Marco Zanuso Dark Brown Leather Regent Armchair for Arflex, Italy, 1960s
View Similar Items
Marco Zanuso Dark Brown Leather Regent Armchair for Arflex, Italy, 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Arflex (Manufacturer),Marco Zanuso (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.89 in (81 cm)Width: 32.68 in (83 cm)Depth: 31.11 in (79 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Chiavari, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6764233169372
Marco Zanuso
Italian designer Marco Zanuso helped cement his country’s place as a world leader in furniture design that used new materials in revolutionary ways.
Zanuso was part of a generation of furniture designers who encouraged a sharp departure from the traditionalism and classicalism that reigned over the design industry before the war. These designers, who are associated with what we now call mid-century modernism, experimented with new technologies and materials to deliver on the world’s newfound need for streamlined products that represented the future.
After graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1939 with a degree in architecture, Zanuso served in the Navy during World War II. Soon after the war, he opened his own design firm in Milan in 1945. He later became an editor at well-regarded design magazines Domus and Casabella.
Zanuso used this editorial platform to both promote new Italian designs as well as his own pieces, some of which he made using unconventional materials like foam and latex. For instance, his famous Lady armchair from 1951 is a composition of foam rubber and Nastro Cord, a recently invented textile band of rubberized fabric that eliminated the need for metal springs. It was one of several pieces he designed for Italian manufacturer Arflex, along with the 1949 Antropus chair and the 1951 Sleep-o-matic sofa.
Zanuso often collaborated with other like-minded creatives. From 1955 until 1957, he was Olivetti’s architect, designing factories across Brazil, and for nearly two decades, he collaborated with German designer Richard Sapper. The pair’s most famous product is the 4999 children’s chair, manufactured in the 1960s by Kartell in Italy. The stackable chair was the first to be manufactured entirely of injection-molded plastic.
Zanuso and Sapper also partnered on the 1962 Brionvega Doney 14, the first European-made portable transistor TV; its sleek, compact and curvy form deeply influenced the design of television sets that followed, which were far more sculptural in form than the rigid boxes that characterized early models.
From the 1970s onward, Zanuso taught architecture and industrial design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He still exercised his creative talents, planning the headquarters for computer companies and renovating Italian theaters.
Each of Zanuso’s elegant works were demonstrative of a forward-looking sensibility. His projects saw an integration of novel industrial materials that not only helped emphasize the beauty of good design but also played a role in rendering these well-made products accessible to everyday consumers.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Marco Zanuso furniture, including armchairs, sofas, table lamps and other items.
Arflex
From its unorthodox beginnings, Italian manufacturer Arflex grew into one of the leaders of 20th-century furniture design. Its furniture came to be known for its integration of new materials and bold appeal, and today a variety of vintage Arflex chairs, sofas and tables are emblems of mid-century modernism.
Arflex was established in Milan in 1947 by Pirelli employees Carlo Barassi, Pio Reggiani, Renato Teani and Aldo Bai. Barassi, a Milan Polytechnic graduate and visionary engineer at the Italian tire manufacturer, explored innovative technology and new uses for synthetic materials in domestic products (for Kartell, he codeveloped a ski rack for automobiles). The four founders partnered with a young architect named Marco Zanuso, who also desired to create furniture that featured an application of novel materials such as elastic tape and polyurethane foam.
One of Arflex’s inaugural pieces was Zanuso’s Lady armchair, a seat made of polyurethane foam that was manufactured in pieces and assembled at the very end of the production process. It won a gold medal at the 1951 Milan Triennale. A couple of years later, Arflex collaborated with Studio BBPR to create the office-chic Elettra and Neptunia chairs. The flourishing furniture company quickly established a reputation for compelling products and attracting and working with up-and-coming designers such as Roberto Menghi, who created Hall, a luxurious line of seating that would earn the Compasso d’Oro – Honorable Mention in 1959.
In the 1960s, Arflex continued to welcome the use of new and cutting-edge materials. Popular designs from this decade include Carlo Bartoli's fiberglass and polyester resin Gaia lounge chair and Cini Boer’s Bobo Relax lounger, one of history’s first seating pieces made of polyurethane foam (it has no internal frame). Boer, a pioneer of furniture design in Italy, also created the Strips sofa for the brand in 1972. Part of a plush modular seating system, the Strips sofa became an Arflex icon and was awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1979.
Arflex continues to work with innovative designers to this day. Among their more recent collaborations is with Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. The company's legendary creations are also on display at museums worldwide. The Lady chair, for example, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
On 1stDibs, you can find a collection of vintage Arflex lounge chairs, armchairs, coffee tables and other furniture.
- Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy, Pair of ''Lady'' Armchairs in Blue Cotton VelvetBy Arflex, Marco ZanusoLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaAn exquisite pair of Lady lounge chairs, originally designed by the renowned Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy in 1951. These remarkable chairs have undergone meticulous reupholstering,...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Marco Zanuso Pair of Martingala armchairs for Arflex, Italy, 1950sBy Arflex, Marco ZanusoLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaAn elegant pair of early Martingala armchairs by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, designed in the 1950s and reupholstered in high-quality grey fabric, are now in excellent vintage condition....Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Mario Marenco first edition pair of leather lounge chairs, Arflex, Italy, 1970sBy Arflex, Mario MarencoLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaThe first edition pair of Marenco leather lounge chairs by Arflex, originating from the 1970s, epitomize the ingenuity of Mario Marenco's design. Debuting in 1970, these lounge chai...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Vico Magistretti for Cassina Pair of Rush & Beech Carimate Armchairs Italy, 1963By Cassina, Vico MagistrettiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaPair of Carimate lounge chairs designed by Vico Magistretti for the ‘Carimate Golf Club’ and produced by Cassina in the 1963. Made of beech, w...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsRush, Beech
- Vittorio Varo Pair of Leather Zinzolo Armchairs for Plan Interior Design, ItalyLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaA beautiful pair of Italian lounge chairs designed by Vittorio Varo in the 1960s for Plan Interior Design embodies a captivating space-age aesthetic, capturing the essence of an era ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Raffaella Crespi attributed bamboo lounge chair, Italy, 1960sBy Raffaella CrespiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaAn elegant lounge chair manufactured in Italy during the 1960s. Crafted with bamboo, its design is attributed to Raffaella Crespi, showcasing organic lines that beautifully mimic an ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Organic Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBamboo, Rattan
- Regent Armchairs by Marco Zanuso, Arflex, Italy, 1960'sBy Marco ZanusoLocated in New York, NYRegent armchairs by Marco Zanuso, Arflex, Italy, 1960's Designed in 1960 by Marco Zanuso, the Regent is less well known than his clas...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$14,480 Sale Price / set20% Off - Marco Zanuso for Arflex 'Regent' Lounge Chair in Patterned UpholsteryBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Waalwijk, NLMarco Zanuso for Arflex, lounge chair model 'Regent', fabric, metal, wood, Italy, 1960 Admirable ‘Regent’ lounge chair designed by Marco Zanuso ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Marco Zanuso for Arflex 'Regent' Lounge Chair and Ottoman in Black LeatherBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Waalwijk, NLMarco Zanuso for Arflex, lounge chair and ottoman model 'Regent', leather, metal, Italy, designed in 1960 This admirable lounge chair named ‘Regent’ is designed by the talented Ital...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Marco Zanuso Senior Chairs, Pure Mohair, Arflex, Italy, 1960sBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in London, GBAn pair of authentic marco zanuso senior chairs, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. These chairs have been reupholstered in a premium, ivory, 100% mohair velvet. Fast shipping worldwide.Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Marco Zanuso vintage "Regent" lounge chair for Arflex, Italy, 1960sBy Marco ZanusoLocated in Skokie, ILMarco Zanuso vintage "Regent" lounge chair for Arflex, Italy, 1960s Exceptional lounge chair designed by Marco Zanuso in the 1960s for Arflex...Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Marco Zanuso for Arflex 'Fourline' Chair in Black LeatherBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Waalwijk, NLMarco Zanuso for Arflex, leather and chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1964. This lounge chair by Zanuso remains among the best examples of armchairs designed by the architect. It is not ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel, Chrome