Modern Furniture
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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chair — crafted 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: 1930s
Pair of Ceramic Bookends with Seals, from 1930s, in Cabana Style
Located in Vienna, Austria
Pair of ceramic bookends from 1930s, produced in Czechoslovakia.
Bases are glazed in light green and yellow, the seals in brown and off white.
Category
1930s Czech Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Double Sided Carpet from Scandinavia with Ships and Seagulls
Located in Vienna, Austria
A unusual, double sided carpet from Scandinavia, signed a dated: "LST 1934".
The flags on the ships are from the Shetland islands.
A beautiful pi...
Category
1930s Scandinavian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
Bronze Owl Titled "Grand Duc" by Francois Pompon
Located in Stamford, CT
A large cast bronze Owl by Francois Pompon, titled "Grand Duc" designed in 1928 and cast between 1934-1939. The patinated bronze is marked with a Fonde...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Henry Wilkinson, English Silversmith, Sheffield, Modernist Silver Bowl on Foot
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Henry Wilkinson. English silversmith, Sheffield. Modernist silver bowl on foot with handles, 1930-1940s.
In very good condition.
Stamped.
Measures: 26 x 11 cm.
Category
1930s English Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Silver
Boris Lacroix 1930s Modernist Lamp
Located in New York, NY
The French designer Jean-Boris Lacroix was best known in the 1930s, as he is today, as a designer of lighting fixtures. Our lamp consists of a circle, a sphere, and a cylinder that t...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Nickel
20th Century English Modernist Carpet by Ronald Grierson
Located in New York, NY
England, circa 1935
Modernist Rug
Designed by Ronald Grierson
Exhibited at the British Art in Industry Exhibition
Category
1930s English Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
Ena Rottenberg Glass Sculpture, 1937, Nude Figure “Modell”
By Ena Rottenberg
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Ena Rottenberg (1893-1952) art glass sculpture titled "Modell.”
Made in Czechoslovakia. Marked “Rottenberg” 13" H.
This piece was awarded the Grand Prix at the World’s Fair Paris, ...
Category
1930s Czech Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
Vintage Overdyed Carpet, Green Tones
Located in New York, NY
This Turkish Oushak or Sparta in worn condition was overdyed lightly to create a golden all-over tone. The field displays a wiry, repeating pattern of thin stems, rosettes and small ...
Category
1930s Turkish Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
Marguerite Clawson Burgess, 'Times Square, New York', C. 1930
By Marguerite Clawson Burgess
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Marguerite Clawson Burgess, American Modernist Painter
Marguerite Clawson Burgess, 'Times Square, New York', C. 1930
Titled verso "New York, New York"
Oil on canvas, signed lower left
Rare 1930s NYC...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Canvas
Ercole Barovier Murano Glass and Gold Centerpiece for Artistica Barovier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very nice and elegant early Murano glass bowl, by Ercole Barovier.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
Outstanding and Probably Unique, Late 1930s Table Lamp by Ugo Zaccagnini
Located in Skanninge, SE
The best Zaccagnini ceramic lamp I have ever seen. The full signature means that this is hand thrown and handmade and done in a very small edition or possibly unique. Made with a wav...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Side Table by Julius Jirasek for Hagenauer Wien
Located in Vienna, AT
Solid walnut construction with caned shelf and glass table top designed by Julius Jirasek for Werkstätte Karl Hagenauer, Vienna, circa 1932.
Original condition.
Dimension:
height ...
Category
1930s Austrian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Cane, Glass, Walnut
Early Edward Wormley for Dunbar Chest of Drawers
Located in St. Louis, MO
Mahogany chest of drawers with brass octagonal ring pulls, designed by Edward Wormley in late 1930s.
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Brass
Distressed Vintage Persian Rug with Abstract Modern Design in Warm Gray-Silver
Located in Atlanta, GA
Distressed Vintage Persian Rug with Abstract Modern Design in Shades of Warm Gray, Silver, and Blue colors.
Measures: 9'9 x 14'7
Distressed vintage Persian large abstract Rug with Modern Design/ abstract design in Silver, Warm Gray, and Blue & White colors. Vintage distressed Persian rug...
Category
1930s Persian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
Very Rare Paleta 'Firetool' attributed to Osvaldo Borsani
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A very rare vintage 1930s modernist paleta (little shovel/fire tool) in copper, aluminum, attributed to Osvaldo Borsani.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Aluminum, Copper
Rare Pair of French Hammered Iron and Chain Lounge Chairs by Jean-Charles Moreux
Located in New York, NY
Important pair of chairs (lounge chairs, side chairs, slipper chairs, armchairs) hand-forged in iron embracing both the neoclassical tradition with its Curile form and a spare, sober...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wrought Iron
Distressed Vintage Rug with Abstract Design in Silver, Blue, Gray, L. Green
Located in Atlanta, GA
Distressed Vintage Rug with Abstract Design in Silver, Dark Blue, Gray, L. Green, Taupe and White.
Measures: 11 x 15'7.
Distressed vintage Persian large abstract Rug with Modern Design/ abstract design in Silver, dark blue, Gray, taupe & White colors. Vintage distressed Persian rug...
Category
1930s Persian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
Distressed Antique Persian Rug with Abstract Modern Design
Located in Atlanta, GA
Distressed Antique Persian Rug with All Over Modern abstract Design in Teal Blue, Blue, taupe, tan, honey colors. Antique distressed Per...
Category
1930s Persian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
Important Modernist Prototype Desk & Chair by U.A.M. Attributed to Le Corbusier
By Union Des Artistes Modernes, Robert Mallet-Stevens
Located in New York, NY
Rare handmade French modernist desk and chair prototypes in hand-formed and hand-hammered (non-commerially produced) tubular steel. The chair and desk are elegant architectural state...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Steel
Carlo Scarpa Vanity Mirror for Venini Signed
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Red filigree glass frame with bronze mounts and original mirror. Stamped "Venini Murano" and "Made in Italy" on the backplate. This mirror is included in ...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
Pair French Mid-Century' Modern Neoclassical Armchairs Attr. Jean-Charles Moreux
Located in New York, NY
Stunning pair of French 1930s de-mountable Wood and Leather Campaign lounge or club chairs attributed to Jean Charles Moreux in the modern neoclassical style with elegant carved wood...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Leather, Wood
Sober French Mid-Century Modern Bench Covered in Giraffe Skin
Located in New York, NY
A rare French Modernist bench covered in Giraffe Skin, circa 1930. A sober and exotic piece.
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wood
American Art Moderne Pine Faux Bamboo and Glass Coffee Table
By Paul Frankl
Located in New York, NY
American Art Moderne (1930s) coffee table with a slat pine faux bamboo-style base and a round glass top. (attributed to: PAUL FRANKL)
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Glass, Pine
Brass Serving Cart by Osvaldo Borsani, circa 1938
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A stylish serving cart (carello) by Osvaldo Borsani, Italy, circa 1938. Polished and lacquered brass, original glass (green tinted). Polished.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Brass
Industrial Modernist Anodized Aluminum Warren McArthur Park Ave Sofa
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Beautiful and rare McArthur sofa created in the early thirties, an icon of the Hollywood era. His signature grid with aluminum curved tubing, tootsie roll armrests and black puck feet are all present on this sofa. Notched tubes and milled washers another feature well represented. This sofa carries his Park Ave...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Aluminum
John Christopher Smith oil painting on board landscape
By John Christopher Smith
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nice and peaceful cows in a landscape by the well know Ireland/USA artist John Christopher Smith, Very bright colors and very nice frame. Measures ar...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Paint
American Art Moderne Aluminum and Crystal Compote
By Kensington Furniture Company
Located in New York, NY
American Art Moderne (1930s) round aluminum top and base compote with a centered crystal ball (marked KENSINGTON; Attributed to LURELL GUILD) (Ref...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Crystal, Aluminum
Pair of Unique French Art Deco End Tables or Consoles Attributed to Paul Kiss
By Paul Kiss
Located in New York, NY
Stunning pair of French consoles or side tables resting on just three legs, in hand-hammered copper and iron reflective of both a modern spirit and Art Deco. An accompanying center t...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Copper, Iron
French Mid-Century Modern Steel and Marble Vanity or Nightstand, 1930
Located in New York, NY
Chic, yet sober vanity with pure lines combining tubular steel with a beautiful marble top. This can also be used as a nightstand or console.
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Marble
Bridge by Ursula Foulkes
By Ursula Foulkes
Located in New York, NY
Linocut by Ursula Foulkes (Great Britan) with dramatic color, form and mood.
Dimensions: 8" x 10".
References: Modern and Contemporary Art, Fauvism, Expressionism, Blue Rider ...
Category
1930s English Vintage Modern Furniture
Pair of French Early Modern Steel Sconces in the style of Mallet-Stevens
Located in New York, NY
Elegant pair of French Modernist Industrial wall lights that pivot in two places to reflect light up, down and at any desired angle. The pieces reflect a sober, pure, machine age att...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Steel
'New Objectivity' Drawing, Woman with Veil by Beeldens
By Beeldens
Located in New York, NY
Drawing by Beeldens, Belgium, circa 1935.
References: Modern and Contemporary Art, New Objectivity, Neue Sachlichkeit.
Category
1930s Belgian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Pencil, Paper
Zaccagnini Gold Crackle Ceramic 1930s Table Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant gold crackle table lamp by Urbano Zaccagnini.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Deco signed Waylande Gregory ceramic/porcelain table lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool and elegant deco table lamp signed in the bottom Waylande Gregory.
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Drawing Still Life: Jug and Helmet by Beeldens, 1935
By Beeldens
Located in New York, NY
Drawing, pencil on paper.
Still Life by Beeldens, signed and dated, 1935.
References: Modern and Contemporary Art, New Objectivity, Neue Sachlichkeit...
Category
1930s Belgian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Pencil, Paper
“Sommerso a bollicine” bowl mod. 4117 for Venini
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Koper, SI
Bowl by the Italian Master Carlo Scarpa, signed and published. Designed in 1936 for Venini. A large piece, compared to many others designed for Venini.
Features gold foil inclusions....
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Murano Glass
“Sommerso a bollicine” Glass Bowl Mod. 3550 by Carlo Scarpa for Venini, 1936
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Koper, SI
Bowl by the Italian Master Carlo Scarpa, signed and published. Designed in 1934-36 for Venini. A rather large pieces, compared to many others designed for Venini.
Murano glass with g...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Murano Glass
Original Fred Grayson Sayre Plien Air Oil Painting - Sedona Arizona Landscape
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Original Fred Grayson Sayre Plien Air Oil Painting - Sedona Arizona Landscape
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Giltwood
Important 20th C American Hand Carved Picture Frame Carnegie Museum Art 24 x 20
Located in Atlanta, GA
A rare and important, hand carved and hand finished, Modernist early 20th Century circa 1920's - 1930's American painting frame from the famed...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wood
Italian Designer, Wall Light, Brass, Metal, Italy, 1930s
Located in High Point, NC
An adjustable brass and green-colored metal wall light designed and produced in Italy, 1930s.
Overall Dimensions (inches): 13” H x 7” W x 24” D
Back Plate Dimensions (inches): 13” ...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Table Lamp by Josef Hoffmann
Located in San Francisco, CA
A carved mahogany lamp by Josef hoffman for Weiner Werkstatte. Signed by both the creator and with the manufacturer's mark.
Category
1930s German Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
Three Seater Sofa by Frits Henningsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
A Frits Henningsen three seater sofa on a mahogany frame with eight legs and covered with green wool. The sides have exposed wood panels on either side. It was designed and made circ...
Category
1930s Danish Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Upholstery
Guido Andloviz Pair of Modernist Monza 30 Ceramic Vases for S.C.I. Laveno, 1930s
Located in Koper, SI
Charming and decorative pair of small vases by Italian ceramic master Guido Andloviz (often also spelled Andlovitz) for S.C.I. Laveno. Andloviz's work for S.C.I. Laveno is often para...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Earthenware
Murano, "Soffiato" Vase, Glass, Italy, 1930s
Located in High Point, NC
A footed green Murano glass "Soffiato" vase, designed and produced in Murano, Italy, 1930s.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Glass
Art Deco Bedside Cabinets in Black Glossy Lacquered Wood and Chromed Steel, 1930
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist bedside cabinets pair in black glossy lacquered wood and chromium plated tubular steel, circa 1930
Category
1930s Czech Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Very rare Art Deco Eileen Gray Desk Lamp GREEN METALLIC by Jumo, 1930s
By Maison Jumo
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
A modernist desk lamp designed for Jumo by Eileen GrEy. A very pure unrestored copy. This one has a beautiful metallic green color. Very rare copy.
The switch also works as it sho...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Aluminum, Chrome
Mid-20th Century European Carpet, Modern Style
Located in New York, NY
This excellent condition piece has a simple two -tone narrow wavy border framing the sand ground with a salmon-brown open volute pattern in the Modern style.
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Wool
American Modern Chest of Drawer
Located in Chicago, IL
A chic early 20th century American modernist chest with four drawers with wide wooden pulls, and all with a beautiful timeless ivory painted finish that blends seamlessly into myriad...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Birch
American Modern Tall Chest of Drawer
Located in Chicago, IL
A chic early 20th century American modernist tall chest with five drawers with wide wooden pulls, and with a beautiful timeless ivory painted finish that blends seamlessly into any s...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Birch
Set of 6 Cesca
By Dino Gavina
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Armchairs stuffed in natural painted beech, or black lacquered. The scaffolding, in Vienna straw, is carried out by hand. Iconic project of the twentieth century, we propose a set of 6...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Metal
Nightstand by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Modern nightstand by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller circa 1930s.
Featuring a recessed top, two shelves, and a black drawer.
Fully ma...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Gouache Contemporary Portrait Painting of a Woman Signed Helen Wagner Malta 1930
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
An early contemporary still-life Gouache portrait painting of a woman. On paper, this piece depicts a seated woman reclining in a brown rocking chair. She wears a hat, and her arms are crossed across her chest. Her legs are crossed at her ankles, and she wears a blue-green ankle-length skirt. This sketch was created by Helen Wagner Malta and is signed at the bottom right in black ink "Helen Wagner" before her marriage. Her later works are signed "Helen Wagner Malta".
Helen Wagner Malta was born in 1912 and worked in New York City in the 1930s teaching at the Harlem Art...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Paint, Paper
Gunnar Asplund, a Pair of Stools, 1980s
Located in Stockholm, SE
A pair of stools with low back, in leather, brass nails and steel. Designed by Gunnar Asplund. These are manufactured circa 1980s.
Measures: Hei...
Category
1930s European Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Leather
Ejnar Hansen (1884-1965), Californian Coastline
By Ejnar Hansen
Located in Belmont, MA
Ejnar Hansen, (1884-1965), “Californian Coastline”, oil on board. Measurement with frame: 16 X 20 inches.
Ejnar Hansen was a notable figure paint...
Category
1930s American Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Canvas
Coffee Table by Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Coffee table by Osvaldo Borsani, in ebonized mahogany with carved and gilt details to the base and glass top, Aterlier di Varedo, Italy, circa 1937.
Literature: Irene de Guttry, I...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Metal
Asymmetrical Dutch Cabinet 'Hague School' Designed by Coen de Jong. c 1930
Located in New York, NY
Designer: Coen de Jong
Manufacturer: A.J. Boskamp
The cabinet is made of oak and coromandel with ebonized and red stain wood. The asymmetrical cabinet has three doors that open ...
Category
1930s Dutch Vintage Modern Furniture
Materials
Oak
Modern furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern furniture 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 furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, lighting, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Rug & Kilim, Schumacher, Vistosi, and Kartell. 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.
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