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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chair — crafted 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.
$6,242 / item
Universe Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Black gunmetal 3 arm contemporary chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: D 25 x W 128.2 x H 178 cm Materials: solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Finish: black gunmetal. Also avai...
Metal, Brass
$11,972 / item
Soap B7 MD Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Black gunmetal 7 arm chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: W 150.2 x D 23 x H 173.4 cm Materials: solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Max wat...
Metal, Brass
$431 / item
Large Light’In Lantern by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Light’In lantern by Lassen Dimensions: D 14 x W 14 x H 28 cm Materials: Metal Also available in different dimensions. Weight: 2.00 Kg With a sharp sense of contemporary Functionalist style, Mogens Lassen designed the iconic Kubus candleholder in 1962, a piece once reserved solely for family and close architect colleagues. In 1983 he reapproached his own geometric candleholders...
Metal
$385 / item
Medium Light’In Lantern by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Light’In lantern by Lassen Dimensions: d 10 x w 12 x h 24 cm Materials: Metal Also available in different dimensions. Weight: 1.75 Kg With a sharp sense of contemporary Functionalist style, Mogens Lassen designed the iconic Kubus candleholder in 1962, a piece once reserved solely for family and close architect colleagues. In 1983 he reapproached his own geometric candleholders...
Metal
$9,334 / item
RD15 6 Arms Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Polished Nickel 6 arm chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: Diameter 139 x Height 165.1 cm Materials: Solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Fin...
Metal, Nickel
$7,806 / item
Universe Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Polished Nickel 3 arm contemporary chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: D 25 x W 128.2 x H 178 cm Materials: Solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Finish: Polished Nickel. Also availa...
Brass, Nickel
$14,002 / item
RD15 8 Arms Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
RD15 8 Arms Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: Diameter 200.3 x H 180 cm Materials: Solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Finish: Polished Nickel. Also available ...
Nickel
$6,242 / item
Universe Brass Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass 3 arm contemporary chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: D 25 x W 128.2 x H 178 cm Materials: solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Finish: solid natural brass. Also available...
Brass
$8,026 / item
Soap 6 DT Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Soap 6 DT Chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: W 117 x D 117 x H 173 cm Materials: Metal, hand blown glass globes Finishes: Polished nickel Other finishes available: Black gunmetal...
Brass
$7,467 / item
RD15 6 Arms Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
RD15 6 Arms Black Gunmetal chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: diameter 139 x height 165.1 cm Materials: solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Finish: black gunmetal. Also availab...
Metal, Brass
Hand Built Glazed Ceramic Night Lamp
Located in Miami, FL
Hand Built Glazed Ceramic Night Lamp Offered for sale is a handmade functional art ceramic night lamp that is signed and dated by Rexx Fischer. Rexx is a painter and ceramicist. He ...
Ceramic
Luxor - Contemporary Candle Lantern in Carrara Marble - (Medium Size)
Located in Cologna Veneta, IT
Luxor - Designed by Bruna Rapisarda. Precious details that discreetly illuminate. The Luxor lantern was created to evoke evocative atmospheres, reinterpreting tradition in a contem...
Marble, Carrara Marble
$2,823 / item
Walnut Tetra Floor Light by Hollis & Morris
Located in Geneve, CH
Walnut Tetra floor light by Hollis & Morris Dimensions: 21" x 21" x H 20" Materials: Solid wood, Hardwax Oil. LED lights. Also available in natural oak, black oak, white oak, and...
Walnut
$2,695 / item
Oak Tetra Floor Light by Hollis & Morris
Located in Geneve, CH
Oak Tetra floor light by Hollis & Morris Dimensions: 21" x 21" x H 20" Materials: solid wood, hardwax oil. LED lights. Also available in natural oak, black oak, white oak, and wa...
Oak
$18,868 / item
Lucilla Lamp by Imperfettolab
Located in Geneve, CH
Lucilla lamp by Imperfettolab 2010 Dimensions : Ø 100 x D 195 cm Materials : Fibreglass Modular lamp system. Imperfetto Lab Who we are ? We are a family. Verter Turroni, ...
Fiberglass
$11,201 / item
RD15 8 Arms Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
RD15 8 Arms Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: Diameter 200.3 x H 180 cm Materials: Solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Finish: Black Gunmetal. Also available in fin...
Brass
$6,242 / item
Universe Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Black gunmetal 3 arm contemporary chandelier by Schwung. Dimensions: D 25 x W 128.2 x H 178 cm. Materials: solid brass, hand-blown glass globes. Finish: black gunmetal. Also ava...
Metal, Brass
$4,644 / item
RD15 3 Arms Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Black gunmetal 3 arm chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: W 97.8 x D 97.8 x H 143 cm Materials: solid brass, hand blown glass globes Lamp: 3...
Metal, Brass
$19,253 / item
RD15 12 Arms Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
RD15 12 arms polished nickel chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: W 140 x D 140 x H 89.1 cm Materials: Solid brass. Hand blown glass globes Finishes: Polished nickel. Available also ...
Nickel
$7,806 / item
Universe Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Polished nickel 3 arm Contemporary chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: D 25 x W 128.2 x H 178 cm Materials: solid brass, hand-blown glass globes. Finish: polished nickel. Also a...
Brass, Nickel
$5,799 / item
RD15 3 Arms Polished Nickel Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
Polished Nickel 3 arm chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: W 97.8 x D 97.8 x H 53 cm Materials: Solid brass, hand-blown glass globes Lamp: 3...
Metal, Brass, Nickel
$15,402 / item
RD15 12 Arms Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung
Located in Geneve, CH
RD15 12 Arms Black Gunmetal Chandelier by Schwung Dimensions: W 140 x D 140 x H 289 cm Materials: Solid brass. Hand blown glass globes Finishes: Black gunmetal. Available also in ...
Brass
Large German Silver-Plated Hanging Lantern by WMF
By WMF Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik
Located in London, GB
Large German silver-plated hanging lantern by WMF German, c.1920 Height 90cm, diameter 24cm Consisting of a round pointed gadrooned finial suspended by curb chains and surmounte...
Silver Plate