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.
Jaeger-LeCoultre - Mémovox mechanical travel watch from the 1970s
By Jaeger & Co.
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
This watch is a vintage classic from the renowned Jaeger-LeCoultre brand, specifically the Mémovox model, an iconic mechanical travel watch from the 1970s. The watch has a square or ...
Bronze, Enamel
$3,506 / 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 125 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Numerated and signed by the artist. All...
Ceramic
Vintage German Postmodern Wall Clock from Dugena, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vintage German Postmodern Wall Clock from Dugena, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional information: Materials: Plast...
Plastic
Alessandro Mendini & Lapo Binazzi for Alessi, Vase '100% Make Up', Italy 1992
By Alessi, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Malmö, SE
A postmodern limited-edition porcelain vase with lid from the first edition of the “100% Make-Up” series by Alessi Tendentse, Italy, released in 1992. The vase’s shape was designed...
Ceramic
$1,846 / 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 75 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Numerated and signed by the artist. All ...
Ceramic
$3,889 / item
Light 33 Porcelain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino
Located in Geneve, CH
Light 33 Porcelain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino One of a kind Dimensions: D 32 x H 31 cm Material: White porcelain, glaze. Laura Pasquino Incorporating references from ancient Korea...
Porcelain
$272Sale Price|53% Off
1980s Postmodern Female Face Ceramic Sculpture in the Austin Productions Style
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Large scale, Postmodern / 1980s Art Deco revival Female Head Ceramic Sculpture in the Austin Productions Style. Circa 1980s Features a flatten female head figure molded on a...
Ceramic
$195Sale Price|60% Off
Postmodern Sculpted Business Man With Green Tie and Briefcase
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Add a touch of creativity to your space with the Postmodern Sculpted Business Man with Green Tie and Briefcase, an artful representation of contemporary professionalism. Unique scul...
Ceramic
$1,662 / item
XXL Popcorn Sculpture in Ceramic by Liliana Silva
Located in Geneve, CH
XXL Popcorn Sculpture in Ceramic by Liliana Silva. Signed by Liliana Silva. Dimensions: W 47 x D 47 x H 55 cm. Materials: Ceramic. “XXL Popcorn” tak...
Ceramic
Meritalia Papavero Vase / Black and Yellow by Gaetano Pesce
Located in Toronto, ON
Each vase by Edizioni del Pesce embodies a singular and unrepeatable identity, telling a different story through innovative shapes, intricate details and a varied chromatic range. Th...
Resin
Italian Unique Prototype Vase Veronese in Murano Glass by Cleto Munari, 2002
By Cleto Munari
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Post-modern Unique prototype vase Veronese in Murano glass by Cleto Munari, 2002 Vase mod. Veronese in black Murano glass, unique piece as a prototype of the vase that later...
Murano Glass
$1,604 / item
Golden Edition, Unique Bronze Lighter by Rick Owens
By Rick Owens
Located in Geneve, CH
Golden Edition - unique bronze lighter by Rick Owens Dimensions: L 11.5 x W 5.5 x H 3 cm Materials: Bronze The gold edition is an exclusivity of Gale...
Bronze
1970s Iron Modernist Sculpture
Located in Sarasota, FL
A modernist sculpture in iron. Depicts a round face with simple raised and pierced features, decorated in a vibrant color palette. Artist is unknown.
Iron
$603 / item
Deficiency 9 Vase by Rezzo Ceramics
Located in Geneve, CH
Deficiency 9 Vase by Rezzo Ceramics Dimensions: W 18 x D 17 x H 26 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Stoneware Finish: Unglazed. Suitable for dry flowers Esra Misirli Kubilay is a...
Stoneware
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
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
Set of 5 Postmodern Flash One Series Bowl Set by Dorothy Hafner, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern set of bowls from the series flash one by rosenthal after a design by the artist dorothy hafner from 1982. the bowls are in very good condition without defects. Only one b...
Porcelain
David Goldhagen Cosmic Vortex Art Glass Pod on Stand
Located in Savannah, GA
A David Goldhagen art glass pod on stand entitled “Cosmic Vortex”. With dimmable backlight. Etched with signature, number and title. glass piece: 25 inches wide by 10 inches d...
Art Glass
Spaghetti Vase (Large), Clear Blue and Matte Lime by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
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
XL Popcorn Sculpture in Ceramic by Liliana Silva
Located in Geneve, CH
XL Popcorn Sculpture in Ceramic by Liliana Silva. Signed by Liliana Silva. Dimensions: W 39 x D 39 x H 44 cm. Materials: Ceramic. “XL Popcorn” ampli...
Ceramic
Contemporary Art the Butterfly Bed in Silk Velvet by Carla Tolomeo
Located in Pistoia, IT
Sculpture. Unique pieces hand made by the artist. The silk velvet fabrics and the embroidery are made expressly for the artist, Carla Tolomeo.
Silk
$4,452 / item
Platinum Luster Soreis Vase by deBlona
Located in Geneve, CH
Platinum Luster Soreis Vase by deBlona Dimensions: D 35 x H 40 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Colors: 24 Kt Gold Luster / Platinum Luster. A sculptural vase hand-thrown from red clay sour...
Ceramic
$300Sale Price|20% Off
Post-Modern Italian Marble Vase
Located in San Diego, CA
Small post-modern Italian marble vase, circa 1970s. The vase is primarily a dark tan in color, but has cream, black and grey veining throughout. T...
Marble
Hand-Crafted Chrome Candle Holder by Panorammma, Mexico
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The Chrome Candle Holder is the first in a series exploring the potential of upcycled electroplating rods—industrial remnants transformed into sculptural artifacts. These rods, used ...
Copper, Nickel, Chrome, Steel
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
An authentic postmodern vase by Lindsey B., 1983
Located in View Park, CA
An elegant postmodern vase featuring a cloaked figure by Lindsey B., signed, 1983. Tones of snow and licorice. 5” W x 3.25” D x 8.75” H
Ceramic
Lotuso White Marble Decorative Bowl by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Lotuso White Marble Decorative Bowl by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: D 31 x W 31 x H 8 cm. Materials: White marble. Different marble and ceramic options available. Custom options available on request. Please contact us. Our mission is to encourage people to make their home the best place to be, to get inspired and to receive friends and family. Designed and manufactured by ourselves, we offer lightings to help people creating distinctive living spaces. Enhancing the authenticity of natural and organic materials using associations and contrasts. Extreme quality behind a facade of ultra-minimalism. We find our materials to the source to ensure we give the best value...
Marble
Rock Vase (Large), Black and Matte White by Gaetano Pesce
By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory
Located in Toronto, ON
Large "Rock" 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 a...
Resin
1980s Wakita Spring Table Clock
By Wakita, Shohei Mihara
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A striking postmodern table clock by Wakita featuring a sculptural white coiled spring base supporting a minimalist white face. The clean circular dial displays simple gray dot hour ...
Metal
Val Saint Lambert cut crystal vase from the 1960s
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Val Saint Lambert cut crystal vase from the 1960s This Val Saint Lambert Aberdeen crystal vase is a vintage piece from the 1960s that sta...
Crystal
$4,354 / item
Light Rocks Stoneware Sculpture by Laura Pasquino
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Rocks Stoneware Sculpture by Laura Pasquino One of a kind Dimensions: D 32 x H 30 cm Material: White and beige stoneware, glaze. Laura Pasquino Incorporating references from ...
Stoneware
Italy Mid Century Modern Small Nickel Silver Basket, Alessi Era
By Alessi
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a mid-century modern nickel or silver-plate basket. Stamped MADE IN ITALY. Dimensions: 3.25" H x 8" diameter Please visit take a look at our listings, we ha...
Silver Plate, Nickel
$5,966Sale Price / item|20% Off
Salvador Dalí Drawers Lamp by BD Barcelona, Pale Limewood, Spain
By Salvador Dalí, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Drawers lamp designed by Dali manufactured by BD. Carved structure in pale varnished limewood. Lampshade in beige linen. Measures: 30 x 30 x 87 H cm Sculpture-lamp drawers A stan...
Wood
$1,103 / item
Sculpture FUNGHI 20 by Zanellazine Ceramics
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculpture FUNGHI 20 by Zanellazine Ceramics Dimensions: W 19 x D 14 x H 23 cm Materials: Red clay, Brown semi-refractorie clay. About: Giovanna Zighetti, ceramist and set designer, ...
Ceramic
Large Glass Postmodern Memphis Milano Wall Clock by Bino, Italy 80s
Located in Lucija, SI
Large Postmodern Memphis Milano wall clock produce by Bino Italy. Made in glass Unique piece
Glass, Plastic
Bigger Sculptural Vase in Ceramic by Liliana Silva
Located in Geneve, CH
Bigger Sculptural Vase in Ceramic by Liliana Silva. Signed by Liliana Silva. Dimensions: W 33 x D 33 x H 55 cm. Materials: Ceramic. “Bigger” takes the concept of scale to the extrem...
Ceramic
$3,599 / item
Prickless Pear Sculpture by ON.ENTROPY
Located in Geneve, CH
Prickless Pear Sculpture by ON.ENTROPY Dimensions: W 47 x D 21 x H 38 cm Materials: Green Marble. on• entropy is a marble atelier established in 2009 in Athens and London with a foc...
Marble
Postmodern Desk Lamp
Located in New York, NY
A Postmodern red and black adjustable desk lamp. Shade and base are a red enameled metal. Neck is adjustable. In fine working order for US electric.
Metal
$760Sale Price|20% Off
Large Post-Modern Italian Carrara Marble Vase
Located in San Diego, CA
Large post-modern Italian Carrara marble vase, circa 1970s. The vase is primarily white in color with grey and black veining throughout. The vase is in very good vintage condition wi...
Carrara Marble
'Cairo' Chair by Peter Shire, 2018
By Peter Shire
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Upholstered armchair by Peter Shire, 2018 Upholstered with Kvadrat Divina Fabric, Aluminum, Wood & Paint. Approximate measures: 60 1/4" high x 40" wide x 39" deep Peter Shire: ...
Aluminum
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
Black Stoneware Chytra Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Stoneware Chytra Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 27 x H 18 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Stoneware Available finishes:...
Stoneware
Vasa Velizar Mihich acrylic abstract sculpture triangle multicolor signed.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nice and sweet multicolored triangle by the well known artist Vasa .
Acrylic
Vintage Pop Art Candleholder by Verner Panton, 1980s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Scandinavian pop-art candleholder for tea lights called 'Lightning Stairs'. It is rather rare and it was designed by Verner Panton in 1973. This example is from the 80s and it was ma...
Steel
Studio Post- Modern Fruit Basket by W. Chester Old
Located in Palm Springs, CA
1980’s Studio Post-Modern fruit basket by W. Chester Old. In beautiful vintage condition. W. Chester Old Inc. Is a mixed-media studio producing innovative furniture and accessorie...
Aluminum
$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
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
$3,197 / 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
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
Black Stoneware Sfondyli Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Stoneware Sfondyli Vase by Elena Vasilantonaki Unique Dimensions: ⌀ 27 x H 23 cm (Dimensions may vary) Materials: Stoneware Available finishes: Black, White, Brown, Red, White ...
Stoneware
$3,959 / 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
1980s Up&Up Sergio Asti Marble Fruitbowl Italian Postmodern Design Bowl
By Up&Up, Sergio Asti
Located in Brescia, IT
Carrara marble. Rare object by Up&Up design Excellent condition One foot restored.
Carrara Marble
Onion Fruit Bowl, Designed by Nathalie du Pasquier in 1985 for Memphis Milano
Located in Beirut, LB
ONION fruit bowl, Designed by Nathalie du Pasquier in 1985 for the collection Memphis Milano, in Ceramic. The product is purchased with guarantee stamp. Printed on bottom: Memphis Mi...
Ceramic
$592 / item
An3 Sculpture by Eglė Šimkus
Located in Geneve, CH
An3 Sculpture by Eglė Šimkus Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 13 x H 23 cm. Materials: Clay. My name is Eglė Šimkus, and I was born in Lithuania in 1990 to a R...
Clay
Vintage "Ocean" Scene Art Glass Egg Paperweight in the Style of Murano of Italy
By Murano 5
Located in San Diego, CA
Vintage "Ocean" Scene Art Glass Egg Paperweight in the Style Murano of Italy, circa 1980s. This piece is heavy, is in good vintage condition with no chips or scratches, and measures ...
Art Glass
$1,406 / 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, light orange colo...
Glass
$1,406 / item
Sun Sculpture in Ceramic by Liliana Silva
Located in Geneve, CH
Sun Sculpture in Ceramic by Liliana Silva. Signed by Liliana Silva. Dimensions: W 48 x D 48 x H 42 cm. Materials: Ceramic. “Sun” is a unique ceramic piece that captures the essence ...
Ceramic
Pompitu II Vase (Large), Clear Red and Matte Red by Gaetano Pesce
By Corsi Design Factory, Gaetano Pesce
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
Trípodes Esporo Sculptural Object in Ceramic by Julius Nobre
Located in Geneve, CH
Trípodes Esporo Sculptural Object in Ceramic by Julius Nobre Dimensions: W 20 x D 20 x H 45 cm. Materials: Ceramic. The series brings together larger-scale sculptures with more arc...
Ceramic
A SCULPTURAL BRUTALIST CANDELABRA CANDLE HOLDER, ARTIST PIECE, France 1990
Located in PARIS, FR
An exceptional sculptural candelabra candle holder, Post-Modernist, Brutalist, Shabby-Chic, plant-inspired composition of folded and welded metal rods mounted on a tripod base, decor...
Metal, Gold Plate