$3,336
H 27.56 in W 45.28 in D 23.63 in
Mid-century modern Tito Agnoli P3 rattan lounge chair by Bonacina, 1960 Italy
By Tito Agnoli, Bonacina
Located in Renens, CH
Model P3 lounge chair by Tito Agnoli produced by Bonacina in Italy in 1964. The tubular metal
Cane, Rattan
$4,885 / item
H 25.99 in W 24.41 in D 63 in
Tito Agnoli Set of Four Cane Chaise Lounges P3S Pierantonio Bonacina Italy, 1964
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
seat Reference: Pierantonio Bonacina distributor’s catalog. Available a set of two P3 lounge chairs
Metal
$3,002
H 27.17 in W 38.98 in D 23.63 in
Ikea Hestra model rattan lounge chair, 1982. Inspired by Tito Agnoli Design
By IKEA
Located in Roma, RM
in 1982, is a minimalist and ergonomic piece designed in a style reminiscent of the P3 lounge chair
Metal
P3 Chaise lounge chair by Tito Agnoli, Italy 1960's
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
This elegant chaise lounge, designed by renowned Italian architect and designer Tito Agnoli for
Cane
Tito Agnoli Modular Lounge Chair by Arflex, Italy, 1968
By Arflex, Tito Agnoli
Located in L'Escala, ES
include the Model 9000 Sofa from Arflex (1969); the sculptural wicker P3 Lounge Chair and P3S Lounge Chair
Wool
Sold
H 34.65 in W 27.96 in L 34.65 in
Pair of Tito Agnoli P3 Wicker Easy or Garden Chair for Vittorio Bonacina, 1970s
By Tito Agnoli, Vittorio Bonacina
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
Set of two authentic P3 lounge chairs designed in the '60s by Tito Agnoli and produced in the late
Metal
Six Fiorenza Chairs by Tito Agnoli, Molteni
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Milano, Lombardia
wicker P3 Lounge Chair and P3S Lounge Chair, stainless steel Sorbet Chair, and Punto e Virgola Chair for
Wood
Tito Agnoli Lounge Chair Model P3
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Dronten, NL
Sculptural chair in wicker by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Model P3.
Steel
Tito Agnoli Lounge Chair Model P3
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Dronten, NL
Sculptural chair in wicker by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Model P3. Tubular steel frame, woven
Wicker
Vintage Cane Lounge Chair Model P3 by Tito Agnoli, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Timeless lounge chair designed by Tito Agnoli and manufactured by Pierantonio Bonacina. Model P3
Cane
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in D 34.5 in
Tito Agnoli Rattan Sculptural Italian Lounge Chairs "P3" for Bonacina
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Chicago, IL
Tito Agnoli "P3" woven wicker stackable lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Pair of wonderful
Wicker
Vintage Cane Lounge Chairs Model P3 by Tito Agnoli, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Timeless easy chairs designed by Tito Agnoli and manufactured by Pierantonio Bonacina. Model P3
Cane
1960s Lounge Chair P3 by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
1960s Lounge chair P3 by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy. Wicker and steel frame. In
Steel
Sold
H 27.56 in W 23.63 in D 44.89 in
Vintage Ikea 'Hestra' Wicker Lounge Chair after P3 Chair by Tito Agnoli, 1980s
By Pierantonio Bonacina, IKEA, Tito Agnoli
Located in Zagreb, HR
around the same time as the 'P3' chair desgined by Tito Agnoli and produced by Pierantonio Bonacina
Metal
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in D 34.5 in
Pair of Tito Agnoli Wicker or Cane Sculptural Lounge Chairs "P3" for Bonacina
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Chicago, IL
Tito Agnoli "P3" woven wicker stackable lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Pair of
Wicker
Sold
H 15.36 in W 34.26 in D 24.81 in
Set of 3 "Reno" Lounge Chairs by Rito Valla for I.P.E., Italy, circa 1965
By Rito Valla
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Set of 3 "Reno" lounge chairs by Rito Valla for I.P.E., Italy, circa 1965 A versatile and rare set
Metal
Sold
H 26.78 in W 24.02 in D 39.38 in
Sculptural Tito Agnoli P3 Woven Wicker Easy Chair Bonacina, Italy 1960s
By Pierantonio Bonacina, Tito Agnoli
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Armchair, model P3, designed by Tito Agnoli in the 1960's and produced by Pierantonio Bonacina
Metal
Tito Agnoli Lounge Chair, circa 1960
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Lounge chairs, model P3, designed by Tito Agnoli around 1960. Manufactured by Pierantonio Bonacina
Steel
Pair of Rattan Lounge Chair P3 by Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1960s
By Pierantonio Bonacina, Tito Agnoli
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Pair of rattan chaise lounge chair or armchairs model P3 by the designer Tito Agnoli for the editor
Rattan
Pair of Rattan Lounge Chair P3 by Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1960s
By Pierantonio Bonacina, Tito Agnoli
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Pair of rattan chaise lounge chair or armchairs model P3 by the designer Tito Agnoli for the editor
Metal
Sold
H 25.99 in W 24.41 in L 25.99 in
Rattan Chaise Longue Lounger Chair P3 by Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1970s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Braid rattan chaise lounge lounger chair a rare variant of model P3 by the designer Tito Agnoli
Metal
Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chair
By Tito Agnoli
Located in San Francisco, CA
This playful P3 lounge chair by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina is made from wicker around a
Rattan
Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina P3 Lounge Chair
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Aspen, CO
Documented Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina P3 lounge chair. Made of a tubular lacquered steel
Steel
Sold
H 26.78 in W 24.02 in D 39.38 in
Pair of Wicker Lounge Chairs by Tito Agnoli Model P3 for Bonacina, Italy, 1970s
By Pierantonio Bonacina, Tito Agnoli
Located in Antwerp, BE
A set of 1970s P3 wicker lounge chairs perfectly formed with great sculptural qualities designed by
Rattan
Sold
H 27.56 in W 23.63 in D 44.89 in
Tito Agnoli Rattan P3 Easy Chair, Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in London, GB
sculptural P3 lounge chair for Pierantonio Bonacina, made from wicker around a tubular steel frame. The key
Metal
Sold
H 27.56 in W 23.63 in D 44.89 in
Tito Agnoli Rattan P3 Easy Chair, Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in London, GB
sculptural P3 lounge chair for Pierantonio Bonacina, made from wicker around a tubular steel frame. The key
Metal
Sold
H 27.56 in W 23.63 in D 40.56 in
Tito Agnoli Rattan P3 Easy Chair, Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in London, GB
sculptural P3 lounge chair for Pierantonio Bonacina, made from wicker around a tubular steel frame. The key
Metal
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in D 34.5 in
Tito Agnoli Rattan Sculptural Italian Lounge Chairs "P3" for Bonacina
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Chicago, IL
Tito Agnoli "P3" woven wicker stackable lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Pair of
Wicker
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in D 34.5 in
Tito Agnoli Rattan Sculptural Italian Lounge Chairs "P3" for Bonacina
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Chicago, IL
Tito Agnoli "P3" woven wicker stackable lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Pair of
Wicker
Lounge Chair, Model P3 by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina
By Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Lounge chair designed by Tito Agnoli, 1962. Tubular steel frame and woven wicker seat. Giuliana
Sold
H 26.78 in W 24.02 in D 39.38 in
1960s Lounge Chair P3 by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in Amsterdam, NL
1960s lounge chair P3 by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy. Tubular steel frame with
Steel
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in D 34.5 in
Tito Agnoli Wicker or Rattan Sculptural Italian Lounge Chairs "P3" for Bonacina
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Chicago, IL
Tito Agnoli "P3" woven wicker stackable lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Pair of
Wicker
Sold
H 26.78 in W 24.02 in D 39.38 in
Italian Mid-Century P3 Wicker Lounge Chair by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Bonacina
Located in Sacile, PN
1960s Italian P3 wicker lounge chair designed by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Tubular lacquered steel
Metal
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in D 34.5 in
Pair of Tito Agnoli Wicker or Cane Sculptural Lounge Chairs "P3" for Bonacina
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Chicago, IL
Tito Agnoli "P3" woven wicker stackable lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Pair of
Wicker
Sold
H 27.76 in W 24.22 in D 44.69 in
Sculptural Tito Agnoli P3 Woven Wicker Easy Chair Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Armchair, model P3, designed by Tito Agnoli in the 1960s and produced by Pierantonio Bonacina
Metal
Sold
H 26.78 in W 23.63 in D 38.59 in
"P3" Tito Agnoli for Bonacina Wicker Rattan Design Midcentury Pair of Armchairs
By Tito Agnoli, Bonacina
Located in Brescia, IT
"P3" pair of armchairs by Tito Agnoli Bonacina Italy, 1960s. Tubular steel frame with woven
Steel
Sold
H 25.99 in W 24.41 in D 61.82 in
Rare P3 rattan chaise lounge chair by Tito Agnoli for Bocacina 1960's
By Tito Agnoli
Located in London, GB
Rare rattan P3 chaise lounge by Italian designer Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. This piece is in
Rattan
Sculptural P3 Lounge Chair by Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Pierantonio Bonacina
Located in Hawthorne, CA
Designed by Tito Agnoli circa 1960s for Pierantonio Bonacina, Italy. The P3 lounge chair is made
Steel
Pair of Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amazing pair of Tito Agnoli P3 lounge chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s. Woven wicker on a tubular
Steel
Tito Agnoli Wicker 'Model P3' Lounge Chair
By Tito Agnoli
Located in London, GB
Tubular lacquered steel frame under woven wicker. The modular sculptural chair equally versatile
Steel
Pair of Italian P3 Lounge Chairs designed by Tito Agnoli
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderfully sculptural and unusual pair of Italian lounge chairs designed by Tito Agnoli in the
Pair of Lounge Chairs by Tito Agnoli, 1960, Model P3
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Biarritz, FR
Pair of lounge chairs, model P3, designed by Tito Agnoli around 1960. Manufactured by Pierantonio
Wicker
P3 Rattan Easy Chair by Tito Agnoli
By Tito Agnoli, Bonacina
Located in Antwerpen, BE
Woven rattan easy chair (P3). The design by Tito Agnoli dates from 1964, and is inspired by the
Rattan
Woven Cane Easy Chair, Model P3, Italy, 1960s
By IKEA
Located in Berlin, DE
Easy chair, model P3, Italy 1960s. Tubular lacquered steel frame, woven cane. Very good vintage
Steel
IKEA – Hestra – Rattan Easy Chair After P3 Tito Agnoli – 1982
By Tito Agnoli
Located in NIEUWKUIJK, NB
This stunning and very comfortable lounge chair is often attributed to a design of Tito Agnoli, the
Rattan
Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Wonderful sculptural lounge chairs designed by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Tubular lacquered steel
Steel
Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Wonderful sculptural lounge chairs designed by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Tubular lacquered steel
Steel
Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chair for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Wonderful pair of sculptural lounge chairs designed by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Tubular lacquered
Steel
Pair of Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Wonderful pair of sculptural lounge chairs designed by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Tubular lacquered
Steel
Pair of Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge Chairs for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Wonderful pair of sculptural lounge chairs designed by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina. Tubular lacquered steel
Steel
Sold
H 26.78 in W 23.63 in D 40.95 in
Vintage Bent Lounge Chair in Rattan, Ikea Hestra, Tito Agnoli P3 Style, 1982
By IKEA
Located in Zagreb, HR
1980s. The design of the chair is almost an identical copy of the 1960s P3 lounge chair by notable
Metal
Tito Agnoli P3 Lounge, Easy or Garden Chair, Pool Side Chair
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Agnoli rattan lounge chair, side chair or pool side chair made of a steel tubular frame upholstered
Steel
Wicker Lounge Chair by Tito Agnoli Model P3, circa 1962
Located in Portland, OR
Originally designed by Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina, this mountainous lounge chair has
Pair of P3 Wicker Chairs by Tito Agnoli for Bonacina, Italy, 1960s
By Tito Agnoli, Bonacina
Located in Los Angeles, CA
P3 wicker lounge chair in blue paint by Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1960s. All have been painted blue. Pair
Abalone
Tito Agnoli Lounge Chair, 1960
By Pierantonio Bonacina, Tito Agnoli
Located in Wilnis, UT
Lounge chairs, model P3, designed by Tito Agnoli, circa 1960, manufactured by Pierantonio Bonacina
Wicker
Tito Agnoli Lounge chair, circa 1960
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Wilnis, UT
Lounge chairs, model P3, designed by Tito Agnoli around 1960. Manufactured by Pierantonio Bonacina
Steel
Swedish Safari Armchair in Natural Cognac Leather and Birch
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Nordiska Kompaniet, armchair, leather, birch, Sweden, 1950s This elegant safari lounge chair is crafted from natural cognac brown leather, which has developed a beautiful patina ove...
Leather, Birch
$673Sale Price / item|55% Off
H 33.47 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Dining Chairs by Henning Kjærnulf, Model Razorblade, Denmark, Oak
By Henning Kjærnulf
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Set of striking dining chairs by Henning Kjærnulf, made of oak and boucle. Refreshing design with bold Baroque coming together nicely with Mid-Century Modernism. Model: Razorblade ...
Oak
$1,358 / item
H 13.39 in W 10.63 in D 10.63 in
Set Antique Vintage Acorn Opaline White Milk Glass Ceiling Pendant Light Lamp
Located in Sale, GB
- A fabulous run of church opaline acorn pendant lights with steel galleries, circa 1950. - Wear commensurate with age, all in excellent condition, the steel galleries are aged worn...
Glass
Picasso Marble Cone Side Table
By Kiwano Concept
Located in Eindhoven, NB
Introduce monumental elegance and a grounded detail to your interior with the stunning Picasso marble CONE side table. The sculptural geometric shape of this contemporary design piec...
Marble
$7,092 / set
H 24.01 in W 18.12 in D 14.18 in
Pair of Park Night Stands in Poplar Burl by Yaniv Chen for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Structure: Made from Poplar Burl veneer with solid oak edging, the Park Nightstand is finished with matching veneer on both the exterior and interior. The inside includes an adjustab...
Wood, Poplar, Burl
$1,696Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 4.15 in W 5.35 in D 7.75 in
Hans-Agne Jakobsson 'Mini-Tratten' Verdigris Patinated Outdoor Sconce
By Örsjö Industri AB, Hans-Agne Jakobsson
Located in Glendale, CA
Hans-Agne Jakobsson 'Mini-Tratten' verdigris patinated outdoor sconce. An exclusive made for U.S. and UL listed authorized re-edition of the classic Swedish design executed in rich v...
Metal
'Floatation' Japanese Paper Suspension Lamp for Ingo Maurer
By Ingo Maurer
Located in Glendale, CA
'Floatation' Japanese paper suspension lamp for Ingo Maurer. Designed and produced by Ingo Maurer, one of the most celebrated German lighting icons since 1966. With imagination, cre...
Metal, Iron
Pair of 70s Style Italian Bamboo and Brass Table Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Monumental size Bamboo lamps. Crafted in Italy and made to order, these lamps are modern and chic. Production lead time 2-4 weeks. Base diameter 8 inches, hat diameter 20 inches, he...
Brass
Leather Meander Flexible Wall Sconce
Located in Pound Ridge, NY
Leather wrapped flexible arm wall light you can pose and adjust as you wish. This is our updated Meander Reader light with larger cone shade and new upward angled arm. Lamping: Sing...
Metal, Brass, Nickel
Custom Made Oak and Velvet Bench by Kai Kristiansen
Located in London, England
Bench designed by Danish master Kai Kristiansen in the 1950s and now produced under license by Dagmar. Hand-made to order, this upholstered bench has a fumed and oiled oak frame. Th...
Mohair, Oak
LU Louis Sconce AS
By Lumfardo Luminaires
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Handsome LU Louis sconce AS. An all brass wall sconce in an aged silver finish with patterned perforations by Lumfardo Luminaires. Made contemporary in the US. Multiples available fo...
Brass, Nickel
$1,155Sale Price / item|30% Off
H 16.1 in Dm 11.5 in
'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
By Örsjö Industri AB
Located in Glendale, CA
'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...
Textile
$6,371 / set
H 24.01 in Dm 13.78 in
Pair of Constant Night Stands in Iroko Wood by Master Studio for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Neatly proportioned with exceptional detailing, the constant nightstand is your perfect bedside partner. In our furniture making, the IDEA is to create special pieces that you can bu...
Hardwood
$908Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 18.12 in W 14.57 in D 14.57 in
Gervasoni Inout Side Table in White Ceramic with Black Dots by Paola Navone
By Paola Navone, Gervasoni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Inout 44 is a coffee table-pouf made of ceramic in black, anthracite grey or white decorated with black polka dots or black stripes, it is characterised by a champagne cork shape, es...
Ceramic
$2,457 / item
H 11.8 in W 11.8 in D 7.5 in
Tulip Organic Modern Contemporary Wall Sconce, Wall Light in White Plaster
By Hannah Woodhouse
Located in London, GB
Handmade Tulip organic modern wall light/ wall sconce, in silky smooth white plaster, created by artist Hannah Woodhouse in her London studio. Contemporary organic modern design insp...
Plaster
$6,195
H 28.35 in W 70.08 in D 38.59 in
Le Bambole sofa in velvet By Mario Bellini For B&B Italia, 1970s
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Beautiful Le Bambole sofa in coral/pink coloured velvet designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia in the 1970s. This beautiful edition is reupholstered in a high quality cotton velve...
Velvet
Prolific designer Tito Agnoli created imaginative furniture with a singular mix of natural and industrial materials. Designing in the modern and mid-century modern styles, he made sofas, armchairs and daybeds from leather, bamboo and rattan as well as metal table lamps and floor lamps.
Born into an Italian family in Peru in 1931, Agnoli studied at the Faculty of Architecture in Milan. In 1949, he graduated with a degree in architecture from Politecnico di Milano. While there, he became acquainted with designers Gio Ponti and Carlo De Carli. He later worked with them as an assistant, learning to create austere pieces with flawless dimensions.
Utilizing this knowledge, he developed his own practice and worked with many Italian producers, including Arflex, Cinova, Lema, Matteo Grassi, Molteni, Montina, Oluce, Pierantonio Bonacina, Poltrona Frau, Schiffini and Ycami.
Agnoli received prestigious nominations for the Compasso d’Oro award. At the 1986 NeoCon exhibition in Chicago, he won a gold medal. His works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
On 1stDibs, find a stunning collection of vintage Tito Agnoli seating, lighting, tables and more.
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
While this specific seating is known to all for its comfort and familiar form, the history of how your favorite antique or vintage lounge chair came to be is slightly more ambiguous.
Although there are rare armchairs dating back as far as the 17th century, some believe that the origins of the first official “lounge chair” are tied to Hungarian modernist designer-architect Marcel Breuer. Sure, Breuer wasn’t exactly reinventing the wheel when he introduced the Wassily lounge chair in 1925, but his seat was indeed revolutionary for its integration of bent tubular steel.
Officially, a lounge chair is simply defined as a “comfortable armchair,” which allows for the shape and material of the furnishings to be extremely diverse. Whether or not chaise longues make the cut for this category is a matter of frequent debate.
The Eames lounge chair, on the other hand, has come to define somewhat of a universal perception of what a lounge chair can be. Introduced in 1956, the Eames lounger (and its partner in cozy, the ottoman) quickly became staples in television shows, prestigious office buildings and sumptuous living rooms. Venerable American mid-century modern designers Charles and Ray Eames intended for it to be the peak of luxury, which they knew meant taking furniture to the next level of style and comfort. Their chair inspired many modern interpretations of the lounge — as well as numerous copies.
On 1stDibs, find a broad range of unique lounge chairs that includes everything from antique Victorian-era seating to vintage mid-century modern lounge chairs by craftspersons such as Hans Wegner to contemporary choices from today’s innovative designers.