Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
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
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
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 celebrated 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.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. 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.
to
34
100
75
205
1
206
87
77
75
61
46
39
19
18
12
11
10
6
4
3
1
205
1
4
164
22
1
2
3
30
67
15
4
75
75
44
34
27
106
68
63
24
22
206
205
206
13
4
2
2
2
Style: Mid-Century Modern
Antique Fujica ST605N Camera
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Fujica ST605N camera. A classic 35mm SLR model produced by Fuji in the late 1970s. With a robust metal body and textured black details, this camera reflects the functional and durabl...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
Italian Mid-Century Floor Electric White Metal and Plastic Popcorn Machine, 1960
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century floor electric white metal and plastic popcorn machine, 1960s
Floor standing electric popcorn machine with square base in cream wh...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
Steve McQueen 'Bullitt' Original Vintage US One Sheet Movie Poster, 1968
Located in Devon, GB
In one of his most famous roles at the pinnacle of his career, Steve McQueen is the essence of cool as tough cop Frank Bullitt in this action-packed 1968 crime thriller, featuring on...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
'To Kill a Mockingbird' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Romanian, 1963
Located in Devon, GB
A scarce original poster for the first Romanian release of the 1962 American film adaptation of Harper Lee's 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel 'To Kill A Mockingbird,' which addressed themes of racism and injustice in the Deep South. Gregory Peck won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Alabama lawyer Atticus Finch, while his ten-year-old co-star Mary Badham was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for her role as daughter Scout. Robert Duvall made his big screen debut as the misunderstood recluse Boo Radley...
Category
1960s Romanian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong Signature Collage
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is an exclusive Apollo 11 Signature Collage. The celebratory and collectible collage is composed of a Sea of Tranquility photograph signed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, a signe...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
'Some Like It Hot' Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1959
Located in Devon, GB
Billy Wilder's timeless screwball comedy "Some Like It Hot" needs no introduction - with it's non-stop action, smutty one-liners, sexual innuendo and skilful blend of high and low co...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
Italian Murano Green Glass Wrapped Candy Christmas Tree Ornament
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
This Italian Murano glass wrapped candy ornament will make a great addition to your decor whether you use it on a tree or someplace else for the holidays or just add to your everyda...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Murano Glass
'Not of This Earth' Original Us One Sheet Movie Poster by Albert Kallis, 1957
By Albert Kallis
Located in Devon, GB
A Classic US one sheet poster for the 1957 B-movie thriller 'Not Of This Earth,' one of the earliest sci-fi movies made by prolific low-budget producer/director Roger Corman in what ...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
University of Pennsylavania Vintage Pennant by Collegiate Ames
Located in Philadelphia, PA
University of Pennsylavania
Vintage Pennant
by Collegiate Ames
"in good vintage conditions"
"size does not include tassels"
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Felt
'Easy Rider' Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1969
Located in Devon, GB
A touchstone of the American counterculture movement, Dennis Hopper's 1969 revolutionary road drama 'Easy Rider' defined a generation of disillusioned youth, marking a turning point ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
Vintage opera glasses - 20thc
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Vintage opera glasses - 20thc
Binoculars - object of curiosity
Measures : 10x5,5cm H:3,5cm
Wear consistent with age and use
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
Danish Flag Post on Marble Stand with Royal Monogram of King Frederik IX, 1947
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Danish flag post with Dannebrog on a marble stand with Royal Monogram of King Frederik IX.
The flag post is most likely made for the coronation of the Ki...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Marble, Silver Plate
Portrait Gallery of Grand Bostonians from Joe Tecce's
By Daniel Varoujan Hejinian
Located in Hanover, MA
Framed series of American modern pen and ink drawings, sixteen portraits of Boston "pols" and Italian American civic leaders, all of whom were the famous 'Friends of Joe Tecce's' of the eponymously named restaurant in Boston's North End.
The frame is sixteen feet long by one foot tall...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Plexiglass, Wood, Paper
'The Great Escape' Original Vintage US One Sheet Movie Poster, 1963
Located in Devon, GB
Best known for his action packed James Bond posters, American artist Frank McCarthy's dynamic design for John Sturges' spectacular 1963 wartime adventure 'The Great Escape' features king of cool Steve McQueen front and centre, leading co-stars James Garner, Richard Attenborough and their fellow prisoners of war in their legendary escape from a German cap during World War II. McQueen cemented his superstardom as the daredevil Captain Hilts, whose irreverence towards Nazi authority repeatedly lands him in solitary confinement, earning him the nickname 'The Cooler King,' before gunning his motorcycle over a barbed wire fence...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
1940s Vornado Antique Electric Powerful Metal Desk Table Fan
By Vornado
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1940s Vornado vintage antique electric fan powerful and silent.
Art Deco era electric table desk top fan with modern industrial design.
Has one ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
Antique Meikai Camera
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Meikai camera. Equipped with a New Meikai f-50mm lens. This simple lens, with optical glass and built-in UV filter, suggests a piece of equipment aimed at amateurs or casual photogr...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
Antiques Oxford Pennant, 1913
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Oxford Vintage Pennant, 1913
"in good vintage conditions"
"some small holes in the felt"
"great color and graphic"
"size does not include tassels"
Category
1910s Unknown Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Felt
'Cool Hand Luke' Original Vintage Australian Daybill Movie Poster, 1967
Located in Devon, GB
An uber cool Australian Daybill for the 1967 American prison drama 'Cool Hand Luke' starring Paul Newman in an Oscar nominated performance as the titular anti-hero, a free spirited prisoner who refuses to conform to the system, as indicated by the poster's tagline "The man... and the motion picture that simply do not conform." Acclaimed as one of the key movies of the 1960s, the film's anti-establishment ethos touched a nerve during a time of growing opposition to the Vietnam War. The Australian Daybill was printed using stone lithography based on US artist James Bama...
Category
1960s Australian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Antique Leitz Wetzlar Slide Projection Machine
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Leitz Wetzlar slide projector. With case for storage and transport. The black plastic frame features a functional design with a ventilated base and four small metal feet for stabilit...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
West Germany Hand Blown Elephant Christmas Tree Ornament Decoration
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
This is an unusual ornament, not expected to find and elephant ornament but he is festively dressed for the occasion. He does have some finish imperfections as I have tried to show i...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Blown Glass
'To Kill a Mockingbird' Original Vintage Australian Daybill Movie Poster, 1964
Located in Devon, GB
A scarce original stone lithograph poster for the first Australian release of the 1962 American film adaptation of Harper Lee's 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning ...
Category
1960s Australian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Czech, 1978
Located in Devon, GB
A fantastically bizarre poster by Jan Weber for the first Czech release of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total creative freedom from the demands of the big Hollywood studios, offering quirky and sometimes surreal interpretations which often had little reference to the film. Weber's intense halftone design featuring a triplicate of manic Jack Nicholson faces is presumably a nod to insanity and multiple personality disorders. Based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey...
Category
1970s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Nautical water color print 1966 Currier & Ives Panam Airline Menu Cover
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 1966 nautical portrait is of the clipper ship "Sweepstakes". Originally intended as a menu cover for Pan Am Airlines, this piece has never been us...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Post War 1953 Very Unusual Trencher Art Bookends In Bronze And Aluminum
Located in Miami, FL
Bookends with 1953 US Navy AER-53 Dummy Artillery Rounds
Elusive and historical pair of bookends, created during the post WWII period and the Korean war, back in the 1953-1955. They...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Bronze, Aluminum
Large Weird, Creepy, Perfectly Patinated Plastic Clown Head
Located in Kansas City, MO
It's strange and freaky, but so cool. Vintage Ronald McDonald plastic clown head sculpture. By the way, it is hollow inside and can be put over ones head an...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
1940s Isamu Noguchi Black+White Train Clock Modernist Japanese Industrial Design
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Sale includes both, and both clocks are untested, thus graded DISTRESSED, despite being cosmetically good.
Category
1930s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Bakelite
Antique Casin FM-135 Camera
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Casin FM-135 Camera. labeled as "Fashion Camera", it is a 35 mm camera, produced in the 1980s/1990s, in an attempt to combine simplicity, modern design and accessibility. Made of bla...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Plastic
The Beatles 'A Hard Day's Night' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1964
Located in Devon, GB
A rare and sought after Japanese B2 poster for The Beatles' first full-length feature film 'A Hard Day's Night,' which followed the fab four over an anarchic 36 hours in London at th...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Czechoslovakia House/Cottage Hand Blown Mercury Glass Christmas Tree Ornament
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
So, so sweet! This is a little silver mercury glass hand blown ornament in the shape of a cottage with a snowy glitter roof and ground and green doors and windows. The ornament is in...
Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Blown Glass
Vintage Table Top Apothecary Scale in Walnut & Brass, c. 1940's
Located in Deland, FL
A great design piece to round out your space. Vintage, unique and a rare find. Make it yours today!
Category
1940s Unknown Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Oak
West Germany Blown Silver Mercury Glass Crown Shaped Christmas Tree Ornament
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
Here is a sweet ornament that is very regal looking with a 3-D crown shape of bulbous ridges each has an alternating red and blue large dot with small gold dots above and below them,...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Blown Glass, Mercury Glass
'Moulin Rouge' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Lucjan Jagodzinski, Polish, 1957
Located in Devon, GB
Based on the novel by Pierre La Mure, the 1952 British film 'Moulin Rouge' is a fictionalized account of the life of street artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec as he pursues his art in ...
Category
1950s Polish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Italian mid-century modern Sunglasses in green glass and metal, mid 1900s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern Sunglasses in green glass and metal, mid 1900s
Vintage and fantastic sunglasses with green colored glass lenses and metal profile. The thin metal rods have...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
French Rally Cast Iron Trophy Car by Artist Rodolphe Mariotti
Located in Miami, FL
A fine quality and delightfully heavy sculpted iron motoring trophy car.
Automobile depicted is circa 1920s.
Collectible and Commemorative of the ‘Rally U.C.O.L. Challenge - Driver...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Brass, Iron
'An Ideal Husband' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Wiktor Gorka, Polish, 1956
By Wiktor Gorka
Located in Devon, GB
Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total creative freedom from the demands of the big Hollywood studios...
Category
1950s Polish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
Memento of Bruce Goff Professorship for Creative Architecture
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Rare numbered printing of Bruce Goff's "Le Mar." Printed as a memento of appreciation for friend of Mr. Goff's who helped to establish the Bruce Goff Profes...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
James Bond 'You Only Live Twice' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Australian, 1967
Located in Devon, GB
The fifth film in EON Productions' James Bond series and the last of Sean Connery's first stint starring as the suave secret agent, it was announced during filming of 'You Only Live ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
Czechoslovakia Blown Glass Glittery White Church Christmas Tree Ornament
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
Here is a quaint traditional style church made of glass blown into a mold and covered in shiny, aurora borealis glitter. It would make a fun, glittery white addition to your seasonal...
Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Blown Glass
Snow Cover Cottage/House Blown Glass Christmas Tree Ornament Decoration Lot of 3
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
This is an adorable set of three blown glass cottage or house Christmas tree ornaments with fun snow made of shiny glitter on the rooftops and ground and a decorated tree in front of...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Blown Glass
'Please, Not Now!' Original Vintage Australian Daybill Movie Poster, 1963
Located in Devon, GB
A sultry Brigitte Bardot sizzles on this striking stone lithography poster for the French screwball rom-com 'La Bride sur le cou,' released in Australia and the UK as 'Please, Not Now!' and in the US as 'Only For Love'. Bardot starred as the saucy young model who enlists a handsome doctor in a zany plan to make her boyfriend jealous when he goes off with an American heiress. Directed by Bardot''s former husband Roger Vadim...
Category
1960s Australian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
James Dean 'Rebel Without a Cause' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Finnish, 1956
Located in Devon, GB
A rare poster for the first Finnish release of the Classic 1955 teenage drama "Rebel Without A Cause," with artwork by Engel. Starring James Dean in his most celebrated role as a tro...
Category
1950s Finnish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
Mid-Century Investiture Chair Designed by Lord Snowden for Prince Charles 1969
By Remploy
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This chair was designed by Lord Snowden in 1969 and produced by Remploy for the Investiture ceremony of Prince Charles, and done in the period Mid-Cetury Modern style. The chair is made of ash with a bentwood back and painted in a bright red with Prince of Wales styled feathers on the back in gilt. These chairs are known as 'investiture chairs...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Wool, Bentwood
'An American in Paris' Original Vintage Australian Daybill Movie Poster, 1951
Located in Devon, GB
Printed in stunning stone lithography, this scarce Australian Daybill poster joyfully declared the original Australian release of MGM's 'An American in Paris' as "the gayest, the most gorgeous, the greatest musical ever." Inspired by a 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin, the classic 1951 musical starred Gene Kelly as an American ex-GI who remains in Paris after the war to become an artist and falls for a gamine Parisienne played by a nineteen year old Leslie Caron, who Kelly had spotted performing with the Ballets des Champs-Élysées two years previously. Following the devastation and trauma of the Second World War, producer Arthur Freed...
Category
1950s Australian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
Red Mercury Glass Flattened Ball Hand Painted Christmas Tree Ornament Lot of 4
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
Here is an impressive lot of four red mercury glass flattened ball Christmas tree ornaments, one of which is painted with gold paint and applied gold glitter. These would brighten up...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Blown Glass, Mercury Glass, Paint
James Dean 'East of Eden' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Romanian, 1968
Located in Devon, GB
A dark and moody photomontage teases the love triangle at the centre of the drama on this rare poster for the first Romanian release of Elia Kazan's 1955 adaptation of John Steinbeck...
Category
1960s Romanian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
'The Jungle Book' Original Vintage British Double Crown Movie Poster, 1967
Located in Devon, GB
An incredibly rare and charming British Double Crown poster for the 1967 Walt Disney animated classic 'The Jungle Book,' based on Rudyard Kipling's 1894 book of the same name, and th...
Category
1960s British Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
1970's Sergio Todeschini Bobo Telephone for Telcer, Italy
Located in Praha, CZ
Unique model of dial plastic phone by Sergio Todeschini, made in Italy in the 1970's.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Plastic
James Bond 'Goldfinger' Original Vintage Film Poster, Swedish, 1967
By Gosta Aberg
Located in Devon, GB
Considered the quintessential and definitive Bond film, the third instalment in EON Productions' James Bond series set the template for many of the subsequent films, with its tongue in cheek humour, extensive use of gadgets and technology and multiple foreign locations. The first Bond blockbuster, 1964s 'Goldfinger' was also the first Bond film to utilise a standalone pre-credits sequence, the first to employ a pop star to sing the theme song and the first to win an Academy Award. The plot saw 007 uncover a plot to contaminate the United States gold reserve at Fort Knox while investigating the smuggling activities of powerful gold magnate Auric Goldfinger. This stunning poster designed by prolific Swedish...
Category
1960s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
Vintage WW2 Era Genco "Four Aces" Military Pilot Pinball Machine Back Glass
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This vintage back glass was made by Genco of the United States for their 'Four Aces" military inspired pinball arcade game. The back glass is presumably silk screened in multiple col...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Glass
'Motorpsycho' Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1965
Located in Devon, GB
"Cyclemaniacs assaulting and killing for thrills! Bike riding hoodlums flat-out on their murder cycles."
A motorcycle blasts through the newspaper headlines on this explosive US O...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Linen, Paper
6 Le Cirque N.Y. Oval 11" Plates Designed By Adam D. Tihany For Villeroy & Boch
By Adam Tihany
Located in Bridgeport, CT
From pasta primavera to world-renowned decadent desserts, Le Cirque's ubiquitous reputation for presenting its fine dining fare with whimsy and fun, landed it on the map of must-dine...
Category
20th Century Luxembourgish Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Porcelain
'Mon Oncle' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Olle Olsson Hagalund, Swedish, 1959
Located in Devon, GB
A rare poster for the first Swedish release of the 1958 Classic French slapstick comedy "Mon Oncle", written, directed, produced by and starring Jacques Tati as the eccentric hero Monsieur Hulot, struggling to fit into an increasingly modern and mechanised France. Tati's satire of Postwar consumer society was popular even in the US, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Olle Olsson...
Category
1950s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Antique Groton Inn Crest Restaurantware Plate – Early 20th Century Hotelware
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A rare antique porcelain plate bearing the crest of the historic Groton Inn, one of America’s oldest inns, dating back to the 17th century. A fine example of early 20th-century hotelware, this piece showcases the durable yet elegant craftsmanship typical of institutional porcelain used in prestigious establishments.
Design Features:
• Crested Emblem: The plate prominently features the Groton Inn’s crest, with intricate detailing and subtle accents in red and gold, reflecting the inn’s storied history.
• Classic Style: Simple green and gold border lines encircle the rim, adding understated elegance.
• Material: High-quality glazed porcelain with a sturdy, utilitarian design typical of early hospitality tableware. It is very sturdy and feels almost like ironstone.
• The bottom is marked with the maker in green and reads, "Mitchell Woodbury Co., Mayer China, Boston".
Historical Significance:
The Groton Inn, originally established in 1678 in Groton, Massachusetts, was a landmark of American history and culture...
Category
Early 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paint
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Life Magazine President Johnson, December 1964
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Vintage LIFE Magazine from December 1963. This piece is in a wonderful vintage condition consistent with age and use. We think this would be a great gift for the political junkie per...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Audrey Hepburn, Original Vintage Photograph by Vincent Rossell, Paris, 1962
Located in Devon, GB
From the Personal collection of Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn and William Holden on the set of 'Paris When it Sizzles,' Paris, 1962 by Vincent...
Category
1960s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Other
Vintage Lions Club International Metal Plaque / Painted Advertising Sign, 1940´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Vintage Antique Lion´s Club International Plaque / Sign with mostly original hand paint. It has some age wear, but overall very good conditions.
Vintage Lions Club International metal plaque...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Metal
James Bond 'Dr. No' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Yugoslavian, 1962
Located in Devon, GB
Based on Ian Fleming's novel of the same name, the 1962 release of 'Dr. No' first introduced the world to one of the most enduring characters in Western cinema and kicked off one of the most successful film franchises of all time. Suave British spy James Bond travels to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent, where he battles a megalomaniac scientist bent on disrupting the US space programme. In the same way that the first film established many of the themes and visual aspects that came to be associated with the James Bond series, the first film posters set a template for the visual representation of Bond that has seen little deviation over the past 60 years. Based on a design by David Chasman, illustrator Mitchell Hooks...
Category
1960s Slovenian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper, Linen
"Teammates in Mankind's Greatest Adventure" Signed Poster by National Geographic
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is an original autographed poster from a 1973 issue of National Geographic magazine, celebrating the historic Apollo missions from the fir...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Paper
Mid-century Modern historical memorabilia for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern historical memorabilia 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 historical memorabilia created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, wall decorations, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with paper, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern historical memorabilia 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 historical memorabilia, popular names associated with this style include Vincent Rossell, Lance Wyman, Gosta Aberg, and Albert Kallis. 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 historical memorabilia differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $70 and tops out at $58,950 while the average work can sell for $1,399.