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.
Orange Space Age Serving Trolley or Bar Cart, West Germany 1970s
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you can find an elegant, collapsible Space Age serving trolley or minibar in orange. It feature two-tier shelving and wheels, allowing you to move it around the space...
Metal
Space Age Red Plastic Tray Table or Gueridon Pepito Luigi Massoni for Guzzini
By Guzzini, Luigi Massoni
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
Space Age Vintage Foldable Ivory Plastic Table Luigi Massoni Guzzini 1970s Italy
By Guzzini
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage ivory foldable tray or table from plastic designed by Luigi Massoni Grafico Studio Zeto for Guzzini 1970s Italy. This foldable tray table is very useful as a breakf...
Plastic
Red Plastic Space Age Vintage Tray Bed Table Luigi Massoni Guzzini, 1970s, Italy
By Guzzini, Luigi Massoni
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
Mid-Century Artists Trolley by Giovanni Pelis for Stile Neolt, 1970s
By Giovanni Pelis, Stile Neolt
Located in Hilversum, NL
This vintage art station, crafted in Italy during the 1970s, is a standout piece designed by Giovanni Pelis for Stile Neolt. Made from durable plastic and fiberglass, this trolley fe...
Plastic, Fiberglass
Space Age Vintage Red Plastic Traytable Gueridon Luigi Massoni Guzzini Italy
By Guzzini
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage plastic tray table or gueridon or foldable breakfast table model Pepito designed by Luigi Massoni Grafico Studio Zeto for Guzzi...
Plastic
German Folding Serving Trolley, 1970s
Located in Delft, NL
A German folding serving trolley, 1970s A serving trolly with 2 removable trays and marked on the bottom with label Made in Western Germany an...
Chrome
$1,636
H 3.15 in W 31.5 in D 23.63 in
Fine 19th Century Papier-Mâché Tray by Jennings & Bettridge, London Royal Makers
Located in Benington, Herts
A superb large hand painted papier-mâché shaped tray impressed to verso by the Royal Makers Jennens & Bettridge, London. English, circa 1830. Beautifully hand painted and gilt ...
Gold Leaf
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
$544
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
$1,876
H 30.71 in W 33.86 in D 3.15 in
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
$1,840
H 30.52 in W 26.58 in D 16.54 in
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
Space Age Cooffe Table 1970s
Located in Čelinac, BA
Space Age Cooffe Table 1970s
Chrome
$604
H 18.12 in W 15.75 in D 16.93 in
Midcentury Rare Side or Serving Table, Space Age Style, Italy, 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
- very practical - rare type
Chrome
$750
H 15.75 in W 15.36 in D 15.36 in
1970s Italian Space Age White Artemide Giano Vano Plastic Side Table
By Artemide, Emma Gismondi Schweinberger
Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT
The Artemide Giano Vano side table represents one of the most playful and functional designs of the Italian 1970s. Made from molded plastic and recently repainted in satin white, thi...
Plastic
19th Century English Mahogany Butlers Tray Table
Located in Montreal, QC
Mahogany folding butlers tray on stand tray has four folding sides with inset brass hinges. Supported on folding stand with decorative turned supports. The dimensions are with the ...
Mahogany
Stone Age Gueridon by Studio Superego, Italy
Located in Milan, Italy
Stone Age gueridon with brass structure and base in semi-precious stone Malachite designed by Studio Superego for Superego Editions. Biography Superego editions was born in 2006, pe...
Malachite, Brass
$1,150
H 22.45 in W 25.2 in D 19.3 in
French Midcentury Bamboo Folding Tray Table, Lacquered Wood, 1970s
Located in Morazzone, Varese
French Midcentury Bamboo Folding Tray Table, Lacquered Wood, 1970s Beautiful side table with removable tray, made in France in the 1950s. The tray and table legs are made of lacquer...
Bamboo, Wicker
Bar Space Age Rotobar by Curver from 1970s
By Curver
Located in Vienna, AT
Unique 'rotobar' bar table from curver Netherlands from the 1970s. The table is rotatable and movable. With a number of practical compartments for, for example, drink bottles in combination with glasses. The orange/red plastic table...
Plastic
Vintage Space Age Rotobar by Curver, 1970s
By Curver
Located in Den Haag, NL
Curver Rotobar typical a product from the Space Ace period .seventies fantastic plastic!. several spaces for the bottles. The orange serving tray can be really used as a serving tray. the o ring on the Orange tray...
Plastic
Small Waterfall Space Age Thick Lucite Step End Table Pedestal
Located in San Diego, CA
Simple clear solid 1" thick lucite waterfall step end table pedestal freshly polished, circa 1980s.
Lucite
Sold
H 15.75 in W 29.53 in D 29.53 in
Italian Space Age Black Abs 4894 Coffee Table by Gae Aulenti for Kartell, 1970s
By Gae Aulenti, Kartell
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian space age black abs 4894 coffee table by Gae Aulenti for Kartell, 1970s. Coffee table mod. 4894 with black abs structure, square-shape...
Plastic
Luigi Massoni Serving Trolly Guzzini
By Guzzini, Luigi Massoni
Located in Den Haag, NL
White plastic trolley This 1970s Italian serving trolley was designed by Luigi Massoni for Guzzini. The trolley features two trays, made of white plast...
Plastic
Sold
H 9.45 in W 18.12 in D 18.12 in
Italian Space Age Orange Plastic 4 Gatti Table by Mario Bellini for B&B, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Space Age orange plastic 4 Gatti table by Mario Bellini for B&B, 1970s Pair of quare coffee tables 4 Gatti in orange plastic, stackable through the ho...
Plastic
Italian Space Age Glass and Steel Tray Coffee Table, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian space age glass and steel tray table, 1970s Coffee table with rectangular top in aquamarine green glass with rounded corners and structure wit...
Steel
Sold
H 24.81 in Dm 25.6 in
Space Age Cart with Removable Shelves by Luigi Massoni for Guzzini, circa 1970
By Luigi Massoni, Guzzini
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A stylish bar cart with removable shelves designed by Luigi Massoni. The orange color is typical of the period.
Plastic
Sold
H 14.97 in W 47.25 in D 27.56 in
Italian Space Age Marquinia Marble and Double Glass Top Coffee Table, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Coffee table with geometric figures in Marquinia marble and double glass shelf. Cylinder and cone can be disassembled into two parts that allow at the same time the fixing of the lo...
Marble
Sold
H 15.36 in W 35.44 in L 15.36 in
Italian Chromed Steel Structure and Smoked Glass Top, Coffee Table, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian vintage, chromed steel structure and smoked glass top, coffee table, 1970s Vintage seventies coffee table, Italian manufacture. The vintage coffee table, seventies, of Ital...
Steel
Italian Dark Brown Color Lacquered Wood Coffee Tables, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian dark brown color lacquered wood coffee tables, 1970s Trio of dark brown color lacquered wood tables with interlocking overlap Good ...
Wood
Vintage Space Ace Rotobar
By Curver
Located in Den Haag, NL
Lovely space ace trolley. Curver Holland, early 1970s. For your drinks and magazines. The light brown tray is rotating. Bright orange color. Complete and in...
Plastic