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Modern Toys and Dolls

MODERN STYLE

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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chaircrafted 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.

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Style: Modern
Period: 1990s
Barbie Marilyn Monroe, Hollywood Legends Collection Doll
Located in Milano, IT
In the year 1997, a Barbie doll emerged from the depths of Hollywood's golden era to immortalize one of the most iconic moments in film history. She is none other than Barbie as Marilyn Monroe, a dazzling tribute to the legendary actress and her unforgettable role in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." This Barbie, a prized gem from the Hollywood Legends Collection by Mattel, is a breathtaking embodiment of Marilyn's timeless glamour. Adorned in the famous pink dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in the film, this Barbie exudes the allure and magnetism of a Hollywood icon. The dress, tailored to perfection, hugs her figure in all the right places, capturing the essence of Marilyn's seductive elegance. The intricate jewelry from the movie has been meticulously inserted into the Barbie, adding an extra layer of authenticity to this collector's masterpiece. But it is not just the dress and jewelry that make this Barbie extraordinary. What sets her apart is that she has remained intact, her box never opened since the day she was created. It has been a silent witness to the passage of time, a tribute to Marilyn Monroe's enduring legacy and her indelible mark on film history. The box set itself is very elegant, a window into the glamorous and intriguing world that Marilyn inhabited. It is adorned with images and drawings that pay homage to the unforgettable moments Marilyn brought to the silver screen. Opening this box would be like unveiling a piece of film history, releasing the magic of Marilyn Monroe into the world once again. Included in this collector's package is a doll stand...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Plastic, Paper

Hollywood Legends Collection Barbie Doll Scarlett O'Hara in Green Drapery Dress
Located in Milano, IT
In the enchanting year of 1994, a Barbie doll emerged, not as a mere plaything, but as a living legend. She embodied the timeless allure of Hollywood, capturing the essence of Scarle...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Plastic, Paper

Mattel The Great Eras Collection Barbie Victorian Lady 1996
Located in Milano, IT
In 1995, a Barbie doll emerged from the annals of history as a testament to the grace and elegance of a bygone era. It is Victorian Lady, a prized piece from Mattel's Great Era Colle...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Plastic, Paper

Barbie 1994 Scarlett O'Hara Gone with the Wind by Mattel
Located in Milano, IT
In the year 1994, amidst a world of fleeting trends and ever-changing fashions, there emerged a timeless icon, a Barbie doll that would captivate hearts and minds for generations to come. Her name was Scarlett O'Hara, dressed in a resplendent red velvet gown...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Plastic, Paper

1990s Stokke Children's Wood Rocking Horse Hippo by Wolfgang Rebentisch
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1990s Wood Rocking horse named Hippo Designed by Wolfgang Rebentisch for Stokke Norway Award winning design 45 long x 11.5 d x 21.5 Original preowned vintage condition Refer to all i...
Category

1990s Norwegian Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Wood

Pop Art Niki de Saint Phalle Inflatable Plastic Snake Collectibles, France 1999
Located in Miami, FL
Pop art Niki de Saint Phalle double sided inflatable plastic Snake collectibles, France, 1999. Swimming pool toys for happiness. Never used, New out of the ...
Category

1990s French Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Plastic

Pop Art Niki de Saint Phalle Inflatable Plastics Rhino Collectibles, France 1999
Located in Miami, FL
Pop Art Niki de Saint Phalle inflatable plastics Rhino collectibles, France, 1999. Toys for happiness.
Category

1990s French Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Plastic

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The Great Events of Great War in 7 Volumes Complete, First Edition
Located in valatie, NY
The Great Events of Great War in 7 Volumes Complete. The National Alumni, 1920. 7 vols. First edition hardcovers. This set done for Henry J. McKenney, Lieutenant 46th Infantry, 9th Division U.S. Army. Plate signed by the Commander and Chief Huston and the Adjutant General Elton with the official embossed seal. Illustrated with full-page gravures and protective tissues guards over each. Each volume is a facsimile of a famous binding ("The original art binding of the official French copy of the Versailles Peace Treaty which was signed by President...
Category

1920s American Vintage Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Paper

Chanel The Impossible Collection
Located in NEW YORK, NY
More than any other designer of her era, Gabrielle Chanel had the ability to predict the evolution of contemporary fashion. Self-inventor extraordinaire, Chanel revolutionized the lifestyle of her time by inventing a modern concept of luxe minimalism, elevating humble fabrics such as jersey and tweed to couture status, giving birth to a new Silhouette both sophisticated and discreet, setting her stamp on the twentieth century with her modern spirit of understated luxury. The house of Chanel represents modern fashion. Under its founder, the style of the modern woman was invented, through the image of Gabrielle Chanel herself. She dressed women to be free, and her emancipated clothes reflected the shifting landscape of society. Her designs fundamentally affected what we wear, and how we wear it. The work of the house under her successor Karl Lagerfeld has transformed fashion anew: He drew the template for a fashion designer reviving a moribund house with elements from its own history. Just as Chanel created modern fashion, Lagerfeld in turn established the blueprint of the modern fashion house. She reshaped the clothes women wear, he reshaped the industry that makes them. This book is a literary museum exhibition, a curated selection of 100 iconic and signature looks of the house of Chanel, from the timeless Little Black Dress to the impeccably simple tweed suit, the apothecary-style perfume bottle, two-tone pumps...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Other

Chanel The Impossible Collection
Chanel The Impossible Collection
H 18.7 in W 15.6 in D 3.1 in
The Great Dixter Cookbook
Located in New York City, NY

Seasonal recipes and expert planting guides from Great Dixter, Christopher Lloyd's quintessential English country garden

The Great Dixter Cookb...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Paper

The Great Dixter Cookbook
The Great Dixter Cookbook
H 10.63 in W 8.13 in D 1 in
Formula 1: the Impossible Collection
Located in NEW YORK, NY
A six-point safety harness wraps over your shoulders and between your legs, a head and neck brace clamps down your chest. The world ahead is visible only above a rim at eye level; the world behind is seen only through two mirrors little bigger than cigarette boxes. The start lights begin to illuminate red, and when they extinguish, your life will enter another dimension: this is not a fighter jet or a spacecraft, you are on the starting grid of a Formula One track, strapped into the world’s most technologically advanced racing car. The turbocharged engine, with more than 1,000 horsepower, is about to kick you in the backside, hurtling to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds, careening toward the first corner of the track. For the average reader, even driving a single lap of a Grand Prix would be impossible. But for the world’s twenty best racing drivers in the series’ ten teams, it is a way of life that is extreme in almost every facet. Selected by veteran F1 journalist Brad Spurgeon, Formula 1: The Impossible Collection chronicles the milestones that lifted Formula One from a gentlemen’s club in 1950 to a global sport with hundreds of millions of fans around the world, third in popularity only to the Olympics and World Cup soccer. Highlighting exceptional technical innovations, remarkable drivers’ achievements and exciting race finishes, this volume illuminates immortal names such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Enzo Ferrari, Colin Chapman, Bernie Ecclestone, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Jean Todt, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Metal

Formula 1: the Impossible Collection
Formula 1: the Impossible Collection
H 18.62 in W 15.51 in D 3 in
19th Century Italian Painted Wood Rocking Horse
Located in Atlanta, GA
19th century Italian painted wood rocking horse.
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Wood, Paint

21st Century Olimpia Round Bathroom Set Handmade in Italy in Artic Leather
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
Olimpia, in all its beauty. Our small tray, together with a soap dispenser and a toothbrush holder. A complete set with all the bathroom essentials presented here in a round shape...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Brass

Pair of Vintage Children's Ski Boots in Leather, Wasserdicht
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Child's waterproof leather ski boots. A pair of children's German square toe leather ski boots. The brown leather on the boots is in excellent condition, th...
Category

1940s German Vintage Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Leather

Animal Wind-up toy dog with spin tail, 1950s
Located in Delft, NL
Animal Wind-up toy dog ​​with spin tail, 1950s A wind-up animal toy, colored yellow with brown spots in velvety soft mohair and green glass eyes. On the belly the winding system wit...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Mohair, Straw

Eames Design: The Work of the Office of Charles and Ray Eames - Neuhart - 1994
By Ray Eames, Marilyn Neuhart, John Neuhart
Located in London, GB
First edition, third printing, published by Harry N. Abrams, 1994. Text by John & Marilyn Neuhart and Ray Eames. From a partnership that started with modest beginnings exploring the...
Category

1990s American Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Paper

Beautiful Children's Sewing Machine Toy Bear Cat Motive by Carl Sieper Germany
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful Children Toy sewing machine. Made of metal. Was made in the years right after WWII and is marked "Made Germany, British Zone". Made by C...
Category

1940s German Vintage Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Metal

American Naval Two Masted Clipper Ship Brig Model Under Glass, US Perry 20th C.
Located in Hollywood, SC
American Naval two masted clipper ship brig model mounted on stand under a glass case. The US Perry was a brig commissioned by the United States Navy October 1843 prior to the American Civil War...
Category

20th Century American Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Glass, Mahogany, Pine, Paint

Robert Innis Whaleship Model
Located in Norwell, MA
Hull model of an American Whaleship built by the ship model master Robert Innis. Showing the Innis style this model has built up bulwarks, great windlass...
Category

1960s Vintage Modern Toys and Dolls

Materials

Wood

Robert Innis Whaleship Model
Robert Innis Whaleship Model
H 8 in W 28 in D 5 in

Modern toys and dolls for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern toys and dolls 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 toys and dolls created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, decorative objects, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with plastic, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern toys and dolls 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 toys and dolls, popular names associated with this style include Ilse Silva, Miguel Silva, Wooda, and Muchi Decor by LA-RI S.r.l.. 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 toys and dolls differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $120 and tops out at $27,652 while the average work can sell for $865.

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