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Mid-Century Modern Barware

MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE

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

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

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 legendary 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.

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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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Vintage Green, Yellow & Blue Geometric Highball Glasses Designed by Pasinski
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Six Mid-Century highball glasses in a yellow, blue and green raised, textured geometric design with a non-slip surface, designed by Irene Pasinski for the Washington Glass Company.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Aldo Tura Barware Bottle Opener + Ice Tongs Goatskin and Brass ITALY
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Aldo Tura Barware Set: Bottle Opener 8.88 L x 2.25 W x .75 inches and Ice Tongs 10.5 L x 2.63 W x 1.25 D inches Stamped Made in Italy. Unmarked. ...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Teak Danish Ice Bucket by Jens H. Quistgaard for Dansk, 1960s
Located in Costa Mesa, CA
Teak Danish Ice Bucket by Jens H. Quistgaard / JHQ for Dansk, 1960s.
Category

20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Teak

Vintage Libbey Glass Tom Collins Glasses Numbered 1-8 Each in a Different Color
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Libbey Glass Tom Collins glasses in clear glass with a frosted panel, each with a full height numeral in a stylized font and of different colors, 1 through 8.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Vintage Highball Glasses Designed by Irene Pasinski w/"Woven" Non-Slip Surface
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Eight vintage glasses designed by Irene Pasinski for Washington Glass with a "woven" star pattern in a cane color with non-slip surface.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 6 Libbey Marine Life Pilsners
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Vintage Libbey Sea Life pilsner glasses with raised green design and gilt seahorses and fish in an underwater ocean scene.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Pol Chambost Ceramic Pitcher Set of 2
Located in Munich, DE
Pol Chambost ceramic pitcher model 898 model, circa 1950, France. Black yellow and white black enamelled stoneware. Very good original condition. Bibliography: Pol Chambost, Sculpteu...
Category

1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Moroccan Amethyst Swirl Cocktail Set by Hazel-Atlas
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage Moroccan Amethyst Swirl Cocktail Set by Hazel-Atlas. Consisting of a large cocktail shaker with a chrome lid and 4 small cocktail glasses. Shaker 3.75" x 3.75" x 9"h Glasses ...
Category

1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Chrome

Danish Midcentury Modern Cocktail Drinks Coasters Organic Botanical Design
Located in New York, NY
A set of four (4) Danish black wood ebonized cocktail drinks coasters with dried organic botanical design, Midcentury Modern Scandinavian Modern design, circa early to mid-20th century, Denmark. Marked on underside 'Made in Denmark', as shown in last two images. Dimensions: 3.44" Diameter. Baccarat Champagne flute...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Wood

Set Of Six Vintage Libbey Daisy Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
A Set of Six Cheerful Daisy Rocks Glasses by Libbey Glass Co. All in excellent vintage condition.
Category

1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 6 Vintage Gold Decorated Highball Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 6 Vintage Gold Decorated Highball Glasses in a criss-cross pattern mesh design and top and bottom gold bands.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Gold

Vintage Highball Glasses With Egyptian Hieroglyphics Design
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 6 Vintage Highball Glasses With Stylized Egyptian Hieroglyphics Design. Signed made in USA. All in excellent vintage condition.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

1950s Aldo Tura Macabo Cusano Four Piece Wood Cocktail Bar Set
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1950s ALDO TURA for Macabo Cusano Wood Cocktail Bar Set 4 Pieces Milano Italy Carved Wood Metal Trim carafe: 11 x 6.5 ice bucket: 5.5 x 6.5H tongs: 6.75 x 1W x .38 cocktail shaker: ...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Recipe Cocktail Set by Jeannette Glass Co.
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Mid-Century Glass Recipes Cocktail Set with ice bucket Jeannette Glass Co. In Original Gold Metal Carrier, Cocktail Shaker with stirrer and six Highbal...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal

Set of 6 Hazel-Atlas Sailboats Tumblers
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Art Deco cobalt blue glass tumblers with white sailboats from the Sportsman Series by Hazel-Atlas Glassware.
Category

1930s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 6 Vintage Cera Glassware Highball Glasses, Regimental Drum
By Cera
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 6 Vintage Cera Glassware Highball Glasses in the Regimental Drum pattern.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

 Set of 8 Vintage Libbey Marine Life Highball Glasses With Gilt Seahorses & Fish
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Vintage Libbey Sea Life Tumblers with raised green design and Gilt Seahorses and Fish in an Underwater Ocean Scene. Glasses are tapered, measuring 2 1/4" across at the top a...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Gold, Enamel

MCM Bartlett-Collins Frosted Tom Collins Glasses w/ Gold Grid 2 Each of 4 Colors
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Eight mid-century modern Tom Collins glasses by Bartlett-Collins with frosted sides in 2 each of teal, yellow, pink and lime. Each glass with a clear reserve in the middle with squar...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Vintage Mid-Century Liquor Dispenser and Shot Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage Mid-Century Carousel Liquor Dispenser with Set of 6 Shot Glasses sitting on a circular chrome plate with 6 cut-out slots to hold the shot glasses. Shot glasses are grouped in...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Federal Glass Highball Glasses with Pitcher
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage Mid Century Cocktail Set by Federal Glass. The set consists of a large pitcher and 10 highball glasses. Decorated geome...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Vintage Mid Century Yellow and Black Vinyl Wrapped Ice Bucket
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Vintage Hexagonal form Mid Century Vinyl Wrapped Ice Bucket in Vibrant Yellow and Black.
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Plastic

Set 6 Oleg Cassini Double Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set 6 Oleg Cassini Double Rocks Glasses. Oleg Cassini was the designer for Jackie Kennedy.
Category

1980s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Lucite, Caned and Brass Ice Bucket. Italian work in the style of Christian Dior
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This very nice and elegant ice bucket is made of lucite with cane incrusted in lucite and brass. This is an Italian work in the style of Christian Dior. Circa 1970
Category

1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Cocktail Forks by Cini and Nils
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A group of six (6) sculptural and superbly executed polished steel cocktail forks.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Stainless Steel

1960s World Globe Brass Cigarette Lighter Germany
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s World Globe Brass Cigarette Lighter Germany 4 h x 2.5 diameter Original unrestored preowned vintage condition untested. Fading. See all images please.
Category

1960s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Set of Four Vintage Double Old Fashioned with Roosters Decoration
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of Four Vintage Double Old Fashioned with Large Crowing Roosters. Vibrantly colored Rooster in black and gold, accented in red feathers.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Six Vintage Culver Stemmed Coolers in the "Petite Fleur" Pattern
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of six glasses by Culver, LTD. having cylindrical bowls raised on a stem from a circular foot and called a "stemmed cooler" in Culvers marketing materials. Decorated with large f...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of Four Vintage Georges Briard Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of Four Vintage Georges Briard Rocks Glasses in red, white and blue bands. There are two sets available.
Category

1980s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid-Century Clear Glass Decanter Signed Eugene Von Boch for Villeroy & Boch
Located in New York, NY
This elegant and minimal decanter in transparent glass originates from Germany during the 20th Century signed Eugene Von Boch for Villeroy and Boch. The body of the piece is well bal...
Category

Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid-Century Modern Cera Glass "Mourning After" Satirical Highball Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of eight Cera Glass highball glasses in a circular gold-tone caddy. Each of the glasses is decorated in 22 karat gold and black enamel with 3 rows of four scenes depicting people...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal

Vintage Soda Siphon Seltzer Glass Bottle with Metal Mesh
Located in New Orleans, LA
Vintage and Classic Soda Siphon Seltzer glass bottle with cool Chrome Wire Mesh around the glass. Vintage mid century seltzer bottle made in Czech...
Category

1960s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Cera Glass Highball Glasses With Old World Maps - Set of 8
By Cera
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Vintage Cera Glass Highball Glasses With Old World Maps. Glasses measure 5 1/2" tall x 2 3/4". All in excellent vintage condition.
Category

1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid Century Silver Rimmed Cocktail Set - 6 Pieces
Located in Vallejo, CA
A mid century silver rimmed cocktail set. Includes a double spouted pitcher and 5 roly poly cordials. Metallic silver trim decorates each piece. Measurem...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of Six Billiard / Pool Balls Roly Poly Cocktail Glasses by Cera
By Cera
Located in San Diego, CA
Great set of six billiard / pool balls roll poly cocktail glasses by Cera, circa 1970s. Each glass resembles a billiard ball with a number and colorful stripe. These glasses are very...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Vintage Atomic Period Dyball Cocktail Shaker w/Black and Pink Stylized Birds
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Mid-Century glass cocktail shaker with a domed gold-toned lid decorated in pink and black enamels with stylized birds in the Atomic style. Signed Dyball.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modernist Cut Crystal Ice Bucket with Chrome Fittings & Loop Handles
Located in New York, NY
This bold and glamorous Mid-Century Modernist Cut Crystal Ice Bucket Originates from France, Circa 1950. Featuring a rim and handles rendered in polished chrome, the body of the ice ...
Category

1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Crystal, Chrome

Mid-Century Modernist Ice Bucket in Chrome with Rounded Handles
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-Century Modernist Ice Bucket in Chrome with Rounded Handles originates from Italy, Circa 1950. Featuring a gently tapered body leading to rounded handles on either side, thi...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Pink and Turquoise Bar Ware - a Set of 6
Located in Charleston, SC
Pink and turquoise floral glasses with gold accents and gold rims. These are my favorite and the last I have in this pattern.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Midcentury Auböck Bottle Stopper Historical Coin Motive
Located in Vienna, AT
For sale is a beautiful bottle stopper with a historical coin motive. It was crafted from brass and cork and designed by the renowned workshops of Carl Auböck in Austria. It represen...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Set of 8 Vintage Horses Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Vintage Horses Rocks Glasses. Unusual form with an extra thick base. Each glass with a white horse head on a black background trimmed in 22 c...
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 4 Vintage Cera Glassware "Lemon" Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Four vintage rocks glassed by Cera Glass with lemons, leaves and blossoms in yellow, green and white on clear glass.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Ice Bucket Morgen Bucket Brigade, 1970s, USA
By Jack Frost Ice Buckets
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice ice bucket. Looks like stone or Suede. Lucite lid and handle. Made by the Bucket Brigade USA 1970s.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Lucite

Vintage 4 oz Tumblers with Red, White, and Blue Bands - Set of 6
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 6 festive and patriotic 4 oz. tumblers decorated with raised bands each with 3 blue bands, 3 white bands, and 3 red bands. Glasses are flared, measuring 2.375” at top and 2” ...
Category

1980s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 8 Mid Century Highball Glasses with Sliver Band in Carrier
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 highball glasses. Each with a wide silver band in a checker board design. Comes with original walnut and chrome carrier.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Chrome

Set of 6 Pilsner Glasses with Silver Band
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 6 pilsner glasses, each with a wide silver band in the style of Dorothy Thorpe.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Silver

Six Georges Briard Designed Rocks Glasses in the "Golf" Pattern
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Six Georges Briard "Golf" themed rocks glasses with 22 karat gold raised clubs and white enamel golf balls.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of Four Vintage Georges Briard Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of Four Vintage Georges Briard Rocks Glasses in red, white and blue bands. There are two sets available.
Category

1980s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 4 Vintage Libbey Rocks Glasses with Rampant Lions
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 4 Vintage Libbey Rocks Glasses with Rampant Lions. Each glass is rimmed in 22k gold with a bold red shield and a rampant lion and fleur de lis, t...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 8 Cera Highball Glasses with Fruits
By Cera
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Cera Highball Glasses. Each glass decorated with various fruits including apples, pineapple, grapes and strawberries. Fruits are framed ...
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Silver Plated Brass Coin Bottle Opener by Carl Aubock, circa 1950
Located in Vienna, AT
Silver plated brass coin bottle opener, incorporating a 2 florin coin, by Carl Auböck, circa 1950. The front shows a Facsimile coin, dated 1881, with a po...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Brass

Six Vintage Rocks Glasses by Culver, LTD in "Coral Icicle" Ring Pattern
Located in Nantucket, MA
Vintage rocks glasses signed Culver, LTD in a variant of the "Icicle" pattern having raised textured translucent coral horizontal lines applied t...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 8 Atomic Libbey Mid - Century Modern Tumblers
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 8 Libbey Mid-Century Modern Tumblers. Atomic decoration in blue and teal, accented with 22k gold design in a stardust effect. Perfect for a summer cocktail.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Gold, Enamel

Four Cera Glass Vintage Rocks Glasses with Large Daffodils in Colored Enamels
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Cera Glassware "Daffodil" rocks glasses with large daffodils in yellow, white and green enamel on clear glass. This version of the "Daffodil" pattern has a group of large daffodils o...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of 4 Vintage Georges Briard Rocks Glasses with a Raised Yellow Net Pattern
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Four Georges Briard rocks glasses with raised and textured irregular yellow net pattern with a non-slip surface.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Mid-century Dansk Round Ice Bucket c.1960-1970 (FREE SHIPPING)
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An original mid-century Teak round ice bucket with black, plastic insert. Impressed stamp on the bottom with maker's mark. CREATOR Dansk International Design Ltd, Malaysi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Plastic, Teak

Vintage Cera Highball Glasses with Grapes and Arched Columns - Set of 6
By Cera
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of 6 Vintage Cera Highball Glasses with a Wide Gilt and Cranberry Band with Gilt grapes leaves. Below the band is a series of cranberry color...
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Stock Market / Dow Jones Cocktail or Martini Pitcher by Cera
By Cera
Located in San Diego, CA
A rare and difficult to find cocktail / martini pitcher tracking the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) from 1958 to 1968 by Cera, circa late 1970s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips or cracks and measures 3"D x 8"H (it holds about 20oz of liquid). See our other Dow / Cera glasses listing to find some matching cocktail glasses. The perfect gift of any stock broker...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Glass

Set of Six Culver Double Owl Rocks Glasses
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Set of Six Culver Double Owl Rocks Glasses. Each with a large and small owl perched on a branch. All in excellent vintage condition.
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Gold

Mid-century Modern barware for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern barware 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 barware created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, decorative objects, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern barware made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original barware, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Culver Ltd., Georges Briard, and Aldo Tura. 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 barware differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $29 and tops out at $295,000 while the average work can sell for $495.

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