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Forma Benches

Brazilian

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. 

Find vintage Forma seating, tables and storage pieces for sale on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Forma
Mid-Century Modern Slatted Bench from Forma Manufacture, Brazil, 1970s
Mid-Century Modern Slatted Bench from Forma Manufacture, Brazil, 1970s

Mid-Century Modern Slatted Bench from Forma Manufacture, Brazil, 1970s

$9,000

Mid-Century Modern Slatted Bench from Forma Manufacture, Brazil, 1970s

By Forma

Located in Deerfield Beach, FL

Slatted bench produced in Brazil in the 1970s by Forma Manufacture. This beautiful piece's seating is composed of regularly arranged solid Brazilian hardwood slats, finished with n...

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1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Forma Benches

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Forma benches for sale on 1stDibs.

Forma benches are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Forma benches, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original benches by Forma were created in the mid-century modern style in south america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider benches by Geraldo de Barros, Jorge Zalszupin, and Sergio Rodrigues. Prices for Forma benches can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $4,993 and can go as high as $11,095, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $9,000.

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