Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.
From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.
Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.
The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.
Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.
Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.
Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Ice Bucket in Chrome in the shape of a bowling ball, France, 1970
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Vintage chrome ice bucket with an iconic spherical design reminiscent of the 1970s. Its perfectly round shape and mirrored finish give it a futuristic aesthetic typical of space age ...
Chrome
Salviati Murano Orange White Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass 1950s Genie Decanter
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Gorgeous, and rare design, vintage Murano hand blown orange and white stripes, with gold flecks Italian art glass genie bottle decanter. Attributed to designer Alfredo Barbini for th...
Gold Leaf
Italian Space Age Empoli Blown Glass Vanity Set, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Set of Decanter and Lidded Box Vanity Set. An eye-cathing Empoli blown glass vanity set from the Space Age Era. Italy 1960s. The set is comprisde by a...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Glass, Opaline Glass
Pair of 1960s Bohemian/Czech Glass Optical Illusion Tall Orange Vases Space Age
Located in Torquay, GB
Pair of 1960s Bohemian/Czech Glass Optical Illusion Tall Orange Vases Space Age. Optical illusion vases in gradient orange colour, ranging from flamin...
Blown Glass
Big Clear Murano Glass Bottle Attributed to Barovier & Toso, 1960s
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This big bottle was produced in Italy in the 1960s. It is made from a clear Murano glass with air bubbles inclusions which reminiscent of the Barovier and t...
Murano Glass
Pinzan Murano Art Glass Genie Decanter Orange White Yellow Swirls Nautical Shell
Located in Miami, FL
Engraved Giuliano Pinzan stunning and rare design Murano Art Glass hand blown red, orange, peach, green and blue with nautical Seashell Motives, genie bottle decanter. The piece is ...
Murano Glass
Blue & Clear Murano Glass 1960s-1970s Vase/Bottle Attributed to Barovier e Toso
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Thick Murano glass vase/bottle in blue shades attributed to Barovier and Toso Italian glasswork. Excellent condition.
Murano Glass
$1,250
H 11.13 in W 9.75 in D 5.25 in
Barovier & Toso Bullicante Clear and Gold Foil Murano Glass Fan Flower Vase
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A wonderful, large-scale Italian glass Bullicante fan shaped flower vase. Attributed to Barovier and Toso. In clear glass with captured bubbles, gold foil inclusions, and a polishe...
Murano Glass
Murano Barbini Orange Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Vintage Ribbed Cookie Jar
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Gorgeous, and large, vintage Murano hand blown rich persimmon orange, with gold flecks Italian art glass ginger, cookie or candy jar. The piece is documented to designer Alfredo Barb...
Gold Leaf
$692Sale Price|35% Off
H 7.68 in W 10.04 in D 10.04 in
Baccarat Ice Bucket, Original Decorative Object, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Baccarat ice bucket is an original decorative object realized by Baccarat manufacture in the 1970s. Ice bucket entirely realized in crystal. ...
Crystal
Ercole Barovier Toso Murano Glass Spira Aurata Vase, 1960s
By Ercole Barovier, Barovier&Toso
Located in Barcelona, ES
Murano Art Glass 'Spira Aurata Striato Vase' by Ercole Barovier, Barovier e Toso, Italy, 1966. Spira Aurata series oval-section conical vase in blown glass with polychrome garnet, r...
Gold Leaf
$1,006
H 5.12 in Dm 2.76 in
Clear Glass miniature "People" Decanter by Erik Höglund, Boda, Sweden, 1950s
By Boda, Erik Höglund
Located in Hägersten, SE
"People" decanter designed by Erik Höglund. Rare small size. produced by Boda during the 1950s. Made from hand blown clear glass. Good vintage condition with age related wear and pat...
Blown Glass
Green & Gold Stardust Salviati Murano Glass Liqueur Goblet, Vintage Italy
By Salviati
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A single beautiful liqueur glass made in Murano Italy. Very good vintage condition, consistent with age and use. A nice addition to any table, bar or just to display in your collecti...
Blown Glass
Pair of Bohemian Glass Vases of Beauties
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Bohemian glass vases of beauties enameled double overlay, circa 1875 Measures: H 14 in. (35.6 cm).
Glass
$1,137Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.08 in Dm 5.52 in
Ercole Barovier Rostrato Murano Glass Italian Vase for Barovier & Toso, 1940s
By Barovier&Toso, Ercole Barovier
Located in Roma, IT
Fantastic mouth-blown rostrato crystal Murano glass vase. This marvelous decorative piece was realized during the 1940s in Italy by Ercole Barovier for Barovier & Toso. In fabulous ...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Blue Red Gold Stardust Salviati Murano Glass Liqueur Goblet, Vintage Italy
By Salviati
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A single beautiful liqueur glass made in Murano Italy. Very good vintage condition, consistent with age and use. A nice addition to any table, bar or just to display in your collecti...
Blown Glass
Amber & Gold Stardust Salviati Murano Glass Liqueur Goblet, Vintage Italy
By Salviati
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A single beautiful liqueur glass made in Murano Italy. Very good vintage condition, consistent with age and use. A nice addition to any table, bar or just to display in your collecti...
Blown Glass
Purple & Gold Stardust Salviati Murano Glass Liqueur Goblet, Vintage Italy
By Salviati
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A single beautiful liqueur glass made in Murano Italy. Very good vintage condition, consistent with age and use. A nice addition to any table, bar or just to display in your collecti...
Blown Glass
$480
H 6.5 in W 12.25 in D 12.38 in
White & Clear Swirl Art Glass Murano Large Handkerchief Bowl, Modern, 1980s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown Italian art glass handkerchief bowl with some small air bubbles in the glass. A beautiful piece of art for any room. Found at an Estate Sale in Verona, It...
Murano Glass
Sold
H 10.63 in Dm 4.73 in
Space Age Red-Orange and Green Glazed Ceramic Bottle Pitcher by ST.AR, Italy
By ST.AR.
Located in Rome, IT
This gorgeous Space Age bottle is made of glazed ceramic, colored of vivid red-orange and dark green. On the bottom there's the label of the Italian producer company ST.AR., located...
Ceramic
Huge Royal Haeger Hickman Vintage Vase Atomic Orange Art Pottery Mcm Jet Age
By Royal Haeger
Located in Wilton, CT
Huge Royal Haeger vase in pear shaped bottle form with horizontally combed/striated texture and glowing orange glaze, circa 1950s-1960s. Measures: 23...
Pottery
Sold
H 8.75 in W 3.25 in D 3.25 in
Archimede Seguso Murano Opal Pink, Green, Blue Italian Art Glass Bottles
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Free shipping worldwide! See details below description. Amazing set of Murano handblown pink, green, and blue opalescent art glass decanters / bottles. Documented to designer Arch...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Glass, Murano Glass, Opaline Glass
Large Red Over White Italian Art Glass Tall Decanter
By Guildcraft, Empoli
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Free shipping worldwide! See details below description. Beautiful large 18" tall red over white Italian art glass decanter, with original stopper. Created in the manner of the Gui...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Glass, Murano Glass