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.
$879 / item
Coral Patina Pluto Vase by Elyse Graham
Located in Geneve, CH
Coral patina pluto vase by Elyse Graham Dimensions: W 13 x D 13 x H 14 cm Materials: plaster, resin Molded, dyed, and finished by hand in LA. Customization Available. All pieces...
Resin, Plaster
$1,199 / item
Sympoiesis No 103 Vessel by Studio Viv Lee
Located in Geneve, CH
Sympoiesis no 103 vessel by Studio Viv Lee Unique and Signed Dimensions: W 20.5 x D 11.5 x H 31.5 cm Materials: terracotta, glaze All vessels are coil bu...
Terracotta
Bitossi Ceramiche Vaso Rocchetto by Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Bitossi in 1958, this cylindrical vase from his black-and-white collection wears a façade of squares and grids, a stark geometry that feels equal part...
Ceramic
$530 / item
Algae Petri Vase by Elyse Graham
Located in Geneve, CH
Algae petri vase by Elyse Graham Dimensions: W 13 x H 14 cm Materials: Plaster, Resin Molded, dyed, and finished by hand in LA. customization Available. All pieces are made to o...
Resin, Plaster
$33,324 / item
Horizon Sculpture by The GoodMan Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Horizon Sculpture by The GoodMan Studio Dimensions: W 153 x D 41 x H 153 cm Materials: Glass Made to order. Hanging installatiom Customizable in an...
Glass
$2,646 / item
Anatolian 1 Vase by Güler Elçi
Located in Geneve, CH
Anatolian 1 Vase by Güler Elçi Dimensions: W 20.3 x D 20.3 x H 25.4 cm. Materials: Stoneware Ceramic. Güler Elçi is a ceramic artist based in Istanbul. In ...
Ceramic, Stoneware
$1,423 / item
Structured By Nature Medium Vase by David Valner
Located in Geneve, CH
Structured By Nature Medium Vase by David Valner Dimensions: D 22 x W 22 x H 52 cm. Materials: Glass. Weight: 8 kg. Finish: Medium-size “bark” production style, smoke color. “Authen...
Glass
Tessellated Stone Female Torso Sculpture in the Manner of Mainland Smith, 1980s
Located in San Diego, CA
A striking large-scale sculptural female torso executed in tessellated stone, presenting a modern interpretation of the classical fragment form. The sculpture is composed of carefull...
Stone
Set of 2, Plizé Boxes, L White - M Blue by Made by Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2, plizé boxes, L white - M blue by Made by Choice with Hanna Anonen Dimensions: W17 x D17 x H22 cm (L), W17 x D17 x H15.5 cm (M) Materials: Birch Plywood Also available:...
Birch, Plywood
$931 / item
Column Vase by Marta Bonilla
Located in Geneve, CH
Column vase by Marta Bonilla Dimensions: D27 x H37 cm Materials: Terracotta, Clay Column vase: Piece of high temperature hand modeled with pinkish brown clay with chamotte. Glaz...
Clay, Terracotta
$4,101 / item
Sculptural Object by Dongwook Choi
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculptural Object by Dongwook Choi Crest and Trough series Dimensions: 42 x 40 x 45 cm Materials: FRP, chrome coated There may be a visual difference...
Chrome
Kosta Boda Art Glass Bottle, Sweden, Late 20th Century
By Kosta Boda
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Kosta Boda Art Glass Bottle, Sweden, Late 20th Century A stunning art glass vase from Kosta Boda, Sweden. This sculptural piece features an elegant, elongated neck rising from a wid...
Art Glass
$2,199 / item
Emboss Wall Sculpture I by Sofia Tufvasson
Located in Geneve, CH
Emboss wall sculpture I by Sophie Rogers Dimensions: D 8 x W 32 x H 25 cm Materials: Ceramic, glaze Other glaze colors available. Wall sculpture with undulating shape like a dr...
Ceramic
$414 / item
Uno Vase by Daniel Elkayam
Located in Geneve, CH
Uno vase by Daniel Elkayam One of a kind Dimensions: D 2.5 x W 10 x H 27 cm Materials: burnt poplar wood Jerusalem-born Art-designer and Photog...
Wood
$1,423 / item
Structured By Nature Medium Vase by David Valner
Located in Geneve, CH
Structured By Nature Medium Vase by David Valner Dimensions: D 22 x W 22 x H 52 cm. Materials: Glass. Weight: 8 kg. Finish: Medium-size “branches” production style, purple color. “A...
Glass
$12,939 / item
Lumen In Umbra Floor Candelabra by Lucile Gracile
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumen In Umbra Floor Candelabra by Lucile Gracile Dimensions: Ø 41 x H 125 Materials: Glazed ceramic. Born in 1988, lives and works in Paris. Ceramic artist using traditional plate...
Ceramic
Extra Large Vintage 80s Modern Embossed Pink Vase
Located in Fairfield, CA
An extra large vintage 80s modern ceramic vase. Nice tapered oval shape with an embossed design on each side. Glossy pink glaze. A sculptural postmodern acc...
Ceramic
Yuri Zatarain Floor Vase "Sketchbook" Series
Located in Chicago, IL
Yuri Zatarain Floor Vase "Sketchbook" Series. Monumental ceramic bottle vase in a matte white colored glaze. Vase has graphite drawings of diagrams and geometric sketches from Yuri ...
Porcelain
$235 / item
Bowl Shape Oak Vase by Applicata
Located in Geneve, CH
Bowl Shape Oak Vase by Applicata Dimensions: D 13 x W 13 x H 14 cm Materials: Oak. Available in Ball, Cone, and Bowl shape. Available in oak, smoked oak, and black stained oak. The...
Oak
$111,749
72.5° Arcs x9
By Bernar Venet
Located in Paris, FR
Black patina steel sculpture 70 x 43 x 30 cm Title engraved at base of work Archive number: bv03ss10 To achieve a flawless curve, 72.5° Arcs x9 is based on the fundamental principle...
Steel, Stainless Steel
Large Postmodern German Studio Pottery Vase by JLK Keramik, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Large Postmodern German Studio Pottery Vase by Jakob Leopold Knödgen for JLK Keramik, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This piece has an attribution mark. Addit...
Ceramic
Amazonia Vase (Lrg), Clear Orange & Blue with Pastel Blue Feet by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in Toronto, CA
Amazonia Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Clear Orange and Blue with Pastel Blue Feet. *All the pieces are handmade and therefore uni...
Resin
3 Facetted Vase With White Crackle Glaze by Sophie Vaidie
Located in Geneve, CH
3 Facetted Vase With White Crackle Glaze by Sophie Vaidie One Of A Kind. Dimensions: Ø 18 x H 23 cm. Materials: Stoneware with white crackle glaze. In the beginning, there was a ne...
Stoneware
Rosenthal studio linie flash one vase ceramic , 1980s Memphis
By Rosenthal
Located in Delft, NL
Rosenthal studio linie flash one vase ceramic , 1980s Memphis
Ceramic
Postmodern Italian Voilà Voilà Metal Tablet Bowl by Philippe Starck, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Italian Voilà Voilà Metal Tablet Bowl by Philippe Starck for Alessi, 1980s, in Flawless conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional i...
Metal
$22,102 / item
Cf Te2.1 Terre by Caturegli Formica
Located in Geneve, CH
CF Te2.1 Terre by Caturegli Formica Dimensions: W 45 x H 65 cm Materials: Ceramic Terres, Dakar, Senegal, 1987-1991 TERRES is a series of symbolic ceramics sculpures produce...
Ceramic
Spring Cochlea Della Metamorfosi 2 Seasons Edition Vase by Coki Barbieri
Located in Geneve, CH
Spring Cochlea della Metamorfosi 2 seasons edition vase by Coki Barbieri Dimensions: W 14 x D 15 x H 24 cm. Materials: handcrafted stone made with Matera stone fragments, sedimenta...
Stone, Rock Crystal
$743Sale Price|20% Off
Handmade Ceramic Poodle Sculpture by Maker Bassano, Italy, 1980s
By Bassano
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Ceramic poodle figure from Bassano, Italy, 1980s. White glazed ceramic with golden details. Totally timeless piece. Very much in the style of the Spanish ceramic creations of Manises...
Ceramic
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
Large Post Modern Lucite Sculpture by Norman Mercer c 1991
Located in New York, NY
Spectacular post modern sculpture by noted artist Norman Mercer, signed and dated ( Aug. '91 ). This impressive piece is created of colored lucite, which creates a mesmerizing prismatic effect, changing colors and hues as you change your perspective. The large lucite diamond...
Lucite
Set of 2 Vintage Postmodern Acryl and Stone Candleholders, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vintage Postmodern Acryl and Stone Candleholders, 1980s, Set of 2, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 Additional information: Materials: Plastic, Stone Style: Postmodern...
Stone
Set of 3 J D Candle Holders Timber by Nish Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 3 J D Candle Holders Timber by Nish Studio Dimensions: D12 x H 79/ 98.7 /118 cm Materials: Ash, Timber satined natural light, chocolate + grey N I S H is a Cape Town based ...
Wood
$2,046 / set
Set Of 3 Crater Vases by Sophie Vaidie
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 3 Crater Vases by Sophie Vaidie One Of A Kind. Dimensions: High Crater Vase: Ø 11 x H 60 cm. Corolla Crater Vase: D 15,5 x W 21,5 x H 35 cm. Cup Crater Vase: Ø 10 x H 43 cm....
Stoneware
Gio Ponti for Argenteria Sabattini Italian Silver-Plated "Hand" Sculpture 1978
By Gio Ponti, Sabattini Argenteria
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian sculpture ‘Hand’ in silver-plated metal designed by Gio Ponti for Argenteria Sabattini in 1978 with the manufacturer’s mark and the author’s name engraved. Please note that ...
Silver Plate
$356Sale Price|25% Off
Leather Suede Jewelry Catchall
Located in New York, NY
A light brown/tan leather and suede jewelry catchall, Postmodern design, circa late-20th century. A square leather and suede catchall with round corners. Piece has a leather exterior...
Leather, Suede
$482 / item
Crash 1 Vase by Zieta
By Zieta
Located in Geneve, CH
Crash 1 vase by Zieta Dimensions: D 20 x W 13.5 x H 30 cm Materials: stainless steel. Zieta's main goal is to deliver uniqueness and customization in design and construction while k...
Stainless Steel
$853 / item
Ochre and Sage Mercury Vase by Elyse Graham
Located in Geneve, CH
Ochre and Sage Mercury vase by Elyse Graham Dimensions: W 14 x D 14 x H 25.5cm Materials: Plaster, Resin MOLDED, DYED, AND FINISHED BY HAND IN LA. CUSTOMIZATION AVAILABLE. ALL P...
Resin, Plaster
$1,811 / item
Platinum River Vase by Angeliki Stamatakou
Located in Geneve, CH
Platinum River vase by Angeliki Stamatakou One of a kind, 2022, Featured in Milan Design Week Dimensions: H13 x W12 cm. Materials: Stoneware, clear glaze, platinum. Angeliki St...
Platinum
A large smoked glass and chrome sculpture by Runstadler Studios, signed, 1990
Located in View Park, CA
A stunning smoked glass and metal sculpture by Runstadler Studios, signed, 1990. Edition 20/30, this rare piece depicts periods a large wing fanning out, emerging from a chrome plint...
Chrome, Steel
$776 / item
Corolla Vase by Sophie Vaidie
Located in Geneve, CH
Corolla Vase by Sophie Vaidie One Of A Kind. Dimensions: Ø 15 x H 35 cm. Materials: Beige stoneware with white mat glaze. In the beginning, there was a...
Stoneware
$517 / item
Oxblood Wave Form Vase by Forma Rosa Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Oxblood Wave Form Vase by Forma Rosa Studio Dimensions: D 14 x W 14 x H 28 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Available in Crystal Cream, Mint Blue, and Oxblood c...
Ceramic
$2,082 / item
Sculptural Wall Vase II by Alexandra Madirazza
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculptural Wall Vase II by Alexandra Madirazza Dimensions: W 40 x D 25 x H 45 cm (These are approximate measurements) Materials: Stoneware Also ava...
Stoneware
Shiro Kuramata Acrylic Pink Vase, Large Japanese Postmodern
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Shiro Kuramata acrylic pink vase large model. Mint condition. Pink and clear acrylic bock with glass tube.
Glass, Acrylic
Italy, 1990, Post-Modern Abstract Bronze Sculpture by Filippo Panseca
Located in Brescia, IT
This is an interesting bronze sculpture multiple art work signed by the Italian artist Filippo Panseca. Title The secret of the Pharaoh This is a multiple of a numbered edition of...
Bronze
Kosta Boda Cobalt Blue Art Glass Vase, Sweden, Late 20th Century
By Kosta Boda
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Kosta Boda Cobalt Blue Art Glass Vase, Sweden, Late 20th Century This art glass vase from Kosta Boda, Sweden, showcases the bold color palette and expressive craftsmanship for which...
Art Glass
$2,380Sale Price|20% Off
1990s Modern Marquis Collection Of Beverly Hill Tessellated Stone Sculpture
By Marquis Collection of Beverly Hills 1
Located in Stafford, TX
Beautiful sculpture of 2 lovers made of tessellated stone! Great overall condition as seen!
Stone
Hand-Built Plaster Sculpture, Post-Modern Female Form, USA, 1992
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
An expressive and tactile hand-built plaster sculpture depicting a stylized female form. This piece celebrates the "divine feminine" through a raw, organic lens, featuring robust pro...
Plaster
Bronze Patinated Abstract 02 Decorative Object by Herma de Wit
Located in Geneve, CH
Bronze Patinated Abstract 02 Decorative Object by Herma de Wit Limited Edition of 8 + 2 AP pieces. Dimensions: D 14 x W 23 x H 22 cm. Materials: Patinated bronze. Nature, a boundle...
Bronze
Yaacov Agam — Abstract Kinetic Silkscreen on Glass, Signed and Numbered 25/27
By Yaacov Agam
Located in Weesp, NL
Yaacov Agam — Abstract Kinetic Silkscreen on Glass, Signed and Numbered 25/27 Dimensions: W 33 × H 23 × D 4 cm (W 12.99 × H 9.06 × D 1.57 in) This striking kinetic artwork by Yaaco...
Glass, Wood
$811 / item
Brass Eleven Candleholder by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Eleven candleholder by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 7.6 x H 2 cm Materials: polished brass Also available in darkened brass. Milled from a solid piece of brass, the cande...
Brass
Terracotta Moon Jar No 9 by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Terracotta Moon Jar No 9 by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 14 x H 18 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Local Terracotta Clay from the Island of Crete Growing up in Greec...
Clay
Monumental Neo-Expressionist Hand Painted Vase, Timothy Persons 1998
Located in Helsinki, FI
A large and highly sculptural ceramic floor vase by Timothy Persons, created in 1998. Executed in glazed and painted ceramic and preserved in very good vintage condition with minor s...
Ceramic
Unique MOSI Sculptural Sidetable by Marthine Spinnangr
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique MOSI sculptural sidetable by Marthine Spinnangr One of a Kind Dimensions: D 28 x W 24 x H 48 cm Materials: Ceramic Different glaze types available. MOSI is inspired by a morf sketch process inspired by nature walks and human poses to capture an aliveness in the expression. The name MOSI is inspired by the moss that surrounded the trails on by the lakes, sea and mountain...
Ceramic
$2,794 / item
Satori 12 Sculpture by Noe Kuremoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Satori 12 sculpture by Noe Kuremoto Materials: Earthenware sculpture Dimensions: D 22 x W 29 x H 52 cm When Japanese Mountain Gods appear as children, t...
Earthenware
Set of 4 Twirling Birds Sculputes by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 4 twirling birds sculputes by Warm Nordic Dimensions: Small: D8,5 x W2,5 x H3,6 cm Medium: D9 x W4,5 x H4 cm Large: D15 x W3,7 x H4,3 cm X-la...
Oak, Teak, Walnut
$1,011 / item
Bowl Vase by Sophie Vaidie
Located in Geneve, CH
Bowl Vase by Sophie Vaidie One Of A Kind. Dimensions: Ø 17,5 x H 38,5 cm. Materials: Beige stoneware with crater glaze. In the beginning, there was a n...
Stoneware
Grey Stoneware Coiled Moon Jar by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Grey Stoneware Coiled Moon Jar by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 23 x H 27 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Stoneware, Earthenware Available finishes: Experimental Glaze...
Earthenware, Stoneware
Blob Vase by Siup Studio, Ceramic, Post-Modern Design, Poland, 2023
Located in Geneve, CH
Blob Vase by Siup Studio Dimensions: D12 x W17 x H15cm Materials: Ceramics Siup is a small design studio based in Warsaw. The concept is created by th...
Ceramic
$931 / item
Ganges Round Hydro Vase by Elyse Graham
Located in Geneve, CH
Ganges round hydro vase by Elyse Graham. Dimensions: W 20 x D 20 x H 23 cm Materials: Plaster, Resin MOLDED, DYED, AND FINISHED BY HAND IN LA. CUSTOMIZATION AVAILABLE. ALL PIECE...
Resin, Plaster
$6,246 / item
Tray Object 002 by Louise Roe
Located in Geneve, CH
Tray Object 002 by Louise Roe Dimensions: Ø 50 x H 8 cm. Materials: Polished steel. THE ROE STUDIO TRAY OBJECT 002 Our Metal Tray in Chrome exhibits a dis...
Steel
$3,540 / item
Large Pleomorph 50B Sculpture by Abid Javed
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Pleomorph 50B sculpture by Abid Javed Dimensions: W 25 x D 10 x 50 cm (Dimensions are variable) Materials: stoneware. Multiple clay color and size options. Handmade stone...
Stoneware