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.
Majestic Tall Ceramic Vase by Natalie Du Pasquier by Bitossi
By Bitossi, Nathalie du Pasquier
Located in San Diego, CA
Standing on a yellow truncated cone, a white cylinder with a semicircular top completes this stunning ceramic sculpture by Natalie Du Pasquier, creating an artistic focal point in an...
Ceramic
$362 / item
Lira Vase by Deetee Home
Located in Geneve, CH
Lira Vase by Deetee Home Dimensions: D 15.24 x H 22.86 cm Materials: Stoneware A handcrafted DeeTee Home ceramic pot that balances raw texture with subtle sculptural lines, making i...
Stoneware
$1,150 / item
Uovo Bowl, Mexican White Onyx
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
This bowl explores balance through weight, surface, and elevation. Carved from solid white onyx, its gently concave form rests on three egg-shaped stone legs, lifting the piece and c...
Onyx, Stone
$585 / item
Artefacto 04 by Federico Stefanovich
Located in Geneve, CH
Artefacto 04 by Federico Stefanovich Dimensions: D 15 x W 22 x H 19 cm. Material: Brass. Available in a larger size: D 25 x W 36 x H 32 cm. Federico Stefanovich presents himself as ...
Brass
Bronze Bust of Salvador Dalí Nº265/999 by Arno Breker 1975
By Arno Breker
Located in Madrid, ES
The name of the artist and the date, "Arno Breker 1974-75," are incised on Dali's neck, indicating the period during which Breker sculpted Dali from life. On the back of the neck, yo...
Marble, Bronze
Textured Uneven Sculptural Classic Coral Stone Seating by Andres Monnier
Located in Geneve, CH
Fractus sculptural seating by Andres Monnier. One of a Kind. Dimensions: W 120 x L 50 x H 50 cm. Materials: Coralina clasica. Stone options availabl...
Stone
XL PostModern Memphis Ettore Sottsass Ip Murano Blown Glass Sculpture Vase Italy
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Exceptional, Stunning and Monumental, post modern, Memphis Era, Ettore Sottsass inspired sculptural vase, Circa 1980, Italy Striking, bold, glass sculptural centerpiece in primary ...
Blown Glass
$3,192 / item
Le Gambe Sculpture by Marcela Cure
Located in Geneve, CH
Le Gambe Sculpture by Marcela Cure Dimensions: Leg 1 W 47 x D 12 x H 22 cm / Leg 2 W 29 x D 12 x H 29 cm Materials: Resin and Stone Composite Our Le Gambe sculpture is composed ...
Stone
Vintage Brown Stitched Leather Covered Telephone by Contempra 1970s
By Jacques Adnet, Ralph Lauren, Hermès
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
$514 / item
Hobnail Tile Wall Piece by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Hobnail tile wall piece by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 30 x H 40 cm Materials: steel Hand-formed from a sheet of steel, emphasizing the material’s pliable characteristics expre...
Steel
Rene Magritte ceramic decorative plate , marked edition with original box .
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful decorative plate made by Adage et Flammarion , for the Magritte Collection .edition 330/1000 Box measures 9.5 x 9.5 x 1 high . shows light ware and scratches in cardboard .
Ceramic
Nathalie Du Pasquier For Memphis Milano "Carrot Flower" Vase, 1980s
Located in Skokie, IL
Nathalie Du Pasquier For Memphis Milano "Carrot Flower" Vase, Italy, 1980S Additional information: Materials: Glazed Ceramic Dimensions: 5" Diameter x 11.75" H Condition: Excellent
Ceramic
Tiered Structure Burnt Iroko Wood Bunker Candleholder by Arno Declercq
Located in Geneve, CH
Bunker candle holder by Arno Declercq Materials: Burned and waxed Oak. Dimensions: W 32 x D 32 x H 50 cm. Arno Declercq Belgian designer and art dealer who makes bespoke objects wi...
Oak
Pompitu II Vase (Large), Clear Red and Matte Red by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in Toronto, CA
Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. *All the pieces are handmade and therefore unique. Variations in the dimensions, hues and colours’ d...
Resin
Spiral Clock a Shiro Kuramata Japanese Zen Minimal Postmodern
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Spiral clock designed by Shiro Kuramata. Dial is inside acrylic edge rounded shade.
Acrylic
$422Sale Price|37% Off
1980s Postmodern Cased Glass Amphora Vase by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz, Poland
Located in Glasgow, GB
A bold and sculptural cased glass vase designed by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz and produced by Tarnowiec Glassworks, Poland, during the 1980s. This piece reflects a distinctly postmodern re...
Art Glass
Contemporary Art Ceramic Totem Chocolate Piece Number 33/99 by Ettore Sottsass
Located in Pistoia, IT
The message that Mirabili intends to portay involves well-known artist and designers, selected for their particular gifts and their poetic world, lending an innovative and sensitive ...
Ceramic, Wood
Postmodern Table desk Clock in Uranium White Milk Glass
Located in San Diego, CA
Very cool and unique uranium glass postmodern table desk clock, circa 1980's.
Glass
$2,750 / item
Grain 8 Porcelain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino
Located in Geneve, CH
Grain 8 Porcelain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino One of a kind Dimensions: D 28 x H 27 cm Material: Unglazed white porcelain. Laura Pasquino Incorporating references from ancient Kore...
Porcelain
Spaghetti Vase (Large), Clear Blue and Matte Lime by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Toronto, CA
Clear Blue and Matte Lime 'Spaghetti' Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. *All the pieces are handmade and therefore unique. Variations...
Resin
Large Crumpled Vase in Pink 3D Printed Plant Based Plastic
By É Pedra
Located in São Paulo, BR
3D-printed in bioplastic and hand-shaped, the Crumpled Vase combines digital precision with expressive craftsmanship. Its sculptural form and delicate texture make each piece a one-o...
Plastic
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
$3,476 / item
Embryo Outdoor Sculpture by Alice Crepaldi
Located in Geneve, CH
Emrbyo Outdoor Sculpture by Alice Crepaldi Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 30 x W 35 x H 150 cm. Materials: Metal. Alice Crepaldi is a versatile multidisciplinary artist hailing from Mi...
Metal
Murano Powder Blue Handblown Flower
By Murano 5
Located in Pasadena, TX
This flower is handblown. It was crafted in Murano, Italy. It is powder blue with 5 petals. Makes for a great gift.
Art Glass
Paper Darkened Brass Bowl I by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Paper darkened brass bowl I by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 25.4 x W 25.4 x H 12.7 cm Materials: darkened brass Available in tarnished brass and darkened brass. The Paper Series emb...
Brass
Acrylic Owl Sculpture by Abraham Palatnik, Brazil, 1970s
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Acrylic Owl Sculpture by Abraham Palatnik, Brazil, 1970s Acrylic sculpture by renowned Brazilian artist Abraham Palatnik, a pioneer of the Kinetic Art movement. This iconic owl fig...
Acrylic
Medium Brass Mar de Cobre Wall Sculpture by Aura Carpio
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Brass Mar de Cobre Wall Sculpture by Aura Carpio Dimensions: D 70 x H 5 cm. Materials: Copper, Brass. Weight: 7 Kg. Aura Carpio® (CDMX). Mexican industrial designer graduate...
Copper, Brass
Beige Stoneware Sfondyli I Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Beige Stoneware Sfondyli I Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 30 x H 25 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Stoneware Available finishes: Black, Beige, Brown, Red, Whit...
Stoneware
Studio Wood Jewelry Box
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful, hand-crafted studio wood jewelry or trinket box, Modern Brutalist style, Postmodern design period, circa late-20th century, USA.
Wood
$3,218 / item
Grain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino
Located in Geneve, CH
Grain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino One of a Kind Dimensions: D 37 cm x H 38 cm Material: Ceramic Finishing: Textured, Unglazed Artist stamp on the bottom Laura Pasquino Incorporatin...
Ceramic
$59,736 / item
Extra Large Stone Bathtub by Studio Loho
Located in Geneve, CH
Extra large stone bathtub by Studio Loho Dimensions: D 85 x W 190 x H 57 cm Materials: stone Other stone types are possible upon request. Available i...
Stone
Clear Vase Extra Colour (Large), Bottle Green, Clear Pink and Matte Yellow
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Toronto, ON
Large "Clear" Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. Clear vase extra colour - 2-Tone Bottle Green, Clear Pink and Matte Yellow 'Feet'. *...
Resin
$500Sale Price|20% Off
Marble Box with Jewish Star of David Design
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful modern style or Postmodern period marble and brass box with Jewish Star of David design, circa late-20th century, 1980s, 90s. Box, att...
Stone, Marble, Brass
Iconic Creature Bois Déchiré Art Sculpture by Meubles Thouret
Located in Geneve, CH
Iconic Creature Bois Déchiré Art Sculpture by Meubles Thouret. Numbered and signed by the artists. Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity. Dimensions: W 23 x D 20 x H 50 cm. Ma...
Resin, Wood
Crystal Cream Wave Form Vase by Forma Rosa Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Crystal Cream 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 Oxb...
Ceramic
$395Sale Price|37% Off
Shafaq Malik Postmodern Memphis Group-Style Glass Sculpture
By Aldo Londi, Michael Graves (b.1934), Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in Round Top, TX
Studio glass sculpture by Shafaq Malik. It has applied orange and green finials with a floating navy and yellow cane bubble at the bottom. It is in excellent, original condition with...
Art Glass
$1,404 / item
Artefacto 03 by Federico Stefanovich
Located in Geneve, CH
Artefacto 03 by Federico Stefanovich Dimensions: D 19 x W 47 x H 36 cm. Material: Brass. Available in a smaller size: D 10 x W 26 x H 20 cm. Federico Stefanovich presents himself as...
Brass
Senzafine Square Medium bowl by designed Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia, Italy 2000
Located in Milano, IT
Senzafine Square Medium bowl, designed by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia, Italy, 2000. Immerse yourself in the groundbreaking world of Gaetano Pesce with the exquisite "Senzafine" bowl...
Plastic
$2,902 / item
Sculptural Vase 3 by Donatas Zukauskas
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculptural Vase 3 by Donatas Zukauskas Dimensions: Ø 34 x H 121 cm. Materials: Recycled paper, concrete, and glue. All products are handmade and unique, so they may differ slightly ...
Concrete, Other
$316 / item
Meduse Tagi Bowl by Pia Chevalier
Located in Geneve, CH
Meduse Tagi bowl by Pia Chevalier Each one is unique. Materials: Raw stoneware. Dimensions: Ø 20 x H 10 cm. Also available in white stone, bronze, blue, white glaze. Pia Chev...
Stoneware
$3,991 / item
Clay Sink by Studio Loho
Located in Geneve, CH
Clay sink by Studio Loho Dimensions: D 40 x H 15 cm Materials: clay. Available in 3 models: round sink, oval sink and sink on structure. Due to the producti...
Clay
Rare Resin and Fabric Gaetano Pesce Vase for Meritalia, 2004
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Designed by maestro Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia and crafted from resin-soaked fabric draped around a center vessel. Pesce’s process captures the textile mid-gesture, creating the ill...
Fabric, Resin
Sterling silver pair gilded and enamel green guilloche candlesticks marked 925.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful pair of candle holders in sterling silver and gold wash and enamel work.
Sterling Silver
Modern Abstract Ceramic Sculpture by Andree & Michel Hirlet, France
Located in London, GB
Sculpture 'Borne' by Andrée & Michel Hirlet 2000Material: Glazed stoneware Dimensions: H 66 x 55 x 15 cm Year: 2010 Type: Unique Working outside of any wider artistic community or ...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Miniature Mid-Century Ceramic High Glaze Bottle Neck Vase Studio Pot by Sari
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Fine miniature hand-thrown, high-glaze ceramic pot signed Sari. The piece is in excellent condition, with no chips or repairs. It has a natural firing crack on the bottom.
Ceramic, Pottery
'Love Knot' Murano Sculpture by Renato Anatrà, Signed, Italy, 1980's
Located in Doylestown, PA
Elegant 'Love Knot' abstract sculpture by Renato Anatrà, signed, Italy. Representing eternal love, this graceful sculpture is beautifully hand crafted of clear...
Murano Glass
Colin Reid glass studio early perfume bottle/vessel 1987.
By Colin Reid
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful early perfume bottle in cast glass with red and blue integrated fused and frosted surfaces Pyramid shape and glass stopper . Signed and dated 1987 plus R248 numbers .
Glass
20th Century Post-Modern Glazed Ceramic Penis/Phallic Sculpture, United Kingdom
Located in North Miami, FL
Late 20th century Post-Modern painted and glazed ceramic penis/phallic sculpture, United Kingdom By: unknown Material: ceramic, paint, enamel, clay ...
Enamel
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Pair of Maitland Smith Tesselated Candlestick Holders
Located in San Diego, CA
Stunning pair of Maitland Smith tessellated shell vintage candlesticks. Candlesticks / Candelabras are in good vintage condition. We have inclu...
Shell
Post-Modern Glass Vase by Roger Selden for Vis-à-vis Collection of Ritzenhoff
By Roger Selden
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Cheerful glass vase designed by Roger Selden for the Vis-à-vis Collection of Ritzenhoff, 1999. This black and white vase from the Vis-à-vis Collection has a stylized cartoon chara...
Glass
Post-Modern wrought iron candlesticks, Sweden, 1980s
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Post-Modern wrought iron and oak candle holders, Sweden, 70s. Made of hand-worked wrought iron and chrome-plated, and stained oak wood. Of a certain brutalist style mixed with Memphi...
Chrome, Wrought Iron
$386 / item
Paper Brass Bowl I by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Paper brass bowl I by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 25.4 x W 25.4 x H 12.7 cm Materials: tarnished brass Available in tarnished brass and darkened brass. The Paper Series embodies th...
Brass
Peter Shire Signed Ceramic California Exp Studio Pottery Splatter Bowl, 1982
By Peter Shire
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful and scarce work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) o...
Ceramic
Dale Rogers “Rise” Indoor / Outdoor Postmodern Steel Sculpture
Located in Miami, FL
Steel indoor/outdoor Rise sculpture by Dale Rogers. “The simple lines of Rise have made it a very popular sculpture amongst my clients. It has a very clean organic feel that makes i...
Steel
Salvador Dalí Leda Armchair Sculpture in Polished Brass, Spain
By BD Barcelona Design, Salvador Dalí
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Leda armchair designed by Dali manufactured by BD. Structure in polished cast brass varnish. Measures: 47 x 60 x 92 H. cm Year: 1935-1937 Taken from ...
Brass
Oiva Toikka glass bird sculpture for Nuutajarvi Notsjo "Redstart"
By Oiva Toikka, Nuutajärvi Notsjõ
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful glass work bird, by the well known designer Oiva Toikka title Mountain Redstart , Littala label.
Glass
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
Matte Light Gray Glaze Sculptural Vase 2 by Anna Shipulina Ceramics
Located in Geneve, CH
Matte Light Gray Glaze Sculptural Vase 2 by Anna Shipulina Ceramics Dimensions: D 29.8 x H 23.2 cm. Materials: Ceramic. A modern, hand-built ceramic vase created using slow, intuit...
Ceramic
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
Pedro Friedeberg Snake Bar / Server / Table / Candle Holder / Sculpture, Signed
Located in Kansas City, MO
Pedro Friedeberg Snake bar, Mexico, c. 1970s. Made of carved and gilt wood, antique statuary, and glass. The stretched out hands hold the round removable glass tray and the upper han...
Glass, Wood