Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.
ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.
Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini — a onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.
Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group, which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.
Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals.
After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.
On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.
Danish Postmodern Wall Calendar, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Danish Postmodern Wall Calendar, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989. Additional information: Materials: Plastic Style: Postmodern Country of Origin: Germany Color...
Plastic
British The Eclectic Copycat Brass Stencil Typeface Tool A from Tom Dixon
Located in Hamburg, DE
British The Eclectic Copycat Brass Stencil Typeface Tool A from Tom Dixon, in Flawless conditions. Designed from 2000 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional information: Mat...
Metal
$89Sale Price|31% Off
Vintage Clear Lucite Fan Shaped Card Holder by Guzzini 1980s Made in Italy
By Guzzini
Located in Amityville, NY
Vintage clear lucite or acrylic post modern fan shaped card holder, sorter or separator made in Italy in the 1980s by Guzzini. Marked "Guzzini Made in Italy" this originally was sold...
Lucite
Italian Lucite Pen Pencil Desk Holder By Designer Rede Guzzini
By Rede Guzzini
Located in New York, NY
An Italian Lucite pen, pencil, marker and small paper desk organizer/holder, Postmodern period or Modern style, by designer Rede Guzzini, circa 1980s, Italy. A great desk accessory a...
Lucite
Brazilian Agate Onyx and Wood Round Jewelry Trinket Box, Brazil, 1980s
Located in New York, NY
A round Brazilian agate onyx and wood trinket or jewelry box, in the Modern style Post-Modern period, circa-late 20th century, 1980s early 1990s, Brazil. Box has a rich brown wood wi...
Onyx, Agate
Rosenthal Signed Faceted Crystal Heart Paperweight in Original Box
By Rosenthal
Located in San Diego, CA
Rosenthal Signed Faceted Crystal Heart Paperweight in Original Box, circa 1980s. A beautifully crafted faceted crystal heart paperweight signed by the renowned German porcelain and g...
Crystal
$180Sale Price|20% Off
James Alloway Paperweight with Controlled Bubbles, American Studio Art Glass
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
The piece measures 3.25" high and 2.25" wide at the center. It is signed by the artist near the base. James Alloway (b. 1957) is a renowned American glass artist. James had a fasci...
Art Glass, Glass
BeoCom 6000 Desktop Telephone in Royal Blue by Martin Iseli for Bang & Olufsen
Located in San Diego, CA
BeoCom 6000 cordless handset and table charger by Martin Iseli for Bang & Olufsen, circa 1990s. The phone is royal blue and grey and has a grey cradle / table charger; it is in very...
Plastic
Large Vintage Ceramic Pop Art Bayer Aspirin Paperweight or Display
Located in New York, NY
A big ceramic Bayer Aspirin from a store called Think Big in SoHo, NYC in the 1980s . Fun. Decorative piece for display, art in a bathroom or a paperweig...
Ceramic, Plaster
Murano Mushroom Toadstool Art Glass Paperweight Orange 1980s
By Fornasa De Murano A L'Insegna Del Moreto
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Murano Style Italian Art Glass Mushroom Toadstool Paperweight Orange with Millefiori and White 1980s. Beautiful vintage Murano style hand made orange with multicolor spots Italian ar...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
Checkerboard Table Clock, "Tempo 21" Tower 2 by George Nelson, 1984
By George Nelson, Howard Miller
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare postmodern cream, brown, and navy checkerboard table clock by Howard Miller Clock Company. From the 1984 "Tempo 21" collection. Very few signs...
Aluminum
Postmodern Bakelite "Liberte" Letter Holder by Philippe Starck for Alessi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Liberte letter holder/desk organizer/envelope box was designed by French Industrial Designer/Architect, Philippe Starck for Alessi (Portugal, 1992). The green plastic top, suppor...
Plastic, Bakelite
Postmodern Howard Miller George Nelson 1984 Olympus Table Clock "Tempo 21"
By Howard Miller, George Nelson
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare "Olympus" table clock by Howard Miller Clock Company. From the 1984 "Tempo 21" collection. The circular red clock face is upheld by a green pyramid base...
Aluminum
Murano Art Glass Spiral Paperweight, Attributed to Lyn Tissot for Venini, 1970s
Located in San Diego, CA
Refined Murano art glass paperweight attributed to Lyn Tissot for Venini, featuring a suspended turquoise and white spiral ribbon encased within clear glass. The dynamic internal rib...
Art Glass
Vintage Postmodern Chrome Table Lighter Kogen Japan, 1970s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Postmodern chrome table lighter Kogen Japan Piezo, 1970s Postmodern vintage chrome table lighter. Removable lighter portion is marked Piezo on top and Kogen on bottom Vintage mid century modern 70s table lighter. Does not work. Great decorative collectible rare vintage table lighter...
Chrome
$2,860Sale Price|44% Off
Michael Graves Postmodern Chess and Checkers Set Game Maple Wood Restored 1999
Located in North Miami, FL
This original Postmodern Michael Graves chess set with checkers pieces has been fully restored with the wood which is 2 variants of maple. The wood was redone and new felt was put on the bottom. The resin players are a composition. It has velvet storage compartments inside for the players when you wish to use the checkers game part. Michael Graves was a Memphis Group designer and a member of the New York Five...
Velvet, Wood
Vintage Italian Murano Art Glass Ashtrays Venetian Sculpture of Gondolas
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Murano Blown Glass Gondola Ashtrays. Gorgeous vintage Murano Venetian hand-blown art glass sculpture of gondola boats one red, one green. A very beautiful...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Silver Panther Paperweight on a Black Marble Ball by Mary Jurek Design
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
A Silver Panther Paperweight on a Black Marble Ball By: Mary Jurek Design Inc. Mary Jurek Panther Paperweight Marble Ball and Chrome. Designed as a p...
Marble, Metal
Italian Postmodern Wall Perpetual Calendar by Della Beffa for Ring a Date, 2000s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian post modern wall perpetual green calendar by Giorgio Della Beffa for Ring A Date, 2000-2010s Wall perpetual calendar in green plastic. The calend...
Plastic
$300Sale Price|20% Off
Small Memphis Style Postmodern Mirror
Located in San Diego, CA
Very cool Memphis style small wall mirror signed Hill Brin, circa 1990s. There is a lot of intricate pottery detail and image overlap on the frame of the handmade mirror.
Pottery
Christofle , silver plate paperweight " Lucky Dice ".cube .
By Christofle
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great paperweight design in this Christofle ornament .
Silver Plate
Italian Photo Frame Enamel Red Flowers , La Dolce Vita
Located in Sarezzo, IT
La dolce vita is a wonderful italian handcrafted bronze rhodium and red enamelled four leaf flowers photo frame . Art with Heart picture frames are special because they are all recto...
Bronze, Enamel
1980's Postmodern Memphis Design George Matsumoto Magic Cube Hidden Office
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Ingenious, Memphis Era, Postmodern "Magic Cube" with hidden compartments filled with desk/office supplies. Designed by renowned Japanese-American, modernist architect, George Matsum...
Plastic
Italian Postmodern Wall Perpetual Calendar by Della Beffa for Ring a Date, 2000s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian postmodern Wall perpetual white calendar by Giorgio Della Beffa for Ring A Date, 2000-2010s Wall perpetual calendar in white plastic. The calenda...
Plastic
Postmodern Eternity Calendar by Mette Kiellerup for Royal Copenhagen, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Perpetual Eternity Calendar by Mette Kiellerup for Royal Copenhagen, Denmark, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989. This piece has an attribution mark. A...
Metal
$380Sale Price|20% Off
Postmodern Black Marble Desk Pen Pencil Holder, 1990s
Located in New York, NY
A '90s Postmodern black and brown polished marble stone desk pen pencil holder, circa 1990s. Dimensions: 2.5" square x 4.19" height. Matching...
Stone, Marble
Contemporary F.ACE Golden Finish Aluminium Wall Hook by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
F.ACE Aluminium Wall Hook by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 6 x D 5 x H 10 cm Materials: Aluminium The F.ACE Hook is a riff on our popular compass Hook. It is sand cast in solid Alumin...
Aluminum
Postmodern “LEGO” Telephone Phone by Tyco
By Tycos, Lego, Memphis Group
Located in Rome, IT
1990s telephone made of LEGO by Tyco.
Plastic
Murano Style Art Glass Mushroom Toadstool Paperweight Green and Yellow 1980s
By Fornasa De Murano A L'Insegna Del Moreto
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Murano Style Italian Art Glass Mushroom Toadstool Paperweight Green and Yellow 1980s. Beautiful vintage Murano style hand made yellow with green spots Italian art glass mushroom toad...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
Vintage Brown Stitched Leather Covered Telephone by Contempra 1970s
By Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Jacques Adnet
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Northern Telecom Contempra Stitched Leather clad tone touch Telephone, Desk or Wall Mount.Vintage Northern Telecom Contempra telephone covered in stitched brown leather.Could...
Leather, Bakelite
Vintage Murano Sommerso Orb Blue Art Glass Ashtray
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Gorgeous vintage Murano Venetian handblown art glass bowl or ashtray. Italian Murano Sommerso Cenedese orb blue art glass ashtray. Heavyweight glass ashtray in a gorgeous minimal design. A very beautiful and substantial two-tone blue Italian Murano art glass cigarette ashtray...
Blown Glass
Small Postmodern Piggy Penny Bank by Ambrogio Pozzi & Sieger Design
Located in Hamburg, DE
Small Postmodern Piggy Penny Bank by Ambrogio Pozzi & Sieger Design for Ritzenhoff, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1990 to 1999 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional inf...
Ceramic
$212 / item
Brass Counter Hook by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Counter Hook by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 6 x D 4 x H 5 cm Materials: Brass Designed for hanging bags and coats under bar counters. Each ...
Brass
Post-Modern Solid Teak Danish Style Desk Tray "6500" Series by Eldon
Post-Modern solid teak Danish style desk tray "6500" Series by Eldon, circa 1980s. The tray is in good vintage condition and measures approximately 11.5"W x 2.25"D x 17.25"L. The tray is heavy, solid teak and is marked with the Eldon "Woodline 6500...
Teak
Black Art Glass Sphere Paperweight Decorative Object
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful Modern/Postmodern black and neutral flesh-tone art glass sphere decorative object or paperweight with an organic modern design, circa 1970s. This handmade art glass color...
Blown Glass, Art Glass
$141 / item
Brass Ribbon Hook by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Ribbon Hook by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 2 x D 8 x H 12 cm Materials: Brass The Ribbon Hook is sand cast in solid brass. Ribbon hook has two protruding blocks to allow you to...
Brass
Italian Scissors and Letter Opener Leather Case Post-Modern
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful set of fine Italian brass-plated and stainless-steel scissors, letter opener, and grained leather case, Post-Modern design period//70s Modern, circa late-20th century, It...
Stainless Steel, Brass
$950 / set
Encased Bubble Art Glass Paperweights, 6
Located in Astoria, NY
Collection of Six Encased Bubble Art Glass Paperweights, comprising: a Val St. Lambert paperweight with controlled bubbles and cobalt blue glass center, an iridescent ovoid paperweig...
Art Glass
Andy Warhol Diaries, Hard-Cover Library or Coffee Table Book, 1989
By Andy Warhol
Located in New York, NY
'The Andy Warhol Diaries' book is hard-cover, first edition, May 1989. The Andy Warhol Diaries is the dictated memoirs of the American artist, Andy Warhol, posthumously published, May 1989, USA. It was edited by his frequent collaborator and long-time friend, Pat Hackett...
Paper
$220Sale Price|20% Off
Post-Modern Italian Marble Column Paperweight
Located in San Diego, CA
A nice post-modern Italian marble column paperweight, circa 1980s. The piece is primarily cream in color with grey and black veining throughout....
Marble
Murano Sommerso Orb Blue Art Glass Vintage Ashtray Italy
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Gorgeous vintage Murano Venetian handblown art glass bowl or ashtray. Italian Murano Sommerso orb blue and clear art glass ashtray Extremely hard to fi...
Blown Glass
Light Mahogany Tray with Antique Brass Handles
Located in Treadwell, NY
Individually stamped and numbered, these one of a kind presentation trays feature patinated brass handles with a satin finish lacquer top coat. Each wooden slab is has its own unique...
Brass
$625 / set
Metal Geometric Abstract Bookends, Pair
Located in New York, NY
A substantial pair of metal bookends with a geometric abstract design and a copper-rose gold hue, in the Post-Modern Deconstructivist design style. Pair could work well as individual...
Metal
Vintage Murano Decorative Blown Glass Wrapped Blue Hard Candy Paper
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage large Murano decorative blown glass wrapped blue hard candy paperweight. Vintage oversized Murano blue blown glass candy sculpture of candy wr...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
$245Sale Price|30% Off
Solingen German Steel Scissors, 1970s
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Often called “The City of Blades”, Solingen, in North-Rhine Westphalia, has been a center for the manufacturing of scissors since medieval times. At the end of the 18th century it’s ...
Steel
1980 Italy Post-Modern Bronze Abstract Sculpture Beppe Bonetti with Base
Located in Brescia, IT
This artwork was created by the Italian artist Beppe Bonetti. Title "Piccolo racconto" translate "Little tale"" Beppe Bonetti was born in 1951 in Brescia, Italy, where he lives and ...
Bronze
1980 Lucite Copper Penny Paperweight Decorative Object
Located in New York, NY
An '80s modern or Postmodern period Lucite and copper U.S. penny paperweight, 1980, USA. All pennies are of the year 1980. A great desk accessory or ...
Copper
Italian Photo Frame /Picture Frame in Plexiglass , Sharing Red Round
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Sharing round red is a unique multiples edition of Art with Heart collection of recto-verso photo frames by Laura G Italy. It is beautiful wherever you look at it, its surface is de...
Plexiglass
$200 / item
Brass Brute Handle by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Brute Handle by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 3 x D 2 x H 10 cm Materials: Brass This versatile handle can be used for cabinetry, sliding doors and sash windows. Each piece is s...
Brass
Vintage Blown Art Glass Paperweight Blue and White Flower
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage beautiful and colorful vintage Murano hand blown blue and white Italian art glass paperweight. Gorgeous vintage studio hand blown crystal art glass paperweight with a cobalt blue base and a white cascading flower or frost. The inside of the paperweight has a large flower and is filled a large controlled bubble in the centre with multiple small controlled bubbles. Vintage Crystal Ball...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Mahogany Tray with Antique Brass Handles
Located in Treadwell, NY
Individually stamped and numbered, these one of a kind presentation trays feature patinated brass handles with a satin finish lacquer top coat. Each wooden slab...
Brass
Italy 1980 Bronze Abstract Sculpture Walter Valentini Tavole Panels
Located in Brescia, IT
Walter Valentini was born in 1928 in South Italy. A painter and engraver, he lives and works in Milan. He is Holder of the chair for engraving at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in...
Bronze
$129 / item
Small Tan Leather Desk Mat by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Tan Leather Desk Mat by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 32 x D 22 x H 0.4 cm Materials: Leather Our leather desk mats are made of vegetable tanned s...
Leather
Postmodern Chrome Table Lighter by Sarome, Hand-Crafted, Japan, 1970
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Postmodern chrome table lighter. Excellent vintage condition, works great. Great decorative collectible rare vintage table lighter. Lighter made by Sarome, Asia Japan. Measure: 5.75 in H, 2.5 in D. About Sarome: SAROME Japanese cigarette lighter manufacturer founded in 1940. The brand is named after SAROME, god of flames, object of fascination for humans. SAROME artisans craft delicate, glossy lighters in Tokyo to fascinate and enchant. Though known early on in Europe mainly for our superb crafting of cigarette lighters the luxury brand spread Worldwide. Sarome lighters...
Chrome
$212 / item
Aluminium Counter Hook by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Aluminium Counter Hook by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 6 x D 4 x H 5 cm Materials: Aluminium Designed for hanging bags and coats under bar counters. Each piece is sand cast in alumi...
Aluminum
$360Sale Price / set|20% Off
Five Piece Art Deco Desk Set by Silver Crest Bronze Co.
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice five piece Art Deco desk set in sterling silver coated bronze by Silver Crest Bronze Co., circa 1930s. The set is in good vintage condi...
Sterling Silver, Bronze
$180Sale Price|20% Off
Postmodern Lucite Tissue Box in the Style of Charles Hollis Jones
Located in San Diego, CA
l Beautiful solid lucite tissue box in the style of Charles Hollis Jones, circa the 1980s. The piece is in excellent condition no chips or scratches ...
Lucite
$4,400Sale Price / item|20% Off
Rare 1979 Donovan Leisure NYC Cia Law Firm 50th Anniversary Brass Paperweight
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Extremely rare New York City historical relic. A fiftieth anniversary brass cubic monolith commemorative desk sculpture. Issued to monogram; AWS. Approx. 45-60 members of firm a that time, only a handful were issued this paperweight in solid Brass weighing 8 lbs. 4.2 oz. Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine was an American white-shoe law firm, located in New York. It was founded in 1929 by General William "Wild Bill...
Brass
Italy 1985 Postmodern Abstract Bronze Sculpture
By Edoardo Franceschini 1
Located in Brescia, IT
This artwork by the Italian artist Edoardo Franceschini becomes a landscape where the use of bright colors, it evoques the worlds of our dreams. All his production is characterized b...
Bronze
tessellated Black Marble Stone Desk Tray
By Maitland Smith, Renoir Designs
Located in San Diego, CA
elegant beautiful black tessellated marble by Renoir designs , catch it all ,desk tray , circa 1970's elegant and versatile ,
Marble