The Portugese-born furniture designer Joaquim Tenreiro was a pioneer of modernism in Brazil, where his work paved the way for the successes of such mid-20th-century design greats as Sergio Rodrigues, Jorge Zalszupin, and Lina Bo Bardi, an Italian-Brazilian architect whose futuristic São Paulo buildings are only part of her legacy.
Tenreiro’s vintage tables, chairs and storage cabinets are known for their simplicity of line and an elegance that is enhanced by the use of richly grained South American hardwoods such as jacaranda and imbuia.
Tenreiro’s father and grandfather were both master woodworkers, under whom he trained in the craft. He had artistic leanings and in the late 1920s enrolled as a university student at the School of Arts and Crafts in Rio de Janeiro, where he joined a group of upstart modernists protesting the staid, retrograde curriculum at the college. At the time, Brazil was culturally mired in a 19th-century mindset that was reflected in an upper-class preference for academic painting and reproduction furnishings in antique European styles. But the progressive spirit that Tenreiro and his colleagues fostered slowly gained force.
With the terms “lightness” and “functionality” as his bywords, Tenreiro opened a furniture-design business in 1943, where one of his first clients was the legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer. The arrival of Brazil’s first democratically elected government, in 1945, lent modernism official sanction, which culminated in the construction of the new capital, Brasília. Tenreiro eventually stepped away from design in the late 1960s to devote his time to sculpture and painting.
To appreciate how revolutionary Tenreiro’s work seemed, one must imagine the heavy, ornately carved, deeply varnished furniture that was the standard for top-end Brazilian interior design in the 1930s. Tenreiro’s chairs and sofas employed slender, softly angular frames that were only lightly stained to highlight the grains of the local woods. He preferred chairs and chaises with caned seats and backrests that “breathe” in the tropical climate, and as a carpenter and joiner he wanted to show off the beauty of Brazilian wood.
Two versions of a three-legged side chair introduced in 1947 serve as a veritable manifesto for a new age in Brazilian design: Using the stack-lamination technique, Tenreiro bonded together a gently contoured seat made of alternating layers of different-colored native woods to produce a magnificent stripe effect. These chairs, like all Tenreiro works, demonstrate the enduring power of simple design and superb construction — with a teaspoon of flair.
Find vintage Joaquim Tenreiro furniture on 1stDibs.
Scarce variant of coffee table by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Splendide table basse en caviuna par Joaquim Tenreiro à section circulaire. Commande spéciale.
Glass, Wood
Set of Table and Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern, 1935-1949
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A rare and impeccably balanced dining ensemble, this set unites one of Tenreiro’s most elegant tables with ten of his iconic high-back dining chairs — a complete expression of his ma...
Cane, Glass, Rosewood
Scarce dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Rare table à jeu ou table à dîner par Joaquim Tenreiro
Glass, Imbuia, Paint
Gorgeous and impressive dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Incroyable et splendide table de Joaquim Tenreiro, c’est une commande spéciale pour une villa à Jardim, sao paulo. Elle mesure 315 cm sur 165 et présente un sublime travail de mosai...
Ceramic, Wood
Joaquim Tenreiro, Unique Console Table in Rosewood, Brazil, 1950s, Documented
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Joaquim Tenreiro / Unique Console Table Jacaranda Rosewood / Brazil, 1950s A monumental console table in jacaranda by Joaquim Tenreiro, uniting precise craftsmanship with vernacular...
Hardwood
Rare Small Desk for Bloch, by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Mid-Century Modern
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
This writing table by Joaquim Tenreiro is a paragon of Brazilian mid-century modernism, distinguished by its sleek geometry, graceful proportions, and a seamless blend of time-honore...
Hardwood
Solid Imbuia with Red Glass Top Dining Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil C. 1949
By Joaquim Tenreiro, Langbach & Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Restored.
Glass, Imbuia, Wood
Joaquim Tenreiro Coffee table model 'Octagonal'
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro Coffee table model "Octogonal" Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos Brazil, 1955 Marble, jacaranda wood Measurements 105 cm × 105 cm x 31h cm 41,3 in x 41,3 in x 12,2h in Literature Joaquim Tenreiro, by Soraia Cals and Maria Cecilia Loschiavo dos Santos...
Marble
Brazilian Modern Coffee Table in Rosewood & Glass by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and produced during the mature phase of Brazilian Modernism, this refined coffee table exemplifies Tenreiro’s lifelong pursuit of structural clarity, lig...
Glass, Hardwood
H Coffee Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Architectural and elemental, this solid rosewood table anchors a white marble top with H-shaped legs — a sculptural shift from Tenreiro’s earlier delicacy toward grounded, modernist ...
Marble
Coffee Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This sculptural coffee table exemplifies Tenreiro’s pursuit of lightness and rhythm through structure. The undulating rosewood base, composed of intersecting diagonal planes, support...
Rosewood, Glass
Rosewood Desk with Painted Glass Top by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960's
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
The Bloch Editors Desk is a signature design by Joaquim Tenreiro, produced in two versions: one with a glass top and another with a veneer top. The piece w...
Rosewood, Glass
Rosewood Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Editors, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted Rosewood Desk designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) belonged to BLOCH EDITORES S.A. BUILDING, a Brazilian publisher founded in 1952 and closed in 2000, wh...
Rosewood
Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1953
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Defined by crisp lines and material clarity, this roserwoodveneered desk combines floating volumes with integrated drawers — a mature expression of Tenreiro’s modernist language.
Rosewood, Plywood
Joaquim Tenreiro coffee table
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Très jolie table basse de Joaquim Tenreiro à piétement d’aile d’avion et traverse fuselée. Le bois utilisé est de l’imbuia et le plateau est en marbre. C’est une table de 1950. ...
Carrara Marble
Scarce coffee table by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Sublime table de Joaquim Tenreiro vers 1955 en Caviuna et verre. Très élégante.
Glass, Wood
Office Desk model “Square” by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1966
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Office Desk model "Square" Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçao Brazil, 1966 Jacaranda, Glass Measurements 100 cm x 100 cm x 76h cm 39,3 in x 39,3 in x 29,9h in Provenance T...
Glass, Jacaranda
Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1966
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Desk Created for the offices of Bloch Editores, Sao PAulo Brazil, 1966 Jacaranda (rosewood) wood Measurements 145 cm x 70 cm x 75h cm 57 in x 27,55 in x 29,52h in Details Paqule of...
Wood, Jacaranda, Rosewood
Joaquim Tenreiro Coffee Table, Brasil, 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro Coffee table Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes Brazil, 1950 Jacaranda wood, marble “beige snake” From the archives of Side Gallery, Barcelona Meas...
Marble
Brazilian Modern Coffee Table in Hardwood and Marble, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available today in NYC with free domestic shipping included, this Brazilian Modern Coffee Table made in Hardwood and Marble by Joaquim Tenreiro in the 50's is gorgeous. This coffee ...
Marble
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Side Tables by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Side Tables by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s Side tables designed by the renowned Brazilian designer, Joaquim Tenreiro, crafted during the mid-20th cent...
Glass, Wood
Joaquim Tenreiro round dining table Brazil 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Beautiful and super rare round dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil 1960. The precision and attention to detail by Tenreiro are visible in every inch of this creation. Each curve and joint speak of his masterful understanding of the medium, transforming solid wood into an ethereal masterpiece. Made of solid rosewood, the table's thin, round structure gracefully holds a smooth, transparent glass top, allowing to see the beauty of the minimalistic cross base. The legs of this table are slender, accentuating the table's lightness. This incredibly rare dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro goes beyond just being useful. Its design is timeless, giving us a glimpse into the creative mind of a true artist. Joaquim Tenreiro was born into a family of woodworkers and carpenters in Melo, Gouveia Municipality, Portugal. In the late 1920s, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and started working for the company Laubisch Hirth...
Glass, Rosewood
$30,000 / set
Pair of Joaquim Tenreiro Side Tables
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in San Francisco, CA
Pair of Joaquim Tenreiro side tables A pair of Joaquim Tenriero side tables in ivory wood with glass top. There is a lower single shelf and a single drawer at the top. Exceptionally...
Wood
Joaquim Tenreiro Coffee Table with Five Woods, Brasil, 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro Coffee table with five woods Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes Brasil, 1950 Five different types of hard wood (jacaranda, imbuir, roxinho, Pau marfim ...
Wood
Office Desk model “Square” by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1966
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Office Desk model "Square" Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçao Brazil, 1966 Jacaranda, Glass Measurements 100 cm x 100 cm x 76h cm 39,3 in x 39,3 in x 29,9h in Detail This ...
Glass, Jacaranda
Large Coffee Table in Rosewood and Glass by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available today in NYC with free domestic shipping included, this exquisite coffee table, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro in the 1950s is nothing less than spectacular! The piece showc...
Glass, Hardwood
Joaquim Tenreiro, Side Table, Brazil, 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro (1906–1992) Side table Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes Brazil, 1950 Caviuna, Formica Measurements 78 cm diameter x 41 height cm 30.7 in diame...
Formica, Wood
Dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Important dining table Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes Brazil, 1950 Solid jacaranda ebonized wood and white lacquered formica top Measurements 223 cm x 98 cm x 74h cm 87,69 in x 38,58 in x 29,13h in Literature Joaquim Tenreiro, by Soraia Cals and Maria Cecilia Loschiavo dos Santos...
Formica, Jacaranda
Estrutural Coffee Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Midcentury, circa 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) designed this round coffee table in 1947 – the same period he created other Estrutural pieces, like the famous dining chairs...
Rosewood, Glass
Rosewood Dining Table with Glass Top, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted dining table, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1947, evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. Its delicate shapes give the impression that the pieces float in the space. Tenreiro came to see the often heavy, overstuffed pieces that dominated the market as being incompatible with a tropical country like Brazil. He promoted furniture that was formally light, as described in his own words: “Lightness, which has nothing to do with the weight per se, but with grace and functionality in space.” Our pieces present original stamps of Tenreiro Móveis e Decorações...
Glass, Hardwood
Rosewood Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Editors, Brazilian Midcentury, 1965
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This bloch desk was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992), the “father” of Brazilian modernism, in 1965. The desk offers an interplay of rosewood tones and its elegance is complem...
Rosewood
Rosewood Desk Brazilian Midcentury Design by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Original condition.
Wood
Caviuna Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s, Brazilian Midcentury Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This stunning Caviúna piece was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and produced in 1968 by one of his companies, located in Rio de Janeiro. Its simple design stands out with the subtle det...
Wood
Round Dining Table in Caviúna Wood by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Designed in the 1950s by Joaquim Tenreiro, this exceptional round dining table represents a mature expression of Brazilian modern furniture at mid-century. Tenreiro—widely regarded a...
Wood
Round Dining Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern Brazilian, 1955
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A quiet exercise in symmetry and precision. The clear glass top inset preserves the visual richness of rosewood while reinforcing Tenreiro’s ethos of clarity and refinement.
Glass, Rosewood
Joaquim Tenreiro Brazilian Desk
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Washington, DC
Beautiful Brazilian wooden desk by Brazilian master Joaquim Tenreiro, also known as the "Mestre de Madeira" (Master of Wood), because of his skill and artisanal approach to woodwork.
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Center Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern Center Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s This square center table designed by the renowned Brazilian designer, Joaquim Tenreiro was crafted during the mid-20th century, and exemplifies the clean lines and understated elegance that are characteristic of Tenreiro's work. Crafted with precision, this coffee table exhibits Tenreiro's skill in blending organic materials with a beautiful design aesthetic. The robust wooden frame shows the natural grains and warm tones, while its square shape lends versatility and balance to suit various interior styles. The greatest feature of this table is its nested glass...
Wood, Glass
Solid Pau Marfim Wood Estrutural Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Restored
Glass, Wood
Brazilian Hardwood Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted dining table, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1947, evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. Its delicate shapes...
Rosewood, Leather
Solid Caviuna Rectangular Dining Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This stunning Caviúna piece was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and produced in 1968 by Tenreiro Arquitetura e Interiores – located in Rio de Janeiro. Its simple design stands out with ...
Wood
Joaquim Tenreiro Side Table, Brazil, 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro Side table Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes Brazil, 1950 Jacaranda, glass From the archives of Side Gallery, Barcelona Measurements 75 cm x 50...
Glass, Jacaranda
Price Upon Request
Bloch Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Bloch Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro
Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Glass, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Hardwood, Glass
Price Upon Request
Bloch Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
This piece belonged to BLOCH EDITORES S.A. BUILDING which commissioned its interiors to Joaquim Tenreiro and Sergio Rodrigues. This desk presents both a patrimony label with an identification number as well as labels from "Tenreiro Moveis e Decoracoes...
Hardwood