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.
Vintage Terracotta Lion’s Head Urn
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This striking terracotta urn is a masterclass in Classical Italianate design, featuring a prominent, high-relief lion’s head motif on its front face. Hand-crafted with traditional sc...
Terracotta
Italian Red Blue Green Yellow Ceramic 1960s Urn by Sicas Sesto Fiorentino
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Italian red blue green yellow ceramic 1960s urn by Sicas Sesto Fiorentino with geometric and flower decoration. Very good condition: partially r...
Ceramic
$3,930
H 15 in W 17 in D 13.5 in
Terracotta Lion's Head Wall Decoration, Attributed to The Ringling Bros., FL.
Located in Atlanta, GA
A terracotta lion head wall-mounted decoration. This vintage terracotta lion, attributed to have originated out of The Ringling Bros. and Barn...
Terracotta
Italian Ceramic Vase by Marcello Fantoni, 1960s
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Marcello Fantoni glazed ceramic vessel, circa early 1960s. This fabulous example has hand painted female figures around the exterior and a speckled glaze on the inside.
Ceramic
Chinese Glazed Terracotta Urn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Chinese glazed terracotta urn or planter - a wonderful glazed container for the garden or interior. A heavy glaze with some motifs showing through.
Terracotta
Bitossi Ceramic Vase, Brown, Yellow, Orange, Green, Stripes Italy, 1960s
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
Bitossi Ceramic Vase, Brown, Yellow, Orange, Green, Stripes Italy, 1960s. The cylindrical body is formed from a coarse, textured natural brown clay, with horizontal bands of yellow, ...
Ceramic
Bitossi Vase, Ceramic, Blue, Gold, Geometric, Italy, 1960s
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in New York, NY
Bitossi Vase, Ceramic, Blue, Gold, Geometric, Italy, 1960s. Medium scale rounded vase with footed base, decorated with a gold diamond pattern over a Rimini blue glaze. Signed with il...
Ceramic
$398Sale Price|36% Off
H 10.24 in Dm 9.06 in
1960s Italian Modern Ceramic Jug, Beige and Green, Bertoncello Manufacturer
By Bertoncello
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
1960s Italian Modern Ceramic Jug by Beertoncello Large Bertoncello Ceramiche d'Arte Ceramic Pitcher - Jug Vase, is a typical example of Italian Modern Ceramic handmade work. Crafte...
Ceramic
Lion Head Garden Pots
Located in Hollywood, FL
These where found at an Estate Auction in Stockholm Sweden.
Concrete
The Queen of Pears Terracotta Head Vase
Located in Milan, IT
A sculptural large head vase in terracotta, defined by serene facial features and a crown of pears rising above the rim for a distinctive figurative accent. Its expressive form bring...
Ceramic
1950s Italian Lion Head Ceramic Planter
Located in Hastings, GB
Vintage ceramic Lion head planter, circa 1950s Fabulous statement planter fully stamped Italy Great condition, inner very clean Small scuff to...
Ceramic
French Terracotta Lion's Head on Custom Iron Stand
Located in Pembroke, MA
This French terracotta lion's mask was originally an element of a 19th century fountain with water jetting from its mouth. This garden piece is now mounted on a custom iron, making i...
Iron
$405
H 21.5 in W 13 in D 12 in
Vintage Oriental Ceramic Black & Gold Chinoiserie Lion Head Ginger Jar Vase Urn
Located in Dayton, OH
Ceramic Chinoiserie Lidded Ginger Jar Over Plinth Base. Features a ceramic body finished in black with red oriental geisha scene set between brass lion head knockers. The vase rest...
Ceramic, Hardwood
$370Sale Price|19% Off
H 9.65 in Dm 5.91 in
Round Vase Ceramic Blue Color Ernestine Italian Design, 1960s
By Ernestine
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Round vase ceramic blue color Ernestine Italian design 1960s.
Ceramic
Rams Head Tazza Style Coade Stone Urn
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A small English rams head urn in ‘tazza’ style attributed to Coade (unmarked) circa 1790. Dating from the Georgian era, this urn has a neoclassical look, well modelled with a pair of...
Coade Stone
Lion Mask Garden Urn
Located in New York, NY
Lion mask garden urn. Beaux Arts period cream cast stone planter with bas relief apposing lion mask ring ‘handles’ suspending ful floral swags all above a zig zag ribbon banded base....
Cast Stone
Pair Classical Terracotta Urns English Country Garden Rams Head
Located in Potters Bar, GB
A striking pair of English classical terracotta garden urns, richly ornamented and raised on substantial square plinth bases These are the absolute perfection for achieving the class...
Terracotta