Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
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 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
Recognized Seller Listings
Stylish Buccellati Modern Sterling Silver Figural Apple Lighter
By Buccellati
Located in New York, NY
Stylish Italian 800 silver lighter. Large apple with naturalistic irregular form and striated skin. Long stem with leaf. Underside has inset lighter. Italian maker’s mark (1944-68) a...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Laverne Originals Catalog (ABCDEF)
Located in New York, NY
Early catalog for Laverne Originals, the modern design company founded by Estelle and Erwine Laverne in 1938. From its modest origins producing primarily wallpapers and textiles, Lav...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Altamira: Italian Furniture Glassware Lamps Accessories
Located in New York, NY
Catalog showcasing high-end Italian furnishings and accessories, published circa 1956 by the fabled Altamira design center located at 18 East 50th St in New York City. Per the introduction, “Altamira is the only center in this country where Interior-Architecture by Italy’s foremost architects is represented together with furniture, handicrafts, accessories and every other element essential to the modern interior.” Altamira commissioned a line of furniture from Gio Ponti in 1953, crafted by Giordano Chiesa in Milan. Included were a number of Ponti’s iconic mid-century designs—the Distex lounge chair and a self-described masterpiece, the two-drawer desk, model AP 1025, are shown in the present catalog. Shown, too, are furniture designs by Ponti’s fellow “interior architects” and designers Marco Zanuso (produced by Arflex Milano), Enrberto Carboni, Enrico Peresutti of BBPR, Carlo Pagani, Enrico Taglietti, Nino Zancada, Ico and Luisa Parisi, Ignacio Gardella...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Altamira Catalog Circa 1956
Located in New York, NY
Mid-1950’s catalog for the fabled Altamira design center, located at 18 E 50th St in New York City, one of the top U.S. venues for high-end Italian design. Altamira commissioned a li...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Hohner "C-Tenor" Concert Woodwind Instrument Germany, Circa 1950
Located in Incline Village, NV
Hohner C-Tenor "Koncert" wooden recorder; this circa 1950, made in Germany instrument is in excellent condition (appears to be unused); is made of pearwood. It is in three pieces con...
Category
1950s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Ward Bennett Designs for Brickel Associates (2 Volumes)
Located in New York, NY
Two catalogs presenting Ward Bennett’s product designs for Brickel Associates, published circa 1977. Bennett (1917-2003) was an influential and acclaimed artist, sculptor, interior d...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic, Paper
Dunbar For Modern: Market Notes, January 8 to January 19, 1951
Located in New York, NY
Small format brochure published in January 1951 showcasing 39 Edward Wormley designs for Dunbar Furniture, presented at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. Highlights include the Sleepy Hollow chair...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Chairs by Harry Bertoia: Knoll Associates, Inc Brochure
By Knoll, Herbert Matter
Located in New York, NY
Knoll brochure featuring chair (and bench) designs by Harry Bertoia but also including work by Richard Schultz, Isamu Noguchi, and Florence Knoll. Publi...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Kartell 1968 Catalog: Lampade e Arredamento
Located in New York, NY
November 1968 catalog for the iconic Italian design company Kartell, divided into two sections: Lamps and Furnishings. Square 8vo with printed plasticized wrappers, 55 pages, lavishl...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Vintage Pair of 14k Yellow Gold Ridged-Hoop Earrings w/ Omega Clips
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE PAIR OF 14K YELLOW GOLD RIDGED-HOOP EARRINGS
Item # C104601
A very nice vintage pair of hoop earrings entirely crafted of 14 karat yellow gold, they hang on stud posts with ...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Mario Bellini for Brionvega 'RR 130 Totem' Stereo System in Chipboard
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Brionvega, 'RR 130 Totem' radiogram, chipboard, plastic laminate, Italy, 1970
Postmodern stereo system designed by Mario Bellini (1935-) for Brionvega, Milan. The ...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
Johan Rippen Grand Piano in Off-White Cast Aluminum
By Rippen Pianos
Located in Waalwijk, NL
J.J. Rippen for Rippen Pianofabriek N.V, grand piano, cast aluminum, wood, brass, The Netherlands, design 1946, production 1950s.
This model is a renowned grand piano conceived by ...
Category
1940s Dutch Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum, Brass
Pipe Rack in Brass and Leather by Carl Auböck, 1950′s
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Pipe Rack in Brass and Leather by Carl Auböck, 1950′s
Additional Information:
Material: Brass and leather
Style: Mid century, Austria
Produced in Austria
Dimensions: (W x D x H): 9 ...
Category
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Sterling Silver Thermometer by Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Mid-Century Modern-Period, sterling silver thermometer in working condition, Tiffany and Company, New York, circa 1950s. Works are made by...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Sterling Silver
Moderno, Design for Living in Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela, 1940-1978
By Clara Porset
Located in New York, NY
Catalog of a traveling exhibition opening at the America’s Society in New York in 2015. Published by Santillana. 4to, hardcover, 280 pages, with both full color and b/w illustrations, including a section of plates dedicated to the exhibit. With incisive essays by Gabriela Rangel, Jorge Rivas Perez, Lourdes Blanco, Ana Elena Mallet, Christina L. De Leon, Maria Cecilia Loschiavo Dos Santos, and Luis Canstaneda, along with historical texts by Clara Porset, Lina Bo Bardi and others, plus designer biographies. An important contribution to the understanding of Latin American postwar modernism...
Category
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Facendo Mobili Con Poltrona
By Poltronova
Located in New York, NY
Second edition of this compendium of radical and post-modern design produced by the Tuscan-based firm Poltronova from its early collaborations with Ettore Sottsass, who became Art Director in 1958, through the heyday of 1960’s anti-design and to the mid-1970s. Features work by both Old Guard masters and emerging leaders of the Radical Movement including (in addition to Sottsass) Archizoom, Superstudio, Sergio Asti, Gae Aulenti, Angelo Mangiarotti, Allesandro Mendini, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Gianni Ruffi, Giovanni Michelucchi, Gianfranco Fini, Mario Ceroli, Ugo Nespolo, Roberto Barni, Paolo Portoghesi, Gino Marotta, and the group De Pas, D’Urbino, and Lomazzi. Written by Pier Carlo Santini and published by Artigraf Edizioni in 1996, following its initial run in 1977. 4to, 181 pages with text in Italian; stiff printed wraps with printed brown paper dust jacket. Fully illustrated, primarily in black-and-white. Includes artist biographies. A scarce and significant resource chronicling the contribution of this avant-garde design firm. A crisp, collectible copy with only minor bumping to the dust jacket and extremities. From the estate of design guru Jim Walrod...
Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
Located in New York, NY
Important and lavishly produced survey of postwar California domestic architecture, written by Frank Lloyd Wright-trained California architect Herbert Weisskamp and published by Abrams in 1964. First edition, oblong 4to (10.25” x 7.25”) hardcover with pictorial dust jacket, 4 full color photos, 314 black-and-white photos (3/4 of them by Julius Schulman), plus 113 b/w plans, drawings, and elevations. Showcases the work of the following architects and landscape designers: Raphael Soriano, Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mark Mills, Aaron Green...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Katsura Tradition and Creation in Japanese Architecture
Located in New York, NY
Sumptuously produced treatment of the aesthetic and spiritual qualities of traditional Japanese architecture that resonated with and influenced Western modernism—think the simplicity and abstract beauty of tatami geometry combined with a holistic philosophy of indoor/outdoor living. The book itself is a cynosure of academic and graphic quality, with text by Walter Gropius and Kenzo Tange...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Edward Wormley Exhibition Catalog
Located in New York, NY
76-page catalog from the exhibition "Edward Wormley: The Other Face of Modernism," held at the Lin Weinberg Gallery in 1997. The exhibit helped re-introduce Wormley's work to the mar...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Kay Bojesen, Toy or Decorative Sculpture, Teak, Denmark, 1950s
By Kay Bojesen
Located in High Point, NC
A teak toy or animal sculpture designed by Kay Bojesen, Denmark, 1950s.
Dimensions variable, measured as illustrated in first image.
Category
1950s Danish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Teak
Vintage Cannon Shaped Iron and Brass Table Lighter
Located in New York, NY
Vintage cannon shaped iron and brass novelty table lighter.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Brass, Iron
Behind the Picture Window by Bernard Rudofsky
Located in New York, NY
First edition of Bernard Rudofsky’s idiosyncratic and iconoclastic discussion of modern living conditions in postwar America, published by Oxford University Press in 1955. 201 pages, 8vo, hardcover with pictorial dust jacket. Several black-and-white illustrations. Rudofsky (1905-1988), an Austrian/American architect, curator, critic, industrial designer, exhibition designer, fashion designer, and author is best-known for his controversial exhibitions and accompanying catalogs, including Are Clothes Modern? (MoMA, 1944), Architecture Without Architects (MoMA, 1964), and Now I Lay Me Down to Eat (Cooper-Hewitt, 1980). He is also famous for his mid-century Bernardo sandal designs, which are popular again today. Behind the Picture Window...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
La Ceramica in Italia
Located in New York, NY
Well-edited and lavishly illustrated survey of mid-century Italian ceramics, written by Hugo Blattler and published in Rome in 1958 by Aristide Palombi as part of the Arti Pratiche series, intended to contribute to an examination in depth of the material, as well as to the documentation and to the spreading of knowledge of each separate subject. Features vessels, lighting, fireplaces, and artworks by renowned artists such as Lucio Fontana, Salvatore Meli, Fauson Melotti, Gio Ponti, Antonia Campi, Marcello Fantoni, Franco Meneguzzo, Pietro Melandri, and Guido Gambone, along with a host of lesser-known figures. Stellar abstract designs throughout. Square 8vo (8.5” x 9”), 206 pages, hardcover, illustrated throughout in b/w. Slight lean to spine. Mild soiling to extremities, with chipping to corners. Professional repair to front hinge, as well as between pp. 194-5 and 204-5. Light chipping to first two leaves. The complete front cover remains of the dust jacket, which is still crisp and vibrant, with only minor chipping to top edge. Missing spine and back of dust jacket. A must-have for collectors and connoisseurs of Italian design and mid century ceramics.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
MId-Century Modern Sterling Silver-Mounted Honeywell Barometer
Located in New York, NY
Mid-Century Modern, sterling silver-mounted Honeywell barometer, Baldwin and Miller Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, Ca. 1950's. Barometer mechanism itself is made by the Honeywell Compan...
Category
1950s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Sterling Silver
1950s Modernist Chess Set
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A modernist chess set in chrome-plated brass with a vintage cork board. The pieces are differentiated by having either a smooth polished finish or ...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Italian Mid-Century Wrought Iron Armillary
Located in New York, NY
Italian Mid-Century Modern wrought iron armillary globe with a center sun surrounded by 9 movable planetary rings on a platform base.
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Iron, Wrought Iron
Vintage Italian 18k Yellow Gold and Cobalt Blue Enamel Bracelet by Uno-A-Erre
By UnoAErre
Located in Shippensburg, PA
18K YELLOW GOLD WITH COBALT BLUE ENAMEL BRACELET
Designed by Uno-A-Erre 7 3/8" wearable length 61.3 grams total weight
Item # 204ZKN15D
Designed by the renowned Italian goldsmith...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Vintage Italian 18k Yellow Gold Panther-Link Bracelet, 7" long
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE ITALIAN 18K YELLOW GOLD PANTHER-LINK BRACELET
Vincenza, Italy circa 20th century 7" wearable length
Item # C104248
A most substantial bracelet crafted entirely in 18 kara...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Kenneth Patchen Artist Book with Original Painting
Located in New York, NY
Panels for the Walls of Heaven, a square octavo volume of poems, abstract illustrations (based on paintings by the author) and outre typography, by experimental poet and artist Kenneth Patchen, published by Bern Porter...
Category
1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Saddle Leather Pipe Cradle
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A beautifully hand crafted pipe cradle made of rich, oiled and stitched saddle leather.
Category
1960s English Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Vintage Italian 14k Tri-Color Gold Chevron Pattern Bar-Link Bracelet
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 14K SOLID YELLOW, WHITE AND ROSE GOLD CHEVRON PATTERNED BRACELET
With a slinky flexible profile 75.5 grams total weight circa 1940-6...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Mid-Century American Airlines Wire Plane Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
American mid-century (1960s) American Airlines wire jet plane sculpture on a square wooden base.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Vintage Framed United States Map
Located in New York, NY
Vintage aged paper map of the United States mounted on particle board and framed in a simple wooden frame.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood, Paper
Vintage Italian 14K Tri-Color Gold Flexible Bar-Link Bracelet w/ Chevron Pattern
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 14K SOLID TRI-COLOR GOLD CHEVRON PATTERNED BAR-LINK BRACELET
With a slinky flexible profile 63.8 grams total weight circa 1940-60
Item # 111QZG03S
A very fine chevron pat...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Mid-Century Remote Control Model Airplane
Located in New York, NY
American (1950s) hand made model airplane with working engine and remote control.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Munchener Painted Coat of Arms with Giant Schnauzer
Located in New York, NY
Vintage (20th Century) coat of arms/family crest depicting a black dog atop a red and gold shield of sheep flanked on either side by bulls above a banner reading "Munchener," which c...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Acrylic, Wood
Vintage 14k Yellow Gold, Ruby and Diamond Cocktail Ring
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 14K YELLOW GOLD, RUBY AND DIAMOND COCKTAIL RING
With 5 rubies and 6 diamonds
Item # 109WJF22P
An elegant eye-catching cocktail ring with a playful composition, it features a...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Vintage 18k Yellow Gold Twisted-Rope Necklace with 14k Gold Accent
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE GOLD GRADUATED-TWIST ROPE NECKLACE
18k yellow gold with 14k white gold inner chain 44.3 grams total weight 17 3/8" wearable length
Item # C104243
A wonderful mid-century ...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Lady's Vintage Black Mink Hat by I. Magnin & Co. Circa 1965
By I. Magnin
Located in Incline Village, NV
Well made black mink hat designed and sold by I. Magnin & Company in the mid 1960's. The style, undoubtedly worn and made popular by Julie Christie in t...
Category
1860s American Antique Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Fur
Pierre Chareau: Un Inventeur, l'architecte
Located in New York, NY
Monograph on celebrated modernist architect and designer Pierre Chareau, published by Editions du Salon des Arts Managers in Paris, 1954. With text by Rene Herbst, preface by Francis...
Category
1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Mid-Century Luxury Liner Ship Model
Located in New York, NY
Mid-century model of a luxury liner boat / ship model painted red, white and blue with 2 smoke stacks supported on a stand.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paint
Vintage Hawaiian Shirt, Surf Board and Local Tropical Floral Design, Men's Large
Located in Incline Village, NV
Made of soft, smooth, rayon and with an authentic sewn in on three sides "Diamond Head Sportswear" label, this vintage Hawaiian shirt is from t...
Category
1970s Hawaiian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Fabric
"Lincoln Bank" Still Toy Savings Bank, American, circa 1950
Located in Incline Village, NV
This seldom seen bank is technically a mechanical bank but basically it is a still bank with a slight mechanical function, that being; once it is full of coins, it opens up automatic...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Tin
America's Best Small Houses Inscribed by William J. Hennessey
Located in New York, NY
1949 survey of small modernist houses in America, compiled and edited by William J. Hennessey based on selections by a jury of architectural photographers in...
Category
1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Vintage 18k Gold and Diamond Ring with Blue & Green Enamel
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 18K GOLD, BLUE & GREEN ENAMEL AND DIAMOND RING
9.8 grams total weight 7 round brilliant-cut diamonds marked "18K" & "ITALY"
Item # 109FTP14P
An incredibly fine and striking cocktail ring in size 7...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Tenacity & Boldness Painted Coat of Arms on Wood
Located in New York, NY
Vintage (20th Century) coat of arms, painted on weathered wood in a rectangular beveled walnut frame, depicting a small gray dog perched on a crown atop a blue and gold crest circling two animal silhouettes, and flanked by a lion and unicorn...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood, Walnut
Vintage Italian 14k Yellow Gold Mesh Choker Necklace
Located in Shippensburg, PA
ITALIAN 14K YELLOW GOLD MESH CHOKER NECKLACE
Marked "K14" & "ITALY"; circa mid-to-late 20th century
Item # 012HOR11Z
A piece that wears so comfortably, this gorgeous vintage Italia...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Large Framed Map of the Mediterranean
Located in New York, NY
Large map/chart chart of The Mediterranean and the Grecian Archipelago showing Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, part of France, etc. in a black frame.
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian 18k Yellow Gold Leaf-Cluster Heart Brooch
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE ITALIAN 18K YELLOW GOLD BROOCH
Leaf cluster in the shape of a heart 16 grams total weight
Item # C104225
A beautifully cast and finished brooch in the form of a heart, the...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Vintage Mid-Century Modernist Brutalist 14-Karat Yellow Gold Bracelet
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE MODERNIST 14K YELLOW GOLD BRACELET
Marked "14K ER" on clasp; circa mid 20th century
Item # 011JJP15Z
An exceptional statement piece, this very fine bracelet is distinctly Brutalist with a chaotic and sculptural form cast in 14K yellow gold. Each element is cast separately and is linked with hinges between each length. It is set with eighteen green doublet stones...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Modern 14k Bicolor Textured Woven Gold Flexible Strap Bracelet
Located in Shippensburg, PA
BEAUTIFULLY TEXTURED AND WOVEN 14K BICOLOR GOLD STRAP BRACELET
7 1/2" wearable length a substantial 62.36 grams marked "585"
Item # C104218
A brilliant and incredibly eye-catching design from the mid 20th century, it features a woven bicolor 14 karat gold fabric, the white gold high-polished bars flanking the inner yellow gold bars with etched and textured surfaces that reflect the light chaotically. Tiny bars...
Category
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Vintage 14 Karat Yellow Gold "Nugget" Bracelet, 31.7 Grams
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 14K YELLOW GOLD "NUGGET" BRACELET
Circa mid-20th century; stamped "14k" on clasp, "585" on safety hook
Item # 011XPP11A
Like treasure just discovered, this bracelet is cast...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Vintage 14k Gold Woven Choker Necklace w/ Modernist Diamond Pendant, 91.4 grams
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 14K YELLOW GOLD WOVEN CHOKER WITH DIAMOND SLIDE PENDANT
Circa mid 20th century; a substantial 91.4 grams
Item # 002CLU05E
A most substantial and complex graduated and woven choker necklace executed 14k yellow gold for a total weight of 91.4 grams. It features a high-polish modernist free-form pendant set with eight diamonds that slides freely along the length of the necklace. The back is secured with a pressure-tongue clasp with a textured button that easily releases the mechanism, this further secured with a safety wire clasp. The gold is finished throughout with a brilliant high-polish and remains in exquisite original condition. It is a dramatic evening piece - a Fine vintage acquisition...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Vintage Estate 14k Yellow and White Gold Bar-Link Strap Bracelet
Located in Shippensburg, PA
ESTATE 14K YELLOW AND WHITE GOLD TEXTURED BAR-LINK FLEXIBLE STRAP BRACELET
Circa mid-20th century 68.5 grams total weight 6 3/4" wearable length
Item # 104ZLN15S
An exquisite Mid-...
Category
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Mid-Century Modern 18 Karat Gold Flexible Link Strap Bracelet
Located in Shippensburg, PA
ESTATE 18 KARAT YELLOW GOLD FLEXIBLE-LINK STRAP BRACELET
Circa 3rd quarter of 20th century 7 7/8" wearable length 43.6 grams total weight
Item # 104UNL15A
Slinky and elegant, this...
Category
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Vintage Finely Sculpted 18K Gold Gemset Lion Brooch 'Converts to Pendant'
Located in Shippensburg, PA
FINELY SCULPTED 18K GOLD AND GEMSET LION BROOCH (CONVERTS TO PENDANT)
With rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds marked "18K"
Item # C104223
An incredibly fine design with intri...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Elegant 14k Yellow Gold Woven 7 1/4" Bracelet by POM circa 1960s
Located in Shippensburg, PA
MID CENTURY WOVEN AND TEXTURED 14K YELLOW GOLD BRACELET
Designed by POM, circa 1960s
Item # 011PNW15A
A delightful and most elegant mid-century bracelet executed entirely in 14k yel...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Paul Laszlo Catalog from 1947
By Paul Laszlo
Located in New York, NY
Scarce, self-published, 102-page catalog with laminated boards showcasing Paul Laszlo's work in and around Beverly Hills between 1937-1947. The Hungarian born and Vienna-educated Las...
Category
1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wire
Mid-century Modern collectibles and curiosities for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern collectibles and curiosities 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 collectibles and curiosities created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, decorative objects, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern collectibles and curiosities 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 collectibles and curiosities, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Line Vautrin, Dunhill, and Kay Bojesen. 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 collectibles and curiosities differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $15 and tops out at $130,932 while the average work can sell for $755.
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