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Kinetic Lucite Plexiglass Obelisk Sculpture, circa 1970
By Studio Italia Design
Located in Atlanta, GA
This stunning Lucite or Plexiglass sculpture features an abstract, geometric swirl shape with a milky white color, mounted on a tall, stepped black acrylic base. The piece was expert...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic, Lucite, Plexiglass
1950
s Wood Motorcycle Model
Located in New York, NY
Unique motorcycle model with moving parts, fully constructed in wood. New Hampshire, circa 1950's.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Wood
François COLETTE (1936-2024) : Chrome plated stabile sculpture , 1973
By François Colette
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
François COLETTE (1936-2024) : Stabile
Chrome plated and articulated stabile sculpture
Signed 'F.C.' and dated '73'
Dimensions
Height 47 cm
Width 40 cm
Depth 30 cm
Good conditions
Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Modernist Gray Lucite Kinetic Celestial Orbit Sculpture Astrolabe, circa 1970
By Studio Italia Design
Located in Atlanta, GA
This stunning rotating astrolabe is a gorgeous kinetic sculpture. The rare celestial orbit piece was crafted in Italy circa 1970. The six circles are made of Acrylic Lucite in a smok...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic, Lucite
Vintage Dimensional Abstract Sculpture
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage Dimensional Abstract Sculpture.
We offer a great abstract expressionism dimensional kinetic sculpture mounted on a wood base.
Great coffee table or bookcase accessory!
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Aluminum
Laurent Martin Lo, Bamboo "Kinetic" Sculpture, France, circa 2000
Located in Nice, Cote d
Azur
Material, fishing lines and metal and ceramic weights. Like Calder’s mobiles, the sculptures follow strict
Category
Early 2000s French Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Bamboo
Michael Cutler Hanging Kinetic Aluminium Sculpture
By Michael Cutler
Located in Ferndale, MI
Michael Cutler designed steel rod circle holding rotating three-piece aluminum mobile sculpture
Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculpt...
Materials
Aluminum
Optical Methacrylate light sculpture, France 1970s
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Unique optical methacrylate light sculpture, France 1970s. Wonderful dimensional light sculpture composed of multiple methacrylate pieces, the pieces are dynamically positioned in a ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic
Paolo Soleri Ceramic Bell
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ceramic bell by Paolo Soleri c.1960's, USA. This bell features varying nautical creatures around the ceramic bell with a triangular metal clapper representing a fish tail. The bell h...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal
1950s Kinetic Modernist Sculpture Machine by Engel
Located in Palm Springs, CA
1950's kinetic art sculpture, possibly created by Jules Engel of Los Angeles and very reminiscent of artworks by Jean Tinguely. Sculpture measures 35" in height by 21" wide by 15" d...
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Kinetic light sculpture ‘Struttura Tricroma’ by Giovanni Anceschi, Italy 1963
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Important kinetic light sculpture ‘Struttura Tricroma’ by Giovanni Anceschi (Milan, 1934), Italy, 1963. This work is one of the most significant pieces by Giovanni Anceschi: a 'magic...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic, Wood
Small ‘Mouse’ Stabile Sculpture by Margery Kahn 1950
By Margery Kahn
Located in Wiscasset, ME
the mid-20th century at the Met in NYC.
Category
Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Scul...
Materials
Metal
$3,200 Sale Price
34% Off
Patriotic Flag Whirligig
Located in Lancaster, PA
Celebrate American craftsmanship with this charming c. 1940 patriotic whirligig. Crafted from wood and metal, this delightful piece features two men and an American flag, capturing a...
Category
Mid-20th Century North American Folk Art Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Paint
$3,000
Grazia Varisco Kinetic Light artwork
Schemi luminosi variabili
, Italy 1962
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Rare and important Kinetic light artwork by Grazia Varisco (Milan 1937), Italy 1962. Intriguing work which shows a continuously changing ray of light streams, glittering like stars i...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic
Rotating transparent acrylic sculpture by Rogelio Polesello, Argentina 1969
By Rogelio Polesello
Located in Autonomous City Buenos Aires, CABA
Transparent acrylic sculpture by Rogelio Polesello, with a moving cubic center. This particular piece plays with optical illusion due to transparency and light bounces.
A little abou...
Category
20th Century Argentine Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic
Joseph Meerbott Kinetic Sculpture
By Joseph Meerbott 1
Located in Dallas, TX
Wonderful enameled metal kinetic sculpture by Joseph Meerbott.
In two pieces, some minor loss to enamel.
Category
20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculp...
Materials
Metal
$4,200 Sale Price
30% Off
Large Bertoia Studios 32-Rod
Sounding Chess / B-2466
Copper
Brass Sculpture
By Val Bertoia, Harry Bertoia
Located in Glendale, CA
Large Bertoia Studios 32-Rod 'Sounding Chess / B-2466' copper & brass sculpture. A lyrical and musical sound sculpture with certificate of authenticity signed by Val, the artist and ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Ki...
Materials
Silver, Brass, Copper
Large Bertoia Studios 24-Rod
Star of Sound / B-2482
Copper
Brass Sculpture
By Harry Bertoia, Val Bertoia
Located in Glendale, CA
Large Bertoia Studios 24-rod 'Star of Sound B-2482' copper & brass sculpture. A lyrical and musical sound sculpture with certificate of authenticity signed by Val, the artist and son...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Ki...
Materials
Silver, Brass, Copper
Large Bertoia Studios 10-Rod
B-2700
Brass, Copper
Silver Sound Sculpture
By Harry Bertoia, Val Bertoia
Located in Glendale, CA
Large Bertoia Studios 10-Rod 'B-2700' Brass, Copper & Silver Sound Sculpture. A lyrical and musical sound sculpture with certificate of authenticity signed by Val, the artist and son...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Ki...
Materials
Silver, Brass, Copper
Art Deco WWII Military Strategy Chalk Teaching Globe on Stand by Denoyer-Geppert
Located in San Diego, CA
Rare art deco WWII military strategy chalk teaching globe by Denoyer-Geppert with period chrome stand, circa 1940s. The globe is in good condition with original paint; there are seve...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Chrome, Steel
$1,625 Sale Price
35% Off
18th Century Bronze Mortar with Pestle Apothecary Set
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
An antique bronze mortar with original pestle which has two side handles and incised detail. This set, found in Europe, would be a great addition to an existing collection of these p...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Danish Empire Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Invertible Cube Signed, Colored and Handmade by Paul Schatz, 1898-1979
By Paul Schatz
Located in Munster, NRW
councillor and owner of a small engineering works. The technological achievements of the new century, in
Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Paper
1970
s Charles Taylor Large Modernist Kinetic Sculpture
By Charles Taylor
Located in New York, NY
Fabulous 1970's modernist large Kinetic aluminum sculpture designed by Charles Taylor Model #450 in vintage original condition with minor wear and patina due to age and use.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Aluminum
Bronze Cosanti Bell by Paolo Soleri
By Paolo Soleri
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful bronze Cosanti bell by Paolo Soleri. Uncommon shape and design. Fantastic patina and a great sound. Signed. A unique piece from a celebrated artist. Unique attribute to thi...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Wood Survey Measuring Large Stick by Lenner
Located in San Diego, CA
Hard to find a rare vintage wood measuring stick by Lenner.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Aluminum
$460 Sale Price
20% Off
1970s Formula 1 Car Sculpture Made with Assorted Old Mechanical Metal Pieces
Located in Marbella, ES
1970s Formula 1 car sculpture made with assorted old mechanical metal pieces: cars, bikes, lawnmowers, etc.
Category
Mid-20th Century Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Classic Alex Moulton 4-speed Bicycle, modernist design
By Huffy Corp.
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic Alex Moulton 4-speed Bicycle, modernist design.. Amazing design,, All original,, Nice condition,,great riding bike,, probably can use a good tune up..
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Steel
1950s Asian Handcrafted Wood Burmese String Opera Marionette Wall Decor
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
display it on your wall, use it as a mobile to bring color to a child's room, or incorporate it into your
Category
Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Scultura cinetica italiana modern in plastica gialla di Franco Costalonga 1970
Located in MIlano, IT
Scultura cinetica composta da un tubolare in plastica giallo senape e una sfera con all’interno una bacchetta di radio che genera fasci di colore giallo.
Realizzata da Franco Costalo...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass, Plastic
Torch Cut Floral Arrangement from Brotman
s Sausalito
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Hanover, MA
Torch cut brass and mixed metal kinetic floral spray in the style of Curtis Jere retailed through Brotman's Village Fair in Sausalito, CA circa 1970
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Brass
Albert Chubac, Important Geometric Sculpture, France, circa 1960
By Albert Chubac
Located in Nice, Cote d
Azur
Lola Gassin's in Nice, in galleries in Nice
- 1990: he made four mobiles for the MAMAC in Nice
Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Modern Complex Tools Group Sculpture Welded Tools
By Feliciano Béjar
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Modern sculpture of real and old welded together tools. In style of Feliciano Bejar.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
1970s Helicopter Sculpture Made with Assorted Old Mechanical Metal Pieces
Located in Marbella, ES
1970s helicopter sculpture made with assorted old mechanical metal pieces: cars, bikes, lawnmowers, etc.
Category
Mid-20th Century European Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Iron
1970s Tank with Cannon Sculpture Made with Assorted Old Mechanical Metal Pieces
Located in Marbella, ES
1970s tank with cannon sculpture made with assorted old mechanical metal pieces: cars, bikes, lawnmowers, etc.
Category
Mid-20th Century European Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Table Top Acrylic Spray Sculpture
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Fun table top kinetic acrylic and wire spray with small brass tips. Cube measures 2.25" with the diameter of the spray reaching out to 32" diameter. Top on arches measure around 11"....
Category
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Albert Chubac, Sculpture, "TOTEM", Painted Iron, circa 1980, France
By Albert Chubac
Located in Nice, Cote d
Azur
made four mobiles for the MAMAC in Nice, Exhibitions at the Galerie François Moulin in Lyon and Golden
Category
Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Albert Chubac, Cinetic Sculpture, "Cage", Painted Iron, circa 1980, France
By Albert Chubac
Located in Nice, Cote d
Azur
made four mobiles for the MAMAC in Nice, Exhibitions at the Galerie François Moulin in Lyon and Golden
Category
Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Six Blenko Glass Zodiac Box
By Blenko Glass
Located in New York, NY
Set of Blenko art glass zodiac plaques.
Being sold individually.
There are: 2 Taurus
1 Aries
2 Cancer
1 Libra.
Category
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass
$175 / item
Italian Vintage Green Wooden Door from Capri
Located in Milano, IT
Wonderful Italian wooden door from Capri belonging to the 1960s, in a beautiful rustic chic style.
The door is a classic rectangular door, but lower than the current norm because ho...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Brass
$2,855 Sale Price
20% Off
Giaiotti desk and display case, 1960s, set of 2
Located in Manzano, IT
per ambienti executive, studi creativi o collezionisti di arredamento mid-century italiano. Un'ottima
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Modern Desks
Materials
Iron
Pair of Acrylic Sculpture by Rogelio Polesello, Argentina, 1969
By Rogelio Polesello
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Pair of acrylic sculpture by Rogelio Polesello, Argentina, 1969.
Untitled, both with magnifying acrylic effect. Iron base.
Dimensions of each one: 220 cm height, 88 cm width, 5 cm ...
Category
Vintage 1960s Argentine Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic
Meloniski da Villacidro Kinetic Sculpture in Wood and Brass
Located in Milano, IT
A splendid 1980s sculpture designed and produced by the great painter Meloniski from Villacidro.
The painter Meloniski was born in Villacidro in 1943.
Completely self-taught, the Sar...
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Brass
$2,379 Sale Price
20% Off
Beautiful Bronze Bell by Paolo Soleri
By Paolo Soleri
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful bronze Cosanti bell by Paolo Soleri. Uncommon shape and design. Fantastic patina and a great sound. Signed. A unique piece from a celebrated artist. Unique attribute to thi...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Skein Swift
Located in Greenwich, CT
A handsome 19th century swift with beautiful fruitwood base on ball feet and matching turned acorn
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Brass
$3,900
Rare Bill Curry Cattail Room Divider / Sculpture for Design Line 29 Cattails
By Bill Curry
Design Line
Located in Buffalo, NY
Extremely rare Cattail Sculpture / Room divider designed by Bill Curry for Design Line,,Featuring 29 metal rods with beautifully shaped and painted oval tops..Amazing colors ,, shade...
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Large Curtis C Jere Brass Spray Sculpture on Marble Base
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Wayne, NJ
Large Curtis C Jere brass spray sculpture on marble base ribbon forms with rods. Unsigned. many times from cleaning, the signature gets worn off through the years.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Metal
$1,200 Sale Price
20% Off
Harry Bertoia Gold Plated Bronze Diagonal Double Tonal Sonambient Sculpture
By Harry Bertoia
Located in St. Louis, MO
Sculptor and Artist Harry Bertoia gold plated bronze Sonambient sculpture, diagonal double tonal, circa 1965. Two groupings of thin rods at different angles on poured slab of bronze....
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Royal Dutch Navy Grumman Avanger TBM3 1960 Airplane Model
Located in Weesp, NL
Big and beautiful 1960 Grumman Avenger TBM3 Royal Dutch Navy airplane model. This beautiful replica once flew with remote control and it comes without remote control. It has not been...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Plastic, Wood
Vintage 1960s Modernist Inspired Handcrafted Hanging Wall Sculpture/Room Divider
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage 1960s Modernist inspired handcrafted hanging wall sculpture / room divider by New Zealand Artist Andrew Reid. circa 1990s.
Features a combination of geometric shapes with ro...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Wire
Paul A. Lobel Sterling Fisherman Kinetic Sculpture
By Paul Lobel
Located in St. Louis, MO
Paul A. Lobel (1899-1983) modernist silversmith, sculptor and artist. Lobel sold his jewelry and art at his Greenwich village shop in the 1940s and 1950s. This two-piece sterling Kin...
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Sterling Silver
Kinetic Reeds Sculpture Incised Concrete Base Vintage 1950s Studio Craft
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Interesting kinetic tall grass / reeds sculpture on impressed or molded base. Fair vintage condition, showing wear to base. Measures: Base is W 6½ x D 6 in. Total height is 34 in.
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Concrete
$1,560 Sale Price
20% Off
Bronze and Aluminum Sculpture "The Flame"
Located in New York, NY
Bronze and aluminum sculpture and brass, rotating, "the flame."
Nameless.
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Aluminum, Brass, Bronze
William Bowie Kinetic Sculpture
By William Bowie
Located in Brooklyn, NY
1960s Bowie Brutalist work composed of patinated steel rods and braze welded masonry nails with gilt decoration which fan out to create a free-form / moving sculpture. The cluster of...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Stone, Steel
19th Century French Provincial Carved Articulated Artist
s Model
Located in Middleburg, VA
A charming and evocative 19th-century carved wooden artist's mannequin from provincial France
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French French Provincial Mobiles and Kinetic Sc...
Materials
Metal, Brass
Monumental Modernist Mixed Metal Kinetic Floor Sculpture by Irving Lehman
By Irving George Lehman
Located in Buffalo, NY
Titled Galaxy 79, which I believe to be the year? Amazing mixed metal sculpture, consisting of copper, brass, aluminum steel and wood. Aluminum frame consisting of five moving abstra...
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
Materials
Brass, Copper, Cut Steel, Aluminum
Cassettiera danese anni ’60 in teak
Located in Torino, IT
Questa cassettiera danese degli anni Sessanta rappresenta uno dei grandi classici del design Mid
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
Piccola cassettiera danese anni ’60 in teak – 3 cassetti
Located in Torino, IT
la raffinatezza del design Mid-Century scandinavo. Realizzata in teak impiallacciato, mette in
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Teak
- 1
- ...
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Midcentury Mobile For Sale on 1stDibs
At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal midcentury mobile for your home. Each midcentury mobile for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, wood and art glass. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect midcentury mobile — we have versions that date back to the 20th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. A midcentury mobile is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Mid-Century Modern styles are sought with frequency. You’ll likely find more than one midcentury mobile that is appealing in its simplicity, but Venini, Fulvio Bianconi and Associazione Artigiana Canturina del Mobile produced versions that are worth a look.
How Much is a Midcentury Mobile?
Prices for a midcentury mobile start at $199 and top out at $9,979 with the average selling for $3,013.
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.
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This Paavo Tynell Chandelier Is a Radiant Bouquet
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Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.