1950s Walnut Dresser
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
20th Century American Dressers
Walnut
20th Century American Dressers
Walnut, Lacquer
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1950s Italian Dressers
Walnut, Burl
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Plastic, Walnut
20th Century American Dressers
Bronze
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Metal
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Beech, Walnut
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Dressers
20th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Rosewood, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Brutalist Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Dressers
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Modern Dressers
Plastic, Wood, Walnut, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Jewelry Boxes
Maple, Walnut
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1950s Walnut Dresser For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 1950s Walnut Dresser?
A Close Look at Mid-century-modern Furniture
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
Finding the Right Dressers for You
Antique, new and vintage dressers are a staple in any household. Whether it’s a 19th-century solid pine or oak Welsh kitchen dresser you’re using to store tableware or a Broyhill Brasilia highboy in your bedroom, these furniture fixtures are essential for making the most of your space.
The first step in finding the perfect dresser is considering your particular needs. Most tall dressers offer anywhere from five to seven drawers, essentially allowing for the organization of an entire wardrobe, while shorter, waist-height dresser varieties can be equipped with a convenient vanity mirror.
A highboy dresser is usually around six feet tall, with some versions standing even taller at seven feet or so. Highboys, which began to appear with frequency during the early 17th century in England, are essentially very tall dressers with lots of drawers, whereas a lowboy is a different type of storage furniture in that it's a dressing table with one or two rows of drawers.
When shopping for your antique or vintage dresser, consider those that bear the hallmarks of solid construction. Good furniture means making an investment, and solid hardwood pieces of maple, walnut or cherry will prove far more durable than a bedroom dresser made of particleboard.
If you’re looking for a mid-century modern case piece that boasts a subdued pairing of wood grains and uncomplicated drawer pulls, browse elegant dressers designed by Florence Knoll, Harvey Probber, Paul McCobb and other furniture makers associated with the celebrated style on 1stDibs.
Dressers characterized by bolder designs are also popular: Not only will your new piece of furniture be a storage solution, but it'll also make a statement.
Art Deco furniture makers preferred to work with dark woods and typically incorporated decorative embellishments. An ornately carved French or Italian Art Deco dresser complete with vanity mirror and cabriole scrolled feet might better complement the other pieces in your home. Alternatively, if you favor sumptuous antique furniture with curving lines and floral flourishes, the collection on 1stDibs also includes sophisticated 1800s-era Victorian walnut dressers and washstands with marble tops.
After all, a good case piece isn’t merely for minimizing clutter in your space. The style of your chosen dresser and its specific attributes should add something to your decor and your home. Modern creations include one-of-a-kind shapes, like the venturesome chests of drawers in leather, marble and wood crafted by the likes of Roberto Cavalli.
Explore a broad array of antique and vintage dressers today on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 30, 2023Some popular watches for men during the 1950s were the Rolex Submariner, the Enicar Sherpa Dive, the Breitling Navitimer, Omega, Constellation and the Rolex GMT-Master. Rolex, Timex, Orvin, Tower and Elgin were among the top watchmakers for women during the decade. On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique, vintage and contemporary watches.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024The clothing style in the 1950s was well tailored and classic. For women, dresses with padded busts, cinched waists and hips, and full circle skirts were popular, and the collared button-up shirt dress came into fashion during the decade. Men tended to wear suits in neutral gray, dark blue and brown colors made out of easy-to-care-for synthetic fabrics. Straight-cut double-breasted blazers were commonly worn for casual occasions. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of vintage clothing from the 1950s.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes. While the gem has always been a mainstay in jewelry, there was a boom in demand for pearl pieces in the 1950s. The style at the time was black-and-white-chic, and pearls were an excellent accompaniment to pieces like the classic little black dress. Shop a collection of expertly vetted pearl jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- What is 1950s furniture called?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 20241950s furniture is called vintage furniture. Some pieces produced during this period may be considered mid-century modern based on their characteristics. Mid-century modern design refers to the variety of modernism that rose to prominence in the 1940s and ’50s. It displays many of the characteristics of the earlier versions of modernism, including simple forms and a focus on functionality. Other traits common in mid-century modern furniture include unadorned silhouettes, clean lines and mixed materials, emphasizing wood, wool, steel and plastic. On 1stDibs, explore a large collection of 1950s furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023In the 1950s, a Chanel bag was priced between $200 and $300. The iconic Chanel 2.55 bag cost $220 when first introduced in February 1955. Accounting for inflation, that works out to around $2,536 in today's money. On 1stDibs, find a diverse assortment of Chanel bags from some of the world's top boutiques.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 6, 2023There were a few popular diamond cuts in the 1950s. One was the brilliant round cut, which is still common today due to its simple shape and prominent sparkle. Other favorite cuts of the decade included the Asscher cut, the emerald cut and the marquise cut. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of engagement rings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 13, 2024The best-known 1950s furniture style is called mid-century modern. Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three phrases that describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style emerged primarily in the years following World War II through creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living. Mid-century modern designers combined natural and human-made materials, such as teak, rosewood and oak woods as well as steel, fiberglass and molded plywood. Some well-known mid-century modern designers include Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Milo Baughman, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson. On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of mid-century modern furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 21, 2023In the 1950s, several diamond cuts were popular. They included the brilliant round cut, the Asscher cut, the emerald cut and the marquise cut. Rings that featured a large central stone flanked by smaller baguettes were also trendy during the decade. Find a collection of vintage diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Which artist became famous for his series of black paintings in the late 1950s and early 1960s?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertJanuary 27, 2025Frank Stella is the artist who became famous for his series of black paintings in the late 1950s and early 1960s. These works featured bands of black paint separated by thin, precise stripes of bare canvas. At a time when contemporary painting was all about wild gestures, thick paint and formal abandon, the “Black Paintings” created a sensation. Explore a range of Frank Stella art on 1stDibs.