Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
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
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
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
Period: 1910s
Pre-War Japanese Iron Fish Dish Vintage Flounder
Located in Hyattsville, MD
The flounder symbolizes many things among many different cultures; from good luck, to adaptability, to a bringing of change, or new life. Good condition; No chips and no cracks to th...
Category
1910s Japanese Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Iron
Beautiful Hand Crafted Cigar Humidor Box Catchall Antique Austria, 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A cigar or desktop catchall box from Austria in the 1900s, made of patinated brass and wood, sounds like a unique and valuable antique.
The fact that this particular box is an antique from the early 1900s adds to its value and collectability. Depending on the condition and other factors such as the brand or maker, it could be worth a significant amount of money to collectors of antique smoking...
Category
1910s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Metal
Antique Italian Yard or Garden Majolica Statue, 1910s or Older
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous character ceramic figural statue. This character statue has been made probably in Italy, in the 1910s or older. Absolutely gorgeous item with lots of character and still i...
Category
1910s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Earthenware
Ernest Baptiste Leveille, Vase Art Nouveau, France, 1910s
Located in Palermo, PA
Ernest baptiste leveille, vase art nouveau, France, 1910s.
Dimensions: H= 21 cm; D= 21 cm.
Category
1910s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Glass
Josef Ekberg for Gustavsberg Ceramic Pottery Bowl
By Josef Ekberg
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A charming and early bowl designed by Josef Ekberg for Gustavsberg. Wonderful color and glaze with a floral motif. Signed on reverse "Gustavsberg/ 1916/ Ekberg".
Other notable ce...
Category
1910s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Victorian Era Wooden Bead Centerpiece Bowl Czechoslovakian Art Craft Studio
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Mesmerizing design, great table prop or functional decor, signed to bottom, Made in Czechoslovakia. Measures: Bowl only diameter 10.25 x height 3.25 in.
Category
1910s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Wood
Schwarzburger Werkstätten Vase
Located in New York, NY
Early Porcelain vase by Schwarzburger Werkstätten.
Well crafted porcelain vase with Classic decorative motif and low pedestal base.
Manufa...
Category
1910s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
Materials
Porcelain
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Mid Century Hand Crafted Burlwood Humidor Cigar Storage Box
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Victorian Antiques Decanter Humidor Games Box
Located in Northampton, GB
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Art Deco Lustre Bowl by Josef Ekberg for Gustavsberg, Sweden, 1920s
Located in Malmö, SE
A beautiful footed bowl with amazing lustre glaze and hand painted gold details. Scandinavian Grace / Art Deco.
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Free Shipping
H 4.41 in Dm 8.67 in
18th Century Hand-Carved Stone Lion Garden Statue from Europe
Located in Atlanta, GA
A European carved stone lion garden statue from the 18th century. This antique sculpture from Europe has been hand-carved in the image of a m...
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Antique Victorian Brass Bound Oak Cigar Humidor 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a stylish antique Victorian oak brass and cedar lined tabletop cigar humidor circa 1860 in date.
The rectangular box features a lift out tray and adjustable divisions with sunken handles to the sides and a hinged lid with a central brass shield.
Complete with the original Bramah lock and key.
It would make a beautiful gift to any connoisseur of fine cigars.
Condition:
In excellent condition. As an antique items, the humidor shows signs of use commensurate with age, these minor condition issues are mentioned for accuracy and, as seen in the accompanying photographs, it displays beautifully.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 19.5 x Width 44 x Depth 29
Dimensions in inches:
Height 8 inches x Width 1 foot, 5 inches x Depth 11 inches
Humidor
is any kind of box or room with constant humidity that is used to store cigars, cigarettes, orpipe tobacco. For private use, small wooden or acrylic glass humidor boxes for a few dozen cigars are used, while cigar shops may have walk-in humidors.
Humidors can be used to store other goods for which a certain level of humidity is desirable; the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team stores game balls in a large humidor at their home stadium, Coors Field, to counteract the effects of Denver's high altitude and generally low humidity. Humidors of all sizes use hygrometers to keep track of the humidity levels.
Classification of humidors
Walk-in humidor - most common in cigar bars or stores. One room is built as or converted to a humidor where all the cigars are stored.
Cabinet humidor - usually placed on the floor as a piece of furniture. Typically holds 1000-5000 cigars.
Table humidor - often quite heavy, though portable in theory, it's usually kept in one location. Capacity ranges from three hundred to a few thousand cigars. It usually comes with a polished wood exterior, marble, leather or combination of exotic elements, and glass top.
Personal humidor - semi-regular cigar smokers will sometimes keep a small humidor in their homes for personal storage, special events, or aesthetic characteristics of the humidor itself . Usually contains 20-75 cigars. This may also be known as a "Desktop Humidor".
Travel humidor - portable and made for carrying cigars enough for the outing or event, usually 2 to 10 cigars.
Oak
is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus - Latin "oak tree" having approximately 600 extant species. Oak wood has a density of about 0.75 g/cm3, great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quartersawn. Oak wood is very durable, easy to maintain and resistant to wear and tear which is why it can be easily handed to the next generations if taken well care of.
Oak wood virtually lasts forever and you can still admire oak furniture in museums and palaces even if it was made many centuries ago. Oak has been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior panelling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in London and in the construction of fine furniture.
Bramah
is London's oldest security company. Established at 124 Piccadilly, London in 1784, and today based in Marylebone, London and Romford, Essex.
Bramah made their first lock in 1784 and the patent was awarded in 1787. The designer was Joseph Bramah. Joseph Bramah was a leading inventor of the industrial revolution, patenting over 18 new ideas, including a new valve for the water closet (toilet), the hydraulic pump, a fountain pen, and a fire engine.
Bramah also introduced a beer hand pump for use at the bar, to prevent fluid loss when barmen went downstairs to pour a new jug! Due to the quality of his manufacturing, his name became a by-word amongst British Engineers for engineering excellence and many of his inventions are on display in the Science Museum in London. You can find one of his original toilets still working in Osborne House, Queen Victoria's home on the Isle of Wight.
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French Emile Galle Art Nouveau Cameo Glass Landscape Vase, circa 1910
By Emile Gallé, Louis Hestaux
Located in Worcester Park, GB
Impressive Art Nouveau Emile Galle Cameo landscape vase, 7 1/2 inches tall, in a variety browns and yellows with a hint of opal, signed in came...
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David Leach Feather Design Grey Glazed Studio Pottery Bowl
By David Leach
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A large and stylish studio pottery bowl decorated with an abstract feather patterned design in a grey powdered glaze by David Leach (1911-2005) and probably dating from his early day...
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19th Century Dog House Cigar Box or Humidor
Located in San Francisco, CA
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Previously Available Items
Bronze figure, Designed By Kai Nielsen, Made By Rasmussen Copenhagen From 1910s
By Kai Nielsen
Located in Lejre, DK
The bronze figure, designed by Kai Nielsen and produced by Rasmussen Copenhagen around 1910, represents a masterpiece of Danish sculpture and handicraft from the beginning of the 20t...
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H 8.47 in W 4.53 in D 6.3 in
Beautiful Hand Crafted Cigar Humidor Box Catchall Antique Sweden, 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful tobacco, cigar box or catchall. Made of wood and metal, with nice patina. Found at an estate sale in Stockholm, Sweden. A nice addition in every man cave.
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H 4.38 in W 8.88 in D 6.25 in
Antique French Dore Bronze Mounted Peach Opaline Sea-Shell Form Covered Box
Located in New York, NY
A Spectacular Antique French dore bronze mounted peach opaline sea-shell form covered box. The crystal is French and very high quality with a rich peach opalescent color which is ver...
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Rustic Brass Wall Candle Holder, circa 1910
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Rustic brass wall candle holder, circa 1910
By unknown manufacturer. Spain
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Cachepot Laveno Design Cristopher Dresser for Soc. Ceramica Italiana, Italy 1912
Located in Naples, IT
Large cachepot in green glazed terracotta, Cristopher dresser, design for Società Ceramica Italiana, Laveno, Italy, 1912.
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1910s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Decorative Objects
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H 14.18 in W 15.75 in D 18.51 in
Terracotta Sculpture of the Uffizi Wrestlers by Vincenzo Vela
By Vincenzo Vela 1
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An Italian 19th century terracotta sculpture of the Uffizi wrestlers. In good condition by Vincenzo Vela
The sculpture of the Uffizi wrestlers, ori...
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Mid-century Modern decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern decorative objects 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 objects created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern decorative objects 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 objects, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Scheurich Keramik, Bitossi, and Rörstrand. 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 objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $22 and tops out at $295,000 while the average work can sell for $847.
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