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.
Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler Rattan Lounge Chairs Brazil 1955
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
A beautiful pair of lounge chairs in rattan by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, made by Forma Móveis in Brazil in 1955. The chairs are in fully original condition and have never been ...
Metal
$68,900
H 33.08 in W 30.12 in D 39.38 in
Mid-Century Modern Chaise Lounge by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, 1954
By Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner
Located in New York, NY
This chaise Lounge is one of the fantastic designs by Martin Eisler (1913-1977) and produced by Móveis Artesanal and then Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte. Galeria Artesanal, the first showroom that presented the furniture and objects created by Moveis Artesanal and HG Ceramica, used to sell this design. The traditional chaises...
Iron
$17,564
H 33.08 in W 27.56 in D 33.08 in
Brazilian Lounge Chair Martin Eisler & Carlo Hauner - "Costela" Forma, 1950s
By Forma, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Rosendahl, DE
This rare Costela Lounge Chair by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, produced by Forma in the 1950s, features solid wood ribs paired with a vintage leopard-patterned teddy fabric. A tru...
Steel
$40,600
H 29.3 in W 28.35 in D 31.5 in
Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner "Costela" Lounge Chair, Brazil, 1953
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
The Costela armchair is an iconic Brazilian Mid-Century Modern piece. It was designed by Martin Eisler (1913 - 1977) in 1953 and manufactured by the c...
Steel
$16,800
H 31.03 in W 26.78 in D 29.73 in
Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner "Costela" Lounge Chair, Midcentury Brazil, 1953
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
The Costela armchair is an iconic Brazilian Mid-Century Modern piece. It was designed by Martin Eisler (1913 - 1977) in 1953 and manufactured by the companies Móveis Artesanal and Fo...
Fabric, Hardwood
$88,100
H 31.11 in W 28.75 in D 28.75 in
Rare 'Costela' Lounge Chairs by Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner, Brazil, 1954
By Forma Brazil, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Antwerp, BE
These extraordinary lounge chairs represent an original and very rare piece of Brazilian design history. Designed by Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner in 1954 for the renowned company F...
Steel
$8,900 / set
H 31 in W 27.5 in D 28 in
Martin Eisler Carlo Hauner, Lounge Chairs, Rattan, Steel, Forma, Brazil, c. 1955
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of rattan and steel lounge chairs designed by Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner and produced by Forma, Brazil, c. 1955. Seat Height (inches): 15" All items ship from High Poin...
Steel
$4,597
H 31.5 in W 28.35 in D 28.35 in
'Concha' Lounge Chair by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Brazil, 1950's
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Uithoorn, NL
'Concha' Lounge Chair by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Brazil, 1950's This lounge chair by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler was produced in Brazil in the 1950's by Forma. The chair...
Metal
Carlo Hauner Martin Eisler Concha Lounge Chair, Brazil, 1950
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in San Francisco, CA
An original 'Concha' (shell) lounge chair designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler and manufactured by Forma Moveis, Brazil 1950. Chair has a solid steel structure and upholstered...
Metal
$5,800
H 31 in W 28 in D 30 in
Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, Lounge Chair, Iron, Rattan, Brazil, 1950s
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in High Point, NC
An iron and rattan lounge chair designed by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler and produced by Forma S.A., Brazil, 1950s. Heavy oxidation to metal legs. Overall Dimensions (inches): 31” ...
Iron
$3,064
H 35.44 in W 26.38 in D 22.05 in
Lounge Chair by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler Mod. PL22 for OCA Brazil, 1960s
By OCA Brazil, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Berlin, DE
PL22 folding chair, designed by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler for OCA in 1960s Brazil. The frame, crafted from solid tropical hardwood, shows a rich patina and light age-related wear,...
Leather, Nutwood
$11,500 / set
H 33 in W 28 in D 36.25 in
Costela Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Martin Eisler & Carlo Hauner
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Leather lounge chair and ottoman by Martin Eisler & Carlo Hauner c.1960's, Brazil. The chair features a slat back design with natural colored leather tufted cushion and matching otto...
Iron
$11,500
H 22.84 in W 24.41 in D 19.69 in
Low Armchair by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Brazilian Midcentury Design
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for Forma S.A Móveis e Objetos de Arte in circa 1960. A modern Brazilian armchair made in the curved iron structure and recently upholster...
Iron
Sold
H 35.44 in W 70.87 in D 26.38 in
Carlo Hauner Martin Eisler Attributed Garden Chairs, Brazil, 1960
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Stunning pair of lounge chairs attributed to Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, manufactured by Forma, Brazil 1960. These solid steel lounge chairs were originally white painted and rep...
Steel