Question 1

What is the difference between mid-century and mid-century modern?

Accepted Answer

The difference between mid-century and mid-century modern comes down to specificity. When it comes to furniture and architecture, for example, mid-century refers to works that emerged during the middle of the 20th century, usually between 1950 and 1970. The more specific descriptor, mid-century modern, is used to refer to a particular style of design that emphasizes simplicity, organic forms and clean lines. Mid-century modern furniture designers generally drew on the architectural work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Bauhaus design, Scandinavian modernism and more. Any piece of furniture produced during the 1950s and ’60s can be referred to as mid-century, but only those with specific characteristics are mid-century modern. That said, when enthusiasts of furniture and architecture use the shorter of the two phrases, they may indeed be referring to modernist works created during that period in history. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of mid-century modern furniture.

Question 2

What does mid century mean?

Accepted Answer

The mid-century modern style emerged primarily in the years following World War II. This style of decor is characterized by sleek lines, organic forms, minimal ornamentation and high functionality. Creators of mid-century modern furniture believed that good design meant good living, and mid-century modern is today by far the largest category of furnishings on 1stDibs.

Question 3

What is a mid-century chair?

Accepted Answer

A mid-century chair is a piece of seating furniture that was designed at any point during the middle of the 20th century. Mid-century modern furniture 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. The mid-century period provided an excellent opportunity to experiment with both functional and decorative forms. Mid-century modern chairs were made with a variety of natural and synthetic materials, combining leather, wood, and cane with chrome, steel, and plastic. Shop a range of vintage mid-century chairs on 1stDibs today.

Question 4

What is mid century furniture?

Accepted Answer

Mid-century furniture is furniture created within the period of 1933 to 1965 but most would argue that the style began to emerge in the postwar years. This style of furniture is known for its sleek lines and organic shapes. The creators most frequently associated with mid-century modern furniture believed that good design meant good living. Mid-century modern is today by far the largest category of furnishings on 1stDibs.

Question 5

What is mid-century jewelry?

Accepted Answer

Mid-century jewelry is a style of jewelry that rose in popularity along with the mid-century modern design movement. Pieces from this era typically feature bold, geometric designs. Shop a variety of mid-century jewelry and accessories from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.

Question 6

What is a mid-century sofa?

Accepted Answer

A mid-century sofa is any sofa created during the mid-20th century. Mid-century modern sofas are pieces of seating furniture that embody the venturesome attributes that we associate with mid-century modern furniture — while not all sofas designed in the mid-century modern style are the same, they frequently have a low profile and are characterized by gentle curves, clean lines and an organic shape. Mid-century furniture is a timeless classic due to its elegant simplicity. Shop a collection of antique, vintage, and contemporary mid-century sofas from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.

Question 7

What is mid-century artwork?

Accepted Answer

Mid-century artwork is any piece of art produced during the middle of the 20th century. It includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, collages, pottery and other media. You'll find a large selection of mid-century artwork from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Question 8

What is mid century decor?

Accepted Answer

Mid-century modern decor was popularized during the period of 1933 to 1965 but most would suggest that the style emerged during the years that followed World War II. This style of decor is typically characterized by sleek lines, organic forms, minimal ornamentation and high functionality. Find the finest mid-century modern furnishings and more on 1stDibs.

Question 9

What time is considered mid-century??

Accepted Answer

Mid-century is considered the middle of the century, however as it pertains to furniture and design, mid-century is an American design movement known for its modern style, construction and the Modernist movement. It is typically simple and clean lines without embellishments. Shop a range of mid-century modern designs on 1stDIbs.

Question 10

Is Mondrian mid century modern?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Mondrian’s art is believed to be one of the great inspirations for the mid-century modern approach to minimalism. His artworks were not just a departure from figurative works, but a new look at abstract art as well. On 1stDibs, find a variety of original artwork from top artists.

Question 11

Is mid-century modern timeless?

Accepted Answer

Yes, mid-century modern is timeless, in the opinion of many experts. Many characteristics of furniture and decorative accents produced in this style remain popular today. Among them are silhouettes marked by organic forms and clean lines, the promotion of functionality and the use of natural materials like teak, rosewood and oak and synthetic materials such as steel, fiberglass and molded plywood. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of mid-century modern furniture.

Question 12

How can you tell if furniture is mid century?

Accepted Answer

To tell if furniture is mid-century modern, examine the piece, looking for labels and markings that indicate who produced it. Then, consult trusted online resources to determine when the maker was active and what styles of furniture they made. Iconic mid-century modern furniture designers include Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Milo Baughman, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi. A knowledgeable dealer or certified appraiser can help you determine if a particular piece is genuine mid-century modern or a reproduction. Shop a range of mid-century modern furniture on 1stDibs.

Question 13

How can you tell if a chair is mid century?

Accepted Answer

To tell if a chair is mid-century, look for labels and markings that indicate its maker. Then, use trusted online resources to determine when the company was active. A certified appraiser or experienced antiques dealer can be of assistance when dating chairs. Iconic mid-century modern furniture designers include Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Milo Baughman, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi. Find a variety of mid-century modern chairs on 1stDibs.

Question 14

How do you identify mid century lamps?

Accepted Answer

To identify mid-century lamps, look for a manufacturer's label or stamp on the base or the shade. You can use trusted online resources to determine when the company or artisan was active. Some lamps may also have a date stamp that you can use for identification purposes. Pieces dating from the late 1950s through the early 1970s are mid-century in terms of their age. A mid-century modern lamp will show off hallmarks of the design style, such as curvy hourglass or globe forms. A certified appraiser or experienced antiques dealer may also be able to help with the identification. Find a range of mid-century lamps on 1stDibs.

Question 15

Is rattan mid-century modern?

Accepted Answer

Yes, some rattan is mid-century modern. Designers of the mid-century modern movement often preferred to use natural materials, including rattan, in their designs. However, not all rattan furniture was made during this period. Rattan was also a popular material for furniture produced during the Victorian era and continues to be used to produce furniture today. Shop a wide range of rattan furniture on 1stDibs.

Question 16

What makes a dresser mid-century?

Accepted Answer

A dresser is a mid-century dresser if it was made during the middle of the 20th century. The years that encompass the mid-century modern period are roughly 1933 until 1965, but most experts argue, however, that the mid-century modern period correlates specifically to the years following World War II. Mid-century modern dressers will likely have specific characteristics. There was a use of natural and man-made materials that included alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak as well as steel, fiberglass and molded plywood. An authentic mid-century modern dresser will also be characterized by simplicity, organic forms and clean lines. Shop an assortment of vintage mid-century dressers on 1stDibs.

Question 17

Why is mid century modern popular?

Accepted Answer

Most experts agree that mid-century modern correlates specifically to the years following World War II. It has grown in popularity in the decades since, particularly due to the media and cultural institutions that have promoted the truly innovative era of design. Not only did the MoMA promote modern furniture, but pieces are prominently visible on the set of very popular television shows such as Mad Men. Shop a wide and beautiful range of mid-century modern furniture on 1stDibs.

Question 18

Is Eames mid-century modern?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Eames is mid-century modern. In many ways, Charles Eames and Ray Eames were the embodiment of the inventiveness, energy and optimism at the heart of mid-century modern American design, and they have been recognized as the most influential designers of the 20th century. Some of the couple's most famous mid-century modern designs include the Eames Lounge chair and ottoman, the Eames Molded Plywood chair and the Eames Fiberglass chair. Shop a wide range of Charles and Ray Eames furniture on 1stDibs.

Question 19

What years are mid century modern?

Accepted Answer

The years that encompass the mid-century modern period are roughly 1933 until 1965, but most experts argue, however, that the mid-century modern era correlates specifically to the years following World War II. These years in America saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history. Vintage mid-century modern furniture — including tables, chairs, desks and case pieces — are often organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple.

Postwar architects and designers in the United States were animated by new ideas and new technology during the era of mid-century modernism. Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century furniture designs manufactured by the likes of Knoll and Herman Miller.

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.

Knoll became 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 soon became desirable for the home. Similarly, Michigan’s Herman Miller is best known for its iconic mid-century modern furniture, and while the company focused on the office, people loved its designs for their homes, too.

Find vintage mid-century modern furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Question 20

What years are considered mid-century?

Accepted Answer

The years between 1950 and 1960 are typically considered mid-century. Some people also include the 1970s in the definition. Remember that the term mid-century furniture refers to pieces produced during the middle of the 20th century. It is different from mid-century modern, the name for a furniture style that emerged primarily in the years following World War II and 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. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of mid-century furniture.

Mid Century Seascape

Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Miloslava Vrbova-Štefková Winter Seascape with Moore...-Oil Painting by Miloslava Vrbova- Mid-20th Century, Mid-20th Century

1960s Modern Landscape Paintings

P. MantosMid Century Modern Abstracted Maritime Seascape with Boats, 1968

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings

Mid Century Modern Swedish Seascape Oil Painting - Moments Between Casts, 1960s

Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

William L. HughesLarge Mid Century California Nocturnal Seascape (Double Sided Painting), 1960

Antique Mid-19th Century American Folk Art Paintings

19th Century Watercolor Seascape with Shipwreck

Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Anne Marie Migette PerardMid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Seascape with Seaweed and Surf

20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings

Henry D AntyVibrant Mid-20th Century Modernist Med Seascape Sailboats Coastal Buildings, 20th Century

Mid-20th Century American Romantic Paintings

Mid-Century Coastal Seascape Painting by Bertha Larson, Professionally Framed

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings

Framed Mid Century Vintage Seascape Print Wall Decor Large 41 by 29

1940s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Pieter HashagerBoats in the Harbor - Mid Century Industrial Seascape, 1947

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Manfred SchwartzBeach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Manfred SchwartzBeach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Manfred SchwartzBeach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Manfred SchwartzBeach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Manfred SchwartzRockwall Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Manfred SchwartzRockwall Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Contemporary Art

Large Scale Mid-Century Modern Signed Abstract Seascape Oil on Canvas

1960s Realist Landscape Paintings

Ruth Kjos Berg"The Active Sea", Mid Century Pacific Crashing Waves Seascape, 1960

Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Virginia ShacklesBoats At Sea, Mid Century Carmel California Coast Horizontal Seascape, c.1960s

Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Gloucester Harbor, Mid Century Double-Sided Seascape Watercolor with Boats

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings

Mid Century Modern Abstract New Jersey Shore Seascape - by E. Schreiber

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Simone ForgeMid 20th Century French Impressionist Oil Sand Dunes Coastal Seascape

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings

Mid Century Modern Swedish Seascape Oil Painting - Still Waters, Quiet Shore, 1960s

20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Fanch LelMid Century Impressionist Coastal Scene Muted Seascape with Boats at Dawn, 20TH CENTURY

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings

Mid-Century Modern Seascape Oil Painting Framed and Signed by the Artist.

1960s American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Doris WarnerCalifornia Seascape, Botanical Study - Double Sided Mid Century Watercolor, 1967

20th Century Abstract Abstract Paintings

Richard SorbyRichard Sorby Abstract Seascape – Mid-Century Modern Mixed-Media Painting

1940s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

John DominqueSailing Near Santa Barbara, Mid Century Coastal Seascape with Sailboats, 1946

1940s Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Giovanni GalloTorre Annunziata, Italy - Mid Century Marine Seascape with Portrait, 1946

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings

Mid Century Modern Seascape Oil Painting Signed by the Artist. C 1950s

20th Century Abstract Geometric Abstract Paintings

Serge Guerin (1916)Mid Century French Abstract Seascape in Blue and Green Signed SG

Mid-20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings

Vintage Mid-Century Swedish Abstract Seascape Oil Painting - Tales from the Sea, 1950s

1960s Landscape Paintings

Arnold BeardsleyMoonlit Coast - Large Mid 20th Century English Seascape Coastal Oil Painting, c.1960

Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Charles Grant DavidsonSeascape, c.1930

Vintage 1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Paintings

White Framed O. Moncayo Seascape Painting Acrylic on Canvas Mid-Century Modern

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Landscape Prints

Kaiko MotiSeascape, c.1965

1960s Modern Abstract Paintings

Dennis Broadbent"Ice Boats on Watuppa" Mid Century American Regionalist Seascape Oil Painting, 1960

Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Landscape Paintings

N. HauvetteMid Century French Signed Oil Boats Moored on White Cliff Beach Coastal Seascape, 1950

1960s Modern Landscape Paintings

Carol Sideman"City Harbor" Mid Century Modern Oakland Seascape in Oil on Linen, 1960s

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Miloslava Vrbova-Štefková
Winter Seascape with Moore...-Oil Painting by Miloslava Vrbova- Mid-20th Century, Mid-20th Century

P. Mantos
Mid Century Modern Abstracted Maritime Seascape with Boats, 1968

William L. Hughes
Large Mid Century California Nocturnal Seascape (Double Sided Painting), 1960

Anne Marie Migette Perard
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Seascape with Seaweed and Surf

Henry D Anty
Vibrant Mid-20th Century Modernist Med Seascape Sailboats Coastal Buildings, 20th Century

Pieter Hashager
Boats in the Harbor - Mid Century Industrial Seascape, 1947

Manfred Schwartz
Beach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Manfred Schwartz
Beach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Manfred Schwartz
Beach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Manfred Schwartz
Beach Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Manfred Schwartz
Rockwall Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Manfred Schwartz
Rockwall Seascape, Mid-20th Century

Ruth Kjos Berg
"The Active Sea", Mid Century Pacific Crashing Waves Seascape, 1960

Virginia Shackles
Boats At Sea, Mid Century Carmel California Coast Horizontal Seascape, c.1960s

Simone Forge
Mid 20th Century French Impressionist Oil Sand Dunes Coastal Seascape

Fanch Lel
Mid Century Impressionist Coastal Scene Muted Seascape with Boats at Dawn, 20TH CENTURY

Doris Warner
California Seascape, Botanical Study - Double Sided Mid Century Watercolor, 1967

Richard Sorby
Richard Sorby Abstract Seascape – Mid-Century Modern Mixed-Media Painting

John Dominque
Sailing Near Santa Barbara, Mid Century Coastal Seascape with Sailboats, 1946

Giovanni Gallo
Torre Annunziata, Italy - Mid Century Marine Seascape with Portrait, 1946

Serge Guerin (1916)
Mid Century French Abstract Seascape in Blue and Green Signed SG

Arnold Beardsley
Moonlit Coast - Large Mid 20th Century English Seascape Coastal Oil Painting, c.1960

Charles Grant Davidson
Seascape, c.1930

Kaiko Moti
Seascape, c.1965

Dennis Broadbent
"Ice Boats on Watuppa" Mid Century American Regionalist Seascape Oil Painting, 1960

N. Hauvette
Mid Century French Signed Oil Boats Moored on White Cliff Beach Coastal Seascape, 1950

Carol Sideman
"City Harbor" Mid Century Modern Oakland Seascape in Oil on Linen, 1960s

Irina Belotelkin Roublon
Seascape, c.1970

Carl Frederick Gaertner
Rocky Cove, Mid-20th Century Landscape/Seascape by Cleveland School artist, 1947

Georgia Crittenden Bemis
Mid Century San Diego Impressionist Seascape by Georgia Crittenden Bemis, 1939, 1939

Farren Jensen
"Sea Cliff" Mid Century Modern Coastal Cliff Seascape in Acrylic on Masonite, c. 1970

Carol Sideman
"Rain-Drenched Marina" Mid Century Modern Oakland Seascape in Oil on Linen, 1960s

William Henry Innes
Seascape St Ives - Mid 20th Century Impressionist Pastel by William Henry Innes, Circa 1960

M. L. Pfeffer
Sailboats on the Beach - Seascape, mid-20th Century

Frank Forty
Mid 20th C. Irish Artist Watercolor - Leaving Madeira - Open Seascape, c. 1950 s