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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
Postmodern Italian Opaline Murano Art Glass Chalice, Abstract Decoration, 1980s
Postmodern Italian Opaline Murano Art Glass Chalice, Abstract Decoration, 1980s

Postmodern Italian Opaline Murano Art Glass Chalice, Abstract Decoration, 1980s

Located in Valencia, VC

Postmodern Italian Opaline Murano Art Glass Chalice, Abstract Polychrome Decoration, 1980s Strikingly beautiful in the hand, this sculptural Italian art glass vessel is an elegant e...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Opal

Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa the 1950s
Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa the 1950s

Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa the 1950s

Located in Milano, IT

**Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa 1990s** A sculptural and highly expressive Murano glass vase by **Sergio Costantini**, dating from approximately th...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

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

Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Vase, Red and Beige, American Art Studio Pottery
Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Vase, Red and Beige, American Art Studio Pottery

Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Vase, Red and Beige, American Art Studio Pottery

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

The monumental studio pottery ceramic vase is decorated with crystalline glaze in striking, dark red and beige palette. The vase was hand thrown on a wheel; beige color crystals on ombre colored base, shifting from purplish tones on top to deep, dark red on the bottom, were grown in a kiln during a very long, controlled firing. Each crystalline piece is unique due to the nature of the glaze. The vase was allowed to develop an abundance of distinct, graphic crystals, creating a free-flowing abstract pattern and adding rich texture to the minimally shaped piece. The vase was made by Wizards of Clay...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery

Vintage Frosted Flower Glass Block Vase
Vintage Frosted Flower Glass Block Vase

Vintage Frosted Flower Glass Block Vase

Located in Fairfield, CA

A unique vintage vase made from a glass block. A rounded rectangular opening has been cut into the top for use as a vase. Nice heavy weight, would work well doubling as a bookend. Ha...

Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

Vintage Classic "MoMA" Glass Ribbon Tall Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996
Vintage Classic "MoMA" Glass Ribbon Tall Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996

Vintage Classic "MoMA" Glass Ribbon Tall Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Glass Ribbon Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996 A "Museum of Modern Art" Design Store Classic " A ribbon of anodized aluminum metal is securely sandwiched between 3/8" plate glass walls to ...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Aluminum

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

Amphora Mini Vase in Polished Aluminum by CASPAL
Amphora Mini Vase in Polished Aluminum by CASPAL

Amphora Mini Vase in Polished Aluminum by CASPAL

Located in Geneve, CH

Amphora Mini Vase in Polished Aluminum by CASPAL Dimensions: Ø 20 x H 40 cm. Materials: Aluminum. Available in brushed, varnished, or polished aluminum. Available in two different ...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Aluminum

Joel O'Dorisio for Lost Angel Glass Bud Vase, American Studio Art Glass, 2005
Joel O'Dorisio for Lost Angel Glass Bud Vase, American Studio Art Glass, 2005

Joel O'Dorisio for Lost Angel Glass Bud Vase, American Studio Art Glass, 2005

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Fused glass vase features complex multilayered colored glass core in dark Bordeau or burgundy red, cream, and sapphire blue colors, encased in clear glass in sommerso technique. Com...

Category

Early 2000s American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass, Sommerso, Art Glass

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

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

Postmodern Murano glass vase by Ottavio Missoni, Italy
Postmodern Murano glass vase by Ottavio Missoni, Italy

Postmodern Murano glass vase by Ottavio Missoni, Italy

By Ottavio Missoni

Located in Milano, IT

Magnificent multicolored Murano blown glass vase designed by the famous Ottavio Missoni and made in the 1980s, a true masterpiece that embodies the essence of artistic design of the ...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

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 Gaetano Pesce, Meritalia

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

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

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

Vintage Postmodern Black and White Studio Pottery Vase from EH, 1980s
Vintage Postmodern Black and White Studio Pottery Vase from EH, 1980s

Vintage Postmodern Black and White Studio Pottery Vase from EH, 1980s

Located in Hamburg, DE

Vintage Postmodern Black and White Studio Pottery Vase from EH, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989. Additional information: Materials: Ceramic Color: Black Styles...

Category

20th Century Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Le Petit Poisson Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas
Le Petit Poisson Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

Le Petit Poisson Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas

Located in Geneve, CH

Le Petit Poisson Beige Sandstone Vase by Lou Thomas Dimensions: ⌀ 18 x H 14 cm Materials: Beige sandstone "Drawing on her extensive travels to Japan, Mexico, and Morocco, Lou Thomas...

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Sandstone

Murano glass face vase, Anthropomorphic sculptural vase
Murano glass face vase, Anthropomorphic sculptural vase

Murano glass face vase, Anthropomorphic sculptural vase

By Murano Glass Sommerso

Located in London, GB

A striking, whimsical Italian art glass vase handcrafted on the island of Murano. The vessel is shaped like an abstract, elongated head with a multi-colored, textured body featuring ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Michel Harvey Trompe-l'Oeil Paper Bag Ceramic Vase, 1980s
Michel Harvey Trompe-l'Oeil Paper Bag Ceramic Vase, 1980s

Michel Harvey Trompe-l'Oeil Paper Bag Ceramic Vase, 1980s

By Michael Harvey

Located in Montréal, CA

Great — this fills in the picture nicely. The WorthPoint listing is particularly useful: this is a size #1 bag, measuring approximately 5½" high × 2⅞" wide × 1⅞" deep — which matches...

Category

1980s Canadian 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

Pair of 'Buriti' Vases
Pair of 'Buriti' Vases

Pair of 'Buriti' Vases

By Fernando and Humberto Campana

Located in LOS ANGELES, CA

Pair of ‘Buriti’ Vases By Fernando & Humberto Campana of Estudio Campana Brazil, Circa 2004 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate and Glass 20”D x 16¼”H

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass, Plastic

Handmade Abstract Home Decor Natural Ceramic Vase by Maku Ceramic
Handmade Abstract Home Decor Natural Ceramic Vase by Maku Ceramic

Handmade Abstract Home Decor Natural Ceramic Vase by Maku Ceramic

Located in Geneve, CH

Handmade Abstract Home Decor Natural Ceramic Vase by Maku Ceramic Dimensions: H 25.4 cm Materials: Ceramic, Stoneware, Clay Maku Ceramic is an Istanbul-based ceramic studio founded ...

Category

2010s Turkish Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Stoneware

Postmodern Millefiori Green Murano Glass Vase with Murrines and Gold Leaf, Italy
Postmodern Millefiori Green Murano Glass Vase with Murrines and Gold Leaf, Italy

Postmodern Millefiori Green Murano Glass Vase with Murrines and Gold Leaf, Italy

Located in Bresso, Lombardy

Made in Italy, 1980s. This millefiori vase features different murrines and gold leaf flakes. It has its original label from Murano. This item is vintage, therefore it might show s...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Gold Leaf

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

Murano glass vase, Anthropomorphic (face) vase
Murano glass vase, Anthropomorphic (face) vase

Murano glass vase, Anthropomorphic (face) vase

Located in London, GB

A whimsical and stylized art glass vase in the shape of an expressive human face. The body is characterized by a vibrant, mottled pattern in shades of teal, deep blue, and black, ach...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Small Breakout Vase in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios
Small Breakout Vase in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios

Small Breakout Vase in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios

By Brent Warr

Located in Bainbridge, GA

The Small Breakout Vase by Brent Warr is a sculptural statement piece that embraces organic form and material experimentation. Hand-shaped from a proprietary blend of gypsum, pulp, a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Epoxy Resin, Fiberglass, Plaster, Paint

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

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

Italian Unique Prototype Vase Veronese in Murano Glass by Cleto Munari, 2002
Italian Unique Prototype Vase Veronese in Murano Glass by Cleto Munari, 2002

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...

Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

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

Ann Primrose Cristalleria d'Arte Italian Millefiori Murano Glass Vase
Ann Primrose Cristalleria d'Arte Italian Millefiori Murano Glass Vase

Ann Primrose Cristalleria d'Arte Italian Millefiori Murano Glass Vase

By Seguso Vetri d'Arte

Located in South Bend, IN

A gorgeous Italian Murano glass vase featuring a distinctive Millefiori pattern with lime green and red swirls By Ann Primrose Italy, Circa 1980s Measures: 7.5"W x 3.25"D x 12.75"...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

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

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

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

Riccio' Vase by Gae Aulenti in Green for Venini, Italy 2006
Riccio' Vase by Gae Aulenti in Green for Venini, Italy 2006

Riccio' Vase by Gae Aulenti in Green for Venini, Italy 2006

By Venini, Gae Aulenti

Located in Hellouw, NL

Some objects rely on contrast rather than complexity. The ‘Riccio’ vase by Gae Aulenti for Venini, designed in 2006 follows this approach through the combination of a sculptural silh...

Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Murano Glass

German Post-Moddern Yellow Ceramic Vases 'The Kiss' by ASA, 1980s
German Post-Moddern Yellow Ceramic Vases 'The Kiss' by ASA, 1980s

German Post-Moddern Yellow Ceramic Vases 'The Kiss' by ASA, 1980s

Located in Esbjerg, DK

A stylish duo of two abstract facial vases. Executed in ceramic with flat yellow glaze. Manufactured by ASA in Germany during the 1980s. Measurements: H: 21 cm, W/D: 10/7 cm. Measu...

Category

1980s German Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic

Post-Modern Solid Marble Orb Vase in Green Granite, Sculptural Stone Vessel
Post-Modern Solid Marble Orb Vase in Green Granite, Sculptural Stone Vessel

Post-Modern Solid Marble Orb Vase in Green Granite, Sculptural Stone Vessel

Located in San Diego, CA

A beautifully proportioned postmodern stone vase, carved from a single block of solid marble with a softly rounded orb form. The surface reveals a richly variegated green and grey ma...

Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Marble

Post-Modern Murano Glass Heart Vases by Maria Christina Hamel, 1990s
Post-Modern Murano Glass Heart Vases by Maria Christina Hamel, 1990s

Post-Modern Murano Glass Heart Vases by Maria Christina Hamel, 1990s

By Salviati, Maria Christina Hamel 1

Located in Valencia, VC

Pair of Murano Sommerso Glass Heart Vases, Attributed to Maria Christina Hamel for Salviati, 1990s A striking pair of hand-blown Murano glass vases in the shape of stylized hearts, executed in the sommerso technique and attributed to Maria Christina Hamel for Salviati. Designed and produced in Italy in the 1990s, these vases embody the playful yet refined spirit of late Post-Modern glasswork. The pair features a smaller vase in a deep cherry red hue and a larger vase in a lighter, pink-toned red. Both are exceptionally heavy for their size, with a smooth, tactile finish that feels substantial and luxurious in hand. Their clean sculptural forms and vivid colors make them ideal accent pieces for a variety of interiors—from bathroom shelves...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso

Postmodern cylinder glass vase circa 1980's
Postmodern cylinder glass vase circa 1980's

Postmodern cylinder glass vase circa 1980's

By Massimo Vignelli

Located in San Diego, CA

Postmodern ribbed glass vase with beveled edge top solid thick glass elegant and beautiful circa 1980's

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Glass

Michel Harvey Pink Trompe-l’Oeil Ceramic Tank Top Vase Sculpture, Canada, 1980s
Michel Harvey Pink Trompe-l’Oeil Ceramic Tank Top Vase Sculpture, Canada, 1980s

Michel Harvey Pink Trompe-l’Oeil Ceramic Tank Top Vase Sculpture, Canada, 1980s

By Michel Harvey

Located in Toronto, CA

Playful, sculptural, and exceptionally rare, this trompe-l’œil ceramic vase by Canadian artist Michel Harvey reimagines a classic sleeveless tank top in a soft pink glaze—an uncommon...

Category

1980s Canadian Vintage Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Ceramic, Clay

Ampla 09 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio
Ampla 09 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio

Ampla 09 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio

Located in Geneve, CH

Ampla 09 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio Dimensions: Ø 41 x H 37 cm Materials: Stoneware clay, satin glaze. SOIO Studio is a design studio based in Dubai creating sculptural coll...

Category

2010s Emirian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Clay, Stoneware

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

Floating Chainmail Vase, made from Steel and Glass, by Panorammma, Mexico
Floating Chainmail Vase, made from Steel and Glass, by Panorammma, Mexico

Floating Chainmail Vase, made from Steel and Glass, by Panorammma, Mexico

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

The Chainmail Vase is a sculptural object in which a glass vessel is enveloped by a skin of handwoven metal rings, forming a delicate yet resilient armor that both conceals and revea...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Steel

'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 Fish Design, Gaetano Pesce

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

Ampla 06 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio
Ampla 06 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio

Ampla 06 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio

Located in Geneve, CH

Ampla 06 Stoneware Clay Vase by SOIO Studio Dimensions: Ø 58 x H 30 cm Materials: Stoneware clay, glossy glaze. SOIO Studio is a design studio based in Dubai creating sculptural col...

Category

2010s Emirian Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Clay, Stoneware

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

Jomon Contemporary Fertility Vessel 14 by Noe Kuremoto
Jomon Contemporary Fertility Vessel 14 by Noe Kuremoto

Jomon Contemporary Fertility Vessel 14 by Noe Kuremoto

Located in Geneve, CH

Jomon Contemporary Fertility Vessel 14 by Noe Kuremoto Materials: White stoneware Dimensions: D 33 x W 61 x H 42 cm I’m a middle-aged woman who had babies late—too late, some might...

Category

2010s American Post-Modern Vases

Materials

Stoneware

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.