Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada' Lounge Chairs and Ottoman
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani, Valeria Borsani, and Marco Fantoni for Tecno, 'Canada' lounge chairs and ottoman, model 'T110', leather, mahogany, cherry, Italy, design 1966 The Canada series was ...
Leather, Cherry, Mahogany
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada' Lounge Chairs in Brown Leather and Wood
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani, Valeria Borsani, and Marco Fantoni for Tecno, 'Canada' lounge chairs, model 'T110', leather, wood, Italy, design 1966 The Canada series originated from a set of ear...
Leather, Wood
Osvaldo Borsani Canada chair Tecno Italy 1965
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Iconic so called 'Canada' lounge chair model P110 designed by Osvaldo Borsani and manufactured by Tecno, Italy 1965.
Leather, Plastic, Plywood
“Canada" Leather Lounge Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy 1960s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Utrecht, NL
This “Canada” or model P110 chair was designed by Osvaldo Borsani in 1965 and manufactured by the Borsani brothers’ company, Tecno.
Leather, Wood
Canada P110 Armchair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s - Original Upholstery
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Brussels, BE
Canada P110 Armchair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s - Original Upholstery
Leather, Wood
Vintage Lounge Chair Osvaldo Borsani, Armchair and Ottoman Canada Tecno 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Biella, IT
Osvaldo Borsani design, armchair with ottoman "Canada" by Tecno Italy years 65 good general condition of the structure with little sign of use in the velvet footstool and wood arm ...
Velvet, Wood
Canada Armchair, P100 by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in London, GB
Canada armchair designed by O.Borsani for Tecno in 1963 Very good vintage conditions, black stained wood and light brown leather .
Leather, Wood
Unavailable
H 35.44 in Dm 31.5 in
Armchair and Ottoman "P110 Canada" by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in PARIS, FR
Very comfortable armchair and ottoman, with a beautifully curved wooden frame and original black leather cushions. The cushions are attached to the frame by black buttons. The fram...
Leather, Plywood
Unavailable
H 35.44 in W 32.29 in D 33.08 in
Four Canada Lounge Chairs by Osvaldo Borsani in Rosewood, Tecno, circa 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Sint-Kruis, BE
Four high quality Italian modern lounge chairs designed by Osvaldo Borasni for Tecno in 1965. This very nice rosewood chair has a cognac colored leather seat and black finished butto...
Leather, Rosewood
Unavailable
H 35.44 in W 32.29 in D 33.08 in
Pair of Canada Lounge Chairs by Osvaldo Borsani in Rosewood, Tecno, circa 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Sint-Kruis, BE
Two high quality Italian modern lounge chairs designed by Osvaldo Borasni for Tecno in 1965. This very nice rosewood chair has a cognac colored leather seat and black finished button...
Leather, Rosewood
Sold
H 31.11 in W 31.89 in D 36.23 in
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada' Lounge Chair in Cognac Leather
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani, Valeria Borsani, and Marco Fantoni for Tecno, 'Canada' lounge chair, model 'T110', leather, mahogany plywood, Italy, 1966 The Canada series was developed from some ...
Leather, Plywood, Mahogany
Armchair mod. Canada by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Rivoli, IT
Poltrona lounge P110 'Canada' di Osvaldo Borsani per Tecno. Design iconico di uno dei più importanti designer italiani, la cosiddetta lounge chair "Canada" è stata disegnata da Osval...
Leather, Wood
Osvaldo Borsani Canada Chair Pair Tecno, Italy, 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Iconic so-called pair of 'Canada' lounge chairs model P110 designed by Osvaldo Borsani and manufactured by Tecno, Italy, 1965.
Leather, Rosewood
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno P110 "Canada" Armchair, Italy, 1960s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Naples, IT
Mid-Century P110 'Canada' modern lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno.
Leather, Wood
P110 ‘Canada’ lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
P110 'Canada' lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy 1965.
Leather, Plywood
Sold
H 33.47 in W 32.29 in D 33.47 in
Osvaldo Borsani Tecno Italian Midcentury Wood Leather "Canada" Armchairs 1965
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian midcentury modern design set of two armchairs model P110 Canada designed by Osvaldo Borsani and produced by Tecno, bearing frame of curved wood to which seat and backrest are...
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 32.25 in W 32.5 in D 36 in
Pair of Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' Lounge Chairs for Tecno, Italy, 1960s
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair of Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' Lounge Chairs for Tecno, Italy, 1960s Model P110 Molded wood painted black, with black aniline leather Molded manufacturer's mark to each fastener ‘T...
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 33.08 in D 35.44 in
Osvaldo Borsani Tecno Pair of P110 Canada Lounge Chair Fabric Walnut Italy 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Catania, IT
A couple of mods. "P110 Canada" armchairs designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno in Italy, 1965.
Fabric, Walnut
Sold
H 32.68 in W 34.26 in D 34.26 in
Rare Osvaldo Borsani Pair of Armchairs Mod. Canada for Tecno in Black Leather
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Milano, IT
The two parts of the frame are held together by two bone-shaped pieces of solid wood. These "Canada" lounge chairs show the rigor of form, quality of materials and workmanship, and a...
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 35.44 in W 31.5 in L 35.44 in
Set of P110 ‘Canada’ Lounge Chairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Echt, NL
Set of beautiful P110 lounge chairs in very good condition. Designed by Osvaldo Borsani in 1965 Produced by Tecno, Italy These chairs are extremely comfortable with a curved wood...
Fabric, Wood
Borsani P110 'Canada' Lounge Chairs in Cognac Leather
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Antwerp, BE
Osvaldo Borsani, P110 'Canada' armchair, Tecno, Italy, 1960s Wooden frame with original cognac leather upholstery in very good condition Borsani designed this bold lounge chair i...
Leather, Walnut
Sold
H 33.08 in W 31.5 in D 35.44 in
Pair of Canada P110 Armchairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Canada P110 Armchairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s - Original Fabric
Fabric, Wood
Sold
H 33.08 in W 31.5 in D 35.44 in
Pair of Canada P110 Armchairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy, 1960s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Canada P110 armchairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy 1960s.
Leather, Wood
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada' Lounge Chair
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, lounge chair 'Canada' T110, in plywood and cognac to orange leather, Italy, 1960s.
Leather, Plywood
Sold
H 31.5 in W 31.5 in D 34.26 in
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada' Lounge Chair in Cognac Brown Leather
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani, Valeria Borsani, and Marco Fantoni for Tecno, 'Canada' lounge chair, model 'T110', leather, plywood, Italy, 1966 The Canada series was developed from some rough ini...
Leather, Plywood
Sold
H 31.75 in W 33 in D 36 in
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada P110' Lounge Chair, Italy, circa 1965
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in New York, NY
The iconic 'Canada' lounge chair, model P110 designed by Osvaldo Borsani and made by Tecno, Italy, 1965.
Leather, Walnut
Midcentury 1960s 'Canada' Chair Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Saarbruecken, DE
Pair of first series Leather 'Canada' chairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno (see label).
Leather, Plywood
Osvaldi Borsano P110 'Canada' lounge chair Tecno Italy 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Etten-Leur, NL
This iconic P110 “Canada” lounge chair was designed by Osvaldo Borsani and produced by Tecno, Italy, circa 1965.
Leather, Plastic, Wood
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno "P110 Canada" Armchair, Italy 1965
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Naples, IT
Lounge chair Mod. P110 Canada" by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno. An iconic design by one of the most important Italian designers, the so-called 'Canada' lounge chair was designed by Osva...
Fabric, Wood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 31.89 in D 35.44 in
Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' Lounge Chair by Tecno in Original Leather
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Utrecht, NL
All original 1970s P110 / 'Canada' lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy.
Leather, Plywood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 33.08 in D 33.08 in
Midcentury Canada armchairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy 1965
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Very comfortable lounge chairs with stunning curved wooden frame and original leather cushions. The Canada P110 model armchairs was produced by Tecno in 1965 in Italy.
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 31.5 in W 32.68 in D 35.44 in
Midcentury Borsani Tecno Mod. 110 "Canada" Plywood Velvet Armchair, 1960s, Italy
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Palermo, IT
Very stylish vintage armchair made of lacquered plywood with beige velvet upholstery, model P110 "Canada" by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno Milano, 1966.
Velvet, Plywood
Sold
H 32.29 in W 33.08 in D 35.83 in
1965 Osvaldo Borsani Canada Lounge + Ottoman for Tecno Italy for Restoration
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Original and totally complete 1965 Canada lounge P110 and ottoman by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno for restoration.
Leather, Plywood, Walnut
Sold
H 32.68 in W 33.08 in D 35.44 in
Osvaldo Borsani Tecno P110 Canada Nobilis Fabric Walnut Lounge Chair Italy 1965
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Catania, IT
Mod. "P110 Canada" armchair designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno in Italy, 1965.
Fabric, Walnut
Sold
H 32.68 in W 33.47 in D 33.47 in
Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' P110 Lounge Chair with Ottoman for Tecno, Italy, 1960s
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Antwerp, BE
Italian Design; Osvaldo Borsani; Tecno; 1960s; 1965; Italy; Midcentury Modern; Plywood; Lounge chair; Ottoman; P110 Canada lounge chair with Ottoman, an exemplar of design ingenuit...
Fabric, Plywood
Sold
H 43.31 in W 51.19 in D 78.75 in
Lounge Chair and Pouff "Canada" by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Roma, IT
Made in Italy. Created for Tecno. The dimensions and the weight are indicative.
Metal
1960s Leather 'Canada' Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in London, England
Designed in 1965, Model P110 For Tecno Rosewood veneered plywood, cognac leather seat and back secured to frame by large black composite 'buttons'. The angle of the seat and back ...
Leather
Sold
H 32.68 in W 31.89 in D 35.44 in
Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' Lounge Chair by Tecno in Original Fabric
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Utrecht, NL
All original P110 / 'Canada' lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy.
Fabric, Wool, Rosewood
Sold
H 33.47 in W 32.68 in D 33.08 in
Mid-Century Modern Canada P110 Armchair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Canada P110 Armchair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 31.5 in W 31.89 in D 35.44 in
Pair of Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' Lounge Chair in Two-Tone Leather
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, pair of model P110 'Canada' lounge chairs, leather and plywood, Italy, 1960s.
Leather, Plywood
Sold
H 32.29 in W 32.68 in D 34.65 in
Mid-Century Modern Canada P110 Armchair and Ottoman by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Canada P110 Armchair and Ottoman by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 31.5 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Dark Brown Leather Lounge Chair by Osvaldo Borsani 1960s Model Canada-P110
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Antwerp, BE
Original P110 'Canada' armchair from the 1960s by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Italy.
Leather, Plastic, Wood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 33.08 in D 35.44 in
Osvaldo Borsani Tecno Pair of P110 Canada Lounge Chair Fabric Walnut Italy 1965
By Elam, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Catania, IT
A pair of mod. "P110 Canada" armchairs designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno in Italy, 1965.
Fabric, Walnut
Canada Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in New York, NY
Super beautiful lounge chair with rosewood panels and vintage Italian upholstery fabric.
Sofa Canada- Osvaldo Borsani- Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Milan, IT
Canada sofa- designer Osvaldo Borsani- production Tecno
Wood, Leather
Osvaldo Borsani 'Canada' Two Lounge Chairs and Ottoman for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Canada lounge chair and ottoman suite in a luggage color leather seat and armrests with rosewood frame. So comfortable.
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 31.5 in W 31.5 in D 35.44 in
Mid-Century Modern P110 ‘Canada’ Lounge Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Berlin, Germany
Mid-Century Modern P110 'Canada' lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno.
Leather
Armchair with Pouf, Design Osvaldo Borsani, 1960
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Armchair with Pouf, Design Osvaldo Borsani 1960 Frame in rosewood, covered in black leather, in perfect condition, produced by Tecno, model Canada.
Leather, Wood
Canada Lounge Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Berlin, Germany
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, lounge chair 'Canada' T110, in plywood and black leather, Italy, 1960s.
Leather, Plywood
Sold
H 17.33 in W 19.69 in D 29.53 in
Vintage Italian Pouf Model Canada by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Torino, Italy
Pouf with wooden frame and fabric seat. Model Canada Designer Osvaldo Borsani Manufacturer Tecno 1960s.
Textile, Wood
$27,849 / set
H 29.93 in W 25.6 in D 25.6 in
Very Rare Pair of Leather and steel Lounge Chairs by Paul Geoffroy for Uginox
By Paul Geoffroy, Uginox
Located in Echt, NL
Iconic pair of lounge chairs in excellent condition. Deigned by Paul Geoffroy and manufactured by Uginox in the 1970s in France. Striking design composed of curved stainless steel ...
Steel, Stainless Steel
$2,860 / item
H 29.93 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Ethnic Straw Armchair by +55design Brazilian Design with Indigenous Craft
By Neca Abrantes
Located in Jardim America, SP
This rotating armchair by Neca Abrantes is a striking fusion of contemporary Brazilian design and indigenous handcrafted traditions. Known for her deep passion for native craftsmansh...
Straw
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
$7,460 / item
H 21.66 in W 20.08 in D 20.08 in
Brutalist Verdigris Copper & Teal Ceramic Sculptural Side Table, Egg Designs
By Egg Designs
Located in Bothas Hill, KZN
Egg Designs’ Boogie Nights side table is a sculptural Brutalist statement piece that merges collectible contemporary design with rich handcrafted detail. Individually glazed teal-gre...
Steel, Copper
$434 / item
H 3.54 in W 4.92 in D 5.51 in
Galupa Art Deco Wall Sconce, Optical Glass & Aluminum, Up/Down Lighting
Located in İstiklal, TR
GALUPA Art Deco Wall Sconce, a masterpiece of design that effortlessly combines elegance and functionality. This stunning wall sconce is crafted in the timeless Art Deco style, featu...
Aluminum
$2,905Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 31.5 in Dm 27.56 in
Rigadin Chandelier 5 Arms encased Ivory Murano Glass Edgar by Multiforme
By Multiforme
Located in Venezia, Veneto
Edgar chandelier, 5 lights, Ivory encased rigadin Murano glass by Multiforme Edgar Murano glass chandelier is one of those chandeliers in our collections that stands out thanks to it...
Blown Glass
Modern Counter Stools in Walnut, Cicely Collection
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
These walnut counter height cicely stools are beautifully constructed from solid walnut in Ohio, USA. This stool was style-spotted at the Spring 2022 High Point Market. These stools ...
Walnut
Rosso Glass Wall Mirror
By Specchi Veneziani
Located in Milan, IT
Crafted in the finest Murano tradition, this exquisite Venetian mirror is a true work of art. Assembled with crystal and gold elements, and adorned with red glass flowers, each piece...
Glass
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
$7,950 / set
H 30.32 in W 26.78 in D 29.53 in
1940s Kozelka & Kropacek Armchairs in Texel Sheepskin & Brown Patinated Frame
By Karel Kozelka & Antonin Kropacek, Jindřich Halabala
Located in Almelo, NL
Mid-Century Czech design by Kozelka & Kropacek, reupholstered in luxurious Texel sheepskin with warm brown patinated bentwood frames. Comfort, craftsmanship, and timeless style. De...
Sheepskin, Upholstery, Bentwood
$14,500 / set
H 26.78 in W 39.38 in D 34.65 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Bonanza” Armchairs for C&B, Cognac Leather, 1969, Set of 2
By C&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa “Bonanza” armchairs for C&B, cognac leather, 1969, set of 2 The "Bonanza" armchairs, designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for C&B in 1969, embody modern comfort and m...
Leather
$10,000
H 14 in W 10.5 in D 7 in
Roger Capron French Ceramic Artist Vase Day and Night Vallauris, France c 1970
By Roger Capron, Jean Derval
Located in Chicago, IL
Roger Capron ceramic vase titled Day and Night created in 1970 with Jean Derval. This form was often also created as a lamp. The vase is much more rare and a similar vase is pictured...
Ceramic
Bertu Wood Stool, "Brinx" Wood Stool, Maple
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu wood stool, "Brinx" wood stool, Maple Please scroll down to read important instructions about our stumps before purchase! Why buy BERTU HOME stumps? KILN DRIED Our stumps a...
Cedar
$11,604 / set
H 32.29 in W 21.66 in D 19.69 in
Set of Ten Shell Dining Chair, Linen Schwarzwald Dedar, Vintola Studio, Europe
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Springy, very comfortable and stabile dining seats. They are contemporary chairs inspired of 1960s style. They can be used as armchairs and dining chairs. Chair was designed by Vi...
Bouclé, Linen, Velvet, Beech
$1,624 / item
H 13.78 in Dm 9.45 in
Murano Round Green Glass and Brass Modern Wall Light and Sconces, 2020
Located in Roma, Lazio
Very special Murano glass wall light, stylish and elegant, their design truly unique in their kind. Beautiful coloring. The wall light is composed of a brass stem where a system for...
Brass
$2,838 / item
H 24 in W 24 in D 24 in
Modern Fabric Pendant Light by Studio Mirei, Nebula 60, from Costantini
Located in New York, NY
The Nebula collection is drawn out of the interstellar clouds of dust and gas in space - regions where stars begin to form. Made of a woven natural fiber from the banana tree, which ...
Natural Fiber
With his stylish and technically innovative furniture, Osvaldo Borsani helped change the face of Italian design in the 1950s and ’60s. His sofas and chairs, featuring deeply upholstered seating and adjustable position settings, have an aura of optimism and efficiency that still seems fresh and lively today.
Born in the commune of Varedo in northern Italy’s Lombardy region, Borsani studied at the Brera Academy in Milan — the same school attended by such luminaries as designer Piero Fornasetti and artist Lucio Fontana — as well as the Polytechnic University of Milan. Borsani first worked for his father’s furniture-making firm, Arredamenti Borsani, an atelier influenced by the more expressive and curvaceous wing of Art Deco design.
By 1953, when, along with his twin brother, Fulgenzio — the pair also created this visionary mid-century villa — Borsani opened the furniture company Tecno, his design sensibilities had evolved toward furnishings with strong, simple forms enhanced by mechanical innovations, as with the P40 adjustable armchair. Borsani would be the firm’s lead designer for 30 years, while fostering work by Vico Magistretti, Carlo De Carli, Robin Day and others.
Similar to Gio Ponti in the earliest years of his career, Borsani first created designs marked by lush and buoyant lines: tables with voluptuous curved legs, sofas with undulating backrests.
But Borsani’s best-known and most novel pieces date from Tecno’s initial furniture lines: the adjustable D70 sofa, which folds open to make a daybed, and the P40 recliner. The latter — now included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum — is an articulated lounger with a back, seat and leg rest that can be moved into 486 different positions. Not only is it extremely comfortable, it is also enduringly chic.
Find a collection of vintage Osvaldo Borsani tables, dining chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.
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.