Mid-century modern pieces have a way of blending into a thrift store. An old lamp, teak cabinet, or funky piece of pottery can look dated sitting among newer donations, but to someone who knows what they’re looking at, it could be one of the best finds in the store. These are the mid-century modern finds I’d have a hard time walking away from if the price was right.
Mid-Century Dining Chairs
Dining chairs with tapered legs, curved backs, woven seats, or sculptural wooden frames are worth slowing down for, especially when you find a complete set. Examples from Danish and American designers can be valuable, but even unattributed vintage chairs may have strong resale or decorating appeal if they’re sturdy and well-constructed.
Danish Teak Sideboards
Danish teak sideboards from the 1950s and 1960s are the kind of furniture I’d have a very hard time leaving behind at a thrift store. Look for long, low profiles, sliding or tambour doors, sculpted handles, tapered legs, and maker marks from designers such as Ib Kofod-Larsen or Poul Hundevad.
Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
A vintage credenza can easily blend in with all the dated furniture at a thrift store, but the right one can be incredibly desirable today. Walnut and rosewood pieces with clean lines, quality joinery, unusual drawer fronts, and recognizable makers such as Arne Vodder are especially worth stopping to investigate.
Blenko and Italian Art Glass
Colorful vintage glass can easily get lost among ordinary vases, which is exactly why I always give the glassware shelves a closer look. Blenko decanters, Empoli genie bottles, Murano sommerso pieces, and unusual Italian art glass with original labels, signatures, or stoppers are especially worth investigating.
Vintage Mid Century Modern Mirrors
Mirrors are easy to overlook because thrift stores tend to have plenty of them, but the frame can completely change the story. Teak frames, starburst designs, unusual geometric shapes, brass details, and sculptural frames from the 1950s through the 1970s can turn an otherwise ordinary-looking mirror into a fantastic mid-century find.
Broyhill Brasilia, Kent Coffey and Lane Furniture
You don’t necessarily need to stumble across an expensive Danish designer piece to score great MCM furniture. Broyhill Brasilia, Kent Coffey Perspecta, and Lane Acclaim are recognizable American lines collectors still seek out, particularly when the walnut, distinctive details, and original finish remain in good condition.
Sculptural Lounge Chairs
That strange-looking chair tucked into the furniture section might deserve more attention than the ordinary recliner sitting next to it. Sculptural lounge chairs associated with designers such as Adrian Pearsall and Milo Baughman can command impressive prices, making unusual walnut frames, low profiles, dramatic backs, and original labels worth examining.
Related: Vintage Furniture Pieces Smart Thrifters Always Grab When They See Them
Vintage Pyrex
Pyrex is one of those collectibles you can realistically still stumble across while thrifting, but pattern and condition make a huge difference. Keep an eye out for harder-to-find designs such as Lucky in Love, Atomic Eyes, Pink Butterprint, Pink Gooseberry, Pink Daisy, and unusual promotional pieces rather than assuming every old Pyrex bowl is valuable.
West German Fat Lava Pottery
If an oddly shaped vase covered in thick, textured glaze catches your eye, flip it over before putting it back. West German pottery from makers such as Scheurich, Ruscha, Bay Keramik, and Dümler & Breiden has developed a strong following, with dramatic glazes, large sizes, unusual colors, and identifiable shape numbers often making pieces more desirable.
Related: 15 Vintage Knick-Knacks That Look Like Clutter but Could Actually Be Worth Money
Cathrineholm Lotus Enamelware
Cathrineholm’s bold Lotus pattern looks right at home in a modern kitchen despite dating back to the mid-century era. Vintage bowls, kettles, and cookware in striking colors are collectible today, and complete sets or harder-to-find color combinations can be particularly exciting thrift store discoveries.
George Nelson Ball and Sunburst Clocks
A colorful Ball Clock or dramatic Sunburst Clock can look like quirky wall décor until you realize you may be looking at an iconic mid-century design. Original George Nelson clocks produced by Howard Miller are the ones collectors really want, so checking the back for an older Howard Miller label can help distinguish a vintage piece from later reproductions and reissues.
Vintage Barware and Ice Buckets
Don’t rush through the cocktail glasses and ice buckets because some of the easiest pieces to overlook are hiding right there. Ernest Sohn ice buckets, Georges Briard decanters, Culver glassware with gold decoration, and other distinctive cocktail pieces can be surprisingly collectible when they’re complete and in good condition.
Ceramic and Sculptural Table Lamps
Never dismiss a thrift store lamp simply because the shade is ugly or missing; the base may be the valuable part. Signed Martz lamps from Marshall Studios are particularly desirable, while Danish teak lamps and unusual studio pottery lamps with classic mid-century shapes and glazes are also worth a second look.
Sputnik, Pendant and Statement Lighting
Vintage lighting can be one of those categories where something that looks wildly outdated to one shopper is exactly what another person has been hunting for. Authentic Sputnik chandeliers, Louis Poulsen pendants, George Nelson Bubble Lamps, and Italian lighting from makers such as Stilnovo and Arredoluce can be valuable finds, particularly when identifying marks and original components remain.
