From its unorthodox beginnings, Italian manufacturer Arflex grew into one of the leaders of 20th-century furniture design. Its furniture came to be known for its integration of new materials and bold appeal, and today a variety of vintage Arflex chairs, sofas and tables are emblems of mid-century modernism.
Arflex was established in Milan in 1947 by Pirelli employees Carlo Barassi, Pio Reggiani, Renato Teani and Aldo Bai. Barassi, a Milan Polytechnic graduate and visionary engineer at the Italian tire manufacturer, explored innovative technology and new uses for synthetic materials in domestic products (for Kartell, he codeveloped a ski rack for automobiles). The four founders partnered with a young architect named Marco Zanuso, who also desired to create furniture that featured an application of novel materials such as elastic tape and polyurethane foam.
One of Arflex’s inaugural pieces was Zanuso’s Lady armchair, a seat made of polyurethane foam that was manufactured in pieces and assembled at the very end of the production process. It won a gold medal at the 1951 Milan Triennale. A couple of years later, Arflex collaborated with Studio BBPR to create the office-chic Elettra and Neptunia chairs. The flourishing furniture company quickly established a reputation for compelling products and attracting and working with up-and-coming designers such as Roberto Menghi, who created Hall, a luxurious line of seating that would earn the Compasso d’Oro – Honorable Mention in 1959.
In the 1960s, Arflex continued to welcome the use of new and cutting-edge materials. Popular designs from this decade include Carlo Bartoli's fiberglass and polyester resin Gaia lounge chair and Cini Boer’s Bobo Relax lounger, one of history’s first seating pieces made of polyurethane foam (it has no internal frame). Boer, a pioneer of furniture design in Italy, also created the Strips sofa for the brand in 1972. Part of a plush modular seating system, the Strips sofa became an Arflex icon and was awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1979.
Arflex continues to work with innovative designers to this day. Among their more recent collaborations is with Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. The company's legendary creations are also on display at museums worldwide. The Lady chair, for example, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
On 1stDibs, you can find a collection of vintage Arflex lounge chairs, armchairs, coffee tables and other furniture.
Bernhardt & Vella Set of 4 'Alba' Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcases by Arflex
By Arflex, Bernhardt & Vella
Located in Tilburg, NL
Ellen Bernhardt and Paola Vella for Arflex, Set of 4 'Alba' Sectional Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcases. This is a wonderful and very versatile freestanding bookcase with many p...
Metal
Bernhardt & Vella 'Alba' Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase 2 Sections Arflex
By Arflex, Bernhardt & Vella
Located in Tilburg, NL
Ellen Bernhardt and Paola Vella for Arflex, 'Alba' Sectional Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase. This is a wonderful and very versatile freestanding bookcase with many possibilitie...
Metal
Bernhardt & Vella Pair of 'Alba' Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcases for Arflex
By Bernhardt & Vella, Arflex
Located in Tilburg, NL
Ellen Bernhardt and Paola Vella for Arflex, 'Alba' Sectional Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase. This is a wonderful and very versatile freestanding bookcase with many possibilitie...
Metal
Bernhardt & Vella 'Alba' Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase '6' for Arflex
By Arflex, Bernhardt & Vella
Located in Tilburg, NL
Ellen Bernhardt and Paola Vella for Arflex, 'Alba' Sectional Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase. This is a wonderful and very versatile freestanding bookcase with many possibilitie...
Metal
Bernhardt & Vella Pair of 'Alba' Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcases for Arflex
By Arflex, Bernhardt & Vella
Located in Tilburg, NL
Ellen Bernhardt and Paola Vella for Arflex, 'Alba' Sectional Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase. This is a wonderful and very versatile freestanding bookcase with many possibilitie...
Metal
Bernhardt & Vella 'Alba' Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase for Arflex
By Arflex, Bernhardt & Vella
Located in Tilburg, NL
Ellen Bernhardt and Paola Vella for Arflex, 'Alba' Sectional Freestanding Ceiling Fixed Bookcase. This is a wonderful and very versatile freestanding bookcase with many possibilitie...
Metal
$235
H 42.33 in W 19.1 in D 13.55 in
Vintage 4 Tier Freestanding Corner Whatnot Shelves Bookcase Display Stand
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Here we have for sale this vintage 4 tier freestanding corner Whatnot bookcase, shelves, display stand. Perfect for the corner of any room to stand book...
Bamboo, Pine
$2,423 / set
H 36.42 in W 36.03 in D 14.38 in
Pair of Shaws of London Flamed Hardwood Dwarf Open Library Bookcases Small Suite
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer this stunning matching pair of Shaws of London dwarf open library bookcases in flamed mahogany which are part of a suite I have two matching pairs of the...
Hardwood
A pair of bench made sculptural walnut bookcases.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These stunning curved bookcases, each having seven shelves, are two-toned with the interiors having blonde walnut. The rear of bookcases are fully fin...
Walnut
$5,567
H 118.12 in W 28.75 in D 30.71 in
Osvaldo Borsani E22 Double Sided Freestanding Wall Unit for Tecno, Italy, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
This double-sided freestanding E22 bookcase is a rare and peculiar example of Borsani's innovative design and the Tecno manufacturing expertise. Its construction of metal, wood, and ...
Metal
Pair of French Mahogany and Bronze Open Bookcases
By Adam Weisweiler
Located in London, GB
A pair of Petit Bibliotheques in the manner of Adam Weisweiler constructed using a finely patinated mahogany, brass and bronze; rising from bronze shod turned and tapering circular ...
Brass, Bronze
$2,691Sale Price|20% Off
H 46.46 in W 41.74 in D 15.75 in
Angelo Mangiarotti Italian Wood Bookcases Shelves Cavalletto Model for Agapecasa
By AgapeCasa, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
A furnishing system made entirely of wood, designed by Angelo Mangiarotti in 1953. Its distinctive feature is a trestle in the shape of an upturned “V”, which means it is superimposable by means of a siply gravity joint, and whose special perimeter section can accomodate bookshelves on which closed containers...
Wood
$2,771
H 97.64 in W 41.74 in D 14.57 in
Michel Ducaroy for Roche Bobois Floor/ceiling shelf/Bar (Claustra) 1970s
By Michel Ducaroy, Roche Bobois
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Aluminum and smoked acrylic elements Measures : 106x37cm H:248cm (Variable) Materials : Aluminium - Acrylic Michel Ducaroy was a French designer born in 1925. He became renowned fo...
Aluminum
$4,918Sale Price|20% Off
H 98.43 in W 31.5 in D 11.82 in
Freestanding Wall unit, Bookshelves, Roomdivider, Midcentury Modern, 1950s
By Van den Berghe-Pauvers 1, Jos De Mey
Located in Antwerp, BE
Modular wall unit or room divider designed by Jos De Mey for Van den Berghe-Pauvers, Ghent Belgium. 1958. Four black metal mounted on oblique, four tapering legs, brass stretchers ad...
Metal
$9,600Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 84 in W 18 in D 18 in
Pair of Abstract Obelisk Bookcase Cabinets by Baker Furniture
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in North York, ON
Pair of abstract Obelisk bookshelves by Baker Furniture. Solid mahogany construction, featuring custom two-tone finish. Bookcases contain 6 shelves on both the front and rear of the ...
Brass
$2,692Sale Price|50% Off
H 86.62 in W 62.6 in D 15.75 in
Freestanding Michel Ducaroy Wall Unit in Acrylic and Aluminum for Roche Bobois
By Michel Ducaroy, Roche Bobois
Located in Markington, GB
Freestanding Michel Ducaroy modular wall unit in acrylic and aluminum for Roche Bobois Freestanding Michel Ducaroy modular wall uni...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Italian Three-Section Teak Shelving System
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Three-section freestanding teak shelving system features four round-section vertical uprights connected by open shelves across all bays, with distinctive circular disc brackets at ea...
Teak
Pair of Modern Black Bookcases in Solid Wood
Located in North York, ON
Pair of modern black bookcases in solid wood. Finished in a satin black finish with sleek modern styling. Sold in a pair, 4 total available. P...
Wood
Sold
H 69.3 in W 69.3 in D 14.97 in
Minimalist Postmodern Steel Bookcase by Venosta and Zimmerman for Arflex, 1971
By Carla Venosta, Arflex
Located in Antwerp, BE
Arflex is a company that marked the history of Italian design employing great designers such as Marco Zanuso, Carlo Mollino, Joe Colombo. Carla Venosta and Guido Zimmerman designed ...
Stainless Steel