wood base hooks to wall lathe turned teak wood ball swivels to pour or scoop out salt. Marked ESA Denmark.
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Teak

Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Large Cenedese Italian Asymmetric Red Sommerso Murano Glass Bowl Dish or Ashtray
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Cenedese large and heavy vintage Italian Murano glass bowl, serving dish or ashtray, circa 1965-1975. Utilizing the Sommerso technique this large, heavy piece of glass features an as...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Italian Decorative Center Bowl Made in Italy, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful decorative center bowl made with brass in Italy, 1970.   
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Red Murano Glass Bowl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian red Murano glass bowl carefully hand blown with small bubbles inside the glass using pulegoso technique / Made in Italy, circa 19...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Murano Glass

1970s Modernist Sculpted Sleek Wood Shark Bowl Catchall Dish
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Shark bowl Modernist sculpted wood shark bowl catchall dish Measures: 3.75 tall x 7.5 w x 24 l inside bowl 6.75 x 12.75 Preowned unrestored vintage condi...
Category

1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Wood

Alessandro Mandruzzato Murano Glass Ashtray Bowl, Sommerso, Faceted, Red, Signed
Located in New York, NY
Alessandro Mandruzzato murano glass bowl, Sommerso, faceted, red, amber, signed. Medium scale chunky glass caviar bowl with ruby red core and an ambe...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Sommerso, Blown Glass

Large Ceramic Lidded MCM Bowl by Rose Cabat
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Large Rose Cabat lidded bowl circa early 1960s. This example has yellow hues and reddish earthy undertones. Signature can be found on the bottom of the bowl.
Category

1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Andrianna Shamaris Mid-Century Couture Side Table
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the mid-century Couture Collection. Furniture constructed by hand from start to finish. A beautiful century old Merbau deep wood bowl from Sumatra, is polished with a nat...
Category

1950s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Wood, Reclaimed Wood

Large Light Teak Bowl with Brass and Leather Handle by Carl Auböck Austria, 1950
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: light Teak bowl, shell element Design: Carl Auböck, 1950s Producer: Auböck Workshop Vienna, Austria Origin: Austria Age: 1950s ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Andrianna Shamaris Mid Century Couture Side Table
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the mid century Couture Collection. Furniture constructed by hand from start to finish. A beautiful century old Merbau deep wood bowl from Sumatra, is polished with a nat...
Category

1950s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Wood, Reclaimed Wood

Italian Designer, Ice Bucket, Copper, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A copper ice bucket produced in Italy, 1930s-1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Copper

Carl Auböck Bowl "Leaf" Big, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Italian Art Studio Pottery Vintage Plate in Fanciullacci Style
Located in North Hollywood, CA
1950s Mid-Century Modern handcrafted and hand-decorated large bowl in the style of Fratelli Fanciullacci. Vintage handcrafted Italian art studio pottery, Florence. Bands with vertica...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Studio Pottery Signed Lidded Jar, circa 1970
Located in Costa Mesa, CA
Studio pottery signed lidded jar. circa 1970.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Murano Glass Decorative Bowls Collection
Located in New York, NY
Mid-Century Modern Murano glass decorative glass bowls collection. Price is per item please check the ones available below. Dimensions: Red bowl diameter 6'' height 2 25'' Sold Wh...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Murano Glass

Andrianna Shamaris Mid Century Couture Two Tone Side Table
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the Mid Century Couture Collection. Furniture constructed by hand from start to finish. A beautiful century old Merbau wood bowl from Sumatra, is polished with a natural ...
Category

1950s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood

Warm Glazed Speckled Pottery Dish Catch All Fruit Bowl Signed Rucker 1977
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Pottery Clean vintage glazed speckled Pottery Dish Catch all, Fruit bowl in warm brown, tan tones. Signed bottom, Rucker '77 Measures: 10 diameter...
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Pottery

Midcentury Millefiori Murano Glass Bowl, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
This colorful Murano glass bowl is decorated with a technique called Millefiori, meaning a thousand flowers. It was manufactured in Italy during the 1960s or 1970s.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Art Glass

Danish Shell Bowl in Solid Teak Wood, by Digsmed Made in Denmark, 1960s
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Teak bowl shell Producer: Digsmed made in Denmark Age: 1960 marked with 1964 Original 1960s teak shell bowl made in Denmark by Digsmed. ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Glass, Teak

Italian Murano Gold Art Glass Bowl
Located in New York, NY
A substantial Italian Murano gold and clear art glass bowl, Midcentury Modern period, Italy, circa mid-20th century. Dimensions: 5" x 6.5".       
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass

Mid-Century Glass Bowl Designed by Josef Hospodka, 1960's
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia - Made of glass - Re-polished - Has some signs use - Good, original condition.
Category

1960s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Glass

Set of 3 Murano Glass Sommerso Bowl Shells Ashtray Element, Italy, 1970s
By G. Campanella & Co., Flavio Poli, Alessandro Mandruzzato
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Murano glass bowl elements, set of 3 Origin: Murano, Italy Decade: 1970s This original vintage glass elements were designed and produced in the 1970s...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Murano Glass

Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Honey Glass Bowl Poland, 1970s, Set of 6
Located in Chorzów, PL
Honey glass bowls Made in Poland Very good condition, no damage. Dimensions: Large platter: Height 8 cm / diameter. 22 cm Small platter: Height 5 c...
Category

1960s Polish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Art Glass

Brass Bowl with Engravings and Oriental Enamels
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Brass bowl with engravings and oriental enamels.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass, Enamel

Signed Midcentury Studio Pottery Bowl
By Otto Natzler
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Signed midcentury Studio Pottery bowl in the style of Maxwell.
Category

1960s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Clay

Barovier Bowl Glass Murano, Italy, 1940s
Located in Milano, IT
Glass Barovier bowl with rainbow surface and silver details. The bowl has a ribbinig finishing on a cicular and rounded base.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Glass

Olle Alberius for Rorstrand Mid-Century Studio Pottery Bowl
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A superb Swedish mid-century studio pottery of shallow form in tenmoku and green glazes by Olle Alberius for Rorstrand. The heavily potted porcelain bowl is or wide rounded shape wit...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Stoneware

Wooden Bowl, Stamped in the Paste, Circa 1970
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This nice wooden bowl is stamped in the paste. This is a French work. Circa 1970.
Category

1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Wood

"Lente", Ercole Barovier Empty Pockets, 1950s
Located in Palermo, PA
"Lente", Ercole Barovier empty pockets, 1950s. Dimensions: H=6 cm; D=19 cm.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Glass

Clyde Burt Ceramic Bowl
Located in Chicago, IL
Clyde Burt ceramic bowl, beautiful technical glazes. Signed [CB] underside.
Category

1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

1950s Capri White Pottery + Walnut Serving Tray Mid-Century Modernist Tableware
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Sculptural masterpiece in tableware, with a classic mid-century mix of materials.
Category

1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic, Walnut

Carl Auböck Bowl "Leaf" Small, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Lidded Bowl by Ceramiche Batignani, Italy
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
A beautiful pumpkin shaped bowl with lid crowned by a brass handle by Ceramiche Batignani from the 1950's. This handmade bowl is in perfect condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Set of Two Bowls/Bohemia Glass, 1950´S
Located in Praha, CZ
Made in Czechoslovakia Made of Art Glass Re-Polished Good Original Condition.  
Category

1950s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Italian Ceramic Bowl by Alessio Tasca '1962'
Located in London, GB
Vintage Italian ceramic bowl by Alessio Tasca (1962). A delightful frieze of geometric shapes encircle the piece. The fading colours in ye...
Category

1960s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Bowl, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Murano Bowl in Amber Colored Mouth-Blown Art Glass with Inlaid Air Bubbles
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Murano bowl in amber colored mouth-blown art glass with inlaid air bubbles. Italian design, 1960s. Measures: 16.6 x 6.5 cm. In perfect condition.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Art Glass

Gabriele Koch Large Contemporary Studio Art Bowl
Located in New York, NY
Gabriele Koch (German, b.1948), large contemporary ceramic art pottery ornamental bowl, smoke-fired and burnished earthenware, with delicate mottled crea...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Earthenware

1950s Scandinavian Cabinmodern Teak Sculptural Canoe Long Bowl Danish
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Denmark, c.1950. A long and large staved teak centerpiece fruit bowl designed by Jens Quistgaard, faint impressed marks to bottom.  
Category

1950s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Teak

Arne Bang Signed Monumental Midcentury Danish Scandinavian Ceramic Pottery Bowl
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful and rare large work by Danish designer Arne Bang. Truly special. Beautifully glazed and signed with artist mark and number on the base. Would be a great addition to...
Category

Early 20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Aldo Londi for Bitossi Large Ashtray or Catchall, Italian Ceramic
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Lovely and large ashtray or catchall designed by Aldo Londi for Bitossi. Stunning colors and patterns. Well proportioned at 2.75” tall and 8.5” wide.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Italian Modern Ceramic Sugar Bowl with Harlequin, 1950s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Small footed black ceramic bowl with white interior and a handprinted motif of a Harlequin. Anonymous maker/design. Stamped Italy and has a design number to the base.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Sculptural Wood Bowl by Mary Wright, Klise
Located in New York, NY
Hard to find example of the work of Mark Wright. This wood bowl is in good condition, however does show a small chip, and a slight split at the top edge, please see images. Fully and...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Oak

Vintage West German Ceramic Bowl w/ 3 Woven Handles
Located in East Hampton, NY
This ceramic bowl with three beautifully woven handles in green tones, highlight the richness of the orange and earth tone colors throughout the vessel. A very grand scale and perfec...
Category

1960s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

1940s Brass Covered Dish Lacquered Goatskin Aldo Tura for Macabo ITALY
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1940s covered dish in lacquered goatskin, parchment and brass. Aldo Tura made in Italy by Macabo Cusano 2.75 x 6.75 Original vintage condition, unrestored finish with patina present....
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Circular Decorative Bowl Ceramic Zaccagnini Italian Design Red 1960s
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Circular decorative bowl ceramic Zaccagnini Italian Design Red 1960s.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Ceramic

Midcentury Teak Stainless Steel Salad Serving Bowl Cobblewood Lundtofte Denmark
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Mid Century Teak And Stainless Steel Accented Salad Serving Bowl By Cobblewood Lundtofte Denmark. Marked #6070 Measures 2.5" High x 19" Wide x 16...
Category

1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Walnut Bowl in Shape of a Leaf, 1950's Austria
Located in Vienna, Austria
This is a beautiful, hand carved wooden bowl in the shape of a leaf. You have to see it in person to appreciate its elegance. Holding it in the hand and feeling the silky smoothness ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Pair of Vintage Brass Tobacco Leaf Dishes
Located in Chicago, IL
A pair of chic vintage American solid cast brass tobacco leaf dishes, perfect for holding paperclips, pens, chocolates, or any other vices you may ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Rare Scandinavian Set of Six Teak Bowls, 1960s
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Rare Scandinavian set of six teak bowls, 1960s. The small bowls height 9cm, diameter 14.5cm. The large bowls height 13cm, diameter 24.5cm.
Category

1960s Scandinavian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Teak

Large Vintage Italian Murano Pink Scavo Glass Bowl Maurizio Albarelli Attributed
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Large vintage textured Italian glass bowl, ashtray or dish attributed to Maurizio Albarelli or Vittorio Rigattieri for Seguso Vetri d'Arte Murano, Italy, circa late 1970s / 1980s. El...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Pair of Round Vide Pocket Emptier Bowls in Brass and Murano Glass, Italy, 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Pair of round vide pocket emptier bowls in brass and Murano glass. Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Metal, Brass

Mid-century Modern decorative bowls for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern decorative bowls for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative bowls created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with glass, murano glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern decorative bowls made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative bowls, popular names associated with this style include Archimede Seguso, Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Barovier&Toso, and Flavio Poli. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative bowls differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $34 and tops out at $46,574 while the average work can sell for $646.

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