Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.
From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.
Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.
The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.
Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.
Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.
Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1970's Mod Pop Desk by Broyhill Premier
By Broyhill
Located in Hanover, MA
Mold injection bright green acrylic drawer panels set in white painted case with white laminate top on pair of painted cast aluminum 'Tulip' style pedestal legs. An homage to Raymond...
Aluminum
Space Age Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl Directors Igl-Jet Fiberglass Desk, 1970s
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Space Age Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl directors Igl-Jet fiberglass desk, 1970s This design really evokes the ethos of the seventies - a bright and bold era - with the commonly u...
Fiberglass
$15,206
Bernard Govin's desk
Located in Saint Ouen, France
This Bernard Govin desk is the only one currently on the market. Its design is as precise as the other pieces by this designer. The workmanship is of the highest quality. Bernard Go...
Stainless Steel
Desk in Parchment "Leather" and Wood from the 50s, made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our A...
Leather, Wood
Red Lacquered Wood Desk from the 50s, Italian
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our Argentina galleries are shipped directly to your address via air freight. • Simplified Customs Management: We handle the processing of export permits and the payment of customs duties. You will receive your purchase without additional paperwork or surprise costs. • High-Security Packaging: Following FedEx international standards, each piece is protected in custom-made wooden crates, designed to withstand 1-meter impacts and ensure the integrity of the object during transit. • Note for shipments to the USA: To comply with shipping company regulations and ensure delivery at the destination, a valid tax ID (EIN, SSN, or ITIN) is required. • Domestic US Shipping: For those pieces available in our United States storage, logistics are managed through 1stdibs. Personalized Restorations Our team of expert artisans offers restoration services tailored to your aesthetic preferences and design needs: • Cabinetry and Polishing: We perform polishing work on woods, allowing for transitions from light to dark tones (including deep black finishes). • Upholstery: We reupholster chairs and armchairs with fabrics or leathers of your choice, guaranteeing a high-quality finish. • Lighting: We adapt ceiling lamps by shortening smooth rods to adjust them to the height of your rooms. • Metal Treatment: * Restoration of chromed or silver-plated bronze pieces to their original state. o Chroming or silver-plating services for bronze objects. Personalized Quotes: We would be delighted to advise you and provide a quote for any intervention according to your personal taste. Red lacquered wood desk...
Wood
Italian Desk from the 60s
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our Argentina galleries are shipped directly to your address via air freight. • Simplified Customs Management: We handle the processing of export permits and the payment of customs duties. You will receive your purchase without additional paperwork or surprise costs. • High-Security Packaging: Following FedEx international standards, each piece is protected in custom-made wooden crates, designed to withstand 1-meter impacts and ensure the integrity of the object during transit. • Note for shipments to the USA: To comply with shipping company regulations and ensure delivery at the destination, a valid tax ID (EIN, SSN, or ITIN) is required. • Domestic US Shipping: For those pieces available in our United States storage, logistics are managed through 1stdibs. Personalized Restorations Our team of expert artisans offers restoration services tailored to your aesthetic preferences and design needs: • Cabinetry and Polishing: We perform polishing work on woods, allowing for transitions from light to dark tones (including deep black finishes). • Upholstery: We reupholster chairs and armchairs with fabrics or leathers of your choice, guaranteeing a high-quality finish. • Lighting: We adapt ceiling lamps by shortening smooth rods to adjust them to the height of your rooms. • Metal Treatment: * Restoration of chromed or silver-plated bronze pieces to their original state. o Chroming or silver-plating services for bronze objects. Personalized Quotes: We would be delighted to advise you and provide a quote for any intervention according to your personal taste. Red lacquered wood desk from the 60s...
Wood
Desk in Parchment "Leather" and Wood from the 50s, France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our A...
Wood, Leather
Italian Desk in Wood from the 50s
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our A...
Wood
$7,595
H 29.5 in W 76 in D 38 in
1970s Romweber Burl Wood and Gold Trim Executive Desk with Filing Drawers
By Mastercraft, Romweber Furniture Co., Bernhard Rohne
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Luxury, pure and simple. Well maybe not so simple… this burled Carpathian elm wood executive desk wears its gold trim like fine jewelry. The vintage 1970s desk captures the glamour of the era. The chocolate hued wood is illuminated with brilliant gold-colored metal handles, legs, and bezel. This is no dainty beauty. Designed for serious work and sophisticated environments, the desk features a suite of functional enhancements rarely found in pieces of this era. Three pull‑out table tops, one at the back, and one on each side. These convenient pull-out tables expand the usable surface area for devices or collaborative work. A long center drawer with an integrated organizing tray keeps essentials elegantly contained. On the left and right, two shallow top drawers provide quick‑access storage. Two deep file drawers (one left, one right) accommodate modern organizational needs. These file drawers lock, one key is included. Attention to detail rings throughout the design. Meant to be admired from all angles, it is a true work of art. Romweber, founded in Indiana and known for its uncompromising standards, produced some of the finest American case goods of the 20th century. This desk is a testament to that legacy: substantial, impeccably built, and designed to endure for generations. Its scale, materials, and craftsmanship make it an exceptional choice for executives and collectors seeking a statement piece that communicates authority, taste, and heritage. We also have a matching, equally grand, Romweber executive office credenza with file...
Brass
$3,134
H 29.93 in W 47.25 in D 23.23 in
Hollywood Regency Faux Bamboo Cane Desk with Tortoise Finish, 1970s
Located in Antwerp, BE
A highly decorative Hollywood Regency desk in the Palm Beach manner, featuring a faux bamboo frame with a richly variegated tortoiseshell finish. The rectangular top is inset with wo...
Brass
Empil Desk
By Drugeot
Located in Courbevoie, FR
A streamlined side facing a disorganized side, the Empil desk plays with contrasts. A combination of 4 cases that can be set as one wishes. It offers the features of a classic desk. ...
Oak
Jacques Adnet Leather Desk and Chair, 1950s France
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Exceptional Art Deco era desk with matching chair by French modernist designer Jacques Adnet. Entire desk is wrapped in leather. Iron frame with 4 po...
Brass, Iron
$6,750
H 55 in W 55.75 in D 96.25 in
Stewart MacDougall 1970s Room Divider with Desk, Birch, Walnut & Formica
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautifully conceived room divider with integrated desk from the 1970s, designed by Stewart MacDougall. Crafted in a harmonious blend of birch, warm walnut, vibrant Formica, and sl...
Metal
Donald Deskey Machine Age Desk
Located in New York, NY
Rare desk in walnut and banded copper-plated aluminum, designed by Donald Deskey and produced by Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Company, circa 1929. A strong statement of Machine Age aesth...
Copper
$2,726Sale Price|22% Off
H 29 in W 61.88 in D 25 in
1960's English Regency Style Pecan Desk Console by Thomasville
By Tommi Parzinger, Thomasville
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This English Regency style pecan writing desk by Thomasville would be perfect in any room. Desk, console, or entryway table to name a few. The stain / tone appears to be in the fam...
Brass
Italian Louis XV Style Elegant Writing Desk
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
We present this elegant Italian desk dating back to the second half of the 20th century. An extremely refined desk, inspired by the Louis XV style. Featuring a captivating design wi...
Bronze
1968 Executive Desk
Located in Hanover, MA
Executive desk formerly belonging to noted architect George M. Notter, (1933–2007) of the Boston firm Anderson Notter Finegold (now known as Finegold Alexander Architects). Current institutional memory at the firm suggests it was a special order from Herman Miller for the then new New York offices of MGM, however Herman Miller's archivist was unable to confirm. Styling, particularly the distinctive slim milled aluminum tracks through which the entire drawer carriage glides is clearly similar to Warren Platner's designs for Lehigh-Leopold which were then among the most costly of executive office furnishings. The bent flat bar chromed steel base with its distinctive pigeon toe splay is somewhat similar to a table base in Stow Davis' Electa Series, designed by Alexis Yermakov circa 1971. Walnut laminate top is very clean with no issues. One corner edge shows a small separation. The only identifying markings are within the milled aluminum channel: G.P. F.I. 2 And the date Dec. 20, 1968. See image 18. Between the rectangular laminate top and the chrome base is a heavy blackened steel plate. Underneath the bent chrome pigeon toe feet are bars of a thick phenolic material which act as floor protector. We can have keys made to fit the two locking drawers. Tim Anderson...
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
English Painted Desk
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
19th C English painted and carved pine kidney shaped desk with inset leather. Kneehole- 40cm W x 60cm H
Pine
Svend Age Madsen for H.P. Hansen Danish Rosewood Desk and Bookcase
By Svend Åge Madsen, H.P. Hansen
Located in New Windsor, NY
A rosewood desk with bookcase by Svend AgeMAdsen for H.P. Hansen, Denmark. Circa 1960-70. This desk features beautifully and highly figured rosewood veneers, a curved profile, front ...
Birch, Rosewood
Italian Wooden Desk from the 60's
Located in bari, IT
Wooden desk from the measurements contained with chest of drawers, Italian, 60s.
Wood
Space Age Design Desk In Wood 1970s Modernism
Located in Taranto, IT
Iconic 1970s Space Age style desk made of wood with lacquered frame in shades of orange, brown and beige plastic details. The bold, geometric design is typical of the futuristic aest...
Wood
Sold
H 28.35 in W 63 in D 31.5 in
Nomos Desk by Sir Norman Foster, Plywood and Aluminum, Modern Design
Located in London, England
The "Nomos" office, designed by the famous architect and designer Norman Foster in 1935, represents a real reference in industrial design, combining robustness and versatility. Altho...
Aluminum
Set desk & chair in fiberglass by Patrick Gingembre, 1970s
By Patrick Gingembre
Located in Brussels, BE
Desk and Chair Set: Space Age French Design, 1970s This brown lacquered fiberglass desk, paired with a matching chair, embodies the iconic Space Age style. Designed by Patrick Gingembre for Paulus...
Fiberglass
Rare wall desk & shelve
Located in Perpignan, FR
Bureau & étagère monobloc murale 1970 anonyme / fibre de verre 80 x 255 x 55 cm / en l’état d’origine Provenance . Hôtel Solazur de Tanger
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Fiberglass
Vintage 1976 Mirrored Executive Desk by Xception
Located in Denver, CO
Made in Canada by Xception, Registered design 1976 (marked inside case) Space Age Solid wood and wood veneer Plexiglass-like mirrored veneer on fronts of doors and drawers and bac...
Mirror, Wood, Oak
Space Age Counter, 1970
Located in Perpignan, FR
Very beautiful and important piece from 1970's. This is unic piece made for a cinema. It's come from the city of Lyon. This piece is very similar of the famous desk...
Granite
Sold
H 77 in W 36.53 in D 15 in
Raymond Loewy Inspired Green Chapter One Desk-Bar Bookcase by Broyhill Premier
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Well it’s 2022, and Broyhill’s Chapter One Collection is officially harder to find and more sought after than the Raymond Loewy orginals. You won'...
Plastic, Hardwood
Sold
H 34.26 in W 35.44 in D 19.69 in
Vintage Space Age Tubular Frame Desk with Adjustable Stool, 1970
Located in Oirlo, LI
Vintage space age Tubular frame desk with adjustable stool, 1970 The Buisframe desk desk is small but nice, sleek in shape and above all functional. A small desk like the tubular ...
Chrome
Space Age, Futuristic Plastic Desk, Italian Design, 1970s
Located in Buffalo, NY
Space Age, futuristic plastic desk, Italian Design, 1970s,, Sleek .simple, modernist, moulded plastic and tubular chrome. Unusual right and left lids for storage, left lid smoke brow...
Chrome
Sold
H 30.12 in W 55.12 in D 33.47 in
Lacquered and Brass Desk Side Box by Jean Claude Mahey, France, 1970s
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Rare black lacquered and brass desk by Jean Claude Mahey. 2 drawers in front and useful side box case. Sign on base. Side box measurements...
Brass
1970, Counter Bernard Schoeller, "Piscine tournesol"
Located in Perpignan, FR
Very rare counter from "piscine tournesol" made by Bernard Schoeller Fiberglass and oakwood.
Fiberglass
Kartell Desk by Simmon Fussell
By Kartell
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Double bank of Kartell stacking drawers designed by Simmon Fussell with white Formica style desk top. Great storage and work surface for any home office...
Plastic, Formica, Wood