Modern Religious Items
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
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Style: Modern
Cabinet of Curiosities Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Exquisite cabinet of Curiosities showcasing a stunning collection of plaster figures and pieces, reminiscent of a Classic sculpture museum.
Olot has been a hub for sculpture and rel...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Wooden Traditional Figure in a Niche of a Saint, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious signed plaster figure of a saint in a wooden niche. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. In original condition, with minor wear...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Wood
Catalan Virgin Wood Sculpture, Capipota
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious wood Sculpture of a virgin. Made in Catalonia Spain, circa 1940. It's a beautiful piece of religious wood with glass eyes. In original condition, with ...
Category
1940s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Wood
Cabinet of Curiosities Display Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Exquisite cabinet of Curiosities showcasing a stunning collection of plaster figures and pieces, elegantly presented within a wood and glass display case reminiscent of a Classic scu...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Plaster Religious Traditional Wall Artwork of The Last Supper, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious plaster wall artwork depicting The Last Supper. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. In original condition, with minor wear con...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster
Cabinet of Curiosities Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden drawer. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the produc...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Handmade Sterling Silver and Gold-Plated Mezuzah Case Carmel Shabi Jerusalem
Located in New York, NY
This exquisite handmade Mezuzah case is a unique piece crafted in Jerusalem in 1986 by the renowned Israeli artist Carmel Shabi. Made of sterling silver (...
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Cabinet of Curiosities Sculptural Wall Shelving Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden drawer. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the produc...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Cabinet of Curiosities Antique Book Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster pieces and antique book artwork. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the production o...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Large Holy Land Mother-of-pearl, Abalone Shell and Olive Wood Icon
Located in London, GB
A large Holy Land mother-of-pearl, abalone shell and olive wood icon
Jerusalem, early 20th century
Icon: height 55.5cm, width 52cm, depth 18cm
Case: height 15.5cm, width 61.5cm, depth 57.5cm
In fitted case, presented by the President of the Senate...
Category
Early 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl, Olive
Cabinet of Curiosities Drawer Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden niche. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the product...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Cabinet of Curiosities Drawer Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden niche. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the product...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Cabinet of Curiosities Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Exquisite cabinet of Curiosities showcasing a stunning collection of plaster figures and pieces, reminiscent of a Classic sculpture museum.
Olot has been a hub for sculpture and rel...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Early 20th Century Antique Brass Judaica Menorah by the Bezalel Academy
Located in London, GB
An early 20th century antique brass Judaica Menorah by the Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem
Israel, c.1930
Measures: 28cm high x 20cm wide x 5.5cm deep
Ma...
Category
Early 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Brass
Cabinet of Curiosities Drawer Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden niche. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the product...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Postmodern Contemporary Menorah in Blue Anodized Aluminum by Luigi Del Monte
Located in Troy, MI
Ultramodern "Flat Arch" menorah by Italian designer Luigi Del Monte 1999
Featured in the MoMa gift catalog and design store Winter 2000
Sleek design in blue anodized aluminum with i...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Religious Items
Materials
Aluminum
Large and Very Rare Silver-Inlaid Antique Judaica Tray
Located in London, GB
A large and very rare silver-inlaid antique Judaica tray
Jerusalem, c.1900
Height 2.5cm, diameter 62cm
This large and remarkable work is a copper and silver-inlaid antique Jewish tray, featuring meticulous and exceptional metalwork, and was made in Jerusalem around the turn of the twentieth century.
It features a twelve-fold repeating pictorial decoration, which is set between two circles, that of the central ring in which a large menorah...
Category
Early 1900s Israeli Antique Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver, Brass, Copper
Modernist Stainless Steel
Brass Menorah by Shelly Turner for Alef Judaica
Located in San Diego, CA
Modernist chrome & brass menorah by Shelly Turner for Alef Judaica, circa 1990s. The menorah measures 9"W x 2"D x 4.5"H and is signed on the front side. I cannot make out the name; i...
Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Religious Items
Materials
Stainless Steel, Brass
$340 Sale Price
20% Off
Plaster Religious Handpainted Traditional Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious plaster handpainted wall artwork. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. In original condition, with minor wear consistent with a...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster
Plaster Virgin Traditional Figure, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious plaster figure of a virgin. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. In original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster
Plaster Religious Traditional Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious handpainted plaster wall artwork. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. In original condition, with minor wear consistent with age a...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster
Cabinet of Curiosities Drawer Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden niche. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the product...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Plaster, Wood
20th Century Oil Painting of Madonna and Child by Arnedo Linares, Spain
Located in Miami, FL
20th Century Oil Painting of Madonna and Child by Arnedo Linares, Spain (1925-2011)
This oil depicting the "Desamparados Verge" patron saint of Valencia...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Modern Religious Items
Vintage Modernist Carved Walnut Crucifix / Cross Sculpture
Located in San Diego, CA
Vintage modernist carved walnut crucifix / cross sculpture, circa 1970s.
The piece is signed on the underside and measures6.5"W x 2.5"D x 12.5"H. Very nice, well carved sculpture. ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Religious Items
Materials
Wood
Modernist Cast Bronze Crucifix on Walnut Cross, French or Belgian, Circa 1960s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Modernist Cast Bronze Crucifix on Walnut Cross, French or Belgian, circa 1960s
A striking mid-20th century Modernist crucifix, featuring a cast bronze corpus of Christ mounted on a ...
Category
20th Century European Modern Religious Items
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Israeli Hand-Made Silver Spice Box
Located in New York, NY
This late 20th-century Israeli silver spice box showcases a handcrafted aesthetic by a local silversmith, though the maker’s signature on the base is partially illegible. The rectang...
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Luigi Del Monte Modern Aluminum Hanukkah Lamp
Located in New York, NY
The Hanukkah Lamp by Luigi Del Monte, created in 1999, is a striking reinterpretation of the traditional Hanukkah menorah. Constructed from brushed aluminum, the lamp embraces minima...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Religious Items
Materials
Aluminum
Modernist Silver Plate Menorah
Located in San Diego, CA
Modernist silver plate menorah, circa 1970s. The menorah is in fair condition with some spotting to the plate and measures 6.5"W x 4.25"D x 6.7...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver Plate
$200 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Silver Gilt Torah Finials or Rimonim by Moses Salkind, London, 1925
Located in London, GB
A pair of silver gilt Torah finials or Rimonim by Moses Salkind
London, 1925
Height 41cm, diameter 9cm
Moses Salkind & Co., based on Mulberry St. London, were leading makers of ...
Category
Early 20th Century English Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Antique Balinese Hand-Carved Wooden Temple Offering Ornament - Tapel Gebogan
Located in San Diego, CA
Antique Balinese hand-carved wooden temple offering ornament known as a Tapel Gebogan, circa 1930s. Carved in the shape of a crowned female and hand painted, the piece is in good vin...
Category
Early 20th Century Balinese Modern Religious Items
Materials
Wood
Early Sterling Silver Pendant William Spratling
Located in Atlanta, GA
A lovely necklace pendant in 980 sterling silver from Taxco, Mexico. Designed and made by the studio of William Spratling, an American designer and entrepreneur who established his s...
Category
1930s Mexican Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Handcrafted Sterling Silver Kiddush Cup and Plate Set Signed Israel, 1980
Located in New York, NY
A stunning example of handcrafted Judaica, this sterling silver Kiddush cup and matching base were made in Israel in 1980 and are both signed by the artisan. Elegantly designed and r...
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Set of 6 sterling silver kiddush cups on a tray - Birmingham 1976
1986
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in Birmingham in 1976 by A. T. Cannon Ltd & Birmingham 1986 by R. E. Porter, this charming Elizabeth II, Sterling Silver Set of 6 Kiddush Cups on Tray, are plain in design...
Category
1970s English Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Sterling Silver
1980s Ceramic Blue Christian Fish Plate Pisces Decorative Display
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Vintage religious art Christian faith fish symbol Pisces decorative dish display etched ceramic plate in cobalt blue
Measures: 5.25" in diameter x 1" hei...
Category
1980s American Vintage Modern Religious Items
Materials
Ceramic
Bier judaica hammered silver Tzedakah Charity box , marked
By Bier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jizchak Bier founded in 1950's the Bier Judaica studio, to produce high quality silver judaica .
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
21st Century Italian Sterling Silver Chalice
Located in VALENZA, IT
Solid sterling silver liturgical chalice, completely handmade.
The base is hammered and embossed with arched motifs that facilitate its grip. The mi...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Modern Religious Items
Materials
Sterling Silver
$3,342 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Italian Baroque Silver Gilt and Painted Hand Form Reliquaries
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Italian Baroque (possibly 17th Century) Silver Gilt and Painted Hand Form religious Reliquaries (PRICED AS PAIR)
Category
17th Century Italian Antique Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Choirboys Singing in Altar by Luque, Spain
Located in Miami, FL
Choirboys singing in altar, Luque, Spain. He was born in 1919.
The author belongs to the Spanish expressionism.
His most important exhibitions :New York and Chicago; US Embassy in M...
Category
20th Century Spanish Modern Religious Items
AMERICAN EMPIRE STYLE DESKTOP INKWELL Begin 20th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
AMERICAN EMPIRE STYLE DESKTOP INKWELL
Begin 20th Century
in silver plated metal, mark on base of silversmith 'Reed & Barton' of Massachusetts, dated 1824-1928,
decorated with a roya...
Category
20th Century American Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver, Silver Plate
Two Brass Cross Ornament
Located in Antwerp, BE
This holy cross is carried in a procession.
Brass cross ornament in great condition. The brass on this has great patina from age and use. The Cross has a strong stable base and this ...
Category
19th Century Antique Modern Religious Items
Materials
Brass
$987 / item
A Purim Grogger by Jacobs late 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
A Purim Grogger by Jacobs, made in the late 20th Century.
Grogger (noisemaker) is shaped in the figure of a red and blue clown with his arms and legs outstretched and connected to t...
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Metal
Modern Tzedakah Box by Gruss
Located in New York, NY
This tzedakah (charity) box, crafted by Brooklyn-based artists Lorelei and Alex Gruss in the year 2000, is an exquisite example of Judaic artistry. The design features a silhouette of a cityscape, likely evoking Jerusalem, rendered in gold-toned metal with intricate cutouts. The background is inlaid with iridescent mother-of-pearl, lending the piece a luminous, ethereal quality.
Beneath the cityscape, the Hebrew word “צדקה” (tzedakah) is prominently displayed, symbolizing the Jewish practice of charitable giving. Two decorative blue gemstones, set into two stars of David, enhance the front, adding a touch of color and sophistication. The box’s wooden structure complements the gold-toned metal and mother-of-pearl inlay, creating a harmonious blend of materials.
This beautifully crafted tzedakah box...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Religious Items
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Brass
Painted Aluminum Hannukah Lamp by Luigi Del Monte
Located in New York, NY
This minimalist Hanukkah lamp created in 2002 by the Italian designer Luigi Del Monte, is made of painted aluminum in a striking blue finish. The lamp’s design features a linear arra...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Religious Items
Materials
Aluminum
Zelig Segal’s Modernist Aluminum Hanukkah Lamp
Located in New York, NY
This striking Hanukkah lamp, crafted by the renowned Israeli artist Zelig Segal, exemplifies a fusion of tradition and modernist design. Made from aluminum, the lamp features a minim...
Category
Early 2000s Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Aluminum
Late 20th Century Silver Mezuzah Case by Shuki Freiman
Located in New York, NY
Late 20th century silver Mezuzah case handmade by the artist Shuki Freiman. The base of the mezuzah case is adorned with floral engraving throughout, while the cylinder is decorated ...
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Silver
Contemporary Brass and Aluminum Israeli Purim Noisemaker
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary Brass and Aluminum Israeli Purim Noisemaker
This noisemaker features a modern, minimalist design with a combination of metal and colored elements. The central cylindri...
Category
Early 2000s Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Aluminum, Brass
A Purim Grogger by Jacobs late 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
A Purim Grogger by Jacobs in the late 20th Century
Grogger (noisemaker) is shaped in the figure of a metallic fish with tan and red fins and attached to the m...
Category
Late 20th Century Israeli Modern Religious Items
Materials
Metal
Modern religious items for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern religious items for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage religious items created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with plaster, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern religious items made in a specific country, there are Europe, Spain, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original religious items, popular names associated with this style include Ivan Voitovych, Ken Landauer, Arval Argenti Valenza, and Bier. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for religious items differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $96 and tops out at $57,336 while the average work can sell for $836.
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