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.
Black plastic & metal 70s Boby serving container by Joe Colombo for Bieffeplast
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Low version of the Boby container designed by Joe Colombo in the 1960s. This is a black plastic container unit with 3 wheels and versatile storage compartments. Ideal for use as a be...
Metal
Space Age Vintage Bar Cart Serving Trolley Green Chromed Metal 1970s Germany
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage bar cart or serving trolley from green formica plates and chromed metal frame 1970s. Throughout its foldable parts on eac...
Metal
Red Plastic Space Age Vintage Tray Bed Table Luigi Massoni Guzzini, 1970s, Italy
By Luigi Massoni, Guzzini
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age red vintage tray or breakfast table Model pepito from plastic designed by Luigi Massoni Grafico Studio Zeto for Guzzini 1970s Italy. Perfect to use as foldable breakfast bed table or tray or as computer table...
Plastic
Space Age Vintage Red Orange Serving Table or Bar Cart 1960s Germany
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage serving cart or bar cart or gueridon in a happy making color tone red orange from laminate and metal. The bar cart shows a foldable feature. For a good mobility th...
Metal
Space Age Red Plastic Tray Table or Gueridon Pepito Luigi Massoni for Guzzini
By Luigi Massoni, Guzzini
Located in Vienna, AT
Soace Age red vintage tray table, gueridon or serving table model Pepito from plastic by Luigi Massoni for Guzzin 1970s Italy. A bold colored pract...
Plastic
$1,410Sale Price|20% Off
Italian Space Age White Bar Cart on Wheels with Sliding Door, 1960s
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Rare 1960s Italian desgin space age bar cart. Characterized by a cylindrical shape, in white lacquered wood and a satin steel top. Equipped with a s...
Steel
$583Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Italian Space Age Plastic Bar Trolley, Orange, 1970s, 47cm
Located in Vienna, AT
Striking vintage plastic bar cart from the 1970s, a true testament to Italys iconic design era. Crafted in bold orange plastic, this circular trolley features two spacious shelves s...
Plastic
Space Age Vintage Red Orange Plastic Bar Cart, 1970s, Germany
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage red orange plastic bar cart or serving table or side table 1970s Germany. A wonderful bar cart or serving table from plastic circu...
Plastic
$528
H 9.06 in W 24.02 in D 13.78 in
Luigi Massoni Minimalist Plastic White Bed Tray Element by Guzzini, Italy, 1980s
By Guzzini, Luigi Massoni
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Plastic tray Design: Luigi Massoni Producer: Guzzini, Italy Decade: 1980s Description: This tray table was designed by Luigi Massoni and produced by Guzzini in Italy in the 1980s. It is made from white-colored plastic and is in very good vintage condition, and would be ideal to serve breakfast in bed. It still features the original Guzzini box...
Plastic
19th Century Mahogany Serving Tray
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th century mahogany serving tray Hand made serving tray from solid mahogany with brass hardware. The oval tray has four handles along four drop-down sides. The tray sits a...
Mahogany
$517
H 20.48 in W 16.15 in D 16.54 in
Cremewhite Boby Trolley by Joe Colombo for Bieffeplast, Italy, 1970s
Located in Vienna, AT
Designed in 1969, Joe Colombo’s iconic "Boby 3" portable storage system was produced by Italian manufacturer Bieffeplast and makes savy use of space with its swivel design. It is mad...
Plastic
$2,444Sale Price|20% Off
H 32.29 in W 29.53 in D 20.28 in
Italian Smoked Glass & Metal Serving Trolley by Enzo Mari for Alessi, circa 1980
Elegant modern trolley designed by Enzo Mari for Alessi in 1989. Handlebar above a cylindrical shaft side support, on three wheels, stamped Alessi. Very hard to find, especially in t...
Faux Leather, Rattan
$3,291
H 29.14 in W 29.53 in D 18.31 in
George Coslin Rosewood and Chrome Serving Bar Cart with Drawers, Italy 1950s
By George Coslin, Bernini
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning Mid-Century Italian bar cart, fully made of rosewood, chrome-plated metal, and white laminate. This incredibly elegant and unique piece was designed by George Coslin and pro...
Metal, Chrome
$720Sale Price|77% Off
H 24 in Dm 30.5 in
Mughal Empire Antique Brass Tray Table with Wooden Folding Stand
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-480 Mughal Empire antique brass tray with later date carved wooden folding stand. Brass top is decorated with repousse foliate and floral motif. Tray...
Brass
$2,056
H 25.79 in W 32.68 in D 15.75 in
Romeo Rega Italian Bar Cart in Brass Chrome and Smoked Glass, Italy, 1970s
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Roma, IT
Gorgeous mid-century bar cart or trolley crafted entirely in solid brass and chrome-plated metal, completed with smoked glass shelves. This stylish and unique three-tier bar cart was...
Brass, Chrome
Art Deco Swedish Flame Birch Bar Cart Trolley
Located in Atlanta, GA
Art Deco bar cart made of Swedish flame birch. Two-tiered serving cart with wheels and a glass top. Curved shape that complements a variety of...
Birch
$1,445
H 28.35 in W 31.5 in D 19.1 in
Italian Midcentury Serving Cart or Trolley in Cesare Lacca Style, 1960s
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Morazzone, Varese
Italian Midcentury Serving Cart or Trolley in Cesare Lacca Style, 1960s Beautiful bar cart or trolley, which can be used also as side table. Made in Italy in the mid-century in the ...
Brass
$12,795
H 15.75 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Nara Serving Table, by Shiro Kuramata for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Group, Shiro Kuramata
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Shiro Kuramata 1983 Service table made with the traditional technique of terrazzo in concrete conglomerate and coloured glass. Nara perfectly combines the Japanese aesthetic traditi...
Concrete
Maison Jansen Mid-Century Serving Bar Cart in Brass, France 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Magnificent and refined mid-century round serving bar cart with removable tray, entirely crafted in solid brass. This refined piece was produced by Maison Jansen in France during the...
Crystal, Brass
Vintage 1960 2 Tiers French Bamboo and Rattan Bar Cart
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage 1960 2 tiers French bamboo and rattan bar cart. Space in between 11 inches.
Bamboo, Rattan
Mid Century Space Age Rotobar Bar Cart Table by Curver
By Curver
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rare 1970s Space Age “Rotobar” Bar Cart or Table by Curver. 24.5w 19h
Metal
Sold
H 14.97 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
White Italian Space Age Plastic Trolley Dime by Marcello Siard for Coll. Longato
By Collezioni Longato, Marcello Siard
Located in Vienna, AT
This white Italian Space Age ABS plastic trolley was designed by Marcello Siard for Collezioni Longato Padova Italy and is marked on the underside, Model Name is Dime. Very nice orig...
Plastic
Sold
H 14.97 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Brown Italian Space Age Plastic Trolley Dime by Marcello Siard for Coll, Longato
By Collezioni Longato, Marcello Siard
Located in Vienna, AT
This brown Italian Space Age ABS plastic trolley was designed by Marcello Siard for Collezioni Longato Padova Italy and is marked on the underside, Model Name is Dime. Very nice orig...
Plastic
Sold
H 14.97 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
White Italian Space Age Plastic Trolley Dime by Marcello Siard for Coll. Longato
By Marcello Siard, Collezioni Longato
Located in Vienna, AT
This white Italian Space Age ABS plastic trolley was designed by Marcello Siard for Collezioni Longato Padova Italy and is marked on the underside, Mod...
Plastic
Sold
H 27.56 in W 25.6 in D 32.29 in
Italian Space Age Platone Folding Table by G. Piretti for Anonima Castelli, 1970
By Anonima Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian space age white plastic and chromed steel Platone folding table by Giancarlo Piretti for Anonima Castelli, 1970s Platone fo...
Steel
Sold
H 20.48 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in
Offwhite Square Componibili Trolley by Anna Castelli for Kartell, Italy, 1960s
By Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Kartell
Located in Vienna, AT
This square Componibili bar cart or serving trolley was designed by Anna Castelli in the late 60s and produced by Kartell in the 1970s. It is made of plastic and has four wheels and ...
Plastic
Sold
H 14.97 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Red Italian Space Age Plastic Trolley Dime by Marcello Siard for Coll. Longato
By Collezioni Longato, Marcello Siard
Located in Vienna, AT
This red Italian Space Age ABS plastic trolley was designed by Marcello Siard for Collezioni Longato Padova Italy and is marked on the underside, Model...
Plastic
Sold
H 19.69 in W 20.48 in D 20.48 in
Space Age Orange and Black Vintage Plastic Bar Cart, Germany, 1960s
Located in Vienna, AT
A space age vintage bar cart, which was made of orange and black plastic and features three borders for bottles. With four wheels the bar c...
Plastic