Forma stands at the forefront of a revival of Brazilian modern furniture. Fashioned from high-grade regionally sourced hardwoods, leather and iron, even Forma's earliest creations have stood the test of time. The company’s alluring mid-century modern works appealed to homeowners at its peak, from the 1950s through the ’70s, and given the broadening interest in Brazilian furniture and the likes of designers such as Sérgio Rodrigues, vintage Forma is making a major comeback today.
Forma began in São Paulo, under the leadership of Italian designer Carlo Hauner and Austrian architect and interior designer Martin Eisler. Hauner studied drawing and technical drawing at the Brera Academy in Milan. After participating in the Venice Biennale, he emigrated to São Paulo, where he established the furniture manufacturer Móveis Artesanal, for which Carlo and Martin — as well as Carlo’s brother Ernesto Hauner — would create a range of pieces for the home.
In 1936, Eisler earned a degree in architecture from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, where he studied under Oskar Strnad and Clemens Holzmeister. With World War II looming, he left Austria immediately after graduating. He first went to Czechoslovakia, to which some of his family had already fled. In 1938, he moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and opened his interior design firm Interieur Forma.
Eisler relocated to Brazil in the early 1950s, where he met Hauner. At the time, Eisler had been looking for help producing furniture for his brother-in-law, Ernesto Wolf, and contacted Hauner. The two found that they had a shared vision, and with financial help from Wolf, they opened Galeria Artesanal as a storefront for Móveis Artesanal.
Looking to expand into international sales, the duo rebranded the company Forma. Sérgio Rodrigues, who helped launch a branch of Artesanal in Curitiba, was put in charge of interiors at Forma. That company soon became one of the biggest names in Brazilian furniture — it sold its own sculptural rattan lounge chairs, bookcases and other case pieces crafted with rosewood or jacaranda, and Forma was eventually distributing furniture licensed from iconic American manufacturer Knoll, thereby bringing works by noted designers such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Charles Eames and Harry Bertoia to the Brazilian market.
The Forma furniture company continued producing masterfully crafted furniture into the 1970s, until Eisler's death in 1977. Forma folded soon after, but Eisler's company in Argentina, Interieur Forma, is still in business today.
On 1stDibs, explore Forma seating, tables and storage pieces.
Sideboard - Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler Forma Moveis, Brazil, 1950s
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma Brazil
Located in Rosendahl, DE
A rare and exquisite four-door buffet designed by Martin Eisler and Carlos Hauner, founders of the iconic Brazilian furniture company Forma Móveis. Crafted in Brazil in the 1950s, th...
Cane, Wood
$41,600
H 45.95 in W 50.01 in D 38.82 in
Bar Cabinet with Footrest by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, c. 1955, Forma S.A
By Forma Brazil, Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
This fabulous Home Bar in Brazilian Caviuna wood was manufactured in c. 1955 by Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte, a company with designs and creative direction by Carlo Hauner (19...
Brass
$8,000
H 35 in W 40 in D 20 in
Brazilian Rosewood Sideboard / Bar with Pull-Out Trays by Ando — Brazil, 1950s
Located in New York, NY
A sculptural Brazilian modernist sideboard or bar crafted in richly figured rosewood and attributed to Ando, Brazil, circa 1950s. The cabinet presents a disciplined architectural for...
Brass
Móveis Paschoal Bianco, Sideboard, Wood, Brazil, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A sizable wood sideboard or cabinet produced by Móveis Paschoal Bianco, Brazil, c. 1950s. Minor wear consistent with age and use. Overall Dimensions (inches): 35.9"H x 98.75"W x 21...
Wood
$13,260
H 35.44 in W 36.82 in D 19.3 in
Mid-Century Modern Record Player Cabinet by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, 1955
By Forma, Carlo Hauner, Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
This Caviuna Record Player was produced by Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte in the 1950s, whose designs were made by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler. This typology was part of the storage furniture from the period, appearing in several interior projects published in the most known design and lifestyle magazines. It was part of modular furniture, commonly assembled with shelves, flower boxes, and bar compartments. Extraordinarily complex and hand-crafted, the wood pieces produced by Forma Móveis e Objetos de Arte in Brazil in the 1950s have unique construction details, very distinctive of any production of the time in Brazil. This Record Player is composed of two hanging doors...
Hardwood
Brazilian Designer, Sideboard, Wood, Cane, Brass, Brazil, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A sizable wood, cane and brass sideboard or cabinet designed and produced in Brazil, c. 1950s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 32.25"H x 86.25"W x 20.0"D All items ship from High Poin...
Brass
Brazilian sideboard in Rosewood c1950
Located in Paddock Wood Tonbridge, GB
A mid century sideboard produced in Brazil in the 1950’s in rosewood, very stylish in its simplicity having three shaker style doors with adjustable height shelves to the right and a...
Rosewood
$72,000
H 59.26 in W 118.12 in D 18.12 in
Rare and Large Martin Eisler Sideboard for Forma in Brazilian Walnut and Cane
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Martin Eisler for Forma, sideboard, Brazilian walnut, glass, brass, cane, leather, Brazil, 1950s Rare Brazilian sideboard by Martin Eisler for Forma. This refined piece is composed ...
Brass
$13,500
H 18 in W 71 in D 15 in
Brazilian Modern Floating Bar / Sideboard in Hardwood by Carlo Hauner, 1950s
By Carlo Hauner
Located in New York, NY
Designed in the 1950s by Carlo Hauner, this rare floating bar or sideboard showcases Hauner’s early mastery of proportion, material, and refined detail. Executed in richly grained Br...
Brass
$14,712
H 33.27 in W 98.63 in D 19.69 in
Sculptural Credenza-Sideboard by Giuseppe Scapinelli , Brazil 1950s
By Jean Gillon, Sergio Rodrigues, Jorge Zalszupin, Giuseppe Scapinelli
Located in Den Haag, NL
Sculptural Credenza-Sideboard by Giuseppe Scapinelli , Brazil, 1950s The elegant base and finish of detail are quality. The knobs on the doors are made of brass. It has four doors ...
Wood
$64,764
H 31.89 in W 105.52 in D 16.93 in
Carlos Hauner & Martin Eisler, Buffet, Caviuna Wood, Cane, Brazil, 1950
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Barcelona, ES
Carlos Hauner & Martin Eisler Buffet with five doors Manufactured by Forma Moveis Brazil, 1950 Caviuna wood, cane From the archives of Side Gallery, Barcelona Measurements 268 cm x 43 cm x 81 H cm 105.52 in x 16.92 in x 31.88 H in Literature Brasilian modern: The rediscovery of 20th century Brazilian furniture. Aric Chen. Brasil, 2016 Bio Beside Carlos Hauner, Martin Eisler (1913-1977) was the founder for the iconic Brazilian furniture company Forma. He was born in Vienna, Austria, and studied architecture in his country. In 1938 he moved to Buenos Aires. After meeting Carlos Hauner in Brazil, he started traveling there frequently to collaborate on designs and, they founded Forma to sell their own designs as well as pieces licensed from Knoll International. Eisler also opened Forma in Buenos Aires, along with partners Arnold Hakel and Susi Aczel...
Wood
$7,500
H 29 in W 41 in D 15.4 in
Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sideboard in Hardwood, Geraldo de Barros, 1950s
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in New York, NY
The sideboard is crafted entirely from Brazilian Rosewood, known as Jacaranda, featuring three drawers adorned with brass handles, along with a single door, a shelf, and supported by...
Hardwood
$5,440Sale Price|20% Off
H 55 in W 65 in D 19 in
Mid Century Credenza Jacaranda and Brass by Hauner and Eisler Brazil Ca. 1950’s
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
Spectacular Mid Century credenza, made in Brazil - designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler. This example is in very good, original condition, clean and ready to use. The case ha...
Brass
Sold
H 26.38 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Mid-Century Modern Small Cabinet in Wood by Forma Manufacture, Brazil 1970s
By Forma Brazil
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern Small Cabinet in Wood by Forma Manufacture, Brazil 1970s. 1970's Small vintage wood cabinet by the Brazilian Forma Manufactur...
Wood, Glass