While mid-century architect and furniture designer Carlo Pagani is widely known for the elegant seating he created for powerhouse Italian furniture manufacturer Arflex, his many editorial collaborations with the groundbreaking modernist architect and journalist Lina Bo Bardi are considered to be among his most important works. The pair covered furnishings, interiors, architecture and art, thoroughly documenting European contributions to 20th-century design.
The Milan-born Pagani studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan and the University of Rome, graduating from the latter in 1939. He returned to his native city at the invitation of his former professor Gio Ponti, arguably the most important figure in 20th-century Italian architecture and design.
Pagani’s instructor saw great potential in him. He and Bardi, a former classmate at the University of Rome, opened a studio together in Milan in 1940. Pagani initially worked on architectural projects with Ponti but was eventually added to the editorial staff at Domus — the legendary magazine Ponti founded in 1928. Bardi and Pagani designed a utopian theoretical project called Casa sul Mare di Sicilia that was published in an issue of Domus dedicated to seaside living. When Ponti left Domus and launched Stile magazine to cover urban planning, art and Italian architecture, Pagani and Bardi were invited to contribute articles, artwork and more to Ponti's new initiative.
In 1943, Pagani returned to the Domus magazine staff and asked Bardi to join him. The Italian-born Brazilian writer and architect Bardi, who began a career in design journalism in Milan, co-edited the magazine’s “I Quaderni di Domus” with Pagani — a softcover table book series highlighting the best designers and emerging products from postwar Europe, such as Alvar Aalto, Franco Albini and Vico Magistretti. The books, copies of which are very rare today, are considered quintessential documents by collectors of design ephemera and enthusiasts of Italian modernism.
Pagani was asked to design the interiors for La Rinascente, a department store in Milan’s Piazza del Duomo. The project yielded a partnership between the architect and the retailer that lasted decades. He stayed busy throughout his life — Pagani was commissioned to design chairs and other seating for Arflex, he consulted on architecture projects all over the world and continued to design buildings and home interiors.
Find vintage Carlo Pagani furniture on 1stDibs.
Brown skai, wood & brass 1956 chairs by Carlo Pagani for Cassina
By Carlo Pagani, Figli di Amadeo Cassina
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Set of 2 Mid Century modern chairs designed in 1956 by Carlo Pagani and manufactured by Figli di Amedeo Cassina. Good vintage condition: few skai defects; the wooden legs have been p...
Brass
$18,000 / set
H 20.48 in W 23.63 in D 18.51 in
Charlotte Perriand “LC7” Chairs for Cassina, Brown Leather, 1927, Set of 6
By Charlotte Perriand, Cassina, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier “LC7” dining chairs for Cassina, brown leather and black metal, Italy, 1927, set of six An icon with a versatile and functional...
Leather
$8,100 / set
H 29.53 in W 19.69 in D 17.72 in
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Chairs for Cassina, Brown Lacquered, 1960, Set of 6
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, dark brown lacquered wood and ivory velvet seat, Italy, 1960, set of six. The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s mo...
Velvet, Wood
$13,000 / set
H 28.75 in W 23.63 in D 20.48 in
Charlotte Perriand “LC7” Chairs for Cassina, Brown Leather, 1927, Set of 4
By Cassina, Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier “LC7” dining chairs for Cassina, brown leather and metal, Italy, 1927, Set of four An icon with a versatile and functional soul...
Leather
$2,600 / set
H 32 in W 18.375 in D 17 in
Two Dark Brown CAB 412 Chairs Designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina
By Mario Bellini
Located in Doraville, GA
A pair of dark brown, saddle leather CAB 412 side chairs designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in 1977. This pair of chairs are of newer production. The chairs stand approximately 32...
Leather
$6,500 / set
H 28.75 in W 23.63 in D 20.48 in
Charlotte Perriand “LC7” Chairs for Cassina, Brown Leather, 1927, Set of 2
By Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier “LC7” dining chairs for Cassina, brown leather and metal, Italy, 1927, Set of two An icon with a versatile and functional soul,...
Steel
$3,250
H 28.75 in W 23.63 in D 20.48 in
Charlotte Perriand “LC7” Dining Chair for Cassina, Brown Leather, 1927
By Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina, Cassina, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier “LC7” dining chair for Cassina, brown leather and black metal, Italy, 1927 An icon with a versatile and functional soul, the "L...
Leather
"Gaja" chair by Kazuhide Takahama for Cassina, 1970s
By Kazuhide Takahama
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
"Gaja" chair by Kazuhide Takahama for Cassina, Made in Italy, 1970s. This Chair is made of an electro-welded, chrome-plated steel rod. This type is in the version with genuine leathe...
Steel
$5,400 / set
H 29.53 in W 19.69 in D 17.72 in
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Chairs for Cassina, Brown Lacquered, 1960, Set of 4
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, dark brown lacquered wood and ivory velvet seat, Italy, 1960, set of four. The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s m...
Wood, Velvet
$14,337 / set
H 33.47 in W 18.51 in D 18.12 in
Set of 6 chairs 693 Carlo De Carli Cassina, 1957, wood and blue velvet
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Set of 6 model 693 chairs, designed by Carlo De Carli and produced in 1957. Made of walnut wood with padded seat and backrest and covered in blue velvet. Provenance: private collecti...
Velvet, Wood
$1,350
H 29.53 in W 19.69 in D 17.72 in
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Chair for Cassina, Brown Lacquered, 1960
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chair for Cassina, dark brown lacquered wood and ivory velvet seat, Italy, 1960. The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous cha...
Wood, Velvet
On Hold|$2,700 / set
H 29.53 in W 19.69 in D 17.72 in
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Chairs for Cassina, Brown Lacquered, 1960, Set of 2
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, dark brown lacquered wood and ivory velvet seat, Italy, 1960, set of two. The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s mo...
Wood, Straw
$4,599 / set
H 32.68 in W 16.93 in D 16.93 in
Set of 4 Vintage Leggera Dining Chairs by Gio Ponti produced by Cassina ca. 1950
By Figli di Amadeo Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Geneva, CH
Beautiful set of 4 "Leggera" dining chairs by Gio Ponti produced by Figli di Amadeo Cassina in Italy ca. 1950s Black lacquered wood and new papercord seat. Manufacturer label. Newly ...
Papercord, Wood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 21.66 in D 20.48 in
12 Brass & Mohair Campanula Chairs by Pagani (Partner of Gio Ponti) Arflex 1952
By Arflex, Carlo Pagani
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Amazing set of eight restored 'Campanula' dining chairs designed by Italian architect Carlo Pagani (architectural partner of both Gio Ponti and Lina Bo Bardi) for Arflex, Italy in 1952. These chairs have had their upholstery completely restored and are finished in elegant special order mohair fabric and feature beautiful tapered form brass legs which are exquisite. The mohair finish is exquisite and creates a beautiful organic interplay of subtle tones that are affected by the way the light reacts to the direction you choose to brush the deep mohair pile, a very luxurrious effect. Please note the fabric on all the chairs is exactly the same color, any tone differences you notice are purely down to the direction that the pile is brushed affecting the way it captures the light. We have photographic documentation of the entire restoration processt to illustrate the amount of work and care taken to fully restore the upholstery from the ground up. This set is ready to be used Restoration details: These chairs have had their upholstery completely restored in our upholstery shop , stripping each chair right back to its bare wood frame and then applying new high quality rubber seat and backrest support webbing by the original Italian manufacturer 'Pirelli', then new high quality 'Pantera' foam has been applied throughout replacing the old, dry and crumbling original foam and finally the chairs have been finished in beautiful, high quality special order 'Musco' Mohair Velvet fabric by famous Dutch textile manufacturer 'De Ploeg'. The beautiful elegant tapered form brass legs have been sympathetically hand polished and may still exhibit some small signs of user wear commensurate with originality age and use, we did not want to machine polish the legs as it can take away at lot of the original vintage appeal. Carlo Pagani worked in the offices of Gio Ponti and collaborated and partnered Gio Ponti on several important projects which were documented in the Italian design journals of the period such as the August 1940 issue of Domus. In 1940, see scan attached as IMAGE 2. Carlo Pagani started up his own architectural practice "Studio Bo...
Metal, Brass
Sold
H 32.68 in W 22.84 in D 21.66 in
Set of four Campanula Chairs by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, Italy, 1950s
By Carlo Pagani
Located in Paris, FR
Set of four Campanula Chairs by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, Italy, 1950s Original velvet. Ready to be reupholstered
Metal
Sold
H 32.68 in W 22.84 in D 21.66 in
Pair of Campanula Chairs by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, Italy, 1950s
By Carlo Pagani
Located in Paris, FR
Eight Campanula chairs by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, Italy, 1950s Recently reupholstered with a Bisson Bruneel fabric.
Brass
Sold
H 32.68 in W 19.89 in D 23.63 in
Italian Bordeaux Velvet Campanula Chair by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, 1952
By Arflex, Carlo Pagani
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Bordeaux velvet Campanula chair by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, 1952 Rare campanula chairs designed by Carlo Pagani and produced by Arflex in 195...
Metal, Brass
Sold
H 32.68 in W 19.89 in D 23.63 in
Italian Bordeaux Velvet Campanula Chairs by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, 1952
By Arflex, Carlo Pagani
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian bordeaux velvet Campanula chairs by Carlo Pagani for Arflex, 1952 Rare campanula chairs designed by Carlo Pagani and produced by Arflex in 19...
Metal, Brass
Sold
H 33.27 in W 22.64 in D 23.04 in
12 Brass leg Chairs by Pagani, Partner of Gio Ponti & Linda Bo Bardi, 1952 Arflex
By Arflex, Carlo Pagani
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Amazing set of 12 restored 'Campanula' dining chairs by italian architect Carlo Pagani ( architectural partner of both Gio Ponti and Lina Bo Bardi) for Arflex, Italy, 1952. These are early examples identified by their artisan crafted solid wood frames and some of the chairs still retain their original early fabric 'Arflex' manufacturer's labels which we managed to save from the original upholstery. A beautiful feature of this design is the finely crafted brass tapered tubular legs that have been hand polished. We have photgraphic documentation of the entire restoration process . This really is a unique opportunity to acquire such a large and stunning set of these rare chairs. The chairs have had their upholstery completely restored , stripping these chairs right back to their bare wood frames and then applying new Pirelli rubber seat and backrest support webbing throughout , then new latex and Pantera foam has been applied and finally they have been finished in new Danish 'Hallingdal 65' fabric in '0103' color designed by Danish master furniture designer Nana Ditzel.. Carlo Pagani worked in the offices of Gio Ponti and collaborated and partnered Gio Ponti on several important projects which were documented in the italian design journals of the period such as the August 1940 issue of Domus. In 1940 Carlo Pagani started up his own architectural practice "Studio Bo...
Metal, Brass