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Franco Albini

Italian, 1905-1977

While working under the polymath Gio Ponti — arguably the most important figure in 20th-century Italian modernism — furniture designer Franco Albini nurtured a love for modern forms combined with traditional craft techniques.

Albini is widely known for working with organic materials such as rattan and cane for his chairs and other seating, but he also played a pivotal role in the Italian rationalist movement of the early 20th century, which saw architects and furniture makers applying a strict emphasis on geometry in their work. Rationalists drew on Ancient Roman architecture but rejected ornament, much in the way that Le Corbusier and celebrated Bauhaus figures such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe had in their modernist furniture.

Albini received his degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1929, and, in 1931, he founded his practice in Milan, where he tackled workers’ housing and other reconstruction projects. A gifted urban planner, he also developed the Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso and Tesoro di San Lorenzo museums in Genoa. While Albini is revered for his Margherita chair — a Triennale Milano award winner created for Bonacina in 1951 — he also collaborated with manufacturers Poggi and Cassina in the 1940s on seating, tables and more that embodied his artistic vision. Of that mid-century work, the one piece that perhaps best captures this vision is the iconic Luisa chair.

With its cherry red upholstery and sinuous wooden legs that seem to float aboveground, the Luisa is a genuine masterpiece. It is also a testament to Albini’s perfectionism, as it endured several prototypes — including one made by Knoll in the late 1940s — and took approximately 15 years to design. Poggi launched the final version of the armchair in 1955, earning Albini the prestigious Compasso d’Oro from Italy’s Association for Industrial Design. It is produced today by Cassina. Albini named the chair for someone who likely saw the process firsthand: his personal secretary of two decades, Luisa Colombini.

Find vintage Franco Albini furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$2,798
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Iconic Designs from Franco Albini
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Luisa Chair
Luisa Chair
Franco Albini Lb7
Franco Albini Lb7
Franco Albini Rocking Chaise
Franco Albini Rocking Chaise
Franco Albini Fiorenza Chair
Franco Albini Fiorenza Chair
Franco Albini for Poggi Midcentury Italian Luisa Chairs, Set of 7
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Countryside, IL
Franco Albini for Poggi midcentury Italian Luisa chairs - Set of 7 Each chair measures: 22 wide x 21 deep x 30.5 inches high, with a seat height of 18 and arm height/chair clearan...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard for Poggi, 1950s
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern design credenza sideboard designed by Franco Albini and produced by Poggi Pavia from 1958, four doors with sliding shelves and a pull-out shelf / tray, sol...
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1850s Italian Mid-Century Modern Antique Franco Albini

Materials

Wood

Franco Albini Bookcase; a Masterpiece of Italian Craftsmanship and Design
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Introducing the remarkable Veliero Bookcase, designed by the renowned Franco Albini in 1940 and relaunched by Cassina in Italy between 2011 and 2019. This exceptional wooden bookcase...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini

Materials

Metal

Set di 4 sedie Luisa e 2 Luisella
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Luisa is a chair with armrests with a sober and minimalist design, the result of a 15-year research path that saw Franco Albini focus on fine-tuning an archetype in which the essenti...
Category

1950s Italian Modern Vintage Franco Albini

Materials

Textile, Wood

  • Set di 4 sedie Luisa e 2 Luisella
  • Set di 4 sedie Luisa e 2 Luisella
  • Set di 4 sedie Luisa e 2 Luisella
  • Set di 4 sedie Luisa e 2 Luisella
H 29.93 in. W 22.05 in. D 23.63 in.
Franco Albini Luisa Chair, American Walnut and Fabric by Cassina
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Luisa chair designed by Franco Albini in 1953. Relaunched in 2013. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. The small armchair, dubbed Luisa, is the fruit of a fifteen-year process of...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Franco Albini Luisa Chair, American Walnut and Fabric by Cassina
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Luisa chair designed by Franco Albini in 1953. Relaunched in 2013. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. The small armchair, dubbed Luisa, is the fruit of a fifteen-year process of exploration, focused on creating an archetype of the basic elements of a chair, and its potential uses within the home. A idea-based design, where Franco Albini expressed the concept of “substance in form”, increasing the volume of the wooden parts where they join with others. Following various enhancements, the definitive version of the chair was awarded the prestigious Compasso D’Oro prize by the Italian Industrial Design Association (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale/ADI). The frame represents a synthesis where the seat and the back are two geometric planes suspended on an understated wood structure, the sides reminiscent of trestles. Luisa is a timeless piece, the outcome of skill, both in terms of technique and of materials. This world exclusive Cassina re-issue, has been made possible thanks to the company’s extraordinary wood...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Franco Albini Luisa Chair, Wood and Fabric by Cassina
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Chair designed by Franco Albini in 1953. Relaunched in 2013. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. The small armchair, dubbed Luisa, is the fruit of a fifteen-year process of exploration, focused on creating an archetype of the basic elements of a chair, and its potential uses within the home. A idea-based design, where Franco Albini expressed the concept of “substance in form”, increasing the volume of the wooden parts where they join with others. Following various enhancements, the definitive version of the chair was awarded the prestigious Compasso D’Oro prize by the Italian Industrial Design Association (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale/ADI). The frame represents a synthesis where the seat and the back are two geometric planes suspended on an understated wood structure, the sides reminiscent of trestles. Luisa is a timeless piece, the outcome of skill, both in terms of technique and of materials. This world exclusive Cassina re-issue, has been made possible thanks to the company’s extraordinary...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Franco Albini Tl3 Table, Black Dyed Wood and Glass by Cassina
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Table designed by Franco Albini in 1953. Relaunched in 2013. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Franco Albini designed this table using the strut element that he had already employed in the design of the Veliero and Infinito bookshelves. In this instance, the legs serve as the vertical elements, solid, turned along their entire surface except for the square section onto which the horizontal table...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini

Materials

Glass, Wood

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More Franco Albini Designs
Luisa Chair
Luisa Chair
Average Price
$8,802
Number Available
10
Luisa Chair
By Franco Albini
Materials
Wood, Fabric
Styles
Mid Century Modern
After working for approximately 15 years through several prototypes of the design (one of which was manufactured by Knoll in the late 1940s), the Italian designer, architect and urban planner Franco Albini (1905–77) finished what is considered to be a masterpiece: the Luisa chair. The dignified armchair is upholstered in warm red fabric and named after Luisa Colombini, Albini’s personal assistant and secretary of two decades. Lightweight and initially available in teak, mahogany and beech, th...
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Franco Albini Lb7
Franco Albini Lb7
Average Price
$17,553
Number Available
6
Franco Albini Lb7
By Franco Albini
Materials
Wood, Metal, Rosewood
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Franco Albini Rocking Chaise
Franco Albini Rocking Chaise
Average Price
$34,371
Number Available
4
Franco Albini Rocking Chaise
By Franco Albini
Materials
Fabric, Hardwood, Wood, Canvas, Teak, Wool
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Franco Albini Fiorenza Chair
Franco Albini Fiorenza Chair
Average Price
$8,689
Number Available
4
Franco Albini Fiorenza Chair
By Franco Albini
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Upholstery
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Franco Albini furniture for sale on 1stDibs

Furniture by Franco Albini are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive objects are often made of wood and designed with extraordinary care. In our collection of Franco Albini furniture there are many options to choose from, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. 99 vintage editions of these items are in stock, while there are 34 modern editions to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Franco Albini were created in Europe during the 20th century in the Mid-Century Modern style. Many customers also consider furniture by Carlo De Carli, Marco Zanuso and Tobia Scarpa if you are looking for additional options. The prices for Franco Albini furniture can vary depending on size, time period and other attributes. The price for these items starts at $NaN on 1stDibs and tops at $NaN, while pieces like these can sell for $NaN on average.

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