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Space Age Textiles

SPACE AGE STYLE

Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.

From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.

Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.

The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.

Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.

Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.

Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Space Age
Verner Panton Curtain Panel, Tapestry, Fabric by Mira-X Collection, 1960s
Located in Morazzone, Varese
Powerful original curtain panel designed by Verner Panton during 1969-1971. 100% cotton material, Mira-X Collection., Made in Switzerland. The curtain is custom made directly from t...
Category

1970s Swiss Vintage Space Age Textiles

Materials

Fabric, Cotton

Design Lips by Verner Panton
Located in Milan, IT
'Design Lips' is a fabric wall panel designed and produced in 1968 as part of Verner Panton's 'Anatomical Designs Collection', which were photoreali...
Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Space Age Textiles

Materials

Cotton

Black and White Cowhide Cushion
Located in Tourcoing, FR
Black and white cowhide cushion.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Space Age Textiles

Materials

Animal Skin

Verner Panton Spectrum Curtains, Textile, Fabric for Mira-X, 1960s
Located in Schagen, NL
Vintage Verner Panton textile / curtains, manufactured in Denmark, circa 1960s. These pieces feature a symmetric template of multilayered spheres or circles (Spectrum) These layers v...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Space Age Textiles

Materials

Cotton

Verner Panton Pair of Original Curtain Panels For Mira-X
Located in Hanover, MA
Presented here is a pair of original vintage curtain panels designed by Verner Panton for Mira-X. Both curtains are 80 inches long by 44 inches...
Category

1970s Danish Vintage Space Age Textiles

Materials

Cotton

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Double sided pillow made with a plaid pattern Turkish textile.
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21st Century and Contemporary Space Age Textiles

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Textile Fabric Pillow
Textile Fabric Pillow
W 13 in L 22 in
Maharam Pillow, Unisol by Verner Panton
Located in New York, NY
Maharam pillow Unisol by Verner Panton 001 black/white Created by Verner Panton in 1965, Unisol is a graphic pattern featuring rows of black ellipses on a white round. The ellipses ...
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21st Century and Contemporary American Space Age Textiles

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Cotton, Polyester

Zebra Cushion in Cowhide
Located in Paris, FR
Cushion in cowhide how Zebra.
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21st Century and Contemporary French Space Age Textiles

Materials

Animal Skin

Zebra Cushion in Cowhide
Zebra Cushion in Cowhide
H 17.72 in W 17.72 in D 3.94 in
Lochanel White Cushion
Located in Carimate, CO
These stunning cushions boast the elegance of traditional patterns, enlivened with different textures and color combinations. Characterized by tone-on-tone color or by refined tweed ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Space Age Textiles

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Lochanel White Cushion
Lochanel White Cushion
H 19.69 in W 19.69 in D 1.97 in
White Cushion Cover, Handspun and Handwoven
Located in Marseille, FR
Handspun and handwoven white cushion cover - front: 100% Siroua wool, an endangered sheep living in a volcanic massif with very long wool fibers, located less than 100...
Category

2010s Moroccan Space Age Textiles

Materials

Wool

White Cushion Cover, made of Handspun and Handwoven wool
Located in Marseille, FR
Handspun and handwoven white cushion cover - front: 100% Siroua wool, an endangered sheep living in a volcanic massif with very long wool fibers, located less than 100...
Category

2010s Moroccan Space Age Textiles

Materials

Wool

Off-White Cushion Cover, made of Handspun and Handwoven wool
Located in Marseille, FR
Handspun and handwoven white cushion cover - front: 100% Siroua wool, an endangered sheep living in a volcanic massif with very long wool fibers, locate...
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2010s Moroccan Space Age Textiles

Materials

Wool

Vintage Linen Upholstery Textile Fabric
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Mt. 12,40 x cm. 52 of a vintage tissue, suitable for armchairs upholstery in a country or seaside home: difficult to find this quantity.! This tissue was used for French mail bags...
Category

Early 20th Century French Space Age Textiles

Materials

Canvas

Vintage Linen Upholstery Textile Fabric
Vintage Linen Upholstery Textile Fabric
H 20.48 in W 488.19 in D 0.4 in
Silk Velvet Black Eye Cushion
Located in ROCCAVIVARA CB, IT
The softness of velvet and the brightness of silk join in this wonderful cushion inspired by the Mediterranean tradition of the evil eye a 'good luck' charm that is used to protect a...
Category

2010s Italian Space Age Textiles

Materials

Cotton, Silk

Silk Velvet Black Eye Cushion
Silk Velvet Black Eye Cushion
H 23.63 in W 23.63 in D 1.19 in
5 Pieces of Mira x Fabric by Verner Panton, and One Piece of 70's Fabric
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
We have 2 pieces of Green Velour Squares by Panton for Mira X formerly curtains some fading on one and a split on the other as per photos. Two pieces of Blue Purple and Red squares, ...
Category

1970s Swiss Vintage Space Age Textiles

Materials

Fabric

White Cushion Cover, Handspun and Handwoven
Located in Marseille, FR
Handspun and handwoven white cushion cover - front: 100% Siroua wool, an endangered sheep living in a volcanic massif with very long wool fibers, locate...
Category

2010s Moroccan Space Age Textiles

Materials

Wool

Tan Brown Cowhide Pillow, Lumbar Cushion
Located in Dural, AU
Create an atmosphere of style with this striking cowhide lumbar pillow. Whether layering with other cushions or styled on its own the tan cowhide pillow will help transform rooms in ...
Category

2010s Australian Space Age Textiles

Materials

Cowhide

Tan Brown Cowhide Pillow, Lumbar Cushion
Tan Brown Cowhide Pillow, Lumbar Cushion
H 13.78 in W 19.69 in D 7.88 in

Space Age textiles for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Space Age textiles 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 textiles created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with cotton, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Space Age textiles made in a specific country, there are Europe, Denmark, and Scandinavia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original textiles, popular names associated with this style include Verner Panton, and Mira-X. 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 textiles differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $404 and tops out at $4,731 while the average work can sell for $3,843.

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