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Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

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
Period: 1940s
Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Black-Lacquered Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A set of 5 brass and black-lacquered brass coat hangers designed and produced in Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Black-Lacquered Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A set of 5 brass and black-lacquered brass coat hangers designed and produced in Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Black-Lacquered Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A set of 5 brass and black-lacquered brass coat hangers designed and produced in Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Gilt Bronze Fleur Box by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1945-1950. The box called "Fleur" (Flower) features a round form with stylized...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Italian Designer, Coat Hanger, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass coat hanger designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Antique Italian Classic Carved Walnut Magazine Rack Blue Velvet Florentine Lily
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Antique Italian classic carved walnut magazine rack blue velvet Florentine lily.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Walnut

Italian Designer, Coat Rack with Shelf, Brass, Glass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass and glass coat rack with top shelf, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Vintage Viking Arrow Bronze Broosch by Kalevala Koru, Finland 1940s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Special vintage and Viking inspired bronze brooch desigend as an arrow by Kalevala Koru, Finland 1940s. Inspired by archaeological finds from the Viking age...
Category

1940s Finnish Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Monumental Luigi Caccia Dominioni Brass Umbrella Stand for Azucena, Italy, 1949
Located in Milan, IT
Monumental Luigi Caccia Dominioni brass umbrella stand for Azucena, Italy, 1949 Reference: Domus No. 239 October 1949.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Double Coat Hanger, Brass-coated Metal, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A double coat hanger / coat rack designed and produced in Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal

Wood and Metal Coat Rack, circa 1930
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Wood and metal coat rack, circa 1930. By unknown manufacturer. (France). In original condition, with wear consistent of age and use, preserving a beautiful patina.
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Pair of Beech and Copper Barrel Bookends, France, circa 1940
Located in Labrit, Landes
Pair of French bookends Beech and copper, made in France Shipping: L 20 P D 15 H 12 1 kg.
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Copper

Italian Designer, Set of 5 Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A set of 5 brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Fontana Arte, Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by Fontana Arte, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Rack, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass coat rack designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Glass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and glass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Rack with Shelf, Brass, Glass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass and glass coat rack with top shelf, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Large Gilt Bronze Feuille Box by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large cast bronze powder box (poudrier) by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1945-1950. The box called "Feuille" (Leaf) features an irregular leaf form wit...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Italian Designer, Coat Rack, Brass, Mirror, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass and mirror glass coat rack designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

French Cerused Nightstand Side Cabinet Bedside Table Marble Top, 1940
Located in Labrit, Landes
French side cabinet nightstand bedside table marble top midcentury Cerused recently Very good condition Shipping: P 34 x L 55 x H56 cm 17...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Marble

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers With Shelf, Brass, Glass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and glass coat hangers with top shelf, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Midcentury 1940s Expanded Metal and Iron Magazine Rack
Located in San Diego, CA
1940s expanded metal and iron magazine rack. A refined design with a great patina.
Category

1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Iron

Italian Designer, Set of Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Glass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and glass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Multicolored Set of Coat Hangers, Metal, Rubber, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A set of four metal and red, green, blue and yellow rubber coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Fontana Arte, Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers designed and produced by Fontana Arte, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Acrylic, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and acrylic coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Five Sculptural Italian Brass Coat Hangers, 1940s
Located in Milan, IT
Five Sculptural large Italian brass coat hangers, 1940s five pieces are available.     
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Mexican Modern Sterling Silver Brooch William Spratling
Located in Atlanta, GA
A modernistic sterling silver brooch by William Spratling from the first period 1940-1944. Made in his studio in Taxco, Mexico. The brooch features an abstract woven motif within a b...
Category

1940s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Sterling Silver

Monumental and Unique Luigi Caccia Dominioni Wood Coat Rack, Italy, 1942
Located in Milan, IT
Monumental and Unique Italian Architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni wooden coat rack, Italy 1942 Made for a children's room. Reference: Domus No. 170 February 1942. p. 61.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

French Art Bronze Brooch St Eloi by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A rare bronze brooch St Eloi by Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin ((French, 1913–1997) circa 1946. Brilliantly designed in the shape of horseshoe with the saint spreading his arms ho...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Large-Scale Vintage Military Globe / Activity Globe by A.J. Nystrom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Machine Age-style A.J. Nystrom of Chicago Military or Activity Globe composed of a spun metal blue orb with green slated land masses outlined in yellow. These globes were used by the...
Category

1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal

Viking Inspired Bronze Broosch by Kalevala Koru, Finland 1940s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Special vintage and Viking inspired oval bronze brooch by Kalevala Koru, Finland 1940s. Great natural patina with lovely relieffs and decor. Stamped on ...
Category

1940s Finnish Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Italian Designer, Coat Hangers, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

1940's-50s Playground / Carnival Elephant Slide, Garden Ornament, Sculpture
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage 1940's-1950's Elephant themed playground slide. Garden ornament, sculpture. Children's outdoor slide retaining painted elephant to both sides,...
Category

1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal, Steel, Stainless Steel

Luigi Caccia Dominioni 'Attributed' Coat Racks, Lacquered Metal, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of black-lacquered metal coat racks attributed to Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Italy, 1940s.  
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal

Luigi Caccia Dominioni 'Attributed' Coat Racks, Lacquered Metal, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of black-lacquered metal coat racks attributed to Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Italy, 1940s.    
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal

Bronze Brooch by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A lovely brooch in gilt cast bronze made by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1940s. The brooch belongs to a collection called "The moon and the starts in th...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Italian Designer, Set of Three Coat Hangers, Brass, Acrylic, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A set of three brass and acrylic coat hangers, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Pair of Coat Racks, Brass, Resin, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and resin coat racks, designed and produced by an Italian designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Wrought Iron Coat Rack with Mirror circa 1940
Located in Austin, TX
French wrought iron coat rack with mirror circa 1940.
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wrought Iron, Metal

Pair of Beds Attributed to Guglielmo Pecorini, Cherry Wood, Italy, 1940s
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of beds attributed to Guglielmo Pecorini, Cherry wood, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Rope, Cherry

Set of Five Coat Hanger Rack in Murano Glass & Brass by Venini, Italy, 1940s
Located in Rome, IT
Set of five coat hangers in Murano glass with brass hooks by Venini. Produced in Italy in the 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal, Brass

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 More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Paper

Paul Frankl "Station Wagon" Three-Drawer Chest for Johnson Furniture
Located in Hanover, MA
Gorgeous three-drawer nightstand chest by Paul Frankl from his highly coveted "Station Wagon Group" created in 1945 for Johnson Furniture Company of Grand Rapids. Branded mark in top...
Category

1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

1940s Los Castillo Abstract Cross Thick Mahogany Wood + Sterling Silver Mexico
Located in Chula Vista, CA
AMBIANIC offers Modernist Abstract Sterling Silver Cross in Mahogany Wood. Mexico, 1940s Attribution to Los Castillo of Mexico Dimensions are: 4.5 H x 2.75 W x .5 Original Unrestored...
Category

1940s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Sterling Silver

French Sculptural Bronze Bracelet 'La Manif" by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A gilt bronze bracelet by Line Vautrin (1913-1997), circa 1945-46. The design is known as "La Manif" or "La Manifestation", which features a chain of arm-linked figurines. Monogramme...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Aluminum Mannequin Torso Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Made out of a material far more interesting than your standard dress form, this oddly unique, mannequin torso is both playful and sleek. A true stateme...
Category

1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Aluminum

French Art Bronze Bracelet by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A rare cuff bracelet in gilded and silvered bronze by Parisian art jewller Line Vautrin (1913-1997). The playful piece is called "Le gendarme et le voleur"...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bronze

Mid-century Modern more furniture and collectibles for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern more furniture and collectibles 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 more furniture and collectibles created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, tables, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern more furniture and collectibles 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 more furniture and collectibles, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Lawson-Fenning, Paul McCobb, and Lane Furniture. 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 more furniture and collectibles 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 $295,000 while the average work can sell for $1,397.

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