1973 Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Armchairs by Oca, Brazil
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gorgeous pair of 'Kilin' armchairs designed by Sergio Rodrigues and manufactured by Oca, Brazil
Leather, Wood
$17,600Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 27.25 in W 27 in D 28 in
Sergio Rodrigues 'Kilin' Lounge Chairs in Rosewood & Leather, OCA, Brazil 1970s
By Oca, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful and authentic pair of Kilin lounge chairs designed by Sergio Rodrigues in Brazil, circa
Leather, Rosewood
$14,400 / set
H 27.6 in W 27.2 in D 24.75 in
Armchairs “Kilin” in Hardwood & Leather, Sergio Rodrigues, 1960s
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
The Kilin armchair was designed in 1973 by Sergio Rodrigues(1927-2014) and produced by Oca. The
Leather, Hardwood
$29,400 / set
H 26.58 in W 26.07 in D 26.38 in
"Kilin" Brazilian Midcentury Armchair by Sergio Rodrigues, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Sergio Rodrigues (1927-2014) in 1973 and produced by Oca, the Kilin armchair is
Leather, Wood
$15,000 / set
H 26.58 in W 26.07 in D 26.38 in
"Kilin" Brazilian Midcentury Armchair by Sergio Rodrigues, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Sergio Rodrigues (1927-2014) in 1973 and produced by Oca, the Kilin armchair is
Wood, Leather
Pair of "Kilin" Armchairs by Sergio Rodrigues, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Sergio Rodrigues (1927-2014) in 1973 and produced by Oca, the Kilin armchair is
Leather, Wood
$18,000 / set
H 27.56 in W 27.17 in D 24.81 in
Pair of Armchairs “Kilin” in Hardwood and Leather by Sergio Rodrigues, c. 1960s
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Sergio Rodrigues (1927-2014) in 1973 and produced by Oca, the Kilin armchair is
Leather, Hardwood
Unavailable
H 26.78 in W 26.78 in D 25.6 in
Pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Lounge Chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Woudrichem, NL
Beautiful pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin lounge chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1973 in solid Imbuia wood
Leather, Imbuia
Kilin Chair by Sergio Rodrigues
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in London, GB
This piece is a genuine reproduction of Sergio Rodrigues' Kilin chair, originally designed in 1973.
Leather, Wood
Sergio Rodrigues Red Leather 'Kilin' Lounge Chair
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Stockholm, Sweden
This "Kilin" easy chair was designed by Sergio Rodrigues in Brazil. This chair is made of Brazilian
Leather, Wood
Unavailable
H 26.78 in W 26.78 in D 25.6 in
Pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Lounge Chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Woudrichem, NL
Beautiful pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin lounge chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1973 in solid Imbuia wood
Leather, Imbuia
Sergio Rodrigues, "Kilin" Pair of Armchairs with Leather Seats
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Sergio Rodrigues, "Kilin". A pair of famous armchairs by one of the most important Brazilian modern
Wood
Sergio Rodrigues, "Kilin" Pair of Armchairs with Leather Seats
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Sergio Rodrigues, "Kilin". A pair of famous armchairs by one of the most important Brazilian modern
Wood
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.38 in D 25.2 in
Amazing Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Lounge Chair for Oca Industries, Brazil
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Amazing Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Louge Chair, designed by Oca Industries in the 1970s in Brazil
Leather, Wood
Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Chairs, Brazil 1970s
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Pair of ‘Kilin’ lounge chairs by Sergio Rodrigues for Oca, Brazil 1973. Distinctive design out of
Leather, Jacaranda
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Armchair OCA, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice mahogany ‘Kilin’ easy chair designed by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA, Brazil, 1973. This is
Leather, Mahogany
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin chairs for OCA
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Super cool pair of easy chairs designed by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA furniture in 1973 for the
Beech, Leather
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chairs Pair Oca, Brazil, 1973
By Oca, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice pair of rosewood ‘Kilin’ easy chair designed by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA, Brazil, 1973
Leather, Rosewood
Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1970s
By OCA Brazil, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Beautiful pair of ‘Kilin’ lounge chairs by Sergio Rodrigues for Oca, Brazil, 1973. Distinctive
Leather, Jacaranda
Sergio Rodrigues “Kilin” Chairs Brazilian Mid Century - a Pair
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sergio Rodrigues attrib Kilin Chairs. Produced by Oca. 2 available. Original leather.
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 27 in W 26 in L 27 in
Sergio Rodrigues 'Kilin' Lounge Chair in Rosewood and Cowhide, OCA, Brazil 1970s
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Los Angeles, CA
project. This 'Kilin' easy chair by Sergio Rodrigues would work great in a Mid-Century Modern
Leather, Rosewood
Sold
H 27 in W 26 in L 27 in
Pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chairs in Rosewood and Cowhide, OCA, Brazil 1970s
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A charming pair and wonderful examples of Kilin chairs by famed Brazilian modern designer Sergio
Leather, Rosewood
Sold
H 27 in W 26 in D 25 in
Pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chairs in Rosewood and Cowhide, OCA, Brazil 1970s
By Oca, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A charming pair and wonderful examples of 'Kilin' chairs by famed Brazilian modern designer Sergio
Leather, Rosewood
Sold
H 27 in W 26 in D 25 in
Pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chairs in Rosewood and Cowhide, OCA, Brazil 1970s
By Oca, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A charming pair and wonderful examples of 'Kilin' chairs by famed Brazilian modern designer Sergio
Leather, Rosewood
Sergio Rodrigues Black Leather Kilin Armchair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Black Leather Strap Armchair
"Kilin" Brazilian Midcentury Armchair by Sergio Rodrigues, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Sergio Rodrigues "Kilin" armchair it’s made of hard structure (freijo) and cowhide seat
Cowhide, Wood
Mid Century Kilin Armchair by Sergio Rodrigues
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Astoria, NY
Vintage solid Brazilian rosewood and leather armchair by Sergio Rodrigues. The "Poltrona Kilin" was
Rosewood, Leather
Pair of Kilin Armchairs, Sergio Rodrigues, Brazilian, Midcentury
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
The Brazilian midcentury design of these Leather Armchairs by Sergio Rodrigues is the embodiment of
Leather
Two 1970s "Kilin" Lounge Chairs by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Shepperton, Surrey
A pair of 1970s Brazilian "Kilin" chairs in Parana pine and leather by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA
Leather, Pine
Sold
H 67 in W 67 in D 62 in
Pair of Armchairs Kilin by Brazilian Designer Sergio Rodrigues Rosewood Caviuna
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Curitiba, PR
Pair of armchairs Kilin by Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues Rosewood Caviuna Sergio Roberto
Rosewood
Kilin Chair by Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Solid hardwood frame, two sides and two rails attached with wedges, back with a single piece of soft sole leather , or natural cattle fur.
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chairs
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chairs. Original Leather and Wood Surface. OCA Label present.
Leather
Sergio Rodrigues 'Kilin' Chair
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Astoria, NY
A 1970s 'Kilin' armchair by Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues with cowhide sling back and seat
Cowhide, Wood
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.38 in L 26.78 in
Amazing Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Lounge Chair for Oca Industries, Brazil
By OCA Brazil, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Voorburg, NL
Amazing Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Louge Chair, designed by Oca Industries in the 1970s in Brazil. We
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 25.4 in W 26.38 in D 25.99 in
Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin' Lounge Chair in Wood and Leather, Brazil, 1970's
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin' Lounge Chair in Wood and Leather, Brazil, 1970's This lounge chair
Leather, Wood
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chair for Oca Industries
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Sergio Rodriques Kilin lounge chair. All original! Leather shows signs of patina, but very solid
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 26.38 in W 26.78 in D 25.99 in
Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin' Lounge Chairs. set of two, Brasil, 1970s
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Exceptional set of Kilin chairs by Brazilian architect Sergio Rodrigues. Made dark wood and high
Wood, Leather
Sold
H 27 in W 26 in D 25 in
Sergio Rodrigues 'Kilin' Lounge Chair in Rosewood and Cowhide, OCA, Brazil 1970s
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Los Angeles, CA
. This 'Kilin' easy chair by Sergio Rodrigues would work great in a Mid-Century Modern, Scandanavian
Leather, Rosewood
Sergio Rodrigues Black Leather 'Kilin' Lounge Chair
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Utrecht, NL
designer Sergio Rodrigues. Designed in 1967 inspired by tropical hammocks and Campaign furniture. This
Leather, Imbuia
Sold
H 26.38 in W 26.78 in D 25.99 in
"Kilin" Armchair, by Sergio Rodrigues, 1973, Brazilian Mid-Century Modern
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
The Kilin armchair, designed by Brazilian architect and designer Sérgio Rodrigues, is a masterpiece
Wood, Leather
Sergio Rodrigues Set of Two 'Kilin' Lounge Chairs
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pair of 'kilin' armchairs, in rosewood and leather, by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA, Brazil, 1973
Leather, Jacaranda, Rosewood
Mid-Century Modern "Kilin" Lounge Chair by Sergio Rodrigues x
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous Killin lounge chair by Sergio Rodrigues. Reupholstered with a animal print leather. In
Leather, Jacaranda
Sold
H 27 in W 28.25 in D 29.5 in
Pair of Mid-Century Modern "Kilin" Lounge Chairs by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and very elegant pair of lounge chairs by Sergio Rodrigues. The Killin Lounge chair was
Leather, Jacaranda
1970s Kilin Brazilian Caviuna Armchair by Sergio Rodriguez
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1970s Kilin caviuna armchair by Sergio Rodriguez upholstered with cowhide.
Cowhide, Hide, Wood
Sold
H 27.56 in W 26.78 in D 24.81 in
Pair of Brazilian "Kilin" Chairs and Table by Sergio Rodrigues, 1973
Located in Utrecht, NL
of by Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues. Originally designed in 1967 inspired by tropical hammocks
Glass, Leather, Wood
"Kilin" lounge chair by Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
"Kilin" lounge chair in imbuia wood with red leather seat. Designed by Sergio Rodrigues for Lin
"Kilin" lounge chair by Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
"Kilin" lounge chair in imbuia with natural/tan leather seat. Designed by Sergio Rodrigues for Lin
Sergio Rodrigues, 'Kilin' Armchair
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
The Kilin is a famous piece made by Sergio Rodrigues, circa 1970s. It's composed by cowhide sling
Wood
Sold
H 26.78 in W 26.78 in L 26.78 in
A pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Lounge Chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues, Oca
Located in Woudrichem, NL
Beautiful pair of Sergio Rodrigues Kilin lounge chairs for Oca, Brazil, 1973 in solid Imbuia
Leather, Imbuia
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chair in Leather and Imbula Wood
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Near Matlock, Derbyshire, GB
Genuine Kilin chair of recent manufacture, with label to rear. Designed by Sergio Rodrigues, 1973
Sold
H 26.25 in W 26.25 in D 26.5 in
Sergio Rodrigues "Kilin" Chair, Jacaranda and Leather, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Hudson, NY
Dubbed the father of Brazilian furniture, Sergio Rodrigues designed this iconic Kilin lounge chair
Leather, Jacaranda
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Lounge Chair Fro Oca, Brazil, 1973
By Oca, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Woudrichem, NL
armchair designed by Sergio Rodrigues for Oca, Brazil 1967. The design of exceptional lounge chair was
Leather, Imbuia
"Kilin" Easy Chair by Sergio Rodrigues, Brazil, 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Wilnis, UT
Beautiful "Kilin" easy chair designed by Sergio Rodrigues in Brazil, circa 1973. This amazing
Jacaranda, Leather
1970s Sergio Rodrigues for Oca Kilin Chair
By Oca, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Kensington, MD
70s Sergio Rodrigues for Oca Kilin Chair
Rosewood
Pair of Imbuia Wood "Kilin" Armchairs by Sergio Rodrigues, circa 1973
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A superb pair of wood frame "Kilin" armchairs by famed Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues (1927
Leather, Wood
Pair of Kilin Armchairs by Sergio Rodriques
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in London, GB
Pair of Kilin armchairs. Original stitched soft leather and Brazilian wood. Sergio Rodrigues
Leather, Wood
Kilin Chair by Sergio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Wood and leather. Authorized re-edition.
Vintage Kilin Armchair by Sérgio Rodrigues
Located in New York, NY
Kilin Armchair, designed in 1973 by Sérgio Rodrigues. Original piece - not a re-edition.
Wood, Leather
Pair Kilin Lounge Chairs
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Hudson, NY
pair Kilin Lounge Chairs - Sergio Rodrigues - with original leather
Leather sling "Kilin" arm chairs designed by Sergio Rodrigues
Located in West Hollywood, CA
These are the early version of the "Kilin" arm chair designed by Sergio Rodrigues. Original
Leather, Wood
Vintage Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Chair
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Princeton, NJ
Low-slung chair in exotic hardwood and leather by the legendary Brazilian designer. Impossibly cool and utterly gorgeous.
Hardwood, Leather
70s Sergio Rodrigues ‘Kilin’ Chair for Oca
By Sergio Rodrigues, OCA Brazil
Located in Amstelveen, Noord
Sergio Rodrigues for Oca in 1970s Brazil. Frame is a succulent Brazilian Rosewood and saddle leather seat.
Leather, Rosewood
Sergio Rodrigues Kilin Lounge Chair, Rosewood and Leather, Brazil
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Hudson, NY
Easily one of his most pleasing designs with a very cool low profile, Sergio Rodrigues designed the
Leather, Jacaranda
Sold
H 25.99 in W 26.19 in D 25.6 in
Sergio Rodrigues - edition Oca - Brazil - circa 1970 - "Kilin" model
By Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Brussels , BE
Sergio Rodrigues - edition Oca - Brazil - circa 1970 - "Kilin" model
Wood
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
Bertu Counter Stools, White Oak Counter Stool, Chile Stool
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Counter Stools, White Oak Counter Stool, Chile Stool This White Oak Chile Counter Stool is beautifully constructed from solid wood in Ohio, USA. The stool is chunky and modern...
Wood, Oak
Leather Meander Wall Sconce
Located in Pound Ridge, NY
Our updated Meander Reader light with leather wrapped flexible arm and a larger cone shade and new upward angle feature. Bulb can be fully recessed. Comes with suggested LED bulb. ...
Brass
$1,650 / item
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
$4,900 / item
H 34 in W 86 in D 42 in
Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"
By Bloom Home Inc
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This beautiful english arm sofa has a modern twist, with its single bench cushion, and beautiful curved apron sides. It’s upholstered in a Linen Velvet Performance fabric. Shown in...
Linen, Velvet
$5,065 / item
H 56.11 in W 25.6 in D 19.1 in
Arcate sideboard, in Canaletto walnut by Accardibuccheri Medulum for Medulum
By Mauro Accardi & Silvia Buccheri
Located in Meolo, Venezia
Il settimanale Arcate fa parte di una collezione esclusiva che include comodini e comò, ideata dal rinomato studio milanese Accardi Buccheri per il brand MEDULUM. La scocca, realizza...
Walnut
$2,800 / item
H 39.38 in W 39.38 in D 13.39 in
Sling Hanging Swing Chair Genuine Black Leather 21st Century Modern
By Joanina and David Pastoll
Located in Johannesburg, ZA
Stripped away from all excess, this hanging chair has a circular frame with the sheets of soft leather hanging loose within it, to create a sleek, sexy, and oh so comfortable experie...
Steel
Murano Glass Smoked Single Panel Sconces
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of Murano glass sconces, each crafted with a single curved panel of hand-blown smoked glass on a brass frame. We love the modern style and hand-crafted quality of these sconces....
Brass
$1,550 / item
H 18 in W 12 in D 12 in
Stacked Bone and Brass Powder-Coated Table Lamp with Peekaboo Silver Leaf Shade
By Arvo Ray, Seth Premo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Junius lamp makes a bold statement with its geometric stacked elements that appear almost to float above one another. The lamp is constructed with a powder-coated steel shade and...
Brass, Silver Leaf, Steel
$5,900 / set
H 25 in W 7.5 in D 4 in
Modern Murano Glass Sconces, Hand-Blown Smoked Glass & Brass Frame
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of Murano glass paneled sconces; each crafted with three curved panels of hand-blown smoked glass on a brass frame. We love the modern style and hand-crafted quality of these sc...
Brass
$2,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 17.72 in Dm 14.97 in
Soda Blown Murano Glass High Coffee Table in Petrol by Yiannis Ghikas
By Miniforms, Yiannis Ghikas
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soda was born upside-down, with a puff of air. It weighs 20 kilos, and it is blown, drawn out and shaped by three master glassmakers. The result is a single volume of glass with thre...
Blown Glass
Pair of Murano Glass Wall Sconces, Art Deco Style, in Stock
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Murano glass wall sconces, in stock Fume color and horizontal striation texture Black opaline finials and brass accents Art Deco inspired design. Gives off warm beams of lig...
Brass
$6,235 / 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
$2,300 / item
H 18 in Dm 18 in
Calcatta Viola Marble-Topped & Walnut Base Side Table by Mary Ratcliffe Studio
By Mary Ratcliffe
Located in Toronto, ON
Designed to be the perfect, round accent to (almost) any room, our Axel side table is available as a solid wood or marble-topped piece. Coming in a variety of wood and stone finishes...
Marble
$2,975 / item
H 40 in W 18.5 in D 19.5 in
Reeves Swivel Bar or Counter Stool W/ Ash stained Walnut legs & Brass Finish.
Located in Westport, CT
Swivel bar stool with Ash legs stained Walnut #2 and satin brass finish accents. Seat and back shown upholstered in green leather. Available in bar height (30" seat height), counter ...
Metal
Amuneal's Brass Pantry Cabinetry
By Amuneal
Located in New York, NY
Amuneal's Brass Pantry Cabinetry, part of our metal Kitchen Collection, is designed as a feature element for any space. The three doors on the upper cabinets are fabricated with a kn...
Brass
The prolific architect and designer Sergio Rodrigues is often called the "father of modern Brazilian design," but it is the second adjective in that phrase that deserves emphasis: Rodrigues’s great achievement was to create furniture in a style that captured the spirit, character and personality of his country.
Modernity came slowly to 20th-century Brazil, politically and culturally. The nation finally realized genuine constitutional democracy in 1945, ushering in a new, progressive era in the arts. More often than not, the luxurious furnishings of that time and place, with their gleaming wood, soft leathers and inviting shapes, share a sensuous, uniquely Brazilian quality that distinguishes them from the more rectilinear output of American mid-century modernists and Scandinavian makers of the same era. Until that time in Brazil, heavy furniture based on historical European models had been the norm.
In the late 1940s, designer Joaquim Tenreiro introduced sleek, minimalist chairs and cabinets; José Zanine Caldas, now best known for his later artisanal work, created plywood furnishings for mass production; the Italian architect Lina Bo Bardi, a former editor for the Gio Ponti-founded magazine Domus — and a furniture designer with talent, imagination and a social conscience — set up shop in São Paulo, designing elegant, flexible chairs set on slim metal frames.
This was the heady scene into which Rodrigues, the son of an artistically prominent Rio de Janeiro family, arrived after graduating in 1952 from the national university. He moved to Curitiba and helped establish the furniture manufacturer Móveis Artesanal with Italian designer Carlo Hauner and Austrian architect Martin Eisler — as well as Carlo’s brother Ernesto Hauner — which eventually rebranded as Forma. Later, Rodrigues relocated to Rio de Janeiro where he founded Oca in 1955, a company that would become the preeminent maker and retailer of modernist furniture in Brazil.
When architects Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer were tasked in 1956 with the whirlwind project to plan, design and build the new capital, Brasília, in five years, they used Rodrigues’s early chairs, with their softly-contoured lines and caned seats and backrests, to furnish many of the buildings.
Rodrigues would realize the true expression of his talents in — and garner international awards and acclaim with — his Mole chair of 1957. The word mole means "soft" in Portuguese, but can be interpreted as "easygoing" or even "listless." The chair, which is also known as the Sheriff chair, features a sturdy, generously proportioned frame of the native South American hardwood jacaranda, upholstered with overstuffed leather pads that flap like saddlebags across the arms, seat, and backrest.
Rodrigues's Mole chair invites sprawling — perfect for the social milieu of the bossa nova and caipirinha cocktails; where a languorous afternoon spent chatting and joking is the apex of enjoyment. The seat won first prize at the IV Concorso Internazionale del Mobile in Cantù, Italy, in 1961, and ISA Bergamo acquired the rights to manufacture a modified version of Rodrigues’s original design.
In 1963, Rodrigues established a shop called Meia-Pataca, which sold simpler and more affordable furniture he had designed, such as his Tonico seating, which was intended for student housing.
Most of the estimated 1,200 armchairs, sofas, tables, storage cabinets and dining tables Rodrigues created in his long career are imbued, in one way or another, with the air of robust relaxation that defines the Mole chair. He was a designer who was true to the temperament of his people.
Find vintage Sergio Rodrigues furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
More often than not, vintage mid-century Brazilian furniture designs, with their gleaming wood, soft leathers and inviting shapes, share a sensuous, unique quality that distinguishes them from the more rectilinear output of American and Scandinavian makers of the same era.
Commencing in the 1940s and '50s, a group of architects and designers transformed the local cultural landscape in Brazil, merging the modernist vernacular popular in Europe and the United States with the South American country's traditional techniques and indigenous materials.
Key mid-century influencers on Brazilian furniture design include natives Oscar Niemeyer, Sergio Rodrigues and José Zanine Caldas as well as such European immigrants as Joaquim Tenreiro, Jean Gillon and Jorge Zalszupin. These creators frequently collaborated; for instance, Niemeyer, an internationally acclaimed architect, commissioned many of them to furnish his residential and institutional buildings.
The popularity of Brazilian modern furniture has made household names of these designers and other greats. Their particular brand of modernism is characterized by an émigré point of view (some were Lithuanian, German, Polish, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Italian), a preference for highly figured indigenous Brazilian woods, a reverence for nature as an inspiration and an atelier or small-production mentality.
Hallmarks of Brazilian mid-century design include smooth, sculptural forms and the use of native woods like rosewood, jacaranda and pequi. The work of designers today exhibits many of the same qualities, though with a marked interest in exploring new materials (witness the Campana Brothers' stuffed-animal chairs) and an emphasis on looking inward rather than to other countries for inspiration.
Find a collection of vintage Brazilian furniture on 1stDibs that includes chairs, sofas, tables and more.
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.