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 & Martin Eisler for Forma, Cielo Terra Bookcase, Italy, 1960s
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma
Located in Naples, IT
Floor-to-ceiling steel and metal bookshelf with 3 wooden shelves Designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for Forma in the 1960s, this piece perfectly embodies the avant-garde des...
Metal, Steel
Franco Albini LB7 modular bookcase, 1950s/1960s, Italy
Located in Vicenza, VI
Modular bookcase model LB7 designed by Franco Albini in the late 1950s and 1960s. The system consists of three modules with a teak wood frame and metal finials, designed for pressure...
Metal
$64,104
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
$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 and Martin Eisler, Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner
Located in New York, NY
A Caviúna record player produced by Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte in the 1950s, with designs by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler. This record player has two hanging doors...
Hardwood
$3,259Sale Price|20% Off
H 78.75 in W 63 in D 11.82 in
Italian Design Wooden Bookcase with Storage, 1960s
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
This is a beautiful and sophisticated piece of mid-century furniture. The Italian design of the 60s is distinctive and evident in this wall bookcase. Made of veneer wood and charact...
Metal
$32,518
H 34.26 in W 86.62 in D 16.93 in
Sideboard - Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler Forma Moveis, Brazil, 1950s
By Forma Brazil, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
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
$2,797
H 79.14 in W 54.53 in D 17.13 in
Danish Rosewood Bookcase with Sideboard by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad, 1960s.
By Hundevad & Co., Carlo Jensen
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Rosewood Bookcase with Sideboard by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad, 1960s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern bookcase in Rosewood/palisander designed by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad & ...
Rosewood
$6,410
H 45.28 in W 35.44 in D 19.69 in
Mid-Century Semainier Dresser by Hauner & Eisler for Forma, 1950s
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma
Located in Roma, RM
A refined mid-century semainier dresser designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for their influential furniture company Forma, dating from the 1950s–1960s. Hauner and Eisler play...
Brass
Vintage Bookcase Teak Veneer, Italy, 1960s
Located in Milano, IT
Bookcase with concealed bar compartment, storage elements with sliding doors, visible drawers and open shelves made of solid wood and veneer, teak with polyester finish...
Teak
Large Modular Wood Bookcase, Italy, 1960s
Located in Milan, IT
Large modular bookcase composed by movable black painted shelves and wood uprights with brass feet. More uprights and shelves available.
Brass
1960s Secretary Bookcase
Located in Victoria, BC
A 1960s Danish secretary bookcase in rosewood, combining storage, display, and workspace within a vertical cabinet. The case is constructed with well-matched rosewood veneer, showing...
Wood
$2,797
H 78.35 in W 54.53 in D 17.13 in
Danish Rosewood Bookcase with Sideboard by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad, 1960s.
By Hundevad & Co., Carlo Jensen
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Rosewood Bookcase with Sideboard by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad, 1960s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern bookcase in Rosewood/palisander designed by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad & ...
Rosewood
$5,711
H 118.12 in W 14.97 in D 87.8 in
Italian mid-century bookcase series Selex for Industria Mobili Barovero, 1960s
By Barovero
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century bookcase series Selex for Industria Mobili Barovero, 1960s Modular bookcase from the Selex series in teak. It features nine rectangular shelves with black metal r...
Metal, Brass
Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler Bookshelf, 1960s
By Forma, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Bookshelf by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler for Forma, 1960. Sophisticated minimal design consisting of a large chromed metal stem, black lacquered metal elements and fine Rosewood she...
Metal