Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage 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. The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influence 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.
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 chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture 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
Set of Nanni Valentini Ceramic Sphere Boxes for Ceramica Arcore
By Ceramica Arcore, Nanni Valentini
Located in Chicago, IL
Set of two incredible Nanni Valenti ceramic sphere shaped boxes for Ceramica Arcore, Italy circa 1960s. These two ceramic lidded boxes pair extremely well together in both size and s...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Oval Lucite and Brass Decorative Box, Italy, 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Oval decorative box in lucite and brass.
Good condition, patina of time. Perfect also for jewelry, for the desk, or for collecting litlle objects.
Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal, Brass
1980s Vintage Italian Hermes Wood Box
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful vintage Hermes wood box signed at the top.
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Wood
1960s Silver Plated Faux Bamboo Box Maison Baguès
Located in Antwerp, BE
Silver plated faux bamboo box by Maison Baguès.
A stylish French little jewelry box, trinket box or storage box
in metal faux bamboo with red velvet inside. Embossed bamboo sticks...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver Plate
Set of 4 Tobacco Boxes Antwerp, Belgium, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
1950s Set of 4 Tobacco Boxes - Tobacco Tins - Cigar Boxes.
These Tins are in different colors: red, blue, green and light green what makes them great to display.
Vintage Tins Tobacc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Midcentury Chrome Glass and Briar Wood Pocket Emptier in Christian Dior Style
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful midcentury chrome glass and briarwood pocket emptier. This fantastic piece was designed in Christian Dior Style during the 1980s.
The combination of materials is just br...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Mid Century Italian Horn Veneer Box
Located in Stamford, CT
Great looking decorative box with beautiful Horn veneer. Purchased by original owner in Florence, Italy in the 1960's. Handsome desk top item.
Measures: 2.25 inches high 7.25 wide ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Horn, Wood
Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Gold Frame Desk, 1970s, Italy
Located in Vis, NL
Rare signed Gabriella Crespi gold brass frame for a stylish desk.
1970s, made in Italy.
In excellent condition with no structural damages or repairs.
An amazing and seldo...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Travertine Box Pier Alessandro Giusti and Egidio Di Rosa for Up & Up Italy 1970s
By Up & Up
Located in Rome, IT
Round box in travertine marble by the Italian designers Pier Alessandro Giusti and Egidio Di Rosa for Up & Up. Made in Italy in the 1970s.
The box weights 5.6 kg.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Travertine
Two Crystal Boxes, Poland, 1950
Located in Chorzów, PL
Two crystal clear caskets- boxes with lids.
Made in Poland in middle XX century
Very good condition
Big : height 18cm diameter 22cm
Small : height 8 cm diameter 12cm.
Category
Mid-20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Crystal
Dutch Padouk Mid-Century Modern Firewood Box, 1950s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and rare Mid-Century Modern firewood box.
Solid padouk with original wrought iron lining and handles.
Striking Dutch design from the 1950s.
In good original condition wit...
Category
1950s Dutch Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Padouk
Mid Century Modern Ceramic Lidded Box with Floral Relief by Bitossi for Raymor
Located in Framingham, MA
Very nice brown ceramic Bitossi box, circa 1960's. Lovely flower relief on top. Nice condition. One small hair-line crack on the top of one green flower petal (see pictures).
Measur...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic, Pottery
Vintage Maitland Smith Decorative Tessellated Stone and Brass over Fruitwood Box
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage handmade Maitland Smith tessellated stone box with brass over fruitwood.
No makers mark.
Category
1970s Philippine Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Stone, Brass
Elegant Box in Polished Cast Aluminum and Palm Wood, circa 1970
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Elegant box in polished cast aluminum and palm wood, circa 1970.
Category
1970s European Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Aluminum
Rectangular Box Lucite Tortoise Shell Effect, Italy, 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Rectangular box in Lucite tortoiseshell effect with three hollow circles on the top. Made in Italy, 1970s.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
Midcentury Three-Piece Lucite Powder Room Set
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An amazing group of three vintage Lucite accessories for the powder room; wastebasket, tissue holder and soap-dish. Each piece has meticulously embedded slices of pearl shells that a...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Lucite
Bodil Eje Danish Rosewood Box by Alfred Klitgaard
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautifully crafted solid rosewood trinket box by Danish craftsman Alfred Klitgaard, circa 1960s. Very detailed construction and exquisite finish with a gorgeous Bodil Eje orange / l...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Rosewood, Ceramic
Eugenio Tavola by Oggetti Horn and Shell Box over Wood
Located in Miami, FL
Original Eugenio Tavola by Oggetti decorative box made out of horn and shell over wood. The knob is a seashell.
Marked inside of the lid.
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Horn, Shell, Wood
Rectangular Alessandro Albrizzi Mid Century Signed Lucite Box
Located in Stamford, CT
Circa 1970s rectangular Alessandro Albrizzi mid-century signed Lucite box that is clear on top and white on bottom in two part box. Made in Italy. Please note of wear consistent with...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Lucite
1970s Lucite Box by Alessandro Albrizzi
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large translucid and greed lucite Box By Alessandro Albrizzi
Italy 1970
Great condition.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Lucite
Murano Orange Gold Fleck Bubbles Pear Top Italian Art Glass Container Vanity Jar
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown orange over white, controlled bubbles and gold flecks Italian art glass candy container or vanity jewelry box, with pear top decoration. The piece...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold Leaf
Alpaca Silver and Abalone Box
Located in Rochester, NY
Mexican alpaca silver box inlaid with colorful iridescent abalone shell.
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Abalone
Stunning 1950s White Murano Glass Hinged Jewelry Box by Cendese Murano, Italy
Located in London, GB
A stunning oval white Murano glass hinged jewelry box by Giovanni Cendese, Murano, Italy with gilt central detail and hinge.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Handcrafted and Polished Cast Bronze Pearl Box Ashtray
Located in Paris, FR
Pearl box ashtray forged from cast bronze by Fakasaka.
Category
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Blue Alabaster Box with Sliding Attached Round Lid
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful shimmery round alabaster box with sliding lid. Unique custom blue colored box is perfect for your mementos, coins, jewelry or 420. Slide the lid shut for an elegant complim...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Alabaster
Chinese Hand Painted Ceramic Trinket Box
Located in San Diego, CA
A wonderful and colorful hand painted Chinese lidded trinket box, circa 1950s. The handcrafted ceramic box measures 4.5" W x 3.25" D x 2.5" H and has a floral motif on a yellow backg...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Pottery
Lucite and Silver Plate Decorative Box, Italy 1970s
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant 1970s modernist decorative box reminiscent of Gabriella Crespi's work. Large geometric shape with silverplate metal base and thick crystal clear Lucite lid. No visible maker'...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal, Silver Plate
Midcentury Italian Brown Leather Box in the Style of Jacques Adnet, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury brown leather box. Jacques Adnet probably designed this marvellous piece during the 1970s in Italy.
This item is fantastic as it has a wonderful zipper that wor...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Leather
Fratelli Toso Murano Light Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Decorative Box
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Gorgeous, elegant and delicate vintage Murano hand blown sea foam green and gold flecks art glass decorative vanity box. Attributed to the Fratelli Toso Company, with intact Murano l...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold Leaf
1950s Enameled Original Box by Piero Fornasetti 'r'
Located in Frankfurt, Hessen, DE
Wonderful and extraordinary vintage Fornasetti box. It has an enameled metal cover with Fornasetti's iconic graphics, showing people silhouette in black and beige. The inner compartm...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Italian Blue and White Alabaster Marble Round Jewelry or Trinket Box
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful small Italian blue, white and black alabaster marble round jewelry or trinket box, circa mid-20th century, Italy. Alabaster marble is a combination of blue hues with touc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Alabaster, Marble, Metal
1970s Hand Craft Wood Box
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1970s hand craft wood box.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Wood
Round Box in Thick Heavy Crystal Italian Design 1950s Midcentury Wisteria Color
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Round Box in Thick Heavy Crystal Italian Design 1950s Midcentury Wisteria Color.
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Crystal
Tommi Parzinger Brass Box Mid-Century Modern
Located in North Miami, FL
This Mid-Century Modern Tommi Parzinger for Dorlyn Silversmiths is hallmarked on the back. This chic brass box back in the times of the 1950s was s silent butler tray to pick up the ...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
1960s Swedish Brass Ashtray by Holger Bäckström & Bo Ljungberg for Diverse Tin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A vintage Ljungberg & Bäckström Ultima ashtray in solid brass. Made for Various Ting and designed by Holger Bäckström &Bo Ljungberg in the 1960s- made in Sweden. Wonderful condition ...
Category
1960s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
1940s Enamel and Wooden Box by Elizabeth Bensley
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is a nice example of artist, Elizabeth Bensley's enamel work from the late 1940s displayed beautifully on a wooden box. Note that the box top does not stay open at an angle as t...
Category
1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Enamel
Lidded Polished Brass Case Box Keepsake Mid-Century Modern 1970
Located in Miami, FL
Polished Brass lidded Box, Case, Keepsake with decorative Handle.
Mid-Century Modern Design from the 1970s.
Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
1980s Decorative Blue Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful decorative box with blue glass top and silver plated base.
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver Plate
Vintage decorative Blue Box, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage decorative blue box, 1970s.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
Bitossi Rimini Blue Box
By Bitossi
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Intense Rimini blue box by Bitossi, Italy, ca' 1960's.
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Japanese Pagoda Jewelry or Keepsake Box
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Japanese jewelry box constructed with wood in a pagoda or temple form with five drawers, lacquered in red and black, and decorated with stylized cultural lore.
Category
20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Hardwood
Bitossi Box, Ceramic, Orange and Gold, Geometric, Signed
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
Bitossi box, ceramic, orange and gold, geometric, signed. Small scale lidded box decorated an alternating pattern of metallic gold triangles over a tangerine orange glaze. Signed "85...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Authentic Pierre Jeanneret Linen Basket / Box / Storage, Mid-Century Modern
Located in Stamford, CT
Pierre Jeanneret 'Dirty Linen Basket'
Provenance: M.L.A. Flats building, Chandigarh, India
France, India, c. 1960s
Teak, Cane, Brass
Each with markings indicating prove...
Category
Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Cane, Teak
Piero Fornasetti 'Pipe' Trinket Box, Italy, circa 1950
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
A vintage trinket box by Piero Fornasetti, circa 1950. The lacquered, metal exterior features colored transfers with ‘pipe’ motif, whilst the wooden mahogany insert has beautifully c...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Two Decorative Boxes by Piero Fornasetti, Italy, 1960
Located in Brussels, BE
Two decorative boxes ( one for jewelry and the other for tobacco) from the studio Fornasetti in Milani. One box is labelled "Pistole" oro su rosso.
Italy around 1960.
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mahogany, Lacquer
Green Ceramic Trinket Box with Fish Motif Lid
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Green ceramic trinket box with fish motif lid - a perfect spot for small jewels, mens clips and change. A great gift for dad or the office. and perfect for the dressing table or vanity.
Category
20th Century African Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Mithe Espelt Ceramic Jewelry Box France c 1968
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Chicago, IL
Ceramic Jewelry Box by Mithé Espelt, France, 1960s Ceramic enamels in shades of gold with fused glass of cream and pale blue sea green with iconic blackened wood box.
Literature: Mi...
Category
1960s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Gilt Bronze Fleur Box by Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1945-1950. The box called "Fleur" (Flower) features a round form with stylized...
Category
1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Very Cool Wooden Schweppes Crate 1969 Belgium
Located in Achterveld, NL
A 1960’s wooden Schweppes crate. Reads “SCHWEPPES Caution FR. 11 Waarborg 1969” on the short sides in black lettering, which means 11 Belgium Francs deposit, with oval cut out handle...
Category
1960s Belgian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
R & Y Augousti Shagreen Covered and Mother-of-Pearl Covered Box
Located in Hollywood, FL
The mother-of-pearl covered handle over a lidded box in shagreen, marked R and Y Augousti on bottom.
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Shagreen, Mother-of-Pearl
White Opaline Box, Diamond Cut
Located in Antwerp, BE
Stylish white opaline glass box.
This white opaline pot has a diamond cut pattern all around and on the lid.
It it round shaped - tube shaped - cilinder shaped with a gold metal ...
Category
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Opaline Glass
20th Century Gabriella Crespi Decorative Box in Brass and Plexiglass '70s
Located in Turin, Turin
Decorative box designed in '70 by Gabriella Crespi. The box is in plexiglass and brass, on the brass is present the signature of the author.
Good condition, patina of time. Perfect ...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Vintage Abstract Sculptural Walnut Studio Craft Jewelry Box Organizer
Located in San Jose, CA
Mid-Century Modern studio organizing jewelry box circa 1970's. This unique piece is handcrafted in solid walnut and oak. Equipped with nine sculptural compartment boxes in various sh...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
French Gilt Bronze Box Coffre Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A lovely cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1950-1960s. The box features a geometrically grid top surface with a four by ...
Category
1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Bitossi Vase, Ceramic, Blue Turquoise, Impressed, Textured, Signed
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
Bitossi vase, ceramic, blue turquoise, impressed, textured, signed. Medium scale chunky vase decorated with a relief pattern of impressed teardrops. Minute loss to some of the relief...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Lino Sabattini Made in Italy Decorative Box in Silver Metal, 1960s
Located in Modena, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern design cylindrical container for breadsticks or decorative box in silver metal designed by Lino Sabattini, engraved Sabattini Made in Italy under the base,...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal, Silver Plate
XX Century Silver Plated Hare Inkwell
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Decorative XX century inkwell or box representing a silver plated hare.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver Plate
1970s Pierre Cardin Box
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1970s Pierre Cardin signed desk set composed by a plated metal box and letter opener. Signed by Pierre Cardin.
Measure: Letter opener is 22cm x 3.5cm.
Category
