Zanotta Desks

Italian

Entrepreneur Aurelio Zanotta founded Zanotta in 1954 in Nova Milanese, Italy. Originally called Zanotta Poltrona, it specialized in traditional furniture. By the early 1960s, however, Zanotta had established a reputation for edgy mid-century modern design. Today’s vintage furniture collectors know the brand well for its innovative and wholly sculptural chairs, coffee tables and more.

One of Zanotta’s earliest successes was the Mezzadro stool — better known as the Tractor stool — designed by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and his brother Achille in the late 1950s. In 1965, Zanotta was among the first furniture companies to work with expanded polyurethane foam and frameless construction, such as for the Throw-Away sofas and armchairs designed by Willie Landels. Another popular design was the Blow chair — designed by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D’Urbino, Paolo Lomazzi and Carla Scolari — viewed by many as a physical expression of late '60s carefree culture.

In 1969, amid the provocative movement we now call Italian Radical Design, Zanotta’s Sacco chair garnered major attention. The boundary-pushing beanbag chair was the brainchild of designers Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini and Franco Teodoro who presented it to Aurelio Zanotta as a transparent vinyl sack loosely filled with small polystyrene balls. He suggested its signature brightly colored leather.

The Sacco chair won the 1970 ADI Design Museum’s Compasso d’Oro award. In 1972, the Museum of Modern Art in New York included it in the landmark exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” curated by designer Emilio Ambasz. In 2020, it received a Compasso d’Oro ADI Lifetime Achievement Award for 50 years of enduring popularity. It is now in museum collections around the world including the Triennale Design Museum of Milan, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.

After Aurelio Zanotta died in 1991, the company remained in his family and has been run by his three children since 2002. Zanotta continues to set the bar high for furniture design with trend-setting pieces.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Zanotta seating, tables and other furniture.

Creator: Zanotta

Zanotta Calamo Desk in Black Top with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa

$2,613Sale Price / item|20% Off

Zanotta Calamo Desk in Black Top with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa

By Zanotta, Gabriele Rosa

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Zanotta Calamo Desk in Black Top with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa Varnished steel frame and top in black, white or graphite. Top and storage space in cowhide pigmentato 90. The storage space is accessed by a drop-leaf opening. Calamo is not an old-style desk with drawers overflowing with paper, but an essential element of furniture, both in function and appearance, something that could fit anywhere in the home. The collection includes a new furnishing accessory designed by young designer Gabriele Rosa: the Calamo desk-console table. With a white, black or graphite steel structure with cowhide pigmentato cover for the surface and storage space under the folding lid. Undoubtedly the writing desk still...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Zanotta Desks

Materials

Steel

Zanotta Calamo Desk in White Top with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa

$2,613Sale Price / item|20% Off

Zanotta Calamo Desk in White Top with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa

By Zanotta, Gabriele Rosa

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Zanotta Calamo Desk in White Top with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa Varnished steel frame and top in black, white or graphite. Top and storage space in cowhide pigmentato 90. The storage space is accessed by a drop-leaf opening. Calamo is not an old-style desk with drawers overflowing with paper, but an essential element of furniture, both in function and appearance, something that could fit anywhere in the home. The collection includes a new furnishing accessory designed by young designer Gabriele Rosa: the Calamo desk-console table. With a white, black or graphite steel structure with cowhide pigmentato cover for the surface and storage space under the folding lid. Undoubtedly the writing desk still...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Zanotta Desks

Materials

Steel

Desk , Small English Knee Hole Desk with Tooled Leather Top, Serpentine Front

$2,319Sale Price|20% Off

H 29.75 in W 21 in D 45.5 in

Desk , Small English Knee Hole Desk with Tooled Leather Top, Serpentine Front

By Bevan Funnell Ltd.

Located in Toronto, CA

A serpentine curved front, small English kneehole desk in classical mahogany Georgian styling. The gold(ish) brown antique looking tooled leather...

Category

20th Century English Georgian Zanotta Desks

Materials

Leather, Hardwood

Bronze Desk with Black or Brown Leather Wrapped Top

$11,115 / item

H 30 in W 55 in D 30 in

Bronze Desk with Black or Brown Leather Wrapped Top

By Alberto and Diego Giacometti

Located in Ballard, CA

A hand-sculpted and forged bronze desk with brown or black leather wrapped top and drawer, fastened by bronze nails. Custom sizes, finishes and glass top available. Interior of drawe...

Category

2010s American Organic Modern Zanotta Desks

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Era Ebonised Desk with Stainless Frame

$3,995

H 29.5 in W 41.5 in D 28.5 in

Art Deco Era Ebonised Desk with Stainless Frame

Located in Troy, MI

Found in England, this circa 1930s Art Deco desk has a streamlined machine age / industrial style. Desk top with three functional drawers and stainless steel leg and base. Unknown ma...

Category

Early 20th Century English Art Deco Zanotta Desks

Materials

Stainless Steel

Lovely Vintage Writing Table Desk in Hardwood with Silk Embroidered Glass Top

$1,651

H 29.53 in W 48.23 in D 24.41 in

Lovely Vintage Writing Table Desk in Hardwood with Silk Embroidered Glass Top

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

We are delighted to offer this lovely vintage writing table with silk embroidered top and glass protector A very good looking and well made p...

Category

20th Century English Victorian Zanotta Desks

Materials

Silk, Glass, Hardwood

Large French Neoclassical Roll-Top Desk

$24,500

H 50 in W 65 in D 27 in

Large French Neoclassical Roll-Top Desk

Located in Troy, NY

French Mahogany Empire Desk of stately proportions, with a roll top, revealing a double row of total six drawers under an open shelf, as well as a sliding writing surface with inset ...

Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Zanotta Desks

Materials

Mahogany, Pearwood

Mid-Century Modern "Biscayne" Floating Top Walnut Desk by Drexel

$5,400

H 34.5 in W 55.75 in D 31.5 in

Mid-Century Modern "Biscayne" Floating Top Walnut Desk by Drexel

By Milo Baughman, Drexel

Located in North Hollywood, CA

This exceptional floating top walnut desk by Drexel represents the pinnacle of 1960s American modernist design. Part of the distinguished Biscayne collection, this piece draws clear ...

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Zanotta Desks

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Style Leather Top Desk

$7,250

H 29 in W 60 in D 30 in

Art Deco Style Leather Top Desk

By Global Views

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Three drawer desk or writing table crafted in mahogany with a white leather top over a sleek elegant form with art deco influence, finished all around with a convex mirror on the bac...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Zanotta Desks

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Rosewood Roll Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar

$14,000

H 35 in W 74.75 in D 28 in

Rosewood Roll Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar

By Edward Wormley

Located in Dallas, TX

A rosewood tambour roll top desk with brass feet and leather trim. Designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.

Category

1950s Vintage Zanotta Desks

Swedish Art Moderne Black Writing Desk with Zebra Hide Insert

$2,363

H 29.5 in W 47 in D 25.5 in

Swedish Art Moderne Black Writing Desk with Zebra Hide Insert

Located in Atlanta, GA

Fabulous black lacquered writing desk with bookcase and lockable cabinet on front and curved desktop, pencil drawer and another cabinet wit...

Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Zanotta Desks

Materials

Cowhide, Leather, Wood

Early 20th Century Italian Roll Top Desk in Oak Wood

$3,349

H 40.16 in W 44.1 in D 29.93 in

Early 20th Century Italian Roll Top Desk in Oak Wood

Located in Casale Monferrato, IT

Introducing this majestic early 20th-century desk. An extremely distinctive, discreet desk that can be used in a variety of settings thanks to its unique design. The desk is crafted...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Zanotta Desks

Materials

Oak

Yellow & Black Steel Frame Desk Model 4111 by George Nelson Herman Miller Mint

$7,500

H 29 in W 42 in D 17 in

Yellow & Black Steel Frame Desk Model 4111 by George Nelson Herman Miller Mint

By Herman Miller, George Nelson

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Yellow & black steel frame desk Model 4111 by George Nelson Herman Miller Mint.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Zanotta Desks

Materials

Steel

Modern Metal Leather Top Desk

$6,937 / item

H 29 in W 60 in D 24 in

Modern Metal Leather Top Desk

Located in Westwood, NJ

Modern Metal Leather top desk, featuring a digitally carved, traditional woven cane design. The carved metal desk boasts mesmerizing textural layers. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Zanotta Desks

Materials

Metal

Previously Available Items

Cavour CM Desk w/ Executive Kit, Canaletto Walnut Frame with Clear Glass Top

Sold

H 29.5 in W 97.24 in D 35.43 in

Cavour CM Desk w/ Executive Kit, Canaletto Walnut Frame with Clear Glass Top

By Zanotta, Carlo Mollino

Located in Vancouver, BC

Designed by Carlo Mollino in 1949 for Zanotta, the Cavour Desk forms part of an eccentric yet elegant collection for one of the leaders in Italian industri...

Category

2010s Italian Modern Zanotta Desks

Materials

Glass, Walnut

Zanotta Cavour Desk, Homage to Carlo Mollino

Sold

H 29.25 in W 97 in D 35.5 in

Zanotta Cavour Desk, Homage to Carlo Mollino

By Zanotta

Located in Dallas, TX

"Cavour" writing desk, homage to Carlo Mollino, 1949. Zanotta edition. Plate glass top, natural oak frame and compartment all in lacquered black.

Category

20th Century Italian Zanotta Desks

Materials

Glass

Zanotta desks for sale on 1stDibs.

Zanotta desks are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of steel and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Zanotta desks, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider desks by Roberto Lazzeroni, Paolo Rizzatto, and Lawson-Fenning. Prices for Zanotta desks can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,970 and can go as high as $2,970, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,970.