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Post-Modern Vases

POSTMODERN STYLE

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

  • Emerges during the 1960s; popularity explodes during the ’80s
  • A reaction to prevailing conventions of modernism by mainly American architects
  • Architect Robert Venturi critiques modern architecture in his Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966)
  • Theorist Charles Jencks, who championed architecture filled with allusions and cultural references, writes The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977)
  • Italian design collective the Memphis Group, also known as Memphis Milano, meets for the first time (1980) 
  • Memphis collective debuts more than 50 objects and furnishings at Salone del Milano (1981)
  • Interest in style declines, minimalism gains steam

CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Dizzying graphic patterns and an emphasis on loud, off-the-wall colors
  • Use of plastic and laminates, glass, metal and marble; lacquered and painted wood 
  • Unconventional proportions and abundant ornamentation
  • Playful nods to Art Deco and Pop art

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 Mendinia 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.

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Style: Post-Modern
Chris Heilman Wisteria Vase Artist Studio Art Glass Paperweight Ball Bud
Chris Heilman Wisteria Vase Artist Studio Art Glass Paperweight Ball Bud

Chris Heilman Wisteria Vase Artist Studio Art Glass Paperweight Ball Bud

By Chris Heilman

Located in Hyattsville, MD

Deep mesmerizing Art glass layered scene of beautiful flora, believed to be from the 'Wisteria Series' by Chris Heilman, piece is signed and dated. Heavy.

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Fused Glass Footed Vase, Hand Blown Art Glass
Vintage Fused Glass Footed Vase, Hand Blown Art Glass

Vintage Fused Glass Footed Vase, Hand Blown Art Glass

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Sculptural vintage vase is decorated with free-flowing fused red and yellow glass designs on mottled pink glass background; colored glass encases clear glass core, with clear glass ...

Category

20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass

1980s Studio Art Pottery Raku Amphora Vase in Iridescent Cobalt Blue
1980s Studio Art Pottery Raku Amphora Vase in Iridescent Cobalt Blue

1980s Studio Art Pottery Raku Amphora Vase in Iridescent Cobalt Blue

Located in W Allenhurst, NJ

Sculptural studio art pottery vase featuring a dramatic amphora form with four loop handles and richly textured crossed appliqué decoration. Finished in a striking cobalt blue glaze ...

Category

20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Pottery

Nugget Vase (Large), Clear Black by Gaetano Pesce
Nugget Vase (Large), Clear Black by Gaetano Pesce

Nugget Vase (Large), Clear Black by Gaetano Pesce

By Gaetano Pesce, Corsi Design Factory

Located in Toronto, ON

Large "Nugget" Vase in soft resin designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1995 for Fish Design collection. colour: Clear Black *All the pieces are handmade and therefore unique. Variations in...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Resin

Meritalia Tall Vase / Blue and Red by Gaetano Pesce
Meritalia Tall Vase / Blue and Red by Gaetano Pesce

Meritalia Tall Vase / Blue and Red by Gaetano Pesce

By Meritalia, 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...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Resin

Handblown Murano Glass Vase in Female Torso Form, White & Brown, 1980s
Handblown Murano Glass Vase in Female Torso Form, White & Brown, 1980s

Handblown Murano Glass Vase in Female Torso Form, White & Brown, 1980s

Located in Toronto, CA

A sculptural handblown glass vase in the form of a female torso, crafted in Murano, Italy, circa 1980s. The piece features an elegant marbled pattern in crisp white with flowing dark...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Miniature Murano Glass Vase with Bullicante, Gold Leaf, 1980s, Italy
Miniature Murano Glass Vase with Bullicante, Gold Leaf, 1980s, Italy

Miniature Murano Glass Vase with Bullicante, Gold Leaf, 1980s, Italy

By Archimede Seguso

Located in Glasgow, GB

A miniature Murano glass vase in vivid emerald green, attributed to Archimede Seguso and crafted in Italy circa 1980s. This small Italian art glass vase exemplifies the technical fin...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Gold Leaf

Vintage Abstract Postmodern Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase
Vintage Abstract Postmodern Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase

Vintage Abstract Postmodern Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase

Located in Lutz, FL

Vintage Post Modern Sculptural Ikebana vase by Keiko & David Hergesheimer of Catalpa Lane Pottery c.1990’s. Interesting abstract hashtag shape and lovely gradient glaze in pink, peac...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Pottery

Murano Glass "Lisboa" Vase
Murano Glass "Lisboa" Vase

Murano Glass "Lisboa" Vase

Located in NICE, FR

This Murano glass vase is a refined expression of light, color, and exceptional craftsmanship. Its sculptural surface is articulated with vibrant, jewel-like glass spheres that creat...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Gold

Ettore Sottsass Model 585 Oxblood Red Ceramic Vase, Il Sestante, Italy, 1961
Ettore Sottsass Model 585 Oxblood Red Ceramic Vase, Il Sestante, Italy, 1961

Ettore Sottsass Model 585 Oxblood Red Ceramic Vase, Il Sestante, Italy, 1961

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Dronten, NL

An exceptional example of Ettore Sottsass’ early ceramic production, this striking vase—model 585—was designed in 1960 and realized circa 1961 by the Società Ceramica Toscana di Figl...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Ceramic Vase by Claudia Frignani, Wunderkammer Studio
Ceramic Vase by Claudia Frignani, Wunderkammer Studio

Ceramic Vase by Claudia Frignani, Wunderkammer Studio

By Wunderkammer Studio, Claudia Frignani

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Ceramic Vase by Claudia Frignani for Wunderkammer Studio's limited Lefka collection. Claudia Frignani is a Milan-based designer, ceramic artist, and creator known for her unique scu...

Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

A monumental caged art glass vase by Vanessa Mitrani, signed, late 20th century
A monumental caged art glass vase by Vanessa Mitrani, signed, late 20th century

A monumental caged art glass vase by Vanessa Mitrani, signed, late 20th century

By Vanessa Mitrani

Located in View Park, CA

A large art glass bulbous caged vase by Vanessa Mitrani, late 20th century. In a brilliant persimmon hue and caged in metal, this piece is at once statement and sophisticated. Signed...

Category

Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Metal

Large Vintage Sculptural Postmodern Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase
Large Vintage Sculptural Postmodern Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase

Large Vintage Sculptural Postmodern Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase

Located in Lutz, FL

Large vintage Post Modern Sculptural Ikebana vase by Keiko & David Hergesheimer of Catalpa Lane Pottery c.1990’s. Interesting cantilevered shape and lovely gradient glaze In shades o...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Pottery

80s Modern Cream Sphere Vase
80s Modern Cream Sphere Vase

80s Modern Cream Sphere Vase

Located in Fairfield, CA

A vintage 80s ceramic vase. High gloss cream glaze in a simple modern sphere shape.

Category

1980s Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Tokuda Yasokichi III spherical almost shape large vase , signed , No Box
Tokuda Yasokichi III spherical almost shape large vase , signed , No Box

Tokuda Yasokichi III spherical almost shape large vase , signed , No Box

By Yasokichi Tokuda III

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This is an amazing vase by the Master ceramist Yasokichi from the lineage of potters National Treasure from centuries in Japan. This is a large amazing signed in bottom vase, No Box ...

Category

Late 20th Century Japanese Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

A unique ceramic vase by Tony Evans, signed, late 20th century
A unique ceramic vase by Tony Evans, signed, late 20th century

A unique ceramic vase by Tony Evans, signed, late 20th century

By Tony Evans

Located in View Park, CA

A absolutely stunning and wildly unique ceramic vase - art piece really - by Tony Evans, signed, late 20th century. Featuring an idiosyncratic lava glaze over scintillating pigments ...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Dolium Vase in Stoneware, Slip & Oxydes by Robin Kerr
Dolium Vase in Stoneware, Slip & Oxydes by Robin Kerr

Dolium Vase in Stoneware, Slip & Oxydes by Robin Kerr

Located in Geneve, CH

Dolium Vase in Stoneware, Slip & Oxydes by Robin Kerr Unique Piece Dimensions: D 51 x W 51 x H 92 cm. Materials: Stoneware, slip, and oxydes. Robin Kerr is a Swiss ceramic artist li...

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Other

Meritalia Big Surprise 1 / Purple, Pink and Red by Gaetano Pesce
Meritalia Big Surprise 1 / Purple, Pink and Red by Gaetano Pesce

Meritalia Big Surprise 1 / Purple, Pink and Red by Gaetano Pesce

By Meritalia, 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...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Resin

Le Vase Pique Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas
Le Vase Pique Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

Le Vase Pique Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

Located in Geneve, CH

Le Vase Pique Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas Dimensions: ⌀ 22 x H 24 cm Materials: Beige sandstone "Drawing on her extensive travels to Japan, Mexico, and Morocco, Lou Thomas is...

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Sandstone

An authentic postmodern vase by Lindsey B., 1983
An authentic postmodern vase by Lindsey B., 1983

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

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

White Art Glass Vase with Abstract Design Postmodern
White Art Glass Vase with Abstract Design Postmodern

White Art Glass Vase with Abstract Design Postmodern

Located in New York, NY

A beautiful, tall and substantial abstract clear and white opaline art glass vase with a slight iridescence, Postmodern design, circa late-20th century. Center 'ball' area has an abstract design of clear and twisted white art glass. Very good condition as shown in images and video. No chips noted. Dimensions: 4.25" diameter x 15" height. For black and white handkerchief...

Category

1990s European Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass

Genesis Vase by Moldra
Genesis Vase by Moldra

Genesis Vase by Moldra

Located in Geneve, CH

Genesis Vase by Moldra Dimensions: D 35 x H 25 cm Materials: Stoneware Moldra is a ceramic studio devoted to sculptural vases and objects. Rooted in the ancestral hand-building tech...

Category

2010s Indian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

One Of a Kind Fiele Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon
One Of a Kind Fiele Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon

One Of a Kind Fiele Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon

By Noon Studio

Located in Geneve, CH

One Of a Kind Fiele Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon One Of a Kind Dimensions: W 22,9 x D 22,9 x H 25,4 cm Material: Pigmented cement. Based in, produced and shipped from t...

Category

2010s American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Cement

One Of a Kind Omen Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon
One Of a Kind Omen Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon

One Of a Kind Omen Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon

By Noon Studio

Located in Geneve, CH

One Of a Kind Omen Vessel in Pigmented Cement by Studio Noon One Of a Kind Dimensions: W 15,2 x D 15,2 x H 12,7 cm Material: Pigmented cement. Based in, produced and shipped from th...

Category

2010s American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Cement

Vintage Black, Red and Yellow Encased Hand-Blown Murano Glass Flower Vase, Italy
Vintage Black, Red and Yellow Encased Hand-Blown Murano Glass Flower Vase, Italy

Vintage Black, Red and Yellow Encased Hand-Blown Murano Glass Flower Vase, Italy

Located in Bresso, Lombardy

Made in Italy, 1980s. It is made in encased and hand-blown Murano glass. With its original label. This vase is vintage, therefore it might show slight traces of use, but it can be c...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

Large Vintage Post Modern Sculptural Spiral Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase
Large Vintage Post Modern Sculptural Spiral Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase

Large Vintage Post Modern Sculptural Spiral Ikebana Studio Pottery Vase

Located in Lutz, FL

Large vintage Post Modern Sculptural Spiral Shaped Ikebana vase by Keiko & David Hergesheimer of Catalpa Lane Pottery c.1990’s. Interesting spiral shape with textured gradient gl...

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Clay, Pottery

Gaya Vase by Moldra
Gaya Vase by Moldra

Gaya Vase by Moldra

$1,038 / item

Gaya Vase by Moldra

Located in Geneve, CH

Gaya Vase by Moldra Dimensions: D 38 x H 28 cm Materials: Stoneware Moldra is a ceramic studio devoted to sculptural vases and objects. Rooted in the ancestral hand-building techniq...

Category

2010s Indian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

White, Black and Blue Hand-Painted Ceramic Jug / Vase in the Style of Picasso
White, Black and Blue Hand-Painted Ceramic Jug / Vase in the Style of Picasso

White, Black and Blue Hand-Painted Ceramic Jug / Vase in the Style of Picasso

By Pablo Picasso

Located in Bresso, Lombardy

Made in France, 1960s - 1970s. It is made in white hand-painted ceramic with blue and black motifs, that recalls Pablo Picasso's style. It is a vintage item, therefore it might show ...

Category

1970s French Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

La Sirene Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas
La Sirene Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

La Sirene Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

Located in Geneve, CH

La Sirene Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas Dimensions: ⌀ 38 x H 26 cm Materials: Beige sandstone "Drawing on her extensive travels to Japan, Mexico, and Morocco, Lou Thomas is pas...

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Sandstone

Polychrome Ceramic Vase by Carlo Zauli, 1960s
Polychrome Ceramic Vase by Carlo Zauli, 1960s

Polychrome Ceramic Vase by Carlo Zauli, 1960s

By Carlo Zauli

Located in Puglia, Puglia

Single flower vase in polychrome ceramic, signed on the bottom. Carlo Zauli (Faenza, 19 August 1926 - Faenza, 14 January 2002).

Category

1960s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Vijayam Vase by Deetee Home
Vijayam Vase by Deetee Home

Vijayam Vase by Deetee Home

Located in Geneve, CH

Vijayam Vase by Deetee Home Dimensions: D 22.86 x H 34.29 cm Materials: Stoneware Handcrafted with precision by our skilled artisans, the pot's balanced form and subtle texture lend...

Category

2010s Indian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

Fast Vase by Cédric Ragot for Rosenthal, Gilt Porcelain, Circa 2000
Fast Vase by Cédric Ragot for Rosenthal, Gilt Porcelain, Circa 2000

Fast Vase by Cédric Ragot for Rosenthal, Gilt Porcelain, Circa 2000

By Rosenthal, Cedric Ragot

Located in San Francisco, US

Cédric Ragot was an iconic designer that is only gaining more recognition with each passing year. “Fast,” created for Rosenthal, exemplifies his genius—a dynamic explosion frozen in ...

Category

Early 2000s French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Mid 20th Century Glass "Sea Horse Vase" by Edward Hald for Orrefors
Mid 20th Century Glass "Sea Horse Vase" by Edward Hald for Orrefors

Mid 20th Century Glass "Sea Horse Vase" by Edward Hald for Orrefors

By Orrefors, Edward Hald

Located in London, GB

An attractive mid 20th Century hand blown glass vase internally decorated with an underwater landscape including fish and a seahorse swimming around a plant strewn seabed, exhibiting...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

Post-Modern Glass Vase by Roger Selden for Vis-à-vis Collection of Ritzenhoff
Post-Modern Glass Vase by Roger Selden for Vis-à-vis Collection of Ritzenhoff

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...

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

Art Deco Black Ceramic Vase by Claude Dumas, Remix Edition, Circa 1980
Art Deco Black Ceramic Vase by Claude Dumas, Remix Edition, Circa 1980

Art Deco Black Ceramic Vase by Claude Dumas, Remix Edition, Circa 1980

By Claude Dumas

Located in COLMAR, FR

Art Deco black ceramic vase by French designer Claude Dumas – early 2000s Remix Gallery edition, made from the original mould, sourced in France, in very good vintage condition This...

Category

1980s French Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Clay

Alessandro Mendini & Lapo Binazzi for Alessi, Vase '100% Make Up', Italy 1992
Alessandro Mendini & Lapo Binazzi for Alessi, Vase '100% Make Up', Italy 1992

Alessandro Mendini & Lapo Binazzi for Alessi, Vase '100% Make Up', Italy 1992

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...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Shiro Kuramata flower vase pale pink acrylic Japanese minimalist style
Shiro Kuramata flower vase pale pink acrylic Japanese minimalist style

Shiro Kuramata flower vase pale pink acrylic Japanese minimalist style

By Shiro Kuramata

Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Shiro Kuramata's acrylic flower vase. Aluminium tube put into acrylic block. It's great work of Japanese minimalist style. Transparent body makes complex light reflections around. ...

Category

2010s Japanese Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Aluminum

Postmodern Black Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz, 1980s
Postmodern Black Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz, 1980s

Postmodern Black Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz, 1980s

Located in Hamburg, DE

Postmodern Black Art Glass Vase by Hans Jürgen Richartz for Richartz Art Collection, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This piece has an attribution mark. Additi...

Category

20th Century German Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

Bitossi Ceramiche Hand-Torn Clay Vase, Tall by Formafantasma
Bitossi Ceramiche Hand-Torn Clay Vase, Tall by Formafantasma

Bitossi Ceramiche Hand-Torn Clay Vase, Tall by Formafantasma

By Bitossi, Formafantasma

Located in Toronto, ON

Designed by Formafantasma for Bitossi’s “Clay” collection, this hand-turned white fire-clay vase is engraved and torn by hand at the rim, giving its vertical form a raw, broken crown...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Large Red Millefiori & Murine Vase, Murano Glass In Style of Dino Martens 1980s
Large Red Millefiori & Murine Vase, Murano Glass In Style of Dino Martens 1980s

Large Red Millefiori & Murine Vase, Murano Glass In Style of Dino Martens 1980s

By Dino Martens

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Vintage Murano glass vase was made in flask shape with graphic abstract patterns on both back and front sizes of the vase. The solid red glass gather was decorated with fused multic...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine, Glass

Yoichi Ohira Murano Art Glass Vase Mosaic Murrine Sporgenti Unique L. Serena
Yoichi Ohira Murano Art Glass Vase Mosaic Murrine Sporgenti Unique L. Serena

Yoichi Ohira Murano Art Glass Vase Mosaic Murrine Sporgenti Unique L. Serena

By Yoichi Ohira

Located in Palm Beach, FL

A rare and exquisite example of Yoichi Ohira's finest works, an art glass vase handcrafted on the venetian island of murano. Blown glass canes with mirrune and powder inserts, polish...

Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

'Amazonia' Resin Vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design Italy, Serie 2007, Signed
'Amazonia' Resin Vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design Italy, Serie 2007, Signed

'Amazonia' Resin Vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Design Italy, Serie 2007, Signed

By Gaetano Pesce, Fish Design

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This sculptural 'Amazonia' vase by Gaetano Pesce for Fish Designs, Italy, is an authentic early-21st-century example dating to 2007 (signed with Serie 2007 stamp), produced during a period when Pesce’s resin works were still executed in comparatively limited, workshop-driven batches rather than today’s broader ongoing production. As such, pieces from this era are increasingly sought after by collectors for their closer proximity to the artist’s original intent, material experimentation, and hands-on oversight. The vase is formed in richly pigmented, hand-poured resin with Pesce’s signature organic asymmetry and expressive surface texture. The undulating body evokes aquatic movement, while the integrated fish-like feet give the form a playful yet surreal presence, hallmarks of Pesce’s long-standing fascination with nature, transformation, and nonconformist design. Variations in translucency, air bubbles, and color density are inherent to the work and should be understood as deliberate artistic choices rather than imperfections, reinforcing the individuality of each example. This piece retains its original molded Pesce stamp at the base, confirming authenticity. The warm golden-amber coloration is particularly striking, catching and refracting light in a way that accentuates the sculptural contours and gives the vase a glowing, almost molten quality. Whether displayed as a functional vessel or as a standalone sculptural object, it reads immediately as Pesce - bold, provocative, and unapologetically unconventional. A strong addition for collectors of post-modern and contemporary Italian design, this 2007 Amazonia vase represents a desirable earlier chapter in Pesce’s resin oeuvre and stands apart from later mass-market iterations. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Gaetano Pesce, born on November 8, 1939, in La Spezia, Italy, is renowned as a leading figure in contemporary Italian design and architecture. Fearlessly experimental with materials and color, Pesce has collaborated with Italy’s foremost design companies, including Artemide, Vitra, Cassina, and B&B Italia. Pesce began his journey into design at the University of Venice, where he pursued architecture and graduated in 1965. Influenced by prominent figures such as Ernesto Nathan Rogers and Mario Bellini at the Venice College of Industrial Design, Pesce embraced a commitment to novelty and avant-garde principles. He co-founded the avant-garde architectural collective "Gruppo N," inspired by the Bauhaus aesthetic, during his formative years. Pesce’s portfolio encompasses a wide range of designs, from iconic furniture pieces to monumental architectural projects. His creations reflect a profound contemplation of modernity, exemplified by the La Mamma chair (1969), which evokes a prehistoric fertility figure, and the Organic Building in Osaka (1993), celebrated for its innovative hanging garden motif. Among his most celebrated furniture designs are the Up series for B&B Italia, including the Up5 armchair (La Donna) and Up6 ottoman (La Mamma), which challenge traditional notions of form and function with their bold, anthropomorphic shapes. Other notable designs include the 357 Feltri chair...

Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Resin

L´Étoile De Mer Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas
L´Étoile De Mer Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

L´Étoile De Mer Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

Located in Geneve, CH

L´Étoile De Mer Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas Dimensions: ⌀ 24 x H 26 cm Materials: Beige sandstone "Drawing on her extensive travels to Japan, Mexico, and Morocco, Lou Thomas ...

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Sandstone

Pair of Postmodern Italian Marble Vases
Pair of Postmodern Italian Marble Vases

Pair of Postmodern Italian Marble Vases

$520Sale Price / set|20% Off

Pair of Postmodern Italian Marble Vases

Located in San Diego, CA

Gorgeous pair of postmodern Italian marble vases, circa 1970s. Striking tan, brown, white and cream fleck throughout each vase. The pair are in ve...

Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Marble

AMANO - Vintage Ceramic Vase - Rich Red Glaze - Germany - Late 20th Century
AMANO - Vintage Ceramic Vase - Rich Red Glaze - Germany - Late 20th Century

AMANO - Vintage Ceramic Vase - Rich Red Glaze - Germany - Late 20th Century

By Scheurich Keramik

Located in Chatham, ON

AMANO - Vintage ceramic vase - rich red glaze - bullet shape - signed on the base - impressed model number '629-18' - Germany - late 20th century. Excellent vintage condition - no l...

Category

Late 20th Century German Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Yellow Vase, Made In Italy By Ceramiche Tadinate
Vintage Yellow Vase, Made In Italy By Ceramiche Tadinate

Vintage Yellow Vase, Made In Italy By Ceramiche Tadinate

By Bitossi

Located in San Carlos, CA

For Sale: Stunning Italian Yellow Vase by Ceramiche Tadinate Add a touch of Italian elegance to your space with this gorgeous tall yellow vase, fea...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic, Clay

Art Glass Vase, Green and Orange Applied Trail, Mdina Glass, Malta, 1980s
Art Glass Vase, Green and Orange Applied Trail, Mdina Glass, Malta, 1980s

Art Glass Vase, Green and Orange Applied Trail, Mdina Glass, Malta, 1980s

By Mdina, Michael Harris

Located in Glasgow, GB

An evocative example of 1980s art glass, this cylindrical vase was produced by Mdina Glass in Malta under the direction of Michael Harris—a pivotal figure in the development of Briti...

Category

1980s Maltese Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

1980s Postmodern Cased Glass Amphora Vase by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz, Poland
1980s Postmodern Cased Glass Amphora Vase by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz, Poland

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...

Category

Late 20th Century Polish Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Art Glass

Light 33 Porcelain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino
Light 33 Porcelain Sculpture by Laura Pasquino

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...

Category

2010s Dutch Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Porcelain

Post-modern vases for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Post-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 Post-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 Tom von Kaenel, Zieta, DygoDesign, and Ettore Sottsass. 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 $60 and tops out at $56,631 while the average work can sell for $1,012.