Forward-looking architect Walter Lamb is best known for his revolutionary and widely loved patio furniture — he salvaged metal tubing from sunken ships in Pearl Harbor in the 1940s to create alluring chaise longues and other pieces for the backyard. His vintage furniture designs have been adorning patios worldwide for almost a century.
Trained as an architect at the University of California Berkeley campus, Lamb found himself in Hawaii during the 1940s. This period was a time of growth for furniture designers and manufacturers, as veterans were returning to the United States, getting married and starting families. These folks needed practical furniture for their new homes, and as the movement we now call mid-century modern took shape, imaginative architects and furniture makers would fill that need. Lamb was one such innovator.
Lamb worked the shaped tubing and fittings he’d gathered from battleship wreckage into proper frames and wrapped the structures in marine-grade cotton cording to create comfortable, element-proof outdoor furniture. Today his patio furniture has an esteemed place in the history of design. In fact, furniture enthusiasts are eager to restore and collect his iconic aged furniture rather than purchase reproductions.
Postwar California would become reputable as a manufacturing center for versatile furniture intended for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Seating, tables and other items — often made with rattan — produced by the likes of McGuire and Brown Jordan became a defining feature of organic modern living, a style that still characterizes many California interiors and influences innumerable design firms. Pasadena’s then-new Brown Jordan picked up Lamb’s designs, which eventually included dining tables, side tables and coffee and cocktail tables. And along with these furnishings, Lamb's sculptural vintage seating — his curvaceous lounge chairs and armchairs with cotton cord seats — while perfect for your fire pit, shouldn’t be relegated to outdoors-only settings.
Lamb received much acclaim for his work. The Museum of Modern Art in New York recognized his 1940s-era outdoor furniture for Brown Jordan with a design award.
On 1stDibs, find a noteworthy collection of vintage Walter Lamb furniture.
$525
H 21.75 in W 5 in D 2.63 in
Vintage Paolo Soleri Cosanti Studio Cast Bronze Kinetic Wind Bell Chime
By Paolo Soleri
Located in St. Louis, MO
An exceptional out-of-production 21.75-inch cast bronze architectural wind bell designed by visionary Italian-born architect and artist Paolo Soleri (1919–2013). Hand-cast at his ren...
Bronze, Copper
Mid-Century Italian Paolo Soleri Brutalist Wind Chime Sculpture
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Forney, TX
A large and heavy patinated bronze Brutalism style windbell sculpture by Paolo Soleri (Italy, later America; 1919-2014). Beautiful, substantial Mid-century Post Modernist Brutali...
Bronze
Vintage Paolo Soleri Arconsanti Multi-Color Bronze Bell / Wind Chime
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Buffalo, NY
Wind chime/bell designed by architect, Paolo Soleri for Arconsanti (the city he designed and built in Arizona in 1970). Bronze cast elements with verdigris patina and multi-color pig...
Bronze
$575
H 23.13 in W 5 in D 3.63 in
Paolo Soleri Cosanti Studio Bronze Architectural Wind Chime Bell (23.25" H)
By Paolo Soleri
Located in St. Louis, MO
A striking 23.25-inch cast bronze sculptural wind bell designed by visionary Italian-born architect, urban planner, and artist Paolo Soleri (1919–2013). Handcrafted at his celebrated Cosanti studio in Paradise Valley, Arizona, this mid-century architectural bell showcases an outstanding naturally weathered verdigris patina. Cast using Soleri’s signature earth-casting metal technique, the bell features geometric Brutalist relief motifs along the main sound chamber, suspended from an articulated sculptural top link and finished below with a folded geometric copper wind-sail fin. Features the official cast Cosanti studio monogram / cipher on the side of the bell chamber. A rare, out-of-production vintage casting featuring iconic Soleri design language that bridges functional art and kinetic sculpture. Paolo Soleri (1919-2013), the founder of Cosanti and Arcosanti, was an important artist, architecture, philosopher and urban planner. The Italian architect studied with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona, and at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin. He would make his home and studio, Cosanti, near Taliesin West. Creator: Paolo Soleri (Cosanti Studios) Category: Decorative Objects → Sculptures → Kinetic / Mobiles / Bells Style: Mid-Century Modern / Brutalist Period: Late 20th Century (Circa 1960s–1970s) Place of Origin: United States (Paradise Valley, Arizona) Materials: Cast Bronze, Copper, Verdigris Patina Dimensions: Height: 23.25 in. (59.06 cm) × Width: 5.5 in. (13.97 cm) × Depth: 3.63 in. (9.22 cm) Paolo Soleri, Cosanti Bell, Paolo Soleri Bronze Bell, Arcosanti Wind Chime...
Bronze, Copper
$1,400
H 23 in W 6.5 in D 4.88 in
Large Mid-Century Verdigris Bronze Bell / Wind Chime Paolo Soleri for Arconsanti
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Large wind chime / bell designed by architect, Paolo Soleri for Arconsanti. Bronze cast elements with verdigris patina throughout from natural age and environmental weathering. Bell ...
Bronze
Vintage Verdigris Cast Bronze Wind Bell / Wind Chime by Joe Ursutz
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cast bronze wind bell/chime made by former Cosanti Soleri Foundry metalsmith and designer, Joe Ursutz, Sr. (ca. 1960s, USA). Ursutz, who was invaluable to Paolo Soleri during his career at Cosanti, inspired multiple wind bells. He later went on to form his own foundry, "The Bells of Carefree...
Bronze
1980s Handcrafted Vintage Artisan Wind Bell Ceramic and Wood Chime
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1980s Handcrafted Vintage Artisan Wind Bell Ceramic and wood chime 21.75 tall x 19 w x 5.25 Preowned Original vintage condition See all images provided
Ceramic, Wood
Large Paolo Soleri Brutalist Bronze Wind Bell Arcosanti 1970s
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Large Paolo Soleri Brutalist Bronze Wind Bell Arcosanti 1970s
Bronze
Paolo Soleri Greek God Bronze Wind Bell
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Paolo Soleri Greek God Bronze Wind Bell
Brass
$40,000
H 50 in W 12 in D 11 in
Large Bertoia Studios 10-Rod 'B-2700' Brass, Copper & Silver Sound Sculpture
By Val Bertoia, Harry Bertoia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large Bertoia Studios 10-Rod 'B-2700' Brass, Copper & Silver Sound Sculpture. A lyrical and musical sound sculpture with certificate of authenticity signed b...
Silver, Brass, Copper
Vintage 1970s Paolo Soleri Bronze Bells Wind Chime Cosanti Originals Iconic MCM
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Wonderful and rare variation of a large Paolo Soleri wind chime, with a wind span of 17 inches. No breaks, no loose welds, each bell is signed...
Bronze
1960s Mid-Century Desert Garden Wind Chime Clay+Copper by Paolo Soleri Arcosanti
By Paolo Soleri
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Clay chime with incised abstract designs, with clay clapper and copper fin. Designed by Paolo Soleri and hand-crafted at Arcosanti, c.1960. No discernible cracks, hairlines, or chips...
Clay
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.
Concrete
Skyscraper Iron Spike Masonry Nail Tower Sculpture Vintage Mid-Century Table Art
By David Grossman
Located in Hyattsville, MD
David Grossman's cast iron spikes brazened into a skyscraper form on foundry stone base. The Spikes are Sculpture is 3 x 3 x 12 in and the entire sculpture is 6.13 x 5.38 x 13.25 in.
Iron
Donald Deskey Brass Blade Fire Tools Andirons Set Vintage 1960s
By Bennett Co., Donald Deskey
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Nice to see the whole set together, one of Deskey's best designs. Presented with original patina to the brass, remaining unpolished for buyer. Andirons W 8.5 x D 19 x H 19 in Fire ...
Brass, Iron
1960s Pinwheel Brazen Nail Table Sculpture Mid-Century Starburst as Curtis Jere
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Wonderful and delicate Mid-Century era welded tabletop kinetic sculpture, no signature can be found, but it is very much like the works of Curtis Jere for Artisan House, with a littl...
Brass, Iron
