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.
Hand Made Ceramic Yüklü Collection Vase by İpek Afacan
Located in Geneve, CH
Hand Made Ceramic Yüklü Collection Vase by İpek Afacan. Dimensions: W 14 x D 12 x H 25 cm Materials: Hand made ceramic. About: Born in 1995 in Türkiye’s Black Sea region, the artis...
Ceramic
Contempory Design, Organic Form Dark Grey Ceramic Bowl by Niclas Wolf
Located in Geneve, CH
Geoprimitive 112 Ceramic Bowl by Niclas Wolf Unique Piece. Dimensions: Ø 66,5 x H 24 cm. Materials: Ceramic. GEOPRIMITIVE_ is a design series that compares and connects the Precambr...
Ceramic
$16,296 / item
Handmade IOS P. Structure by Le Meduse
Located in Geneve, CH
Handmade IOS P. Structure by Le Meduse Unique piece Dimensions: W 75, D 60, H 60 cm Materials: Plaster Each model is unique because it is handmade, it can be reproduced in a similar but not identical way. Request customization. Each model is part of a limited edition collection. I investigated the bone structures a wonderful microcosm revealing the amazing harmony hidden in the small, sometimes invisible natural forms. These structures have always been considered the element that most tells the story of a people and their settlement. This magnificent spongy structure is a work of art of nature...
Plaster
$108,262
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
$717 / item
Open Sculptural Vessel by Karin Amdal
Located in Geneve, CH
Open Sculptural Vessel by Karin Amdal One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 12.5 x W 13.5 x H 14 cm. Materials: Ceramic/stoneware clay. Pieces are hand-made, one of a kind, and sizes may var...
Ceramic, Clay, Stoneware
Contemporary Geometric Bust Sculpture in Matte White Composite, Faceted Cubist
Located in San Diego, CA
A bold contemporary sculptural bust rendered in a striking faceted geometric style. Crafted from a matte white composite with a lightly textured surface, the piece reinterprets the h...
Resin, Composite
$501 / item
Ceramic Cockatoo Parrot Sculpture by Marioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Ceramic Cockatoo Parrot Sculpture by Marioni Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 44 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Product code: 02276 Parrot in glazed ceramic. Available in different colors and ...
Ceramic
Masuo Ojima Studio Art Pottery Vase Purple Green Gradient Textured Ceramic
By Masuo Ojima
Located in St. Louis, MO
An impressive ovoid studio art pottery vessel by Japanese-American ceramicist Masuo Ojima (b. 1949). Born in Japan to a family of traditional craftsmen (his grandfather was a roof t...
Clay
Blue Moon Wall Art by Christian Friedl - Post-Modern Design, Austria
Located in Geneve, CH
Blue Moon Wall Art by Christian Friedl Limited Edition of 3 Dimensions: D 25 x W 140 x H 140 cm. Materials: Oak, concrete. Blue Moon is a rare natural s...
Concrete
$2,814 / item
Silver Wave I Vase by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Silver Wave I Vase by Homa Dimensions: W 24 x D 23 x H 40 cm Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. HOMA is a contemporary design atelier based in Istanbul. The atelier’s trademar...
Glass
$651 / item
Terracotta Vase by Marta Bonilla
Located in Geneve, CH
Terracota vase by Marta Bonilla Dimensions: D20 x H33 Materials: Terracotta, clay. Terracota vase: Low temperature hand modeled piece. Enameled inside. Outside it keeps the natu...
Terracotta
Bowl Shape Black Stained Oak Vase by Applicata
Located in Geneve, CH
Bowl Shape Black Stained Oak Vase by Applicata Dimensions: D 13 x W 13 x H 14 cm Materials: Black Stained oak. Available in Ball, Cone, and Bowl shape. Available in oak, smoked oak,...
Oak
Set of 2 Postmodern Italian Metal Candleholders, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Italian Metal Candleholders, 1980s, Set of 2, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989. Additional information: Materials: Metal, Wood Color: Black Country of Origi...
Metal
105 Ltr Forms 25 Yellow Blown Glass Unique Decorative Object by Vogel Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
105 Ltr Forms 25 Yellow Blown Glass Unique Decorative Object by Vogel Studio One Of A Kind Dimensions: Ø 20 x H 25 cm. Materials: Hand-blown glass. Every glass object is blown, defo...
Blown Glass
$19,555 / item
Isa Vase by BRNV Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Isa Vase by BRNV Studio Dimensions: D 10 x H 30 cm (Dimensions may vary). Materials: Forust 3D printed wood dust, bronze. The "Isa" and the "Belle" are two artistic pieces derived f...
Bronze
Tristan Govignon "Lotus VII" Abstract Bronze Sculpture
Located in Queens, NY
Tristan Govignon, "Lotus VII" Cast bronze on a marble base
Marble, Bronze
Large Vintage La Murrina Murano Glass Vase and Centrepiece, 1980s
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Karl Springer, La Murrina, Venini, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Stunning large set of vintage Italian La Murrina vase and centrepiece dish. Mouth blown milky white Murano art glass with black wave-like swirling edge. Manufacturer’s logo placed a...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Whimsical Surrealist Bust Sculpture "Cheap Novel", Artist Unknown
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Handcrafted Whimsical Ceramic Surrealist Bust Sculpture "Cheap Novel" Artist Unknown, Signed Melanie Micale / Cheap Novel, circa 1990's In very good as found condition. In the styl...
Ceramic, Pottery
$205 / item
Impruneta Clay Diogenèa Bowl by ZPS Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Impruneta Clay Diogenèa Bowl by ZPS Studio Dimensions: D 23 x H 4.8 cm Materials: Impruneta Clay. A number of 31 bowls of identical shape, made in limited edition by fine Italian ar...
Clay
$1,059 / item
Beige Stoneware Amphora Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Beige Stoneware Amphora Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 16 x H 36 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Stoneware Available finishes: Black, Beige, Brown, Red, Terraco...
Stoneware
$1,378 / 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 and pink c...
Glass
Crystal and Brass Business Card Holder by Dainte
Located in Geneve, CH
Crystal and Brass Business Card Holder by Dainte Dimensions: D 9 x W 13 x H 8 cm. Materials: Crystal and brass. The sturdy yet minimalist b...
Crystal, Brass
Massive Mactan and Natural Stone Floor Vase or Urn
Located in Southampton, NJ
A Classic example of 1980s Postmodern Design in the style of Maitland Smith and Magnussen Ponte. Vase, or Urn, features a striking contrast between raw and refined textures. Divided ...
Stone
$5,470 / item
Ewer by Laura Pasquino
Located in Geneve, CH
Ewer by Laura Pasquino Limited Edition of 8 Dimensions: D 24 x H 46 cm Material: Soft-paste porcelain, glaze. Laura Pasquino Incorporating references from ancient Korean ceramics a...
Porcelain
Vintage Rosenthal Lead Crystal Heart Bud Vase or Paper Weight
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a vintage Rosenthal lead crystal heart vase. These heavy, handcrafted pieces were often made in Brazil and are designed to function as both a decorative sculp...
Acrylic
$660 / item
Emerge Sculptural Vessel by Karin Amdal
Located in Geneve, CH
Emerge Sculptural Vessel by Karin Amdal One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 13 x W 12,5 x H 16 cm. Materials: Ceramic / Grey stoneware clay. Pieces are hand-made, one of a kind, and sizes ...
Ceramic, Clay, Stoneware
Salar Candle Holder in Polished Bronze & Volcanic Stone by Estudio Andean
Located in Geneve, CH
Salar Candle Holder in Polished Bronze & Volcanic Stone by Estudio Andean Dimensions: D 23 x W 23 x H 26,5 cm. Materials: Bronze and volcanic stone. SALAR is a sculptural candl...
Stone, Bronze
$1,196 / item
Recovered Medium Vase by David Valner
Located in Geneve, CH
Recovered Medium Vase by David Valner Dimensions: D 15 x W 15 x H 30 cm. Materials: Glass. Weight: 7 kg. Finish: Medium size, red and clear. “The history of a glass factory and its ...
Glass
$797 / item
Mool Vase by DAaZ
Located in Geneve, CH
Mool Vase by DAaZ Dimensions: D 18 x W 34 x H 40.9 cm. Materials: Crystal. DAaZ Furniture honors the spirit of adventure. We embrace the escape of the ordinary and revel in the mag...
Crystal
Construction Vase No. 2 in Ceramic, Metal Wire, Foam & Resin by Joseph Algieri
Located in Geneve, CH
Construction Vase No. 2 in Ceramic, Metal Wire, Foam & Resin by Joseph Algieri Dimensions: D 40,6 x W 45,7 x H 38,1 cm. Materials: Ceramic, metal wire, foam, and epoxy resin.
Metal
Ambrosia Vessel with Lid in Multi-Colored Cast Resin by Joseph Algieri
Located in Geneve, CH
Ambrosia Vessel with Lid in Multi-Colored Cast Resin by Joseph Algieri Dimensions: D 20,3 x W 20,3 x H 35,6 cm. Materials: Cast resin.
Resin
$1,504 / item
Unique ÉNOTA_21_09 Sculpture by Emmanuelle Roule
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique ÉNOTA_21_09 Sculpture by Emmanuelle Roule Unique piece Dimensions: W 26 x H 55 cm Materials: stoneware, glaze Unique piece modelled in fired light g...
Stoneware
$1,424 / item
Recovered Large Vase by David Valner
Located in Geneve, CH
Recovered Large Vase by David Valner Dimensions: D 23 x W 23 x H 24 cm. Materials: Glass. Weight: 9,5 kg. Finish: Large size, purple and yellow. “The history of a glass factory and ...
Glass
$3,179 / item
Star Petal Gourd III by Julie Nelson
Located in Geneve, CH
Star petal gourd III by Julie Nelson One Of A Kind Dimensions: D 22 x H 26.5 cm Materials: Ceramic stoneware and porcelain Artist Julie Nelson uses ...
Ceramic, Porcelain
1980s Marc Sijan Hyperrealist Cast Lucite Sculpture on Acrylic Base
By Marc Sijan
Located in Delray Beach, FL
An exceptional 1980s hyperrealist lucite bust sculpture by renowned American artist Marc Sijan, celebrated for his pioneering sculptures that blur the line between sculpture and phot...
Acrylic, Lucite
Mid-Century German Glass Block Bubble Vase from Karl Friedrich Glass, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century German Glass Block Bubble Vase from Karl Friedrich Glass, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1970 to 1979 official proof of authenticit...
Glass
$437Sale Price|20% Off
Post-Modern hand-blown iridiscent glass tibor by La Mediterranea, Spain, 1980s
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Iridiscent glass tibor from the 80s produced by La Mediterranea. The base and lid of this piece are made of slightly iridescent transparent hand-blown glass, with black trims. Very l...
Glass
$2,564 / 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
$1,059 / item
Terracotta Moon Jar No 11 by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Terracotta Moon Jar No 11 by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 14.5 x H 17 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Local Terracotta Clay from the Island of Crete Growing up in Gr...
Clay
$700Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Solid Black and White Abstract Sculpture
Located in San Diego, CA
Hand carved and polished sculpture, in a black and white blend combination unsigned, circa 1990s.
Marble
Postmodern solid wood yellow green red Monokel candleholder from Ikea, 1980s
By IKEA
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern solid wood yellow green red Monokel candleholder from Ikea, 1980s
Metal
Vintage Italian Top Hat Vase in Murano Glass, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vintage Italian Top Hat Vase in Murano Glass, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989. Additional information: Materials: Glass Color: Black Styles: Postmodern Country...
Glass
Vintage Querandí Green Art Glass Vase, Argentina, 1970s
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Vintage Querandí Green Art Glass Vase, Argentina, 1970s A stunning vintage Querandí art glass vase, crafted in a rich emerald green. The piece features a distinctive organic silhoue...
Art Glass
$192Sale Price|41% Off
Post Modern Baldelli Porcelain Candle Holder, Made In Italy
By Baldelli
Located in San Carlos, CA
Vintage Baldelli Candle Holder: A Touch of Italian Charm Add a pop of color and European elegance to your home with this stunning vintage candle holder from Baldelli. Crafted in It...
Porcelain
Nomad I:03 Vessel in White Sand Stoneware & Black Glaze by Sofia Karnukaeva
Located in Geneve, CH
Nomad I:03 Vessel in White Sand Stoneware & Black Glaze by Sofia Karnukaeva Dimensions: D 33 x W 25 x H 49 cm. Materials: Stoneware and glaze. Sofia Karnukaeva, a Barcelona-based ar...
Stoneware
$376 / item
Sculp Stationery Holder by Studio Indigene
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculp Stationery Holder by Studio Indigene Dimensions: D 19.68 x W 10.16 x H 13.33 cm Materials: Reclaimed Teak Wood. Colors Brown, Natural Wooden Finish. The Sculp Stationery Holde...
Wood
$16,547 / item
Fossilized Future_C by So Koizumi
Located in Geneve, CH
Fossilized Future_C by So Koizumi Dimensions: W 66 x D 36 x H 33 cm Materials: Oak Wood, Soil, charcoal, Waste from daily life (such as coffee grounds and vegetable peels) Weight: 37...
Oak
José Sacal Mexican "Tongo" Cast Bronze Wall Plaque
Located in Mexico City, MX
A cast bronze wall sculpture by Mexican artist José Sacal named "Tongo". It features a tribute portrait to Mexican - American exotic dancer from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema Yola...
Bronze
Vintage Murano Star Flower Shape Art Glass Dish, Italy
By Compagnia Di Venezia E Murano (C.V.M.)
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage hand crafted Murano star flower Art glass dish Italy. Stunning petaled flower or 6 pointed star-shaped hand blown glass dish in clear and pink, bl...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
$2,256 / item
V1315 Vessel in Natural Oak Wood by Jörg Pietschmann
Located in Geneve, CH
V1315 Vessel in Natural Oak Wood by Jörg Pietschmann Dimensions: D 53 x W 56 x H 39 cm. Materials: Oak wood. In Pietschmann’s sculptures, trees that for centuries were part of a lan...
Oak
$3,760 / item
Wave Sculpture by Twenty Second Factory
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Sculpture by Twenty Second Factory Created by Alexander Volosenko Dimensions: D 23 x W 90 x H 42 cm Materials: Wood. Founded in 2017 by Bogdan Kryvosheya, a creative director f...
Wood
$2,707 / 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
$739 / item
Mocap 'Discodip' Illusionistic Wall Clock
Located in Maastricht, NL
Mocap 'Discodip' illusionistic wall clock design: JAN PAUL “Time is an illusion” Most wall-clocks have the same basic shape: round. Also the ...
Metal
$1,310 / item
Looking for Equilibrium Sculpture by MCB Ceramics
Located in Geneve, CH
Looking for Equilibrium Sculpture by MCB Ceramics Unique piece. Dimensions: D 20 x H 55 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Numerated and signed by the artist. All ...
Ceramic
$3,361 / item
Artificial Formations Concrete Bowl by Davide Ronco
Located in Geneve, CH
Artificial Formations Concrete Bowl by Davide Ronco One of a Kind Dimensions: D 100 x H 50 cm. Materials: Concrete. Concrete, the most widely used material in the world after water...
Concrete
Brass Ribbon Hook by Henry Wilson, Post-Modern Design, Australia, 2023
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
$3,509 / item
Untitled No. 49 Vase by Marea Hildebrand
Located in Geneve, CH
Untitled No. 49 Vase by Marea Hildebrand Handmade Dimensions: D 32 x W 32 x H 37 cm Materials: Stoneware with slip. Marea Hildebrand (b. 1989) is a Zurich-based ceramic artist with...
Stoneware
$3,578 / item
Kastle Pink Small Vase by Purho
Located in Geneve, CH
Kastle pink small vase by Purho Dimensions: D20 x H35 cm Materials: Glass Other colours and dimensions are available. Purho is a new protagonist of made in Italy design, a wor...
Glass
$3,008 / item
Apollon Bust Sculpture by Lagu
Located in Geneve, CH
Apollon Bust sculpture by Lagu. Designed by Ufuk Ceylan. Dimensions: W 44 x D 35 x H 58 cm. Materials: Statuary Marble, Cast. Apollo is known as the god of music, art, the sun,...
Cast Stone, Marble
João De Barro Nest Wall Separating + Sculpture by Mameluca
Located in Geneve, CH
João de Barro nest wall separating by Mameluca Material: clay, carboard, others Dimensions: D 300x H 250 cm Scientific Name - Rufous Hornero (Gmelin, 1788) The couple builds t...
Clay, Paper