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Mid-Century Modern Barware

MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Color:  Brown
Carl Auböck Pair of Cork Screws, Austria, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck cork screws, Austria, 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass, Steel

Scandinavian Modern Jens Harald Quistgaard Early Teakwood Congo Icebucket c 1965
Located in EL Waalre, NL
Artist Jens Harald Quistgaard (Copenhagen 1919 – Vordingborg 2008) was a Danish wood-, metal- and glassware designer and sculptor, known principally for his work for the American c...
Category

1960s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Plastic, Teak

Vintage Set of 8 Imperial Glass Company Rocks Glasses in the Shoji Pattern
Located in Nantucket, MA
Set of 8 Mid-Century Modern rocks glasses made by Imperial Glass Co. in the Shoji Pattern. Each piece is molded with a raised pattern inspired by Japanese Shoji screens...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

1950s Bucciarelli Milano Italy Drink Coasters 11 Set Piero Fornasetti
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Set of 11 Bucciarelli Milano porcelain drink coasters. Attributed to Piero Fornasetti with rare intricate black floral design trimmed in gold. In...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Porcelain

Danish Modernist Rosewood Salt & Pepper Shakers
Located in San Diego, CA
Sculptural and timeless. Beautiful pair of modernist rosewood salt & pepper shakers. Each is beautifully constructed with high design in mind. The elegan...
Category

1970s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Rosewood

Set of 8 Mid-Century Modern Regalia Highball Glasses Designed by Georges Briard
Located in Nantucket, MA
Eight vintage highball glasses designed by Georges Briard in the Regalia pattern in 22k gold with aqua and blue detail.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Midcentury Italian Blown Drinking Glasses and Walnut Wood Holder Set, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Excellent midcentury blown drinking glasses and walnut wood holder set. This fantastic set was produced in Italy during the 1970s. This piece...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass, Blown Glass, Wood

Six Culver LTD Rocks Glasses in the Gold Version of the Midas Pattern
Located in Nantucket, MA
Six mid-century modern rocks glasses by Culver, LTD. with 20th century American gold coins depicted in their relative sizes in 22k gold among branch...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Vintage Cera Glassware Ice Bowl in the Old World Map Pattern
Located in Nantucket, MA
Mid-Century Modern ice bowl by Cera in the Old World Map pattern, with a map designed to look like an antique map on parchment in tans and 22k gold. ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid Century Teak Wine / Bottle Rack
Located in Toronto, ON
This vintage wine rack from the is made of solid teak with twelve bottle capacity and modern design. The piece also collapses down in accordion style...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Teak

1960s Bottle Shaped Wine Rack in Exotic Woods Don Shoemaker Mexico
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Wine rack 11 bottle exotic wood wine rack in the shape of a wine bottle. Attributed to Don S Shoemaker. Mexico 1960s. Unmarked Designed in rosewood brass and Cocobolo wood. Rack...
Category

1960s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Vietri Wooden Thermos Pitcher by Manzoni Pietro
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Exquisitely designed by Manzoni Pietro, the midcentury bar will be the conversation piece with your new all wood, and very chic Pitcher with glass therm...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass, Wood

Danish Woodline Ice Bucket
By Birgit Krogh, Woodline Denmark
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Beautiful solid teak ice bucket with plastic bucket/bowl inside, the two handles on each side create a beautiful symmetry. The hallmark of the company and the country name...
Category

1970s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Teak

Carl Auböck Model #4230 'Skull' Polished Brass Corkscrew
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Auböck Model #4230 'Skull' Polished Brass Corkscrew. Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural Viennese corkscrew is executed ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

1960s Japanese Fancy Modern Cocktail Bar Tool Set Stainless Steel & Rosewood
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Barware 1960s Japanese modern cocktail bar tool set sculpted stainless steel & tapered rosewood handles Crafted in stainless steel & rosewood Japa...
Category

1960s Japanese Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Stainless Steel

Set of 6 Vintage Gay Fad "Tribute to Firefighters" Highball Glasses
Located in Nantucket, MA
Set of 6 (two sets available) Mid-Century Modern highball glasses by Fran Taylor's Gay Fad Studio in the "Tribute to Firefighters" pattern. Decorated with red enamel and 22k gold, each glass has vertical bars with various words and phrases heard at the scene of a fire, superimposed over that are images of antique fire wagons...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Carl Auböck Bottle Opener, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Carl Auböck Bottle Opener, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Culver Ltd. Prado Gold Leaf Bar Hi-Ball Glass Set
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Classic set of six bar glasses from Culver ltd. ~Prado~ series. Hi-ball size with gold foil and emerald green squares. These are all in very good conditio...
Category

1960s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Opalescent Green and Brown Italian Opaline Pitcher from Florence
Located in Verviers, BE
Opaline di Florence (Empoli) opalescent green and brown Italian art glass pitcher with early factory label dating it to the late 1950s or early 1960s.  Beautiful hand-blown opal (gr...
Category

Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Murano Glass, Opaline Glass

Scorpio Vintage Bottle Opener Mid-Century Modern Metal Breweriana Barware
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1960s bottle opener. Nice addition to your room or just for use at your bar or bar cart. Found at an estate sale in Vienna, Austria.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Large Mid-Century Remy Martin Wooden Bottle Tipper Cognac Display Dispenser
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large Mid-Century Modern era wooden bottle tipper was likely made and bottled in the United States for the premier French cognac Remy Martin in circa ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass, Softwood

Set of Six "Name Your Poison" Cocktail Glasses by Cera for Neiman Marcus
Located in San Diego, CA
Great set of six double old fashioned "Name Your Poison" cocktail glasses (14oz) by Cera for Neiman Marcus, circa 1980s. Each glass has a different position listed on it including: H...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Vintage 1970's Lucite Ice Bucket with Tongs and Hinged Lid
Located in Doylestown, PA
1970's vintage chunky lucite ice bucket with solid cylinder handles, tongs and hinged lid. The bucket has a rounded square shape and is well crafted having good weight to it. The luc...
Category

1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Lucite

Sculptural Modern Wine Bottle Holder Brass & Cane Carl Aubock, Austria, 1950s
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Wine holder Sculptural wine bottle holder caddy carl Aubock Austria 1950s Unmarked Designed in brass and cane weave measures: 7.88 tall x 8.25 D x 3.88 W inches Preowned origina...
Category

1950s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Vintage Cera Glassware Cocktail Pitcher in the Old World Pattern
Located in Nantucket, MA
Vintage cocktail pitcher by Cera in the Old World Map pattern, with a map designed to look like an antique map on parchment in tans and 22k go...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Midcentury Teghini Firenze Silver Plate Pomegranate Italian Ice Bucket, 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
A wonderful midcentury silver plate wine cooler produced in Florence, Italy during the 1960s by Teghini Firenze. It has the shape of pomegranate and...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Silver Plate

Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Silvered Pineapple Ice Bucket and Sugar Bowl
Located in Firenze, IT
This Italian vintage set of decorative lidded bowls in the shape of pineapple will brighten your table. Stylish Mid-century Modern ice bucket and sugar bowl or candy box clad in a naturalistic silvered metal finish, manufactured in 1970 circa in the style of Mauro Manetti, Florence. The largest container is an ice bucket, so useful for ice cubes and even ice cream or sorbet, the cold is guaranteed by the internal removable tin liner, frozen for a long time as the lid sits tight on the bucket. The smaller pineapple, fitted with a removable blue glass vase can be used as a decorative candy box, sugar bowl or ashtray or trinket case...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal, Tin

Vintage Brass Horse Bottle Opener Mid-Century Modern Metal Breweriana Barware
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1930s bottle opener. Nice addition to your room or just for use at your bar or bar cart. Found at an estate sale in Germany.
Category

1930s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Hand Blown Glass Wine Decanter Bottle Stoppers in Green and Brown, Set of 3
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A set of three vintage hand-blown art glass bottle stoppers in emerald green and brown. This set of three includes two emerald green stoppers and ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass

Abalone Seashell and Acrylic Bar Kitchen Table Trivet
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful abalone seashell and two-tone acrylic bar, table or kitchen trivet, circa mid-20th century, USA. Colors include beautiful pearl pink and gr...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Abalone, Acrylic

Vintage Cocktail Shaker with Graduated Red Bar Decoration
Located in Nantucket, MA
Mid-Century Modern clear glass cocktail shaker with three panels of graduated red enamel bars and having a domed chrome lid.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Four Vintage Terrarum Orbis Geographica Pattern Rocks Glasses by Culver, Ltd
Located in Nantucket, MA
Four mid-century double rocks glasses by Culver in the Terrarum Orbis Geographica pattern having a tortoiseshell enamel ground with reserves showing the...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Carl Aubock Big Brass Key Cork Screw, Bottle Opener Paperweight, Austria, 1950s
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful cork screw bottle opener & paperweight in the shape of a large golden key, designed and executed by Carl Aubock Vienna, Austria, 1950s. The big model. A Carl Aubock clas...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

6 Vintage Old Fashioned Glasses by Georges Briard in the Forbidden Fruit Pattern
Located in Nantucket, MA
Set of six Mid-Century Modern old fashioned glasses by Georges Briard in the Forbidden Fruit pattern. Each of clear glass decorated in translucent...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid-Century Modern Rocks Glasses by Culver, LTD. with Leaves in Gold and Silver
Located in Nantucket, MA
Sic Mid-Century Modern rocks glasses by Culver, LTD. decorated with 22k gold and silver clusters of leaves.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Six Vintage Highball Glasses in the Atomic Style
Located in Nantucket, MA
Set of 6 Atomic period highball glasses with split black, orange and gold ellipses among a background of gold dashes on clear glass.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Auböck Brass Coin Bottle Opener, Around 1950s, Austria
Located in Wien, AT
Auböck brass coin bottle opener, around 1950s, Austria Oroginal condition.
Category

1950s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Fish Bottle Opener by Carl Auböck, Stainless Steel and Cane
Located in Kansas City, MO
Bottle opener by Carl Auböck. Stainless steel with rare cane cover detail. Hardly used.
Category

1950s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Stainless Steel

1978 Scottish Piper Decanter Bottle, Whisky Bottle, Made in Italy
Located in Antwerp, BE
Collectable 1978 Exclusivite K.L.E.M. Whisky Container, Made in Italy. A Bottle in the shape of a Scottish Piper - vintage collectable figural whisky ...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Cera Double Old Fashioned Glasses with 22k Gold Tassels and Cords
Located in Nantucket, MA
Four rare Mid-Century Modern double old fashioned glasses by Cera Glassware decorated in 22 karat gold with tasseled cords hanging from an openwork band with a gap and what appears t...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Wicker Basket Wine Bottle Holder Server, vintage Germany, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A Mid-Century Modern barware wicker basket bottle holder, Germany, 1960s. An all original midcentury item to display in your bar or just on a cupboard with a bottle of wine. Bottle n...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Wicker

Original Bar by Michael van Beuren "Domus Line"
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this rare and Original Bar designed by Michael Van Beuren for the "Domus" line, circa 1950, recently restored professionally.
Category

1950s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Pine

Val Saint Lambert Crystal and Gold Plated Ice Bucket, Barware, Belgium, 1950s
Located in Richmond, Surrey
Midcentury Val St Lambert crystal and gold-plated cocktail ice bucket, barware, Belgium, 1950s. A beautifully cut crystal ice bucket, made in Belgium by the prestigious house Val ...
Category

1950s Belgian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Cut Glass

Vintage Libbey Glass Co., Cane Pattern, Highball Glasses
Located in Nantucket, MA
Eight mid-century Libbey Glass Co., highball glasses, the lower half with raised enamel "cane" in natural color, the top edge of the glass is also enam...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Carl Auböck Nutcracker in Brass, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck Nutcracker in Brass, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Two Mid-Century Modern Handmade Massive Brass Champagne Buckets, 1950s Austria
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Handmade, wonderful patina. Two different heights 15.5cm and 20cm and two different diameters 15cm and 18.5cm.
Category

1950s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Set of Six Billiard / Pool Balls Roly Poly Cocktail Glasses with Box by Cera
By Cera
Located in San Diego, CA
Great set of six billiard / pool balls roll poly cocktail glasses by Cera with original "Rack 'em Up" box, circa 1970s. Each glass resembles a billiard ball with a number and colorfu...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Carl Auböck Horn and Steel Cork Screw, Austria, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck horn and steel cork screw, Austria 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Steel

Carl Auböck Set of 2 Cork Screws, Austria 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck set of 2 cork screws, Austria 1960s. Please get in touch with us regarding the exact measurements.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass, Steel

Mid-Century Modern Mexican Bar Car by Eugenio Escudero
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1950. We offer this Mexican modernist serving cart, made of mahogany wood black lacquered, with two rectangular shelves.
Category

1950s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Mahogany

Carl Auböck Pitcher, Austria, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck pitcher, Austria 1960s. The width of the item including the handle is 18 cm.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Leather, Glass

8 Vintage 22k Gold & Red Enamel Las Vagas / Monte Carlo Casino Highball Glasses
Located in Nantucket, MA
Mid-Century Modern highball glasses with casino / gambling motifs, including card suits, roulette wheels, dice and poker chips in red enamel and 22 karat gold on clear glass.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of Four Vintage Las Vegas Showgirls Figurative High Ball / Cocktail Glasses
Located in San Diego, CA
Super rare set of four vintage Las Vegas "Showgirls" figurative high ball / cocktail glasses, circa 1970s. Each glass has three nude showgirls 3-dime...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid-Century "Haig & Haig Scotch" Glass Decanter with Sterling Silver Overlay
By Haig & Haig Scotch
Located in San Diego, CA
Mid-century "Haig & Haig Scotch" three-sided glass decanter with sterling silver overlay, circa 1950s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no cips or cracks and measures...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Sterling Silver

Set of Four "Name Your Poison" Cocktail Glasses by Cera
By Cera
Located in San Diego, CA
Great set of four double old fashioned "Name Your Poison" cocktail glasses (14oz) by Cera, circa 1970s. Each glass has a different position listed on ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Carl Auböck Pair of Bottle Openers in Leather and Steel, Austria, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck set of two leather and steel bottle openers, Austria, 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Steel

Ice Bucket Lacquered Wood and Brass by Tommaso Barbi, Italy, 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
Ice bucket in lacquered wood and brass details by the Italian designer Tommaso Barbi, 1970s. Original label still attached (shown in pictures).
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal, Brass

Mid-century Modern barware for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern barware 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 barware created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern barware made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original barware, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Culver Ltd., Georges Briard, and Aldo Tura. 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 barware differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $29 and tops out at $295,000 while the average work can sell for $495.

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