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Post-Modern Furniture

POSTMODERN STYLE

Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.

ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Emerges during the 1960s; popularity explodes during the ’80s
  • A reaction to prevailing conventions of modernism by mainly American architects
  • Architect Robert Venturi critiques modern architecture in his Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966)
  • Theorist Charles Jencks, who championed architecture filled with allusions and cultural references, writes The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977)
  • Italian design collective the Memphis Group, also known as Memphis Milano, meets for the first time (1980) 
  • Memphis collective debuts more than 50 objects and furnishings at Salone del Milano (1981)
  • Interest in style declines, minimalism gains steam

CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Dizzying graphic patterns and an emphasis on loud, off-the-wall colors
  • Use of plastic and laminates, glass, metal and marble; lacquered and painted wood 
  • Unconventional proportions and abundant ornamentation
  • Playful nods to Art Deco and Pop art

POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.

Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendinia onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.

Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group,  which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.

Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals. 

After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.

On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.

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Style: Post-Modern
Returnable Items Only
Postmodern Ceramic Candleholder by Gallo Design for Villeroy & Boch, 1980s
Postmodern Ceramic Candleholder by Gallo Design for Villeroy & Boch, 1980s

Postmodern Ceramic Candleholder by Gallo Design for Villeroy & Boch, 1980s

Located in Hamburg, DE

Postmodern Ceramic Candleholder by Gallo Design for Villeroy & Boch, 1980s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1980 to 1989 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional information...

Category

20th Century Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Sectional Sofa Elements in Leatherette
Sectional Sofa Elements in Leatherette

Sectional Sofa Elements in Leatherette

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Sectional sofa elements or lounge chairs, leatherette, beech, Europe, 1980s. A set of modular sofa elements in a beige leatherette. Their geometrical shape contributes to the striki...

Category

1980s European Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Faux Leather, Beech

Porada Birillo side table postmodern 80s style
Porada Birillo side table postmodern 80s style

Porada Birillo side table postmodern 80s style

By Porada Arredi, Tarcisio Colzani

Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Birillo side table designed by Tarcisio Colzani for Porada. This table was published in the early to middle 80s. In those days, there are another variation table such as coffee table...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Steel

Warren Platner Writing Desk in Oak with Black Leather Top
Warren Platner Writing Desk in Oak with Black Leather Top

Warren Platner Writing Desk in Oak with Black Leather Top

By Warren Platner, Florence Knoll

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Warren Platner for Knoll International, writing desk from the Executive Collection, leather, chromed metal, oak, United States, design 1973, production 1974-1980. In 1973, Warren Platner designed a collection of executive office furniture...

Category

1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Mid-Century Italian Post Modern Sculptural Chaise Lounge in Art Deco Form
Mid-Century Italian Post Modern Sculptural Chaise Lounge in Art Deco Form

Mid-Century Italian Post Modern Sculptural Chaise Lounge in Art Deco Form

Located in Philadelphia, PA

An incredibly designed chaise lounge from Italy circa 1990's. It features quality construction with a stacked art deco form.

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric

Postmodern German Model Minispot Table Lamp from Osram, 1980s
Postmodern German Model Minispot Table Lamp from Osram, 1980s

Postmodern German Model Minispot Table Lamp from Osram, 1980s

Located in Hamburg, DE

Postmodern table or wall lamp from Osram. A functional design with postmodern details. The cubic base primarily consists of the cladding of the transformer. On the outside it is dec...

Category

20th Century German Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Faceted Postmodern Style Coffee Table in Hand-Lacquered Custom RAL Colors
Faceted Postmodern Style Coffee Table in Hand-Lacquered Custom RAL Colors

Faceted Postmodern Style Coffee Table in Hand-Lacquered Custom RAL Colors

Located in New York, NY

Coffee table lithic collection explores the tension between primitive, rock-like formations and refined, architectural silhouettes. This set features a low-profile coffee table and a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Otto Zapf for ZapfDesign 'Softline' Cabinet in Grey
Otto Zapf for ZapfDesign 'Softline' Cabinet in Grey

Otto Zapf for ZapfDesign 'Softline' Cabinet in Grey

By Otto Zapf

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Otto Zapf for Zapfdesign 'Softline' cabinet, plastic, fabric, Germany, 1969 A grey-colored detachable 'Softline' cabinet with shelves designed by the German designer Otto Zapf. Pres...

Category

1960s German Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Fabric

Piero Lissoni for Cassina "Flat Series" Credenza
Piero Lissoni for Cassina "Flat Series" Credenza

Piero Lissoni for Cassina "Flat Series" Credenza

By Piero Lissoni, Cassina

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Pierso Lissoni "Flat Series" for Cassina. Very nice shape with three pull out drawers. Right side is a single drawer deep enough for bottles. Divided trays in other drawers keep e...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Carrara Marble, Aluminum

A postmodern / chinoiserie wall-mount mirrored fan sculpture, late 20th century
A postmodern / chinoiserie wall-mount mirrored fan sculpture, late 20th century

A postmodern / chinoiserie wall-mount mirrored fan sculpture, late 20th century

Located in View Park, CA

A fan mirror / wall sculpture, late 20th century. Owing to Hollywood Regency, postmodern, and chinoiserie sensibilities, this piece brings at once to any interior glamour and camp.

Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Acrylic

Paolo Piva Double Bed King-Size Brass and Steel "Adia" by B&B, 1980s
Paolo Piva Double Bed King-Size Brass and Steel "Adia" by B&B, 1980s

Paolo Piva Double Bed King-Size Brass and Steel "Adia" by B&B, 1980s

By Paolo Piva, B&B Italia

Located in Puglia, Puglia

Fabulous Adia adjustable platform bed designed by Paolo Piva for B&B Italia in the 1980s. The bed is made of cast steel and textured slate gray powder coated with brushed brass feet....

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Brass, Steel

Handmade Ceramic Sculptural Tealight Small Candle Holder by Maku Ceramic
Handmade Ceramic Sculptural Tealight Small Candle Holder by Maku Ceramic

Handmade Ceramic Sculptural Tealight Small Candle Holder by Maku Ceramic

Located in Geneve, CH

Handmade Ceramic Sculptural Tealight Small Candle Holder by Maku Ceramic Dimensions: Ø 17.7 x H 20.3 cm Materials: Ceramic, volcanic stoneware Maku Ceramic is an Istanbul-based cera...

Category

2010s Turkish Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware

Post-Modern Italian Pair of Lounge Chairs in Chrome and Beige Fabric
Post-Modern Italian Pair of Lounge Chairs in Chrome and Beige Fabric

Post-Modern Italian Pair of Lounge Chairs in Chrome and Beige Fabric

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Pair of lounge chairs, chrome-plated metal, fabric, Italy, 1970s These captivating Italian lounge chairs from the 1970s are a playful and expressive example of postmodern design. Wi...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Italian Red Leather Sofa by Divanotti, Postmodern, 1990s
Italian Red Leather Sofa by Divanotti, Postmodern, 1990s

Italian Red Leather Sofa by Divanotti, Postmodern, 1990s

Located in Praha, CZ

An outstanding Italian postmodern two-seat sofa produced by Divanotti during the 1990s. Distinguished by its dramatic sculptural silhouette, sweeping integrated armrests, floating se...

Category

1990s Czech Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Pair of vintage 1970s metal and leather "canasta" chairs designed by Arrben
Pair of vintage 1970s metal and leather "canasta" chairs designed by Arrben

Pair of vintage 1970s metal and leather "canasta" chairs designed by Arrben

By Arrben

Located in Torino, Piemonte

A pair of black metal chairs with black leather seats, the “Canasta” model designed by Arrben Italy, 1970s. CONDITION: In good condition, with signs of wear due to age. DIMENSIONS:...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa the 1950s
Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa the 1950s

Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa the 1950s

Located in Milano, IT

**Murano Glass Vase by Sergio Costantini, Picasso-Inspired, circa 1990s** A sculptural and highly expressive Murano glass vase by **Sergio Costantini**, dating from approximately th...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Pop art Post modern white Gloss Laminate custom 6 drawer dresser or credenza
Pop art Post modern white Gloss Laminate custom 6 drawer dresser or credenza

Pop art Post modern white Gloss Laminate custom 6 drawer dresser or credenza

By Memphis Milano

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Beautiful post modern custom made White gloss laminate 6 drawer dresser or credenza circa 1980. Very clean inside and out almost like new. Look at photos. There is (3) drawers on the...

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Plywood

Mid century Postmodern glass waterfall coffee table
Mid century Postmodern glass waterfall coffee table

Mid century Postmodern glass waterfall coffee table

By FIAM

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Post modern coffee table with a waterfall top. Glass is very clean no chips or major scratches. May have light normal use wear to surface. Rounded polished edges. Annealed glass has ...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

A 21st Century Framed Pop Art Marylin Monroe 65/100 Lithography by Andy Warhol
A 21st Century Framed Pop Art Marylin Monroe 65/100 Lithography by Andy Warhol

A 21st Century Framed Pop Art Marylin Monroe 65/100 Lithography by Andy Warhol

By (after) Andy Warhol

Located in Aci Castello, IT

This vibrant 21st-century lithograph presents one of the most recognizable images in art history, featuring the likeness of Marilyn Monroe "after" the original 1967 screenprint serie...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paper

Robert Venturi Sheraton chair for Knoll Postmodern 80s
Robert Venturi Sheraton chair for Knoll Postmodern 80s

Robert Venturi Sheraton chair for Knoll Postmodern 80s

By Robert Venturi, Knoll

Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Robert Venturi chair for knoll Model: Sheraton Silkscreen printed pattern on black plywood. Rare model in famous Venturi's chairs in Knoll collection.  

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Plywood

Post Modern Bleached Oak and Tinted Glass Console Table by Lou Hodges c. 1980's
Post Modern Bleached Oak and Tinted Glass Console Table by Lou Hodges c. 1980's

Post Modern Bleached Oak and Tinted Glass Console Table by Lou Hodges c. 1980's

By Lou Hodges

Located in New York, NY

Chic Post Modern console table designed by Lou Hodges, circa 1980's. The table is constructed of solid oak in original bleached finish, with a beveled and tinted glass insert panel t...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Smoked Glass, Oak

Vintage Classic "MoMA" Glass Ribbon Tall Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996
Vintage Classic "MoMA" Glass Ribbon Tall Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996

Vintage Classic "MoMA" Glass Ribbon Tall Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Glass Ribbon Vase by Peter Hewitt, 1996 A "Museum of Modern Art" Design Store Classic " A ribbon of anodized aluminum metal is securely sandwiched between 3/8" plate glass walls to ...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

1980s Ello Lighted Mirrored Floating Brass Bed King Size
1980s Ello Lighted Mirrored Floating Brass Bed King Size

1980s Ello Lighted Mirrored Floating Brass Bed King Size

By Ello Furniture, Karl Springer

Located in Bensalem, PA

Amazing king size Ello brass, and mirrored floating bed with headboard please look at video and pictures for overall detail and condition it also has four lights controlled by a swit...

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Brass

Vasa Mihich Acrylic Cube Sculptures Mid Century Post Modern
Vasa Mihich Acrylic Cube Sculptures Mid Century Post Modern

Vasa Mihich Acrylic Cube Sculptures Mid Century Post Modern

By Vasa Velizar Mihich

Located in Chula Vista, CA

For your consideration a set of six Vasa Mihich acrylic cube sculptures. Each sculpture is crafted from multicolored laminated acrylic, allowing colors to mix and change based on li...

Category

1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Lucite

Modernist Antiqued Reeded Glass & Mirror Console Table by John Himmel, Canada
Modernist Antiqued Reeded Glass & Mirror Console Table by John Himmel, Canada

Modernist Antiqued Reeded Glass & Mirror Console Table by John Himmel, Canada

By Himmel Galleries

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A striking modernist console table designed and manufactured by John Himmel in Montreal, Canada, this piece exemplifies refined craftsmanship and architectural clarity. The console ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Wood

Luigi Radaelli Italian Pair of 'Tartana' Lounge Chairs in Brown Leather
Luigi Radaelli Italian Pair of 'Tartana' Lounge Chairs in Brown Leather

Luigi Radaelli Italian Pair of 'Tartana' Lounge Chairs in Brown Leather

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Luigi Radaelli, pair of 'Tartana' lounge chairs, leather, beech, Italy, 1970s These postmodern Italian lounge chairs will surely grab the viewer's attention. The construction is ba...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Leather, Beech

Pierre Chapo 'T35C' Aban Table in Elm
Pierre Chapo 'T35C' Aban Table in Elm

Pierre Chapo 'T35C' Aban Table in Elm

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Pierre Chapo, dining table, model 'Aban T35C', solid elm, France, 1970s This table is one of the early editions designed by Pierre Chapo, known for his hallmark use of solid elmwood...

Category

1970s French Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Elm

Postmodern Gemstone and Lapis World Globe on Brass Stand, 1990s
Postmodern Gemstone and Lapis World Globe on Brass Stand, 1990s

Postmodern Gemstone and Lapis World Globe on Brass Stand, 1990s

Located in San Diego, CA

 Postmodern decorative world globe dating to the 1990s, crafted with natural gemstone and lapis lazuli inlays set into a brass-mounted spherical form. The continents and countries a...

Category

Late 20th Century Afghan Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Lapis Lazuli, Multi-gemstone, Brass

Kooij Tol 3 Floor Lamp by Dirk van der Kooij
Kooij Tol 3 Floor Lamp by Dirk van der Kooij

Kooij Tol 3 Floor Lamp by Dirk van der Kooij

By Dirk Vander Kooij

Located in Toronto, ON

Tol, Dutch for spinning top, is so named for its deceptive stance in suspended motion. The series of alternating totems sit comfortably—softly grounded in their obtuse proportions. T...

Category

2010s Dutch Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Brass

Venini for Disaronno Amber and White Fused Glass Ice Bucket, Murano Italy
Venini for Disaronno Amber and White Fused Glass Ice Bucket, Murano Italy

Venini for Disaronno Amber and White Fused Glass Ice Bucket, Murano Italy

By Venini

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Modernist vintage ice bucket has abstract geometric decor of fused white glass on transparent amber colored glass with controlled bubbles effect. The piece has two small rounded han...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass, Glass

1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern
1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern

1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern

By Amat-3, Jorge Pensi

Located in Chula Vista, CA

For your consideration, a Toledo chair stackable designed by Jorge Pensi for Amat 3 Spain for Knoll Organic and streamlined shape lightweight cast aluminum. Unmarked. Dye cast alum...

Category

1980s Spanish Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Large Unique Postmodern Table Lamp in Brushed Steel 1970s
Large Unique Postmodern Table Lamp in Brushed Steel 1970s

Large Unique Postmodern Table Lamp in Brushed Steel 1970s

Located in Meer, VAN

Large Unique Postmodern Table Lamp in Brushed Steel 1970s A truly remarkable one-off postmodern table lamp in brushed steel. The Netherlands, late 1970s. This sculptural table lamp...

Category

Late 20th Century Dutch Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Steel

Travertine Square Cube Post Modern side end table or Plinth
Travertine Square Cube Post Modern side end table or Plinth

Travertine Square Cube Post Modern side end table or Plinth

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Travertine Square Post Modern Cube side or end table. Beautiful Stone cube table all solid Travertine hollow inside. Great condition. Listing is for (1) Table. Local Pick up avai...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Travertine

Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 1980's
Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 1980's

Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 1980's

By Kartell, Philippe Starck

Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN

Vintage Postmodern Design Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell. Made in Italy, 1980's / 90's period. Marked on the bottom. All black edition. Stackable. Black pla...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

A vintage biomorphic sofa in shearling, late 20th century
A vintage biomorphic sofa in shearling, late 20th century

A vintage biomorphic sofa in shearling, late 20th century

Located in View Park, CA

A vintage biomorphic curvy sofa, late 20th century. Upholstered in an off-white shearling bouclé, this piece represents the avant-garde of the postmodern design era, of which Russian...

Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Pendant Chainmail Droplet, Hand-Linked, 80cm, Steel with Brass Finish, Mexico
Pendant Chainmail Droplet, Hand-Linked, 80cm, Steel with Brass Finish, Mexico

Pendant Chainmail Droplet, Hand-Linked, 80cm, Steel with Brass Finish, Mexico

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

Single Pendant Chainmail Droplet Sculptural Chandelier is a beautiful hand made light piece. A chainmail web in a brass finish hugs the lamp’s canopy; as the knit becomes tighter, th...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Steel

Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa
Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa

Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa

By Milo Baughman

Located in Lambertville, NJ

Monumental serpentine snake sectional sofa in the style of Vladimir Kagan and Milo Baughman. This unique modular curved sofa consists of three interlocking sections reupholstered in ...

Category

1990s Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Ultrasuede, Wood

Chi Wing Lo ‘Tiche’ Coffee Table for Giorgetti, Italy, 1990s
Chi Wing Lo ‘Tiche’ Coffee Table for Giorgetti, Italy, 1990s

Chi Wing Lo ‘Tiche’ Coffee Table for Giorgetti, Italy, 1990s

By Chi Wing Lo, Giorgetti S.p.A.

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Elegant and sculptural “Tiche” coffee table designed by Chi Wing Lo for Giorgetti, Italy, circa 1990s. This sophisticated piece exemplifies Giorgetti’s masterful blend of craftsmansh...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass, Stained Glass, Fruitwood

Brazilian Agate Onyx and Wood Round Jewelry Trinket Box, Brazil, 1980s
Brazilian Agate Onyx and Wood Round Jewelry Trinket Box, Brazil, 1980s

Brazilian Agate Onyx and Wood Round Jewelry Trinket Box, Brazil, 1980s

Located in New York, NY

A round Brazilian agate onyx and wood trinket or jewelry box, in the Modern style Post-Modern period, circa-late 20th century, 1980s early 1990s, Brazil. Box has a rich brown wood wi...

Category

Late 20th Century Brazilian Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Onyx, Agate

Barcelona Olympic Boxing Mascot Cobi (1992) by Javier Mariscal
Barcelona Olympic Boxing Mascot Cobi (1992) by Javier Mariscal

Barcelona Olympic Boxing Mascot Cobi (1992) by Javier Mariscal

By Javier Mariscal

Located in London, GB

The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, from 25 July to 9 August 1992. Commonly referred to as Barcelona '92, these games were notable for being the last Summer and Winter Olympics to be held in the same year, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided thereafter to alternate the events in separate even-numbered years, starting in 1994. This was a pivotal moment in Olympic history, as the Barcelona Games marked the first Summer Olympics held in the post-Cold War era and were free from the boycotts that had plagued previous events, a situation not seen since the 1972 Munich Olympics. Barcelona '92 is widely regarded as one of the most successful Olympic Games, contributing significantly to the modernization and global image of the city. It was also a Games of many firsts: the debut of the "Dream Team" in basketball, which featured NBA players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, and the reintegration of South Africa into the international sports community after a 32-year ban due to apartheid. The participation of a unified German team following the reunification of East and West Germany, and the absence of the Soviet Union (though its former republics competed as the Unified Team), further emphasized the geopolitical shifts of the time. The official mascot for the 1992 Barcelona Games was *Cobi*, a stylized sheepdog designed by Catalan artist and designer Javier Mariscal. Mariscal, already a significant figure in contemporary design, was known for his eclectic and playful style, often blending comic art with a modernist sensibility. His creation of Cobi was a departure from previous Olympic mascots...

Category

1990s Spanish Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Otto Zapf for Knoll Swivel Desk Chair in Black Leather
Otto Zapf for Knoll Swivel Desk Chair in Black Leather

Otto Zapf for Knoll Swivel Desk Chair in Black Leather

By Knoll, Otto Zapf

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Otto Zapf for Knoll International, desk chair, leather, lacquered metal, United States, design 1974 When Bobby Cadwallader, the former president of Knoll, encountered the German des...

Category

1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

1980s German Post-Modern Interlübke DUO Writing Desk by Peter Maly
1980s German Post-Modern Interlübke DUO Writing Desk by Peter Maly

1980s German Post-Modern Interlübke DUO Writing Desk by Peter Maly

By Peter Maly, Interlübke

Located in St. Louis, MO

A rare find in the states, 1980s Post-Modern Silver Gray & Black DUO Desk by German designer / architect Peter Maly for Interlübke. Asymmetrical heavy wood grain top with storage col...

Category

1980s German Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Rare Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce Table Lamp with Reflective Screen
Rare Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce Table Lamp with Reflective Screen

Rare Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce Table Lamp with Reflective Screen

By Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, table lamp, model '611/g-p', aluminum, lacquered steel, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1973 Very rare table lamp designed by the visionary Italian designer ...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel, Chrome

Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's
Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's

Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's

By Gustave Toffiche and Léopold Gest

Located in New York, NY

Exceptional pair of Post Modern style high back chairs, having dramatic exaggerated tall backs, and asymmetrical upholstered leather pad seats. Finished in black on black, showing ...

Category

Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Wrought Iron

Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Vase, Red and Beige, American Art Studio Pottery
Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Vase, Red and Beige, American Art Studio Pottery

Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Vase, Red and Beige, American Art Studio Pottery

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

The monumental studio pottery ceramic vase is decorated with crystalline glaze in striking, dark red and beige palette. The vase was hand thrown on a wheel; beige color crystals on ombre colored base, shifting from purplish tones on top to deep, dark red on the bottom, were grown in a kiln during a very long, controlled firing. Each crystalline piece is unique due to the nature of the glaze. The vase was allowed to develop an abundance of distinct, graphic crystals, creating a free-flowing abstract pattern and adding rich texture to the minimally shaped piece. The vase was made by Wizards of Clay...

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery

Post-Modern Missoni Table Lamp by Massimo Valloto, Italy, 1980s
Post-Modern Missoni Table Lamp by Massimo Valloto, Italy, 1980s

Post-Modern Missoni Table Lamp by Massimo Valloto, Italy, 1980s

By Missoni, Missoni Home

Located in Vienna, AT

An amazing colorful postmodern Missoni table or side lamp from the 1980s, designed by Massimo Valloto, executed by Ceramiche Viba, Bassano, Italy. This light has a conical unusual ce...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Post-modern furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Post-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, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Post-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 Pepe Albargues, Ettore Sottsass, ATRA, and Christopher Gentner. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $33 and tops out at $275,833 while the average work can sell for $2,610.