Giovanni Offredi Brown Fabric and Steel "Lens" Chair for Saporiti, Italy, 1960s
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Giovanni Offredi Brown Fabric and Steel "Lens" Chair for Saporiti, Italy, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Giovanni Offredi (Designer),Saporiti (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 21 in (53.34 cm)Length: 29 in (73.66 cm)Seat Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1968
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
- Seller Location:Roma, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3067318596942
Giovanni Offredi
Of his mid-century modern furniture designs, which marry minimalist simplicity with elegance and symmetry, Italian designer Giovanni Offredi once said: “Beauty should not be confused with appearance, since the latter is the superficial part of the form.”
Born in Milan, in 1927, Offredi did not pursue formal education as an architect, unlike many of his contemporaries in the first half of the 20th century. He also did not begin designing furniture until later in his career. His earliest known furnishings were commissioned by wealthy Milanese families in 1960.
It wasn’t until the late 1960s — when Offredi met Sergio Saporiti, owner of Italian furniture manufacturer and design shop Saporiti — that his furniture designs would become more prominent. In 1970, Offredi entered into a partnership with Saporiti, producing several innovative and modernistic furniture lines.
Among Offredi’s most notable pieces are the gently curving Wave chair, sofa and lounge chair, the Onda coffee table and the Paracarro dining room table, with its cylindrical concrete base, glass top and metal cross section. He also designed a series of credenzas and sideboards in lacquered wood, featuring a high gloss finish and bold colors.
Offredi enjoyed a successful collaboration with Saporiti throughout the 1970s. In 1984, he began a partnership with Italian cabinet and kitchen manufacturer Snaidero, designing modern kitchens. His final kitchen design, Kube, in 2006, featured streamlined forms, contrasting materials and colors and a recessed aluminum toe kick with a reflective mirror finish, which made the kitchen appear suspended above the ground. The kitchen won a Good Design Award from the Chicago Design Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, in 2008. Offredi never had the opportunity to accept that prize — he died in 2007.
Although Offredi’s works are relatively obscure, they are sought out by in-the-know furniture collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Giovanni Offredi chairs, tables, case pieces and storage cabinets.
Saporiti
Established initially as Fratelli Saporiti in 1950, mid-century Italian furniture maker Saporiti Italia has a reputation for avant-garde and enduring designs, and its tables, chairs and cabinets inspire all who have had the pleasure of contemplating them.
Furniture designer Sergio Saporiti founded Fratelli Saporiti with a vision of creating pieces ahead of their time. By staying on top of the cultural shifts taking shape during the postwar era — and finding inspiration in the craftsmanship, durability and sensibility of Scandinavian design — Saporiti was able to tap into what the public wanted. His focus on using high-quality materials ensured that every welcoming chair and table could be used and enjoyed for decades to come.
In 1965, Saporiti collaborated with Italian designer Alberto Rosselli, a pioneer of the industrial design movement. They created such iconic pieces as the Confidential sofa, the Moby Dick chaise lounge and the Jumbo chair. In the 1970s, Saporiti initiated another collaboration with Italian designer Giovanni Offredi. The prolific partnership resulted in universally renowned designs like the Paracarro table and the Sail chair. Together, they also created the curving Wave sofa, which was popular in international markets.
The joint projects were a success, and the brand opened many international showrooms throughout the 1970s. This era also led to a partnership with Missoni — the celebrated Italian fashion brand worked closely with Giorgio Saporiti to create rugs and fabrics for its range of seating and more, and later, in 1983, Missoni expanded into home furnishings. At this time, the company officially rebranded as Saporiti Italia and released a line of customizable furniture, including the Avedon sofa, in collaboration with designer Mauro Lipparini.
Since then, Saporiti Italia has pivoted to furniture contracting and design management. To this day, the company remains under the ownership of the Saporiti family, and vintage Saporiti furniture continues to capture the imagination of collectors worldwide.
Find Saporiti Italia lounge chairs, coffee tables and sofas on 1stDibs.
- Giovanni Offredi White Leather and Steel "Lens" Chairs for Saporiti, Italy, 1968By Saporiti, Giovanni OffrediLocated in Roma, ITMarvellous midcentury lounge chair with tubular steel frames and white leather seat. The "Lens" model was designed by Giovanni Offredi and produced for Saporiti in 1968. This chair has a white leather seat with original upholstery and a fantastic tubular structure, available as it is or can be restored. A wonderful space-age design piece, fused with sumptuous and elegant materials. A magnificent and iconic piece that will be perfect for a midcentury-style living room or study and a must-have for vintage leather seats lovers. The condition of the chair has some normal signs of use and vintage condition, as shown in the photos. Giovanni Offredi (born 1927, Milan–died 2007, Milan) was a prominent Italian furniture and product designer of the second half of the 20th century. As opposed to most of the other Italian furniture designers of his time, Giovanni Offredi was not an architect, nor did he start designing early in his professional career. Instead, Offredi partially fits the career path of some of the talented contemporary designers who pursue product design outside of formal education in architecture. The earliest furniture design work known by Giovanni Offredi consists of exemplary furnishings made specifically for some of the wealthy families in Milan. Such is the case of the works done by Offredi for Casa C., in 1960, in Gorgonzola, a small town 14 miles from Milan. These works were designed with a surprisingly minimal simplicity and elegance, and they also clearly display a hallmark of his design work with the use of angular lines and exposed metal or wood frames—not unlike some of the modern Scandinavian design of the time. In the late 1960s, Giovanni Offredi met Sergio Saporiti, the owner of Italian design shop and furniture maker Saporiti, and in 1970, Offredi formalized a partnership with the furniture maker. This partnership would be long and successful and resulted in many furniture designs of distinct precision that were clearly modern and innovative and that went on to enjoy considerable commercial success. The most prominent furniture designs that Offredi made for Saporiti include the Paracarro table...Category
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$708 Sale Price20% Off - Set of "Lens" Chairs by G. Offredi Blue Velvet and Chrome, Saporiti Italy 1968By Giovanni Offredi, SaporitiLocated in Roma, ITMarvellous midcentury armchairs with tubular steel structure and seats. "Lens" model was designed by Giovanni Offredi and produced for Saporiti, around 1968 in Italy. These items are made of a stunning new stain-resistant, fire-retardant petrol blue velvet. A magnificent and iconic set that will be perfect for a living room or study, thanks to the brightness of the chromed steel structure. These pieces are in amazing vintage conditions as shown in the photos. The shipping quote refers to the chairs shipped with the seating disassembled from the chrome base. Giovanni Offredi (born 1927, Milan–died 2007, Milan) was a prominent Italian furniture and product designer of the second half of the 20th century. As opposed to most of the other Italian furniture designers of his time, Giovanni Offredi was not an architect, nor did he start designing early in his professional career. Instead, Offredi partially fits the career path of some of the talented contemporary designers who pursue product design outside of a formal education in architecture. The earliest furniture design work known by Giovanni Offredi consists of exemplary furnishings made specifically for some of the wealthy families in Milan. Such is the case of the works done by Offredi for Casa C., in 1960, in Gorgonzola, a small town 14 miles from Milan. These works were designed with a surprisingly minimal simplicity and elegance, and they also clearly display a hallmark of his design work with the use of angular lines and exposed metal or wood frames—not unlike some of the modern Scandinavian design of the time. In the late 1960s, Giovanni Offredi met Sergio Saporiti, the owner of Italian design shop and furniture maker Saporiti, and in 1970, Offredi formalized a partnership with the furniture maker. This partnership would be long and successful and resulted in many furniture designs of distinct precision that were clearly modern and innovative and that went on to enjoy considerable commercial success. The most prominent furniture designs that Offredi made for Saporiti include the Paracarro table...Category
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$2,380 Sale Price / set20% Off - Pair of "Lens" Chairs by G. Offredi Plum Velvet and Chrome, Saporiti Italy 1968By Saporiti, Giovanni OffrediLocated in Roma, ITMarvellous midcentury pair of armchairs with tubular steel structure and plum fabric seats. "Lens" model was designed by Giovanni Offredi and produced for Saporiti, around 1968 in Italy. These items are made of a stunning new stain-resistant, fire-retardant plum velvet. A magnificent and iconic set that will be perfect for a living room or study, thanks to the brightness of the chromed steel structure. These pieces are in great vintage conditions as shown in the photos. A magnificent and iconic pair of pieces that will be perfect for a living room or study. The shipping quote refers to the chairs shipped with the seating disassembled from the chromed base. Giovanni Offredi (born 1927, Milan–died 2007, Milan) was a prominent Italian furniture and product designer of the second half of the 20th century. As opposed to most of the other Italian furniture designers of his time, Giovanni Offredi was not an architect, nor did he start designing early in his professional career. Instead, Offredi partially fits the career path of some of the talented contemporary designers who pursue product design outside of a formal education in architecture. The earliest furniture design work known by Giovanni Offredi consists of exemplary furnishings made specifically for some of the wealthy families in Milan. Such is the case of the works done by Offredi for Casa C., in 1960, in Gorgonzola, a small town 14 miles from Milan. These works were designed with a surprisingly minimal simplicity and elegance, and they also clearly display a hallmark of his design work with the use of angular lines and exposed metal or wood frames—not unlike some of the modern Scandinavian design of the time. In the late 1960s, Giovanni Offredi met Sergio Saporiti, the owner of Italian design shop and furniture maker Saporiti, and in 1970, Offredi formalized a partnership with the furniture maker. This partnership would be long and successful and resulted in many furniture designs of distinct precision that were clearly modern and innovative and that went on to enjoy considerable commercial success. The most prominent furniture designs that Offredi made for Saporiti include the Paracarro table...Category
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