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Modern Vases

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Period: 1970s
Stanislav Libensky Czech Art Glass Vase for Skrdlovice Glassworks
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stunning Czech art glass vase with a spiral twist design by Stanislav Libensky (1921-2002) for Beranek Skrdlovice Glassworks and dating from ar...
Category

1970s Czech Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Vaso in vetro di Murano
Located in Lugo, IT
Vaso in vetro bianco con filamenti neri e ad oro. Ci sono dei piccoli punti dei filamenti non perfetti, nelle foto si nota. Grazie
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Seguso Murano Glass Vase
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Seguso Murano vase with a turquoise and white patterns. Vase measures 15.25" high and 5.75" diameter at base and 4.25" diameter at top.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Grande Vaso in vetro di Murano iridescente di Sergio Asti Eosina, anni '70
Located in Mariano Del Friuli, GO
Bellissimo Vaso di Murano di Vetro eosina che da un effetto iridescente rappresentando i colori dell'iride e riflessi mobili e cangianti. In perfette condizioni!!
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Horst Kerstan West German Studio Pottery Tenmoku Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Horst Kerstan (German, 1941-2005) was a leading ceramicist in West Germany in the latter part of the Twentieth Century. Inspired by Chinese ceramic traditions he brought a rigour to ...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

Murano, Italy. Art glass vase with a slender neck. Blue and purple glass.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Murano, Italy. Art glass vase with a slender neck. Blue and purple glass. Approximately 1970. Label. Perfect condition. Dimensions: H 27.0 cm x W 9.0 cm x D 5.0 cm.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

"Hsing" Vase Designed by Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
"Hsing" vase designed by Ettore Sottsass for Alessio Sarri, Sesto Fiorentino. Red glazed ceramic. Marked: E. Sottsass, A. SARRI.
Category

1970s Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Murano glass jug
Located in Borgo Veneto, IT
Venetian art glass carafe.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Boch Keramis, Belgium. Large ceramic vase. White glaze. Modernist design
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Boch Keramis, Belgium. Large ceramic vase. White glaze. Modernist design. Geometric pattern. 1970s/80s. Marked. In perfect condition with a minor firing flaw on the top. Dimensions: ...
Category

1970s Belgian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Murano/Venini, Italy. Large hand-blown ochre yellow art glass vase.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Murano/Venini, Italy. Large hand-blown ochre yellow art glass vase. Triple gourd-shaped. Ca. 1970. Perfect condition. Label. Dimensions: Height 47.0 cm x Diameter 12.0 cm.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Large Ceramic Vase by Ivo de Santis for Gli Utruschi , 1970's
Located in New York, NY
Large decorative Modernist ceramic vase designed by Ivo de Santis for Gli Utruschi. Earthen tones with colorful accents and lines with ribbed neck details.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Berndt Friberg Gustavsberg Miniature Celadon Studio Pottery Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Berndt Friberg (Swedish, 1899-1981) joined Gustavsberg in 1934 and his work is considered as some of the finest examples of wheel thrown pottery of the 20th Century. Inspired by the ...
Category

1970s Swedish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Berndt Friberg Gustavsberg Miniature Square Studio Pottery Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Berndt Friberg (Swedish, 1899-1981) joined Gustavsberg in 1934 and his work is considered as some of the finest examples of wheel thrown pottery of the 20th Century. Inspired by the ...
Category

1970s Swedish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Franco Bucci Italian Black Ceramic Vase Italy c1970
Located in Chicago, IL
A black ceramic vase by Franco Bucci for Laboratorio Pesaro Italy c 1970.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Colossal cylinder-shaped floor vase in ceramic. 1970s/80s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Colossal cylinder-shaped floor vase in ceramic. Hand-glazed in blue hues. 1970s/1980s. In perfect condition. Indistinctly signed. Dimensions: Height 72.5 cm x Diameter 15.5 cm.
Category

1970s Unknown Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

A Large Vintage Rosenthal Gray Glass Battuto Style Bullet-form Vase
Located in San Francisco, CA
the bullet-form vase in gray glass with oculus opening above a frosted upper section over a carved faceted lower portion tapering to the base; this chiseled glass method is similar t...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Cut Glass

Art Porcelain Abstract Gold Pattern Vase by Heinrich & Co Selb Bavaria, Germany
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Modern Design Gold Glazed Art Porcelain Ceramic Flower Vase by Heinrich & Co SELB Bavaria, Germany 1970's. White Porcelain with gold abstract pattern motif. Rare V...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Art Pottery Studio Spout Vase by Gubbels Helden, Netherlands 1970's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Art Pottery Studio Spout Vase by Gubbels Helden. Made in The Netherlands, 1970's / 80's period. Ball shaped vase with fine spout in bordeaux red and blue glazes. Stamped on t...
Category

1970s Dutch Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Dissing Ceramics, Denmark. Unique ceramic vase with glossy green glaze.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Dissing Ceramics, Denmark. Unique ceramic vase with glossy green glaze. From around the 1970s. Label present. In perfect condition with natural cracks in the glaze. Dimensions: Heig...
Category

1970s Danish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Ceramic vase in modernist design with blue glaze. Ca 1970s.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Ceramic vase in modernist design with blue glaze. From around the 1970s. Marked with model number at the base. In excellent condition with a minor chip at the top of the vase. See ph...
Category

1970s Unknown Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Italian Murano Glass Vase by Alfredo Barbini
Located in Milan, Italy
Murano glass vase designed and produced by Alfredo Barbini in 1970. With original labels. Biography Alfredo Barbini (1912-2007) one of the greatest Murano glass artists of the 20th ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Italian Glass Vase Oltre Model by Toni Zuccheri for VeArt
Located in Milan, Italy
Vase Oltre model large in Murano glass and with internal reliefs designed by Toni Zuccheri and produced by VeArt in 1973 Bibliography Rosa Chiesa Sandro Pezzoli 'Toni Zuccheri poeta della natura e del vetro' Marsilio Venezia 2019 p.222. Biography Italian glassmaker and master Murano craftsman Toni Zuccheri’s lifelong passion for nature and animals contributed to the development of some of the finest modernist works in Murano glass history. His mid-century-era chandeliers, wall sconces, table lamps and vases showcase his penchant for experimentation and exceptional skill in color and form. Zuccheri was born in 1936 in San Vito al Tagliamento. His father was Luigi Zuccheri...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Stephen Smyers Modern Blown Art Glass Vase Abstract Feather Design, 1979
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fascinating Stephen Smyers, California 1979 modern art glass hand-blown vase. This beautiful handmade glass is unique compared to anything created in his studio. This vase features a hollow and elegant bulbous sculptural form crafted from clear glass, with a submerged filigree in white, orange, blue, and brown that resembles the lines of a feather. It is a substantial and weighty piece, and the quality and craftsmanship are excellent, with clean, modern lines and clarity and depth to the glass. The vase is engraved underside: Smyers 79. Measurements: 4 in diameter (10.5 cm) x 5 in high (13 cm). Note: Glass Artisan Stephen Smyers is one of the true innovators of the contemporary glass movement. For more than thirty-five years, the simple elegance of Smyers Glass...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Glass, Art Glass

Decorative big and heavy green Murano Glass Vase by Vinicio Vianello
Located in Milano, IT
Vintage big and massive vase in thick Murano glass by Italian designer Vinicio Vianello, deep bottle green with a yellowish hue near the top. Dating back to the late Sixties / early ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Glass, Murano Glass, Art Glass

Atelier Le Belier, Vallauris, France. Unique ceramic vase in polychrome glaze.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Atelier Le Belier, Vallauris, France. Unique ceramic vase in polychrome glaze. Approximately from 1970. In perfect condition. Signed. Dimensions: H 26.5 cm x D 10.0 cm.
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Vladislav Urban for Sklo Union, Czech Republic. "Abstract" art glass vase.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Vladislav Urban for Sklo Union, Czech Republic "Abstract" art glass vase in violet tones. Approximately from 1970. Marked. In perfect condition. Dimensions: H 19.7 cm x D 8.0 cm.
Category

1970s Czech Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Italian modern round decorative vase or holder in travertine, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern round decorative vase or holder in travertine, 1970s Single flower vase entirely in travertine. The rounded structure at the top presents a round hole. This decorative...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Travertine

Christian Dior , silver plated very rare vase/vessel , marked
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is an exquisite and rare Christian Dior vase with the Christian Dior Home Collection hallmark , plus Made in France. The design fixture like 7 hexagons all together in differen...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Silver Plate

Vasi italiani in vetro di Murano soffiato giallo di Carlo Nason, moderni 1970 ca
Located in MIlano, IT
Set di tre vasi in vetro di Murano soffiato, con tre forme e dimensioni diverse. Disegnati da Carlo Nason nel 1970 ca., etichetta Murano presente. Misure in cm vaso grande...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase in a modern design. From 1970s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase in a modern design with geometric pattern and white glaze. Approximately from the 1970s. Marked. First factory quality. In perfect conditi...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

West Germany, floor vase in ceramic with glaze in shades of brown. Retro design.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
West Germany, floor vase in ceramic with glaze in shades of brown. Retro design. Heavy vase of high quality. Handmade. From the 1970s. In perfect condition. Marked. Dimensions: W 27 ...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Lucie Rie (b. 1902, 1995), Austrian-born British potter. Large modernist vase.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Lucie Rie (b. 1902, 1995), Austrian-born British potter. Large modernist vase in glazed ceramics / stoneware. Beautiful glaze in bright earth shades. Fluted body. Trumpet-shaped m...
Category

1970s English Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

Lucie Rie, Austrian-born British potter. Unique large modernist vase
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Lucie Rie (b. 1902, 1995), Austrian-born British potter. Unique large modernist vase in glazed ceramics / stoneware. Museum quality. Beautiful glaze in pink and purple shades. Trumpe...
Category

1970s British Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase with geometric pattern
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans Merz for Meissen. Large porcelain vase in a modern design with a geometric pattern and white glaze. Model number 50231. Approximately from the 1970s. Marked. Third factory quali...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Anelly Vase Murano Crystal by Luigi Onesto Multi-Color Oval Shape
Located in Hamburg, DE
Anelly vase, crystal by Luigi Onesto Sommerso technique, oval shape, size 29 H x 25 W x 9 D cm, signed on the bottom L. Onesto Murano, the main color is a light vine red with green a...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Crystal

Hans Merz for Meissen, large narrow-necked porcelain vase, 1970s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans Merz for Meissen, large narrow-necked porcelain vase in a modern design with geometric pattern and white glaze. Approximately from the 1970s. Marked. First factory quality. In p...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase, 1970s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase in a modern design with geometric pattern and white glaze. Model number 50231. Approximately from the 1970s. Marked. First factory quality...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

70s Blue Art Glass Vase 'Moonlanding' Collection of Monica Backström Kosta Boda
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Beautiful piece of art glass shaped into a vase for the collection 'Moonlanding' made by and in the studio of Monica Backström for Kosta Boda Sweden. Signed underneath and in allove...
Category

1970s Swedish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase in a modern design.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Hans Merz for Meissen, large porcelain vase in a modern design with white glaze. Model number 50250. Approximately from the 1970s. Marked. First factory quality. In perfect condition...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Trevor Corser Leach Pottery Studio Pottery Twin Handled Haresfur Glazed Vase
By Trevor Corser
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish Leach Pottery, St Ives hand thrown twin handled studio pottery vase decorated in haresfur effect glazes by renowned potter Trevor Corser (British, 1938-2015) and dating fro...
Category

1970s English Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Pottery

Aldo Londi for Bitossi, Italy. Large "Ikano" ceramic vase in retro style.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Aldo Londi for Bitossi, Italy. Large "Ikano" ceramic vase in retro style. Gray glaze with circle design decorated in silver and gold. 1970s. In excellent condition with a few glaze c...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Large Modernist Fluted White Bisque Vase by Hutschenreuther, Germany, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This lovely fluted-shaped vase from Hutschenreuther brings a touch of elegant sophistication to any household. Ideal placed by the window or on any end table.
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Göran Bäck (1923-2003) for Arabia, Finland. Vase in glazed stoneware.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Göran Bäck (1923-2003) for Arabia, Finland. Vase in glazed stoneware with geometric pattern. Stylish design from the 1970s. In perfect condition. Marked. Dimensions: H 17.0 cm x ...
Category

1970s Finnish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

Swedish Designer, Vase, Stone, Sweden, 1970s
Located in High Point, NC
A fossil-stone vase, designed and produced in Gotland, Sweden, c. 1970s.
Category

1970s Swedish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

2 MID-CENTURY-MODERN MODERNIST Glass VASES by ASTA STROMBERG Sweden 1970
Located in PARIS, FR
A very beautiful asymmetrical pair of vases, Modernist, Free-Form, Dansk, Scandinavian, in thick transparent glass, model numbers B896 and B894 and Stromberg signatures incised with ...
Category

1970s Swedish Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

David Leach Lowerdown Pottery Studio Pottery Waisted Patterned Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A very stylish Lowerdown Pottery stoneware studio pottery vase decorated with stylized flower heads by renowned potter David Leach (British, 1911-2005) dating from around 1970. The h...
Category

1970s English Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

Vase designed by Toni Zuccheri for VeArt
Located in Brussel, BE
Blown Glass vase by Toni Zuccheri for VeArt, 1973, with it's original label still on the vase. (similar model documented in the Book "Toni Zuccheri poet of Nature and glass page 221)
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Murano Antonio da Ros for Cenedese White, Clear Blob Vases or Vessels
Located in North Miami, FL
These very special and unusual vintage Murano vases, vessels and or glass sculptures are by Antonio da Ros for Cenedese and from the 70's. They are each handblown glass and vary in b...
Category

1970s European Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Blown Glass

Doug Ayers Signed California Artist Organic Natural Wood Turned Weed Vase Vessel
Located in Studio City, CA
A very beautifully made and sculpted wood-turned weed vase by famed American (Mendocino, CA) artist/ sculptor Doug Ayers. The natural. organic wood grain is quite spectacular in this...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Wood

Murano, Italy, large mouth-blown spaghetti vase in burgundy art glass. 1970s.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Murano, Italy, large mouth-blown spaghetti vase in burgundy art glass. 1970s. In perfect condition. Dimensions: H 28.0 cm. x D 15.0 cm.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Murano Antonio da Ros for Cenedese Red, Charcoal, Orange Sommerso Vase
Located in North Miami, FL
This very rare and heavy Italian Murano hand blown glass vase or vessel is by Antonio da Ros for Cenedese and is vintage from the 70's. It is flat cut polished top and has the sommer...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Blown Glass

Mandruzzato Vintage Murano Red and Yellow Sommerso Faceted Glass Vase Italian
Located in North Miami, FL
This beautiful vintage Murano glass vase by Alessandro Mandruzzato is in the Sommerso layering of faceted glass in red and yellow with a clear base. Italian, hand blown and from the ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Blown Glass

Daum by De Belroy Tall Crystal Tumbler Vase, Galaxie Collection, 1970s
By Daum, De Belroy
Located in Atlanta, GA
Compagnie Francaise du Cristal De Belroy for Daum produced this modernist crystal vase, circa 1970. The modern slim design has a thick base and tumbler shape. The vase still has its ...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Crystal

Lino Sabattini for Fiat Italia 1970 Geometric Cylinder Tall Vase Sterling Silver
Located in Miami, FL
Cylinder geometric vase designed by Lino Sabattini (1925-2016). A modernism sculptural piece created in 1970, by the Italian silversmith and designer Lino Sabattini. This piece wa...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

"Paper Bag" by California Bronze
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Whimsical "paper bag" made from cast metal from California Bronze. Would make for a fun decorative piece in any interior. Photographed atop a Cappellini sid...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Metal

Saint Louis Glass Honyecomb & Millefiori Paperweight Vase or Pen Holder
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A rare French paperweight vase. By the St. Louis Glass Company. With a paperweight base with spaced millefiori canes on a white muslin ground suppo...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Glass, Art Glass

1960s Flavio Poli Design for Seguso Design Glass Submerged Vase
Located in Biella, IT
Flavio Poli for Seguso design vase glass years 1955 submerged glass vase Perfect condition a, very rare.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Big Murano Glass Vase by Venini, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Big Murano Glass Vase by Venini, Italy 1970s. 49 cm x 20 cm. Excellent condition.
Category

1970s European Vintage Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

Modern vases for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern vases for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage vases created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern vases made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original vases, popular names associated with this style include Venini, RAAQUU, VG-VGnewtrend, and Carlo Moretti. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for vases differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $28 and tops out at $45,920 while the average work can sell for $993.

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