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Franco Albini Sideboards

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.

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Creator: Franco Albini
Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard for Poggi, 1950s
Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard for Poggi, 1950s

Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard for Poggi, 1950s

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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 Sideboards

Materials

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Franco Albini Teak Sideboard for Poggi, Modern Design, c1960s
Franco Albini Teak Sideboard for Poggi, Modern Design, c1960s

Franco Albini Teak Sideboard for Poggi, Modern Design, c1960s

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Sideboard, model MB48, by Franco Albini for Poggi. A rare design from the 1950s–60s, featuring six teak doors with brass inserts. Fully restored. Interior shelf depth for center ca...

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1960s American Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

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Franco Albini,  Mid-Century  "MB15" sideboard for Poggi, Italy 1957
Franco Albini,  Mid-Century  "MB15" sideboard for Poggi, Italy 1957

Franco Albini, Mid-Century "MB15" sideboard for Poggi, Italy 1957

By Poggi, Franco Albini

Located in Argelato, BO

Franco Albini, MB15 pair of sideboards for Poggi, Italy, 1957 The MB15 sideboard by Franco Albini shown in the images feature a refined and understated design, typical of the Italia...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

Materials

Wood

Midcentury MB48 Sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1958 ca
Midcentury MB48 Sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1958 ca

Midcentury MB48 Sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1958 ca

By Franco Albini, Poggi

Located in Piacenza, Italy

Sideboard designed by Franco Albini in the 1950s, characterized by its clean lines and balanced proportions. The structure is composed of a sequence of volumes, with slightly angled ...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

Materials

Wood

Franco Albini MB15 Large Sideboard with Four-Doors Panels in Wood by Poggi 1950s
Franco Albini MB15 Large Sideboard with Four-Doors Panels in Wood by Poggi 1950s

Franco Albini MB15 Large Sideboard with Four-Doors Panels in Wood by Poggi 1950s

By Poggi, Franco Albini

Located in Cascina, Pisa

MB15 large sideboard with four-door panels in wood, designed by Franco Albini in 1956 and produced by Poggi, Pavia. The MB15 sideboard showcases a clean and solid design characteriz...

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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

Materials

Wood

Midcentury sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1950
Midcentury sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1950

Midcentury sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1950

By Poggi, Franco Albini

Located in Piacenza, Italy

Elegant sideboard, model MB 15, designed by Franco Albini for Poggi Italy, 1950s Sophisticated and timeless, the MB 15 sideboard is an iconic piece designed by Franco Albini for the ...

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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

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Italian Franco Albini for Poggi Sideboard
Italian Franco Albini for Poggi Sideboard

Italian Franco Albini for Poggi Sideboard

By Franco Albini, Poggi

Located in Hudson, NY

An Italian model MB 51 sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi. Made of solid teak with a minimalist design and sharp lines.

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Sideboards

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Sideboard with Bar Element by Franco Albini, Italy, 1930s
Sideboard with Bar Element by Franco Albini, Italy, 1930s

Sideboard with Bar Element by Franco Albini, Italy, 1930s

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Located in Greding, DE

Large four-door sideboard designed by Franco Albini in the 1930s. The Art Deco sideboard is veneered on all sides and fitted with chrome half-moon handles and set off by means of ver...

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1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

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Maple

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Previously Available Items
Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak
Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak

Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak

Sold

H 30.32 in W 72.25 in D 18.51 in

Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak

By Poggi, Franco Albini

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Franco Albini for Poggi, sideboard MB 51, teak, Italy, 1950 Well-designed long sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, which features a simplistic design with sharp lines. This modern...

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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Sideboards

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Large Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak
Large Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak

Large Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak

Sold

H 30.32 in W 95.67 in D 18.51 in

Large Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak

By Poggi, Franco Albini

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Franco Albini for Poggi, sideboard MB 51, teak, Italy, 1950 Well-designed long sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, which features a simplistic design with sharp lines. This mode...

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Franco Albini MB48 sideboard Poggi Italy 1963
Franco Albini MB48 sideboard Poggi Italy 1963

Franco Albini MB48 sideboard Poggi Italy 1963

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H 30.32 in W 102.37 in D 18.9 in

Franco Albini MB48 sideboard Poggi Italy 1963

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Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant

Introducing the exceptional Franco Albini MB48 large sideboard, a timeless masterpiece designed in 1963 for Poggi Italy. Part of an iconic modular series by the renowned designer Fra...

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Sideboard MB48 by Franco Albini for Poggi - 1960s

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H 30.52 in W 125.79 in D 18.71 in

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Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard Model MB15 for Poggi, 1950s

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Franco Albini sideboards for sale on 1stDibs.

Franco Albini sideboards 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 Franco Albini sideboards, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original sideboards by Franco Albini were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider sideboards by Dassi Mobili Moderni, Dassi, and Saporiti Italia. Prices for Franco Albini sideboards can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,663 and can go as high as $12,800, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $9,623.